To demonstrate in-depth understanding and knowledge of the concepts, theories and developments associated with the subject area, and critically and analytically discuss outcomes in a methodological, structured, logical and in-depth manner;

To demonstrate the ability to apply current tools and techniques of machine learning and data mining in suitable depth and at the appropriate level.

(LO1) Gain an in depth knowledge and principles in the areas of data mining, machine learning, and data warehousing;

(LO2) Critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of various data mining and machine learning techniques from a practitioner/ user perspective;

(LO3) Be able to identify, formulate and solve problems arising from practical applications using data mining and machine learning principles and techniques.

(S1) Adaptability

(S2) Problem solving skills

(S3) Commercial awareness

(S4) Organisational skills

(S5) Communication skills

(S6) IT skills

(S7) International awareness

(S8) Lifelong learning skills

The aim of this module is to give the student an understanding of the forms, management and technologies used in the development and operation of digital businesses.

The module aims to enable students to:

Identify digital business solutions to effectively manage digital businesses;

Understand technical issues in digital business solutions;

Apply a range of tools and technologies to the development of digital business solutions;

Apply the various information management technologies to digital businesses.

(LO1) Be able to understand the development of digital business technologies.

(LO2) Be able to select and specify digital business solutions to meet both the specific need and to the international context.

(LO3) Be able to apply information management technologies to digital business.

(S1) Problem solving skills. Students will develop their problem solving skills through analysis of case studies provided in lectures.

(S2) Commercial awareness. Students will develop an understanding of commercial applications in relevant technologies.

(S3) Teamwork. Students will develop their teamworking skills through group-based work to analyse case studies.

(S4) IT skills. Practical laboratory sessions to use relevant tools will enable students to develop their IT skills.

(S5) Lifelong learning skills. Lectures to present an overall technical roadmap of digital business technology development and applications to enable understanding of principles for future study and potentials for future career development will assist students with their development of lifelong learning skills.

To demonstrate in-depth understanding and knowledge of the concepts, theories and developments associated with the subject area, and critically and analytically discuss outcomes in a methodological, structured, logical and in-depth manner;

To demonstrate ability to answer specific questions on the subject area fully, critically, analytically in suitable depth and at the appropriate level.

(LO1) Understanding what Big Data is and its relevance to Business.

(LO2) Recognise potential for use of Big Data analytics and output to Business areas, such as Marketing and Operations.

(LO3) Identify new business opportunities and business models for adopting Big Data initiatives, and challenges associated with their implementation.

(LO4) Understanding the legal and wider ethical issues involved in the gathering and use of personal information associated with Big Data, such as from Social Media applications and internet websites.

(LO5) Have some knowledge of systems and tools used for data mining and analysis.

(S1) Adaptability

(S2) Problem solving skills

(S3) Commercial awareness

(S4) Organisational skills, communications skills

(S5) IT skills

(S6) International awareness

(S7) Lifelong learning skills

(S8) Ethical awareness

The aim of this module is to give the student an understanding of the processes involved in developing a strategy for digital business and the business issues involved in deploying such a strategy. Important elements include an examination of the approaches to strategy formulation, an evaluation of the emergent digital business models, business process re-design for digital business, digital business applications and technologies, and managing and planning for digital business. Extensive use will be made of case study material.

(LO1) To be able to define the principles of business strategy;

(LO2) To be able to identify business capabilities and business strategies enabled by digital technologies;

(LO3) To be able to analyse, and constructively criticise an existing digital business strategy;

(LO4) To be able to formulate a new digital business strategy using a systematic approach;

(LO5) To be able to exemplify the conceptual elements of digital business strategy in practical applications from across the globe;

(LO6) To be able to assess and compare different digital strategies employed by organisations operating internationally.

(S1) Problem solving skills. Students will develop problem solving skills during lectures, analysis of case studies and in preparing for coursework assignments.

(S2) Teamwork. Students will develop teamworking skills through the group assessments and formative presentations.

(S3) Communication skills. Students will develop their communication skills by working in groups and delivering presentations to their peers.

(S4) Commercial awareness. Students will develop their commercial awareness skills through coverage of commercial organisations described in various case studies.

Demonstrate in depth understanding and knowledge of the concepts, theories and developments associated with the subject area, and be able to critically and analytically discuss outcomes in a methodological, structured, logical and in-depth manner;

Demonstrate ability to apply current tools and techniques in suitable depth and at the appropriate level.

(LO1) Analyse the role of big data analytics in an organisation;

(LO2) Identify tools and techniques for big data analytics;

(LO3) Perform basic big data processing and visualising tasks;

(LO4) Develop case studies on how big data science aids and hinders business intelligence.

(S1) Adaptability

(S2) Problem Solving Skills

(S3) Commercial Awareness

(S4) Organisational Skills

(S5) Communication Skills

(S6) IT Skills

(S7) International Awareness

(S8) Lifelong Learning Skills

(S9) Ethical Awareness

This module aims to enable students to:

Understand and have a practical appreciation of contemporary management challenges within a view of: supply chain management, project management, enterprise management and big data;

Understand the means by which benchmarking and comparative performance assessment can be undertaken;

Have a practical understanding of the importance of teamwork and communication;

Appreciate the need for competence in operations management and be aware of its impact on business performance;

Be more accomplished autonomous learners and be able to better manage their own learning experiences.

(LO1) Develop and demonstrate research skills and an appreciation of both strategic and functional management practices, as well as appropriate models and frameworks or tools to provide critical analysis of a business case, and present convincing and reasoned arguments to formulate solutions for strategic action and operational decisions;

(LO2) Demonstrate critical awareness of contemporary research in appropriate areas, ie operations and supply chain management; e-Business and technology management; project management, through extraction of knowledge from the literature in an analytic manner, and use them to develop ideas for research;

(LO3) Collect secondary data from various sources including financial statements, analyse the data in qualitative and/or quantitative forms, and use the outcome to interpret and compare business health and performance using a range of financial and non-financial measures;

(LO4) Demonstrate the ability to work within teams, and make an active contribution to work teams;

(LO5) Demonstrate the ability to plan and undertake work at postgraduate level within a management discipline;

(LO6) Critically evaluate and reflect on management theory and practice;

(LO7) Use relevant theory, concepts and tools (qualitative or quantitative; soft systems; manual or IT) to analyse situations and support decisions;

(LO8) Manage data effectively; use appropriate methods to acquire and process data; analyse data competently; evaluate and interpret data soundly; synthesise data to enhance conclusions.

(S1) Core academic skills of understanding and mastery of research techniques, ability to assemble and analyse data, capability to plan improvements and assess outcomes. Developed via introduction to research in semester 1, lectures, playing business game, undertaking independent research for benchmarking, tutorial for development of the works and tasks, supervision, encouraging and guiding for preparing group presentations.

(S2) Problem solving skills. Developed by engaging in a live and active business game, with an induced competitive context to design, develop and manage a business in which problem solving plays a key role.

(S3) Commercial awareness. Developed by playing the business game.

(S4) Organisational skills. Students need to plan and organise a business, manage people and assets, and measure performance. Organise teamwork and group presentations.

(S5) Communication skills. Developed through class exercises and discussions, teamwork and group communication, preparation of reports and presentations.

(S6) Lifelong learning skills. Students will develop research skills through benchmarking exercise, theoretical and conceptual thinking about business strategic issues, teamwork and coping under pressure.

The aim of the project is to allow the student to demonstrate their ability in undertaking an independent research project for developing theoretical perspectives, addressing research questions using secondary data, or analysing and developing real world solutions, within the area of study and objectives of the programmes they are undertaking in which they utilise structured methodologies and the skills gained in the use of academic and practical resources, models, methods, tools and systems.

(LO1) Extract and demonstrate knowledge from the literature in an analytic manner

(LO2) Develop ideas and conceptual models

(LO3) Collect secondary or primary data and conduct qualitative or quantitative analysis of the data

(LO4) Carry out a structured analysis of needs for a real organisation and identify and apply the tools required to deliver a well formed solution to these needs. Through the project the student should develop capabilities to analyse cases based on theoretical and methodological studies, and create improvement plans and recommendations for their implementation based upon the toolsets required during the programme

(S1) Problem solving skills

(S2) Adaptability

(S3) Problem solving

(S4) Commercial awareness

(S5) Teamwork

(S6) Organisational skills

(S7) Communication skills

(S8) IT skills

(S9) International awareness

(S10) Ethical awareness

To understand a range of modelling analytical methods and their appropriate applications;

To understand the dynamic nature of systems and their behavioural characteristics;

To understand how real system modules are developed, tested and validated;

To develop confidence in the use of commercially available simulation tools such as Excel, Zoho Analytics, Witness and Vensim.

(LO1) Be able to develop models for business process reengineering;

(LO2) Be able to specify and demonstrate a computer simulation for business process modelling;

(LO3) Be able to apply statistical and analytical techniques for simulation experimentation;

(S1) Adaptability

(S2) Problem solving skills

(S3) Commercial awareness

(S4) Teamwork

(S5) Organisational skills

(S6) Communication skills

(S7) IT skills

(S8) International awareness

(S9) Lifelong learning skills

(S10) Ethical awareness

(S11) Leadership

The aims of the module are to:

Provide students with an understanding of the importance of services and the implications of service logic on the customer relationship;

Enable students to gain a broad understanding of the operational principles and practices through which services are delivered and supported;

Introduce students to the key service concepts including value, servitisation and service dominant logic.

(LO1) Understand the difference between services and business processes;

(LO2) Understand the principles and practices of service delivery;

(LO3) Understand the principles and practices of service support;

(LO4) Understand key theoretical concepts in service management such as SDL, value and servitisation;

(LO5) Be aware of wider social and environmental consequences of service management.

(S1) Problem solving skills

(S2) Commercial awareness

(S3) Organisational skills

(S4) Communication skills

(S5) Lifelong learning skills

Project management has cemented its position as a key management paradigm, enabling organisations to efficiently achieve their goals in a constantly changing business environment complicated by risks, uncertainties and competitor pressures. The global economy implies yet another level of complexity inherent to the management of large-scale geographically-distributed project teams. This module introduces cutting-edge principles and best practices of project management and discusses how they relate to the competitive product development.

The module aims to:

Provide students with an understanding of project management and its principles in a contemporary project environment;

Introduce students to the terminology used by practitioners in conjunction with the terminology recognised by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the APM.

The first part of the module will cover the five basic process groups of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) guide, namely, the initiation (scoping), planning, execution (launching), monitoring and control, and closing of projects.

The second part of the module will focus on the project management life cycles and strategies, adaptive project management approaches, and project portfolio management.  

The areas to be covered span state-of-the-art strategies of successful project management, including risk and change management, budget management and quality assurance. Fundamentally, any project implies innovation, because the whole project aim is in creating a unique product, service or process within a given time period and with limited resources and budgets. Students, therefore, will also be given an opportunity to study project management in the context of the product development lifecycle.

The module will help students develop all the necessary skills required for a successful start of a project manager’s career.

(LO1) Understand the importance of project management and its relationship to other management disciplines;

(LO2) Relate theoretical and practical perspectives to project management;

(LO3) Establish a thorough understanding of the components and processes in the project management discipline as well as the interactions between these elements;

(LO4) Knowledge of major project management methodologies, PMBOK and Prince 2, as proposed by the largest PM Professional bodies PMI and APM, and how these can be applied to ensure the delivery of projects of any scale;

(LO5) Current techniques for managing large-scale projects and programmes;

(LO6) Apply a range of techniques to determine, document and refine project goals, performance requirements, deliverables, constraints and risks as well as project schedule, resource budgeting and quality in the lifecycle of a project;

(LO7) Evaluate risk and gain understanding of approaches to risk management and contingency planning as well as implementation of change and agility frameworks;

(LO8) Understand the concepts behind project quality assurance;

(LO9) Understand the role and responsibilities of the principle project participants with a focus on the role of the project manager in the life of a project and continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level;

(LO10) To introduce current and recent research in the field of project management;

(LO11) Apply project management software tools to project planning and execution, such as Microsoft Project to manage projects.

(S1) Adaptability

(S2) Problem solving skills

(S3) Numeracy

(S4) Commercial awareness

(S5) Teamwork

(S6) Organisational skills

(S7) Communication skills

(S8) IT skills

(S9) International awareness

(S10) Lifelong learning skills

(S11) Ethical awareness

(S12) Leadership

This module aims:

To provide students with a thorough grounding in contemporary logistics operations and business management;

To cover specific topics including intermodal operations, transportation selection, warehousing and distribution management, 3PLs, tendering for contracts, reverse and green logistics services, port centric maritime logistics, the concept of adding value in logistics and optimising logistics operations.

(LO1) Be able to apply the criteria for selecting a mode of transport.

(LO2) Be able to manage logistics operations in the supply chain context.

(LO3) Be able to evaluate logistics operations performance and its impact on the competitiveness of the business.

(LO4) Be able to identify good strategies of transportation service in an international context.

(S1) Adaptability. Developed through case study analysis to develop an understanding of how and why theory and practice change and how to adapt.

(S2) Problem solving skills. Developed through case study analysis to be able to match approaches and techniques with problems and be able to evaluate the solution.

(S3) Commercial awareness. Developed through lectures and research reading and case studies to understand business challenges in different sectors.

(S4) Organisational skills. Developed through completing assignments to time and organising work and time for allocated tasks.

(S5) Communication skills. Developed through interaction in class, discussion of case studies and practicing communication skills for presenting and arguing.

(S6) International awareness. Developed in lectures and through discussion of case studies; the business context and the theoretical development of management approaches are presented in an international context to enable students understand the differences.

(S7) Lifelong learning skills. Developed through self-study in researching and working through case studies.

(S8) Ethical awareness. Developed in lectures, self-study reading and case studies. Ethical issues will be presented to make students aware of the issues in both research and practice.

(S9) Leadership. Developed through discussion in class to practice organising and communicating work with others for targeted outcomes.

To focus on introducing strategies, approaches and technologies of enterprise systems, e.g. ERP systems, and business information management integrating with business processes within and cross organisational boundaries;

To provide students with knowledge of enterprise system architecture and technologies in general, and roles and functions of enterprise systems and business information management for digital business and supply chain management in particular;

To introduce students to the development history, functional characteristics and real cases of enterprise information systems in a digital business and supply chain environment, e.g. applications based on SAP, Oracle, etc.;

To help students to understand how enterprise systems and business information management functions are mapped with supply chain management functions and into digital business networks;

To discuss promising technologies for next generation digital business and enterprise systems which would lead to business innovation;

To enable students to learn technologies for business process integration, automation, and optimisation;

To demonstrate practical tools used in enterprises, e.g. SAP.

(LO1) Understand a range of enterprise system architectures and their appropriate applications;

(LO2) Be able to apply ERP tools to digital business and supply chain management in the international context;

(LO3) Be confident in use of commercially available enterprise information systems, eg SAP, Oracle, etc.;

(LO4) Understand integration approaches and technologies for ERP systems;

(LO5) Understand modeling and optimisation approaches for generic enterprise information systems.

(S1) Adaptability. Students will develop adaptability by engaging with case studies for their assignments in order to understand the features of enterprise systems and technology evolution.

(S2) Problem solving skills. Students will develop problem solving skills through research and case studies as part of their assignment.

(S3) Commercial awareness. Students will develop knowledge of commercial contexts of technology applications.

(S4) Teamwork. Students will be expected to work together in groups for the group assignment.

(S5) Organisational skills. Students will be expected to work together in groups for the group assignment.

(S6) Communication skills. Students will develop communication skills by engaging with case studies, report writing and working in groups.

(S7) IT skills. IT skills will be developed during practical lab sessions.

(S8) International awareness. Students will develop international awareness through case studies of business and technologies in an international context.

(S9) Lifelong learning skills. Students will develop skills of lifelong learning through preparation for their assessments and self directed study of cases in preparation for class discussions.

(S10) Ethical awareness. Students will develop their awareness of ethical issues through research and preparation for assessment.

(S11) Leadership. Leadership skills will be developed during group work tasks.

This module aims to:

Enable students to critically understand the key theories and practices of sustainable business operations;

Prepare students for critically analysing the challenges of implementing sustainable practices in manufacturing and service operations;

Enable students to recognise the importance of sustainability in improving business performance.

(LO1) Critically understand the role of sustainability in strategic supply chain management within the context of general business operations.

(LO2) Critically understand the key theories, principles and concepts in sustainable supply chain management.

(LO3) Evaluate the challenges of anaysing, developing strategies and implementing sustainable practices in supply chain management.

(LO4) Analyse the emerging trends in sustainable supply chain practices in current and future business environment.

(S1) Problem solving. Students will develop problem solving skills by analysing real business issues in interactive lectures to understand the basics of the problem and to evaluate the feasibility of different solutions which can be applied to address the problem.

(S2) Commercial awareness. Students will develop commercial awareness by understanding and evaluating the impact of environmental and social issues on business performance in lectures and through case studies and the various models and concepts taught in class.

(S3) Communication skills. Students will develop communication skills through discussions and active participation in lectures to develop verbal communication skills, and working on the assignment to develop written communication skills.

(S4) International awareness. Students will develop international awareness through exposure to examples in lectures and seminars which will bring sustainability issues from developing and developed countries.

(S5) Lifelong learning. Students will develop skills of lifelong learning through in-depth research and analysis required for the assignment.