FUNDAMENTALS OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT - 2023/4

Module Overview

This module is part one of a first-year skills programme, the content of which has far-reaching implications for the student’s future scholarly work and employability (vacation internships, professional training placement).

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

LOO Benaliza (SBS)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

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

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

• Acquisition of basic business knowledge


• Presentations - MS PowerPoint


• Self-presentation & group presentation Skills


• Critical analytical skills


• Group working


• Basic understanding and application of statistics and maths required for analysis of business


• Employability - the skills and attitudes employers want


• Reflective thinking


• The personal and professional development process

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

3 min individual presentation replaces the group presentation. 

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate the acquisition of the following skills and knowledge:

• 
  Group presentation 
  
  
  
  
  • 
    Gain an understanding of the dynamics of group work
    
  
  
  • 
    Develop the ability to work in a team for a common goal.
    
  
  
  • 
    Evidence competence and creativity in group presentations with the use of ICT
    
  
  
  • 
    Enhance employability through personal & professional development
    
  
  
  • 
    Develop though reflective thinking the integration of the individual in a team
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  Individual viva 
  
  
  
  
  • 
    Demonstrate understanding of basic business information and its application to current business issues
    
  
  
  • 
    Develop the confidence to think on your feet and respond to issues using initiative and business knowledge.  
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  60-minute numeracy exam
  
  
  
  
  • 
    understanding and confident application of maths and statistics to business problem
    
  
  
  • 
    develop numeracy skills to be confident at analysing and communicating numeric  information 
    
     
    
  
  
  
  

• 
  A group presentation (25%)
  


• 
  Individual viva with individual questions.  (25%).
  


• 
  A 60-minute numeracy exam at a set date and time (50%).
  
  Students receive marks out of 100 for both assessments, along with feedback on their individual performance.
  

• 
  Students work regularly as individuals and in groups to complete various activities to develop their numeracy, oral presentation skills and business knowledge over the course of the module.
  


• 
  Students who have not attended tutorials for three consecutive weeks and not contributed to their groups will be required to complete the presentation as an individual assignment.
  


• 
  Students will receive individual and group feedback during the module from the tutor. Peers are also encouraged to provide feedback, collaborate and support each other in their mutual development.
  


• 
  Activities culminate in group presentation utilising PowerPoint slides.
  


• 
  Additionally, individual members of the group will be asked questions about the subject of the presentation. Students will receive verbal feedback on their individual and group performance from the tutor.
  


• 
  Students are provided with the assessment criteria and weighting for each component of the assessment when the assessment is introduced.
  


• 
  Students receive verbal and online self-test feedback on the progress of their numeracy skills. Students also complete a mock test which they mark themselves and discuss in class. This allows them to ‘test’ their numeracy skills prior to the summative assessment (exam).
  

Module aims

• Develop an agile, connected, bold and employable students by acquiring transferable skills, attitudes and knowledge that will enable them to study successfully and to function effectively in the modern business community
• Develop numeracy, written and oral skills which enhance communication and facilitate critical analysis and problem solving
• Develop knowledge of business in the real-world, research and teamwork

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

To provide students of all abilities the foundation to be agile, connected, human, bold and sustainable in the business world. This teaching strategy enhances employability by using real-world application and theoretical frameworks. Students are encouraged to:

• assess their current skills (study-related, business, numeracy, IT and oral presentations),


• identify areas of weakness and strengths,


• take advantage of appropriate learning opportunities within this module’s activities, the wider university and the business world to become sustainable employable graduates,


• demonstrate creativity, competence and confidence,


• reflect on their progress using feedback from tutors and peers.

• Lectures (1 hour per week X 11 weeks)
  
  
  
  
  • Introduce the context within which business operates, its structure and key metrics.
  
  
  • Present the business skills required to be an agile, connected, bold student
  
  
  
  


• Small group tutorials (1 hour each per week x 11 weeks) will facilitate:
  
  
  
  • Development of knowledge about the context in which the real business world operates
  
  
  • Facilitate a learning environment which empowers students to communicate creative thinking to make an impact through collaboration.
  
  
  
  


• PC Labs (1 hour each per week x 11 weeks)
  
  
  
  • Develop a basic understanding and competence in MS PowerPoint,
  
  
  • Develop basic understanding of ICT as used in the business world, employability and Personal & Professional Development processes
  
  
  • Competent and confident users of business statistics
  
  
  
  


• Supporting material provided on SurreyLearn

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: MAN1103

Other information

NA

Programmes this module appears in

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 2023/4 academic year.