This module is designed to encourage students to reflect on a variety of issues relating to business strategy, such as: the nature of business strategy; the approaches to strategy development; the implications of strategic choices; stakeholder interests and the wider context of strategy.

In particular, the module encourages students to evaluate many of the aspects of strategy and strategic thinking that are not usually reflected upon. This module provides students with an insight into the nature of business strategy and its implications, which go beyond what might be expected in the standard text book.

Consequently, the module offers an insight into a range of current business issues, management dilemmas, ethical considerations, and general governance issues relating to the strategic direction of organizations. Overall, the module provides an introduction to strategy and a critical examination of its application in practice.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Recognise and understand the many varied principles, practices and perspectives involved in business strategy making;

2. Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding in relation to issues underlying mainstream interpretations of strategic processes;

3. Understand the importance of ideological positions and ethical principles in relation to strategic aspirations and to demonstrate an understanding of the complicated governance issues involved in strategic decision making

4. Critically evaluate the different tools and techniques used in strategy making

This module introduces key aspects of accounting and finance, and some of its main applications in contemporary management and decision making.

The central consideration of this module is that managers need to be aware of, and be able to critically evaluate, the informational outputs of accounting systems and financial management techniques, and how their application underpins managerial, financing and investment decisions, and contemporary issues of relevance to these techniques.

This module also provides a foundation for the study of optional modules in accounting and/or finance.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Explain and apply the accounting principles and concepts underlying the preparation of financial statements, including notions of cash flow vs. accountingprofit and concepts of assets, liabilities, and equity.
2. Be conversant with the form and content of company financial statements (e.g. income statement, cash flow statement, statement of financial position).

3. Apply financial analysis techniques to make informed decisions/recommendations/projections and be aware of selected earnings management practices and controversies associated with meeting analysts’ earnings forecasts.
4. Gain clear conceptual understanding of managerial and cost accounting, cost elements and classification, cost behaviours and costing methods and short-term decision-making.
5. Evaluate investments employing standard criteria, such as Net Present Value, and,explain their shortcomings.
6. Evaluate investments while employing models that match risk and return as well as describe the conditions in which the models can be reliably deployed.
7. Describe the irreversibility and flexibility of capital investments and illustrate the use of real options.
8. Describe the ways of raising finance and discuss the factors to be considered when deciding on a suitable balance between debt and equity capital.

This module is designed to encourage students to think and reflect upon the nature of managing people and organisations. In particular, the module encourages students to consider many of the key human aspects of management that are, so often, taken for granted and in so doing provides students with an understanding of core issues that shape the management of organisational performance. Building upon an awareness of these key debates, the module invites participants to analyse workforce issues that shape their management practice.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Analyse the assumptions that shape our appreciation of workers and the human issues of work;
2. Discuss the role of people and managerial work from a variety of perspectives;
3. Reconsider their managerial practice in the light of critical research on behaviour in organisations;
4. Acknowledge and reflect critically upon those aspects of organisational life that are central to management practices with particular regard to contemporary business practice;
5. Reflect critically on management practices and people in different types of organisations.

Operations Management is the management of the resources and processes that create and supply the services and/or products of an organization or function. As such Operations Management is relevant to all sectors and most functions within an organization. This module will equip students with the skills to manage operations in a sustainable way that helps deliver the triple bottom line or people, planet and profit.

The module introduces a range of models that help students manage a range of operations from high volume batch processing to low volume bespoke businesses. It considers both production and service organizations and address the increasing blurring of the distinction between the two.

Learning Outcomes:

• Determine the effect that operations can have on the sustainability of an organization
• Critically examine the main performance objectives of operations as they apply to all organizations
• Design processes appropriate for the product or service being delivered
• Critically assess and select appropriate planning and control tools for an organization
• Assess and select appropriate process improvement methods for organizations

The managerial economics module covers two important aspects of organisations: the economics of corporate architectures as well as their governance and control. We apply economic-contracting and transactions-cost approaches to the study of these two aspects of organising.

Though the range of questions that can be covered is broad, we focus on three topical ones: Can we design the contracts of employees, managers, shareholders and bondholders to reduce the disparate tensions that are forever threatening to pull an organization apart without straight-jacketing them? Are expansion phases merely manifestations of empire-building by top managers or offer real gains in innovation and in human capital? Can we identify excessive risk taking while ensuring suitable risks are not avoided? These merely serve to illustrate but three of a myriad of tradeoffs that managers of successful organizations need to make: concepts and tools from economics can provide one guide, and we study these guides.

Organisations operate amongst forces that confine their structures, rules, norms, habits, inertia and momentum. Corporate architecture is an umbrella term for all these forces. The architecture provides guidance, at the same time as imposing restrictions, on how the corporation can be governed. The primary focus, of this course, is on applying the concepts, tools and methods developed within economics towards the coordination and administration of an organisation’s activities.

The three-part approach to the economic analysis of architecture is: first, decide who should decide, second, decide the rewards for deciding ‘well’ and third, decide who has decided ‘well’. We have enclosed the word ‘well’ in quotes – determining what it means to decide ‘well’ requires agreement on the objective of corporations. I will assume the agreed objective is to maximise the value to the shareholders of the corporation. Nevertheless, deciding a suitable objective for an organisation is a role for political economy and then for corporate law, which brings us naturally to the second important aspect we shall cover – systems of corporate governance.

The notion of governance and control in an organisation is best illustrated by an array of events that occur infrequently in the life of organisations but with large consequences when they do. The topics cover the entire cycle from birth to death. Events such as incorporating a firm (birth), an entrepreneur seeking external capital from banks or venture capitalists (growth), conducting an initial public request for resources and listing on public exchanges (premier league), engaging in mergers and acquisitions (expansion), performing restructuring activities (redirection), and experiencing distress or even ending it all, via liquidation (death). We study the latter three in this module and examine them from the perspectives of contracts and transactions costs

Sustainable enterprises need to balance risks and returns and choose appropriate trade-offs carefully and corporate governance is a means to achieve a balance between risk levels and return that is sustainable for the organisation and society more broadly. The central question of corporate governance is: In whose interests should a corporation be run? We examine the main corporate governance systems used globally so as to study the different balances between risk and return that underlie them and how these systems differently spread the risk among corporate stakeholders.

Learning Outcomes:

First, you should be able to employ economic concepts to describe the conflicts of interest inherent in corporations and explain how, in resolving such conflicts, the administration that minimises transactions costs gains competitive advantage.

Second, you should be able to describe the control mechanisms that can reduce such conflicts and explain the complementarities among these mechanisms.

Third, you should be able to describe the concepts of agency and signalling, as well as, explain how these two concepts help analyse important events in corporate governance and control, such as executive compensation, mergers and acquisitions, reorganisations and liquidations.

Finally, you should be able to describe the different macroeconomic and associated corporate governance systems prevalent globally and the political economy associated with the different risk distributions among the stakeholders in these broad macroeconomic settings.

Data and information are critical to the success of organisations. Organisations that manage information effectively can improve efficiency, be more responsive to market opportunities, achieve competitive advantage and operate more sustainably. As organisations seek to develop innovations and grow in a sustainable way, they are looking for better information to guide decisions. This module will explore the role of information and analytics in supporting the development of innovative, sustainable growth strategies and the practical techniques managers can use to design effective information flows.

Learning Outcomes:

• evaluate and critically analyse how emerging technologies will affect business and society and the opportunities and risks that are associated with it,
• understand key terms and concepts in data and information management and be able to relate these to a typical business situation,
• critically evaluate current approaches used for collection, management, communication and analysis of commercial, operational and sustainability data, and how this data is used to support decision-making
• apply techniques to the analysis of a specific business challenge and use these to identify required information flows
• develop and use data visualisation techniques to share original content and insight with a general management audience
• demonstrate familiarity with analytical tools available for the analysis of numerical and textual data and use these to find, derive and evaluate information,
• demonstrate familiarity with current developments and thinking in the information management industry, specifically around ‘big’ data management, analytics, cloud and visualisation techniques.

This module focuses on theoretical concepts and issues of marketing and of international marketing strategy and their application for practice by businesses.

The module is structured along three key themes: marketing concept and market orientation which provides students with an overview, discussion and analysis of the marketing function and marketing approaches with an aim to strengthen the student’s context familiarity; international marketing strategy which delineates the purpose of a strategic approach, its key features, types of market entry strategies and their relevance for new ventures and small businesses; marketing planning and control processes which enables students to build an appreciation of decision making processes, specific issues in varied firm contexts and the organisational challenges encountered in developing an international marketing strategy.

Learning Outcomes:

• Develop an understanding of international marketing strategy and planning;
• Acquire in-depth understanding of the international marketing strategy formulation process, international market selection and international market entry modes;
• Learn to differentiate between the international marketing approaches of large and medium sized firms (SMEs);
• Learn to use a range of frameworks for strategic analysis leading towards the development of an international marketing strategy;
• Apply techniques, models and frameworks to marketing strategy plans for different types of businesses.

Leadership is an important topic in the field of business and management studies both from a theoretical and a practical perspective. The overarching objective of this module is to develop students’ understanding of leadership within organisations.

The module introduces students to a wide range of models, theories and topics within leadership and highlights central debates in the field. The module will cover traditional approaches to leadership, current issues in leadership and critical issues in leadership from a theoretical and a practical perspective. At the end of the module students will have developed a critical appreciation of leadership in modern organisations.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the key elements of the various theories and concepts on leadership
2. Critically evaluate practices of leadership
3. Change leadership in organisations

The proposed module provides a comprehensive introduction to the management of innovation and organizational change. This new offering is aimed specifically at MBA students who may be responsible for innovation projects in a wide range of organizational settings. The module will provides these students with the analytic frameworks, diagnostic tools and communication skills required for the management of innovation.

Learning Outcomes

1. To understand contemporary theories of innovation management and organizational change
2. To understand and use a range of analytic frameworks and diagnostic tools required for the management of innovation and organizational change
3. To develop stakeholder management, communication and constituency-building skills that are relevant to innovation and the implementation of organizational change

This advanced 10 credit module provides students with the frameworks and the skills to lead innovative projects and ventures within an organisational setting and a critical understanding of economic, sociological, psychological and managerial theories of enterprise creation and development and their application in the world of business. The focus is on the formation of new ventures, product/process/service/business model innovation, and their impact on economic and social development in different environments.

Learning Outcomes:

• demonstrate a critical understanding of different theoretical approaches to small business and new venture creation, growth and maturity in different spatial contexts;
• explain conceptual issues on entrepreneurship and its links with innovation clearly and concisely and how these concepts help us better understand economic and social development;
• evaluate and explain the relationship between different types of new ventures, as in new small firms, corporate entrepreneurship, new ventures within public and not-for-profit organisations in different countries, and develop relevant business models for their growth;
• develop realistic ideas for engaging with new business creation and growth in different environments;
• Identify opportunities for, and develop an innovative venture or project within an organisational setting.

The purpose of the module is to enable participants to obtain knowledge of supply chains and logistics in practice together with an understanding of key theoretical issues explaining good practice, problems and challenges to effective supply change management in a global context. The course will allow students to investigate large, globally networked organisations through lectures, case studies and group projects. The module will offer insights in supply chain management, the evolution of the management of logistics in the local and in highly networked global environments, and provide students with tools with which to engage supply chain managers.

Learning Outcomes:

• obtain up to date knowledge of supply chain management in practice;
• use different concepts and ideas with which to manage supply chains in different environments;
• acquire an appreciation of supply chain management functions supported by the leading theories and concepts;
• apply their knowledge in practice as general and supply chain managers for different organisations.

The Director’s Workshops address a wide range of topical, critical management issues of relevance to the practice of business and management with the view to help you acquire the tools and the skills to develop innovative business thinking.

Typically led by the MBA Director, the Director’s Workshops include contributions from the MBA Director, local and national industrial figures discussing their business and management practice, experts in their field and fellow MBA students themselves leading discussions on business issues specific to their own industry or geography. The Director’s Workshops also aim to support you early on in your MBA studies, helping you acquire critical learning and study skills through writing workshops and other research and reporting techniques. The module also incorporates field and company visits, enabling you to evidence the relevance of your learning to the workplace environment.

Learning Outcomes:

• Evidence an appreciation of current business and global issues impacting the practice of leadership and management
• Develop a critical understanding of the interface between business and society, and the impact of business decisions on the wider environment
• Develop as a responsible business manager/leader with an understanding of the need for innovation and sustainability
• Apply critical analysis tools and frameworks to business and management issues
• Synthesise and apply knowledge from multiple course modules to a business problem
• Analyse, evaluate, and present a coherent extended argument
• Carry out critical reflection

The MBA Project is a significant, self-directed piece of work involving a ‘hands on’ live project that enables you to consolidate and deepen your MBA learning while pursuing avenues of personal or professional relevance.

The MBA Project is led by a suitable management issue, problem or business opportunity which is critically discussed or evaluated with reference to existing research and primary, as well as secondary data. An understanding of the academic debate and critical application of existing research (and the student’s own research) to a case, are key to the MBA Project.

The outcome of the MBA Project is a written report of no more than 10,000 words in length, based upon a comprehensive understanding of the relevant literature and elements of primary as well as secondary data research that you have conducted yourself

Learning Outcomes:

• Show an appreciation of current business and global issues
• Design, lead and manage a project aimed at addressing a clearly identified business and/or management issue
• Scope the project and design a proposal
• Understand methodologies to help structured thinking, and the techniques for effective project management.
• Make a reasoned and critical selection of information sources, analytical tools and techniques appropriate to the specific issue being investigated
• Identify and understand ethical issues in management research
• Synthesise and apply knowledge from multiple course modules to a business problem
• Analyse, evaluate, and present a coherent extended argument
• Evaluate and recommend appropriate courses of action

• Manage relationships with a client – including managing risk, productive relationships, expectations, handling problems, barriers to implementation, evaluation. Understand the protocols, expectations and outcomes of engaging with organisations as clients.

This capstone business planning and management module provides opportunities for consolidation of MBA learning by bringing together knowledge acquired in Strategy, Marketing, Accounting, and Entrepreneurship and challenging the students to create and implement a plan for their own business while operating in a simulated environment. Working in groups, students will prepare a business plan, present the plan and seek funding by a making pitch for funding. Taking on roles such as those of Finance or Marketing Director students will implement their business proposal, devising marketing plans and operating models. By doing so, they are given a platform on which to put into practice many taught elements of the course.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Evaluate a business opportunity and propose a solution.
2. Construct an initial business plan, including strategy, marketing, finances and accounts
3. Adapt the initial business plan in line with changing events.