Introductory description

The module's aims are as follows:

• Ensure students are appropriately taught and supported in developing key academic and professional skills from the start of their first year, to ensure meaningful subsequent skills progression, in line with QAA and course learning outcomes;
• Familiarise students with key skills, such as teamwork, presentation, creativity and complex problem solving, analysis, research, critical thinking and debate, and allow them to put these to practice in supported learning environment, to ensure learning is
  embedded;
• Introduce students immediately to the culture of academy and higher education, including appreciation of multiple theoretical and disciplinary perspectives, historical development of ideas, assumptions and limitations inherent in different views, and tools for
  making sense of complex ideas;
• Familiarise students with an appreciation of the inter-disciplinary nature of management and business studies by exploring the same business/ management issue from different
  disciplinary perspectives.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

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Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Appreciate and understand major theoretical foundations of the fields of business and management, which address foundational disciplinary questions.
• To consider the ways in which digital technology is influencing business generally and the nature of work specifically
• Demonstrate the ability to analytically examine a question, conduct research to validate and construct an argument, and apply critical thinking.

Indicative reading list

Academic references:
Cunliffe, A. A very short, fairy interesting and reasonably cheap book about management.
Kiron, D., Kruschwitz, N., Haanaes, K., von Streng Velken, I. (2012). Sustainability nears a tipping point. MIT Sloan Management Review, 53, 2, 69-74.
Westerman, G., Bonnet, D., and McAfee, A. (2019). The nine elements of digital transformation. MIT Sloan Management Review, 60, 2, 8-13.
Leclercq-Vandelannoittle, A. (2017). An ethical perspective on emerging forms of ubiquitous IT-based control. Journal of Business Ethics, 142, 1, 139-154.
Butler, H.A., Pentoney, C. and Bong, M.P. (2017). ‘Predicting real-world outcomes: Critical thinking ability is a better predictor of life decisions than intelligence’, Thinking Skills and Creativity, 25: 38-46.
Cottrell, S. Critical thinking skills: Developing effective analysis and argument. Palgrave Study Skills.
Eales-Reynolds et al. (2013) Critical thinking Skills for Education Students. Surrey: Trotman.
Heinrichs, J. (2017) Thank you for Arguing: What Cicero, Shakespeare and The Simpsons can Teach us About the Art of Persuasion. London: Penguin, Random House.
Weston, A, (2009) Rulebook for Arguments. Indianapolis: Hackett.

Subject specific skills

Successfully manage working in teams, which involves self-reflection, ability to negotiate with others, and constructively deal with conflict.

Transferable skills

Demonstrate an ability to work with colleagues in a multicultural and diverse setting.