Core block 1

Organisational Behaviour

Develop a broad understanding of the behaviour of individuals and groups within organisations, their contribution to business success and apply this understanding to the management of people and organisations across cultures. Understand the factors that influence people’s behaviour in the workplace and how your own interpersonal behaviour and that of others can help or hinder organisational effectiveness.

Learning outcomes

• The nature of organisational behaviour
• Individual processes: perception, motivation and learning
• Individual differences
• Social interaction and group dynamics
• The organisational context: structure and culture
• The organisation and the environment: the systems view of organisation
• National culture
• Organising chaos in organisations
• The bureaucratic phenomenon
• Leadership, power and change
• Organisational justice.

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Principles of Marketing

This course aims to give everyone a sound knowledge of the basics, so that by the end, you will be able to analyse a business situation from a marketing viewpoint. You should feel confident in discussing marketing issues with colleagues, and you will be prepared to continue with more detailed study of the subject at a more advanced level if you wish.

The course aims to;

1. expose you to both traditional and still powerful - ideas, and to newer techniques and concepts.
2. demonstrate the usefulness of marketing knowledge and concepts in analysing and developing markets and products within the context of the whole business operation.
3. show how marketers need to be aware of their responsibilities to customers more than shareholders and the ethics of their campaigns..

Learning outcomes

• What marketing is and is not; its status as a discipline.  Scope and new directions. The new Marketing. Marketing ethical code of conduct.
• Consumer behaviour
• New method in the collection and analysis of marketing information
• Creating a value proposition; features and benefits
• Communicating in a digital age; Ethical Standards of the Advertising Standards Authority.

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Leadership and Performance

This module covers the latest evidence on why leadership is crucial and how someone can be a more successful leader.  The module does two things: it draws on modern research about leaders and managers and so presents you with robust empirical findings (from different disciplines) that are both scientifically interesting and practical. Second, it focuses on why and how this body of evidence can help you in the future.

We will examine how leaders influence productivity, trust, and job satisfaction and worker engagement.  We consider how to spot, develop, motivate and incentivise your reports to achieve organisational performance.  Finally, you will reflect on your past leadership journey, learn from your peers’ experiences, and consider how to navigate your future.

Learning outcomes

• critically evaluate the importance of having the right leaders and managers in place.
• explain how employee job satisfaction and wellbeing affects individual and organisational performance.
• critically appraise the processes necessary to develop diversity.
• evaluate the key processes and behaviours of line managers.
• examine real-life examples through expert story-telling.

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Strategic Leadership

The aim of the module is to develop your ability to develop and execute better strategy. It is concerned with strategic decision-making and the long term successful direction of the organisation. It takes the perspective of the general manager who is responsible for a whole unit. It is also the perspective most often required of an MBA graduate since MBAs are among the few professionals in an organisation who can handle a business situation from a wide range of perspectives and not only from the viewpoint of one specialist discipline.

Learning outcomes

• Understand the key theoretical concepts of business strategy including the importance of industry context, and the theory of competitive advantage
• Understand how to analyse data about a company and how to build a strategic argument
• Understand the way in which strategy is formulated and executed.

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Accounting and Financial Reporting

To enable you to read, understand and analyse financial statements (balance sheet, income statement, statement of cash flows, and statement of changes in shareholders’ equity), with awareness of your strengths and limitations, as this is a fundamental skill for an effective manager in today’s business environment.

To provide you with an understanding of the basic principles of financial measurement and reporting, focusing on the identification and measurement of assets, liabilities, shareholders’ equity, revenues, expenses and cash flows.

To provide you with an understanding of the content, application and analysis of published financial reports and those prepared for internal management information purposes.

Learning outcomes

• Accounting as an information system
• The main financial statements
• A basic framework for the analysis of published financial reports
• Financial information for management decision making
• Fundamental management accounting tools.

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Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

The Continued Professional Development (CPD) programme runs across Blocks 1 and 2 for sustained career support. To offer you a broad range of CPD skills, the programme will include the online Mathematics for Managers pre-programme module and the Business Academic Writing module.

This course will provide a number of skills to help your personal and professional development within your organisation.

The aims of the course are to provide some core compulsory skills as part of induction and then you will engage in further CPD courses across the programme.

Learning outcomes

• Achieve a higher level of self-awareness in relation to your interaction with others
• Understand your interpersonal and leadership styles in more depth
• Use argument and evidence
• Use the skills learnt to further your career path
• Use the skills learnt within the workplace
• Understand the importance of Continuing Professional Development
• Demonstrate the professional skills acquired
• Realise the extent and limitations of your skill base.