This module aims to:

Provide students with an opportunity to develop a holistic and integrated understanding of the key functional areas of management, such as, HR, R&D, Production, Marketing and Finance;

Develop students’ ability to apply analytical concepts and techniques to develop and communicate a business strategy for an organisation (in a simulated environment);

Develop students’ ability to work collaboratively to make strategic decisions, and provide opportunities for students to practice giving and receiving feedback and to critically assess their own performance.

(LE1) A lifelong learner.
Students will have opportunities to practice skills of critical self-reflection as assess their contribution to the process of team-decision making and collaboration.

(LE2) A team player.
The learning activities and assignments will require students to work in groups and manage the interaction and relationships with other group members. In doing so, they will gain experience in negotiation, persuasion, influencing and managing conflict.

(LE3) Flexible and adaptable.
The module will provide opportunities to develop the skills needed to be flexible, adaptable and creative through experiential learning activities involving team-based collaboration and decision-making as part of the simulation.

(LO1) Students will be able to demonstrate a holistic and integrated understanding of the key functional areas of management, such as, HR, R&D, Production, Marketing and Finance.

(LO2) Students will be able to apply analytical concepts and techniques to develop and communicate a business strategy for an organisation (in a simulated environment).

(LO3) Students will be able to work collaboratively with others to agree a competitive business strategy and implement strategic decisions.

(LO4) Students will be able to draw on theories of group development to critically assess their own performance as a group member and demonstrate skill in giving and receiving constructive feedback.

(LRE1) IT literate.
Students will have opportunities to improve their IT skills through participation in interactive online business simulation activities.

(LRE2) Numerate.
Students will have the opportunity to apply their financial skills and practice analysing and interpreting different forms of data to make business decisions in a simulated environment.

(LRE3) Organised and able to work under pressure.
This will be evident in the students’ independent management of their assignments and ability to meet deadlines.

The module is based on team-based, experiential learning and the business simulation will form the core part of the teaching strategy that presents students with a variety of complex issues relating to business analysis and decision-making. The module requires students to communicate and operate in small teams, and all students will be expected to study the guidance and instructions which accompany the simulation software. The simulation will be supported by online activities such as synchronous group work, individual and collaborative tasks and discussion boards. Students will apply their knowledge and skills to develop strategies, make group business decisions, analyse and interpret their results in the simulation and reflect on their performance as a group. These activities will be moderated by the module instructor. Students will also be directed to key academic and practitioner readings to further develop their learning and facilitate a deeper understanding of effective group d ecision-making, feedback and self-reflection.

Unscheduled Directed Student Hours: 25 hours
Description: The asynchronous simulation and interactive class activity will equate to 5 hours in week 1 and 4 hours per week in weeks 2- 6.
Attendance Recorded: Yes – tracked via the learning platform.

Students will also participate in synchronous e-seminars. The dates and times of the synchronous seminars will be confirmed at the start of the module (if there are issues with time zones another session will be provided). The synchronous sessions will focus on peer interaction, discussion and questions, with the module instructor participating as a coach and mentor. These sessions will be recorded and moderated by the module instructor.

Scheduled Directed student hours: 24 hours
Description: The synchronous seminars will equate to 4 hours a week over 6 weeks.
Attendance Recorded: Yes – tracked via the learning platform.

Self-directed learn ing hours: 51 hours
Description: This will involve directed and independent reading, and independent research into areas such as strategic decision-making, group-working and self-reflection that are relevant to the module syllabus, aims and learning outcomes.

Guidance and instruction accompanying the simulation software.

Establishing team norms and ground rules.

Group working, collaboration and conflict resolution.

Processes of peer-to-peer feedback.

Theories and models of critical self-reflection.