BSc International Business, Finance and Economics / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
International Business Analysis Project: Corporate Management in a Wider Context

Course unit fact file
Unit code BMAN33000
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 3
Teaching period(s) Full year
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

BMAN33000 explores the increasing influence of capital markets, technology and regulation on corporate management. While analysing macro level tendencies like financialisation, digitalisation and globalisation, the course also highlights the importance and challenges of sustainability and corporate responsibility. The course uses company level analysis in the context of specific industry conditions and provides the opportunity to understand how macro-level and sector specific changes have an effect on contemporary corporate management. Key themes are explored and applied through work in seminars and through assessments, allowing students to draw on the business research skills developed in their AMBS/UoM modules and to acquire new knowledge and skills. BMAN33000 is assessed through two pieces of coursework.

Semester One: the emphasis in the first semester is on developing conceptual understanding of management in the context of financialisation, amongst other challenges. Weekly lectures introduce micro, meso and macro themes and concepts which will be illustrated throughout the course with industry and firm examples.

Semester Two: this semester further develops students’ primary research skills and their application to relevant corporate contexts. Semester two will take a theme, such as the financial sector post-crisis or the challenges of new technologies in the automotive sector, to explore specific technological, regulatory and market developments. This will allow analysis of how general trends like financialisation, digitisation or pressures for corporate responsibility shape management choices and outcomes.

 

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
BMAN24141 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
International Business Strategy BMAN24132 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
Fundamentals of Strategy BMAN24492 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
BMAN24141 OR BMAN24132 OR BMAN24492 is pre-requisites of BMAN33000. Core for IBFE and BA (Econ) Business Studies specialists.

Pre-requisites: BMAN24492 – Fundamentals of Strategy Critical Perspectives in Strategy.

Co-requisites: None

Dependent course units: None

Pre-requisite course units have to be passed by 40% or above at the first attempt unless a higher percentage is indicated within this course outline. If the pre-requisite unit is defined as a compulsory course unit within your programme of study (Maths with Finance, IBFE, Accounting, BA Econ pathways for example) then progression onto the dependent unit is permitted as long as you have gained the appropriate amount of credit to progress on to the following year of your registered undergraduate programme.

 


 

Aims

- To understand the significance and development of financialisation in shaping corporate management decisions and their outcomes

- To explore how corporate management faces complex challenges that are specific to the industry and the conjuncture

- To further develop the practical skills necessary to research an individual company in industry and macro context from primary and secondary sources.

- To develop the intellectual skills of analysis and synthesis of research findings; as well as continuing the development of report writing skills introduced by International Business Strategy

- To build the transferable skills of initiative and judgement necessary to independent research.

Learning outcomes

-Understand to what extent and how companies attempt to balance shareholder value with other objectives including social responsibility, in a specific industry context.

-Appreciate how significant macro events and shifts, such as the global financial crisis and its aftermath, shape corporate management.

- Be able to plan a significant piece of work, take responsibility for meeting milestones and deadlines.

- Locate and use basic primary and secondary sources for researching a company and sector.

-Synthesise and write up the results of research in a theoretically informed way which focuses the key issues.

-Transfer research skills to study other companies and contexts.

 

Teaching and learning methods

Semester 1: 10 one hour lectures and 5 one hour tutorials.

Semester 2: 10 one hour lectures and 5 one hour tutorials.

Total study hours: 200 hours split between lectures (20 hours), other classes (10 hours); reading and research, and preparation for classes and coursework (170 hours).

Assessment methods

BMAN33000 is assessed via:

1)     one individually written report in semester 2 (40% of the total marks)

2)    one individually written structured essay/case study in semester 2 (60% of the total marks)

The page limit and formatting of these are subject to Alliance Manchester Business School rules and regulations. Details of the assessments will be provided at the start of the course.

Feedback methods

  •  Informal advice and discussion during lectures and tutorials.
  • Responses to student emails and questions by the lecturer and, as appropriate, the Graduate Teaching Assistant.
  • Meetings with students during office hours or at an arranged meeting.
  • Written feedback on assessed work.


 

Recommended reading

Goldacre, B. (2012) Bad Pharma: How drug companies mislead doctors and harm patients, London: Fourth Estate.

Lanchester, J. (2010) Whoops!: Why everyone owes everyone and no one can pay, London: Penguin.

Students might also want to watch the film ’Inside Job’ (Ferguson 2011) which gives an excellent account of the Global Financial Crisis.
 



 

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 20
Seminars 10
Independent study hours
Independent study 170

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Yusuf Kurt Unit coordinator

Additional notes

Pre-requisite course units have to be passed by 40% or above at the first attempt unless a higher percentage is indicated within this course outline. If the pre-requisite unit is defined as a compulsory course unit within your programme of study (Maths with Finance, IBFE, Accounting, BA Econ pathways for example) then progression onto the dependent unit is permitted as long as you have gained the appropriate amount of credit to progress on to the following year of your registered undergraduate programme.

Pre-requisites: BMAN24492 – Foundations of Strategy

Co-requisites: None

Dependent course units: None

Programme Restrictions: Only available to BSc International Business, Finance and Economics.

For Academic Year 2023/24

Updated: March 2023

Approved by: March UG Committee

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