English and Business BA (Hons): XJTLU 2+2 programme

This module deals with business ethics and the social responsibility of business organizations. It is designed to inform decision-making about ethical challenges arising in business. It will help students identify and manage difficult ethical dilemmas they are likely to encounter in their future career. It is not intended to convert sinners into saints, to preach ethical truths, or to convey the wisdom of moral philosophers. However, it will develop students’ analytical skills in ethical reasoning and provide them with a substantive framework to deal with ethical challenges. The module is taught by lecture (2 x 1 hour lectures per week, or a set of recorded mini-lectures available online if necessary) and workshops (2 during the semester, 2 hours each, which may occur online if necessary). Assessment is via case study analysis (40%) and an open book examination (60%). There will also be formative tests during the term. This module is identical to PHIL271, except that it runs in Semester 2.

Business strategies and behaviour are part and parcel of dynamic interactions between a wide range of actors in the world economy. This module aims at producing the basic knowledge and skills for understanding that interaction, taking into consideration firms but clearly examining also other types of actors such as states, international organisations, labour and social movements. It does so by asking three sets of interrelated questions. Firstly, why do businesses internationalise their operations? What, and in relation to whom, can they gain from doing so? Secondly, how do transnational corporations operate across borders? How do these operations contribute to patterns of international development? Are these patterns smooth and harmonious (simple globalisation) or uneven? Thirdly, what is the current (and future) context in which transnational enterprise takes place? Recently, the 2007-09 global economic and financial crisis, the 4th Industrial Revolution, the climate change crisis and the global health crisis have transformed the dynamics of the world economy in a number of ways, and the module aims at enhancing knowledge of this new context of business. The module will also consider key phenomena ranging from the role of the BRIC economies in the future international economic order to gender. Throughout the module, we will consider political (power) and ethical issues, as they are fundamental to understanding the world economy, past, present and future.

The aim of this module is to provide students with basic financial concepts in the areas of projected financial statements, time value of money and risk-return, and offer preliminary knowledge on market efficiency along with some elementary theoretical and empirical components related to these topics. Furthermore, the module covers fundamental discussions on internal and external financing policies, capital structure, dividend policy, mergers and acquisitions, etc.

The module introduces students to core theories and current issues and developments concerning knowledge management with the aim of fostering innovation. Students will learn how to analyse and critically evaluate the subject matter and apply it to diverse organisational environments.   

The module gives an overview of the subject from the perspective of principles and practice. The first part of the module provides an overview of perspectives and explains the centrality of strategic purpose. The second part is about strategic analysis and covers strategic objectives, and the analysis of the external and internal environments. The third part covers business, corporate, and global levels of strategy. Finally, the module explains implementation: covering strategic actions and performance management.

All decisions involving uncertainty run the risk of failure. This module examines why people and organizations sometimes make unwise decisions and how to make better decisions.

The module provides a context for business subjects already studied (eg marketing) and incorporates additional subjects, for example project management, quality management, law and planning. It also provides an analysis of the market in which the sector operates. The emphasis is on practical skills and the module draws on relevant theory. Visiting speakers relate theory to practice. There is an assignment that focuses on event skills and a formal exam.

This module gives students an up-to-date coverage of global strategy and hands-on experience putting theory into practice. It sets new approaches such as institutional analysis alongside more traditional approaches based in economics and management. It also gives considerable attention to competition in and from emerging economies. At the end of the module, students are able to critically analyse the challenges and opportunities that a multinational enterprise (MNE) faces and the context in which these organizations make decisions. Assessment is through an individual report submitted at the end of the module.

An understanding of international marketing is crucial in today’s increasingly international marketplace. International marketing activities must be planned, coordinated and integrated whilst recognising the need to understand the complexity of international environment when devising a strategy for market selection, market entry, and marketing mix. Graduates will often interact with international clients and therefore, this module aims to address the importance of having an international marketing understanding. It examines how a firm internationalises the marketing function, looking in detail at how to design and implement an international marketing plan including identifying the need for internationalisation, conducting global market research, selecting the international market, choosing effective entry modes, planning marketing mix in the target market, and coordinating global marketing program.

The aim of this module is to provide a coherent framework through which the structure, management and organisation of the tourism industry can be understood and the nature of tourism demand explained. The module involves a range of teaching strategies including lectures, student-led seminars and case studies. Additional material will be in the form of web-based reading and research, selected texts, journal articles and contemporary magazine and press articles. The module is assessed via an individual essay (2000 words) and an end of module examination (2 hour paper).