Business & ICT

2009 - 2010 curriculum of the Degree Programme in Business Management, BBA

Common professional studies
Growing Professionalism

12P061 International Economics, 3 credits

Objective: The purpose is to examine the activities of the international economy and the factors influencing its development in order to give the student an understanding of living in a global economy and to plan international trade, investment and finance activities from the perspective of the firm, to discuss key economic issues that influence international business and to analyse changes in the world economy and their impact.

Content:

  • the economic environment: international trade and commercial policy
  • markets for investments and the world financial environment: capital and money
  • economic integration and cooperative agreements
  • environmental economics
  • current global issues

Learning and Teaching

  • contact lessons (active participation)
  • assignments + peer assessments + presentations
  • Moodle

Indicative reading:

  • Daniels, J. D. & Radebaugh, L. H. 2000. 9th Edition. International Business Environment and Operations. 
  • Carbaugh. International Economics. 
  • A collection of articles and topics.

12P041 Management Accounting, 3 credits

Objective and content: To achieve an understanding of cost management in business, and the terminology and techniques used in costing, cost-volume-profit analyses and pricing.

Learning and teaching methods: problem-based learning

Literature and other material:

  • Drury. 2008. Management and Cost  Accounting. Seventh edition.
  • Drury. 2005. Management Accounting for Business. Third Edition.
  • Ryan. 2004. Finance and Accounting for Business.
  • Berry & Jarvis. 2006. Accounting in a Business Context. Fouth Edition.
  • Gowthorpe. 2005. Business Accounting for Finance for Non-Specialists. Second Edition.

Assessment: examination (1 to 5), assignment and active participation

12P042 Business Statistics, 3 credits

Objective and content: To familiarize students with basic statistical concepts and principles. To provide a working knowledge of approaches to represent business data, descriptive statistics, business applications of probability and probability distributions, and decision analysis. To promote learning and understanding statistics as a practical discipline that answers the changing needs of the business world.

Topics of the course:

  • Introduction to the subject of business statistics
  • Graphical representation of data
  • Numerical measures to represent data
  • Introduction to probability
  • Probability distributions
  • Decision analysis

Learning and teaching methods: Lectures coupled with solving practical tasks and exercises. Furthermore, there will be two assignments.

Literature and other material: Groebner, D. et al. 2005. Business Statistics: A Decision-Making Approach. 6th Edition. Pearson Education. Prentice Hall.

Assessment: Students have to attend at least 80 % of classes. There is a final exam and two mandatory assignments in the course. Active participation in class sessions will affect positively the final grade.

Other: The course is important and necessary for all "Business Management" students. It provides an opportunity to learn the basic concepts of statistics that are widely used in different business applications.

12P043 Professional Writing and Reading, 3 credits

Objective and content: To teach students to read and write professional business documents and to provide them with the skills needed to read with comprehension and to coach them to acquire in-depth knowledge of language used in professional texts.

Learning and teaching methods: The course consists of work in class during which students acquire skills in reading and reporting on challenging business texts. The focus is on learning to read large amounts of material rapidly and with understanding, and self-supervised studies using electronic databases and printed sources.

Literature and other material: Study materials are provided in class during the course. Additional material will be found on the Internet and in other electronic databases as well as printed sources.

Assessment: mandatory (80 %) attendance and active participation during contact sessions (50 % of final result), satisfactory completion of all assignments by the due dates (50 %)

Other: This course provides reading and writing skills, which are indispensable for creating assignments in other courses.

12P059 Business Applications 2, 3 credits

Objective: To give students the ability to use databases effectively with other business applications. Further familiarize students with Unix/Linux operating system and Open Source environment business applications.

Content:

  • Importance of Databases in business
  • Database theory and construction
  • How to find data from databases
  • How to exploit data from database with other application
  • Unix/Linux operating system basics
  • Business applications in Unix/Linux environment
  • How to find and install useful Open Source applications

Teaching: lectures 30 hours, assignments 50 hours

Assessment: continuous assessment 20%, test 60% and assignment 20%

Reading material: User manuals and web. Other material will be submitted at the beginning of the lessons

Corporate Governance

12P054 Business Ethics, 3 credits

Objective and content: This course aims at providing students opportunities to gain more insights into various aspects of Business and Environmental ethics, so as to widen their perspectives of ethical considerations in culture, business and environmentally related issues.

Learning and teaching methods: Classroom discussions on the basis of articles followed by written reports or review papers and a final term paper at the end.

Literature and other material: Course materials will be handed out in-class.

Assessment:  Mandatory (80%) attendance and active participation in class activities (40%), Review papers to be submitted by the due dates (30%), Term paper, due date for which will be agreed upon during sessions (30%), Scale from 1 - 5

Other: This advanced course adds more weight and width to a student’s ability to judge business decisions and situations.

12P055 Financial Analysis, 3 credits

Objective and content: To learn the interpretation of financial statements and how accounting data is used for analytical purposes.

Learning and teaching methods: case- and problem-based

Literature and other material:

  • Alexander & Nobes. 2004. Financial Accounting. An International Introduction.
  • Ryan. 2004. Finance and Accounting for Business.
  • Berry & Jarvis. 2006. Accounting in a Business Context.
  • Gowthorpe. 2005. Business Accounting and Finance for Non-Specialists.

Assessment: exam (1 to 5), assignment

12P056 Business Discussions, 3 credits

Objective and content: The objective of the course is to provide additional opportunity to read and discuss topics related to various aspects of business and economy as well as the internal functioning of international companies.

Learning and teaching methods: Classroom discussions on the basis of business articles and other professional publications followed by written reports and a vocabulary test as well as a fluency test at the end.

Literature and other material: Course materials will be handed out in-class. Additional material can be found from commercial publications on-line and in print.

Assessment:

  • Mandatory (80 %) attendance and active participation during class activities (30 %)
  • Completion of assignments/reports by the due dates (20 %)
  • In-class vocabulary tests (20 %)
  • A final business discussion to be video taped to test spoken proficiency (30 %)
  • Scale from 1 - 5

Other: This course is offers an opportunity to students to hone and extend their written and oral business English skills.

12P057 Project: Profit-making or Welfare-creation? 3 credits

Objective and content: To familiarize students with the implications of different approaches ruling and regulating the relationships between ownership and control of listed companies. Furthermore the role of other stakeholders in influencing these relationships is a part of this process. To apply knowledge and skills to create a holistic view for all kinds of non-listed companies that do not separate ownership and control. To understand the implications of different approaches to the social responsibilities of companies regarding the contribution to shareholder value or welfare creation. To appreciate teamwork in the development of holistic points of view.

Learning and teaching methods: project based assignment

Literature and other material: See course literature.

Assessment: A written report should be delivered. The assessment includes also presentations and active participation in the teams.

 

Business Internationalisation

12P045 Internationalisation of Companies, 3 credits

Objective and content: To introduce a framework for understanding the complex processes that lead to doing business across national borders. To enable and develop competences that managers should have in making strategic decisions. To strike the right balance between theories, tools and techniques.

Learning and teaching methods: problem-based learning

Literature and other material: article handouts during the course and recommended readings:

  • Verdin, P. & van Heck, N. 2001. From Local Champions to Global Masters. A Strategic Perspective on Managing Internationalization. Palgrave.
  • Morrison, J. 2006. The International Business Environment. 2nd edition Palgrave.
  • Buckley, P. J & Ghauri, P. N. 1998. Internationalization of the Firm. 2nd edition. Thomson Learning.
  • Parker, B. 2005. Globalization and Business Practice. 2nd edition. Sage Publications.

Assessment: project exercises, presentations and active participation

12P046 Market Research, 3 credits

Objective and content: To achieve an understanding of the essence of marketing research as to when market research can and should be used, the alternatives that exist, their efficiency and/or effectiveness and the interpretation of results. To demonstrate distinctions between domestic and international market research. To provide training in developing selected research methods for research purposes as to establish basic skills and competences. To appreciate market research developments using the Internet, online marketing and other advances in technology.

Learning and teaching methods: problem-based learning

Literature and other material: article handouts during the course

Essential reading:

  • Aaker, D. & Kumar, V. and Day, G. 2001. Marketing Research. John Wiley and Sons.

Recommended readings:

  • Smith, S. M. & Albaum, G. S. 2004. Fundamentals of Marketing Research. Sage Publications.
  • Roe, M. 2004. Market Research In Action. Int. Thomson Business Press.

Assessment: project exercises, presentations and active participation

12P047 International Marketing, 3 credits

Objective and content: To capture the impact of the dynamics of international environments on the strategy of companies that want to operate internationally. To understand the processes that lead to the composition of effective and efficient marketing instruments and policies to compete in foreign markets. To provide skills and competences to design potential strategies for Small and Medium enterprises to be and to stay in foreign markets

Learning and teaching methods: problem-based learning

Literature and other material:

  • de Burca, S. & Fletcher, R. & Brown, L. 2004. International Marketing: An SME perspective. FT/Prentice Hall.
  • Bennett, R. and Blythe, J. 2002. International Marketing: Strategic Planning, Market Entry and Implementation. Kogan Page.
  • Backhaus, K. & Büschken, J. & Voeth, M. 2004. International Marketing. Palgrave.
  • Stonehouse, G. et al. 2004. Global and Transnational Business: Strategy and Management. John Wiley and Sons.
  • Bartlett, C. A. and Ghoshal, S. 1992. Transnational Management. Homewood III.: Irwin.
  • article handouts during the course

Assessment: project exercises, presentations and active participation

12P048 Project: Going International, 3 credits

Objective and content: To familiarize students with the structure of the decision making process when companies start to expand their operations across national borders. To apply knowledge and skills to prepare a planning of resources that enables companies to operate across borders. To understand dynamics in foreign markets and the impact that these dynamics can have on companies. To appreciate teamwork as a tool for successful strategic planning.

Learning and teaching methods: project based assignment

Literature and other material: See course literature.

Assessment: A written report should be delivered. The assessment includes also presentations and active participation in the teams.


 

Export Plan

12P049 Financial Reporting and Taxation, 3 credits

Objective and content: To enable the students to outline relationships between income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements, and to compare the requirements of national and international jurisdisctions. To familiarize students with the principles of income taxation, corporate taxation and value added taxation.

Learning and teaching methods: case- and problem-based learning.

Literature and other material: Alexander & Nobes. 2004. Financial Accounting. An International Introduction.

Assessment: exam (1 to 5), a team assignment

12P050 Business Across Cultures, 3 credits

Objective and content: The objective of the course is to sensitise students to cross-cultural peculiarities in business contexts as well as to enable students to recognize and appreciate these and act accordingly.

Learning and teaching methods: lectures, in-class case studies and problem solving, out of class assignments, report writing, interactive group discussions and presentation

Literature and other material: Certain study materials are provided in class additional material is strongly recommended (e.g. the writings of Hofstede, G.; Hall, E.T.; Lustig, M.V. and Koster, J.).

Assessment: 

  • mandatory (80%) attendance and active participation during contact sessions (50% of final result)
  • satisfactory completion of all assignments by the due dates (25%)
  • final presentation and research paper (25%). Scale from 1-5

Other: This basic course is a fundamental part of each study programme.

12P051 Human Resource Management, 3 credits

Objective and content: To identify the crucial role of Human Resources in the existence of companies as to meeting the vision and mission. To understand the complex process of planning and development of human resources as the centre of strategy formulation and implementation. To appreciate a distinctively different approach to human resources as talents or carriers of knowledge enabling competitive advantages in national or international markets.

Learning and teaching methods: problem-based learning

Literature and other material:

  • Graham, H. T. & Bennett. R. 1998. Human Resources Management. 9th edition. Financial Times/Prentice Hall.
  • Nieto, M. L. 2006. Introduction to Human Resource Management. Palgrave.
  • Berger, L. A. & Berger, D. R. 2003. The Talent Management Handbook. McGraw-Hill.
  • Rothwell, W. J. & Jackson, R. D. & Knight, S. C. & Lindholm, J. E. 2005. Career Planning and Succession Management. Praeger Publishers.

Assessment: project exercises, presentations and active participation

12P052 International Negotiations, 3 credits

Objective and content: The objective of the course is to give the students opportunities to learn and practice negotiation skills in an international business context.
Learning and teaching methods: The course consists of contact lectures (during which students discuss articles on negotiation strategies and techniques along with learning the appropriate phrases and terminologies used in negotiations, including acquiring the vocabulary to read contracts and agreements) and in-class activities involving (sales/salary/contract) negotiations. The course is concluded with a videotaped final negotiation.

Literature and other material: Study materials are provided in class during the course. Additional material will be found on the Internet and in other electronic databases as well as printed sources.

Assessment: Mandatory 80% attendance and active participation in class work (40% of the final grade)Completion of written assignment by the due date (20% of the final grade ). The final negotiation delivered by the due date (30% of the final grade). The final written assignment in class (10% of the final grade). Scale from 1 to 5.

Other: This course is of vital importance in all international business environments; hence, a prerequisite in business studies.

12P053 Project: Market Entry Strategy Plan, 3 credits

Objective and content: To familiarize students with the process, content and context of being in foreign markets. To apply knowledge and skills to identify the possible ways foreign markets can be penetrated. To understand the consequences of entry policies for the structure and strategy of companies. To appreciate teamwork as a tool for creating successful entry plans.

Learning and teaching methods: project based assignment

Literature and other material: See course literature.

Assessment: A written report should be delivered. The assessment includes also presentations and active participation in the teams.

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