BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT - 2021/2

Module code: MAN1062

Module Overview

Businesses do not exist in isolation. They must operate within a complex and sometimes turbulent environment. The key forces facing businesses are economic, political, legal, technological, demographic, social-cultural, ethical as well as ecological environments. This module examines the influences of various external environments at local, national and international levels on business organisations.

Module provider

Hospitality, Tourism & Events Management

Module Leader

KHAN Jashim (SII DUFE)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Overall student workload

Independent Learning Hours: 117

Lecture Hours: 22

Seminar Hours: 11

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None.

Module content

Indicative content includes, but is not restricted to:


  • Introduction to business environment 

  • Political environment 

  • Economic environment

  • Ethical environment

  • Social demographic environment 

  • Technological environment 

  • Legal environment

  • International business environment

  • Analysing and monitoring the changing environment  


Assessment pattern

Assessment type Unit of assessment Weighting
Online Scheduled Summative Class Test MCQ MIDTERM TEST (1 HOUR, ONLINE) 50
Examination Online MCQ FINAL EXAM (1 HOUR, ONLINE) 50

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate a comprehensive and accurate understanding of various environmental factors facing businesses and their impacts on business organisations. Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:


  • A closed-book in-class test (50%) of multiple-choice questions to be held in Week 6 of the semester.

  • A closed-book examination (50%) of multiple-choice questions to be held at the end of the semester.



Formative assessment and feedback will be organised during the semester. A mock exam will be held and instant feedback will be provided by the lecturers.

Module aims

  • Businesses do not exist in isolation. They must operate within a complex and sometimes turbulent environment. The key forces facing businesses are economic, political, legal, technological, demographic, social-cultural, as well as ethical environments. This module examines the influences of various external environments at local, national and international levels on business organisations.

Learning outcomes

Attributes Developed
1 Outline the key features of the environment affecting the conduct of business organisations KC
2 Give examples of situations where the political, economic, legal and social environment has had a direct effect on business operations PT
3 Describe the key features of the economic, political, legal, technological and social-cultural environments KC
4 Classify environmental influences in an appropriate manner KC
5 Distinguish between internal and external factors affecting business performance KC

Attributes Developed

C - Cognitive/analytical

K - Subject knowledge

T - Transferable skills

P - Professional/Practical skills

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to encourage students to respond to formal presentations but also take responsibility for their own learning by combining lecture presentations with self-directed learning based around the core text and supporting material on SurreyLearn.

The learning and teaching methods include lectures, directed reading and case studies followed by discussions on SurreyLearn. Electronic voting is used in most lectures.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN1062

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2021/2 academic year.