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Module Catalogue

IB313-15 Business Studies

Department
Warwick Business School
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Malcolm Clews
Credit value
15
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
100% exam
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

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Introductory description

This is an elective module available for non-WBS students only who wish to study a module covering various elements of business as a foundational subject.
Students must not have studied any other WBS modules that cover accounting, organisational behaviour, strategy or marketing.

Subtitled 'Value-based management', this module is intended for non-business undergraduates who wish to gain exposure to management of business in their final year of study. It covers the core subject areas of general managerial competency affecting the strategic management of business practices (human resources management, accounting, marketing and organisational behaviour) that provide foundation skills needed to run a business.

Module web page

Module aims

Subtitled 'Value-based management', this module is intended for non-business undergraduates who wish to gain exposure to management of business in their final year of study. It covers the core subject areas of general managerial competency affecting the strategic management of business practices (human resources management, accounting, marketing and organisational behaviour) that provide foundation skills needed to run a business.

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.

Business Strategy
Introduction to Strategy
Analysing the External Environment
Analysing the Internal Environment
Strategy Dynamics & Complexity

Organisational Behaviour
Introduction to Organisational Behaviour
Organisational Culture

Marketing
Introduction to Marketing
Understanding Customers & Consumers
Branding & the Marketing Mixes

Accounting & Finance
Introduction to Accounting & Finance
Analytical Techniques & Approach to Interpretation
Management Accounting & Decision Making

Learning outcomes

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

  • Understand key concepts in core components of business studies: accounting, foundations of organisational behaviour, business strategy and marketing.
  • Apply and integrate these components to analyse a practical business situation, by studying how management decision- making can become more informed.
  • Appreciate alternative disciplinary perspectives on value-based management (from accounting, operations, marketing and human resources perspectives).
  • Appreciate alternative disciplinary perspectives on management.
  • Evaluate how factors both within the organisation and the broader business environment can influence strategic management decision-making.

Indicative reading list

Given the range of topics covered in these modules and the further challenge of providing completely up-to-date coverage of these topics, there is currently no single required or recommended text for the module. Some reading for each subject may be indicated by each instructor during their sessions and via my.wbs, but the following may be useful starting points and references if you wish to explore the topics in more depth (or plan to attempt the assignment for a given subject).

For Marketing:
Dacko, Scott G. (2008). The Advanced Dictionary of Marketing: Putting Theory to Use, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
For Accounting:
Atrill and McLaney, (2019), (11 th edition), Accounting and Finance for Non-Specialists, Pearson, ISBN 978129224401-3
For Organisational Behaviour:
King, D & Lawley, S. (2016). Organizational Behaviour (2nd Edition). Oxford University Press
For Business Policy:
Grant, R. (2018). Contemporary Strategy Analysis (10th edition). John Wiley & Sons. Multiple copies are available in the Library
.Johnson, et.al., Exploring Strategy – Text & Cases, 12th edition, Pearson (2019). Available as an eResource via the Library

Additionally, the following textbooks may be useful for further reading:

Boddy, D. (2017). Management: An Introduction (7th edition). Pearson.
Greenberg, J. (2012). Managing Behavior in Organizations: International Edition (6th edition). Pearson.
Atrill, P & McLaney, E. (2018). Accounting & Finance for Non-Specialists (11th edition). Pearson.
Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Harris, L.C., & Piercy, N. (2017). Principles of Marketing European Edition (7th edition). Pearson.

Interdisciplinary

this module is available to students across the University who wish to study foundational business topics.

Subject specific skills

Understand key concepts in core components of business studies.

Transferable skills

Apply and integrate these key concepts to analyse a practical business situation.

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 10 sessions of 2 hours (26%)
Private study 57 hours (74%)
Total 77 hours

Private study description

Private Study.

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Assessment group B2
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Examination 100% 73 hours No
  • Answerbook Green (8 page)
Feedback on assessment

Feedback via My.WBS.

Past exam papers for IB313

Pre-requisites

Students must not have studied any WBS modules in accounting, organisational behaviour, strategy or marketing.

Anti-requisite modules

If you take this module, you cannot also take:

  • IB132-15 Foundations of Finance
  • IB133-15 Foundations of Accounting
  • IB151-15 Foundations of Entrepreneurship
  • IB152-15 Foundations of Marketing
  • IB153-15 Foundations of Management
  • IB2D3-15 Accounting in Practice
  • IB2D5-15 Entrepreneurship in Practice
  • IB2D6-15 Marketing in Practice
  • IB2D7-15 Management in Practice
  • IB2D9-15 Finance in Practice

Courses

This module is Core optional for:

  • Year 3 of ULFA-C1A6 Undergraduate Biochemistry with Industrial Placement (MBio)

This module is Optional for:

  • Year 4 of UECA-GL12 Undergraduate Mathematics and Economics (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 4 of ULFA-B141 Undergraduate Neuroscience (with Placement Year) (BSc)

This module is Unusual option for:

  • UPHA-L1CA Undergraduate Economics, Psychology and Philosophy
    • Year 2 of L1CA Economics, Psychology and Philosophy
    • Year 3 of L1CA Economics, Psychology and Philosophy
  • Year 3 of UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics

This module is Option list B for:

  • Year 3 of UBSA-C700 Undergraduate Biochemistry
  • ULFA-C1A2 Undergraduate Biochemistry (MBio)
    • Year 3 of C1A2 Biochemistry
    • Year 3 of C700 Biochemistry
  • Year 4 of ULFA-C702 Undergraduate Biochemistry (with Placement Year)
  • UBSA-3 Undergraduate Biological Sciences
    • Year 3 of C100 Biological Sciences
    • Year 3 of C105 Biological Sciences with Molecular Genetics
    • Year 3 of C107 Biological Sciences with Virology
  • Year 3 of ULFA-C1A1 Undergraduate Biological Sciences (MBio)
  • Year 4 of ULFA-C113 Undergraduate Biological Sciences (with Placement Year)
  • Year 3 of ULFA-C1A5 Undergraduate Biological Sciences with Industrial Placement (MBio)
  • Year 3 of UBSA-C1B9 Undergraduate Biomedical Science
  • ULFA-C1A3 Undergraduate Biomedical Science (MBio)
    • Year 3 of C1A3 Biomedical Science
    • Year 3 of C1B9 Biomedical Science
  • Year 3 of ULFA-C1A7 Undergraduate Biomedical Science with Industrial Placement (MBio)
  • Year 4 of ULFA-CB18 Undergraduate Biomedical Science with Placement Year
  • UMAA-G105 Undergraduate Master of Mathematics (with Intercalated Year)
    • Year 4 of G105 Mathematics (MMath) with Intercalated Year
    • Year 5 of G105 Mathematics (MMath) with Intercalated Year
  • Year 3 of UMAA-G100 Undergraduate Mathematics (BSc)
  • UMAA-G103 Undergraduate Mathematics (MMath)
    • Year 3 of G100 Mathematics
    • Year 3 of G103 Mathematics (MMath)
    • Year 4 of G103 Mathematics (MMath)
  • Year 4 of UMAA-G107 Undergraduate Mathematics (MMath) with Study Abroad
  • UMAA-G106 Undergraduate Mathematics (MMath) with Study in Europe
    • Year 3 of G106 Mathematics (MMath) with Study in Europe
    • Year 4 of G106 Mathematics (MMath) with Study in Europe
  • Year 4 of UMAA-G101 Undergraduate Mathematics with Intercalated Year
  • Year 3 of ULFA-B140 Undergraduate Neuroscience (BSc)
  • Year 3 of ULFA-B142 Undergraduate Neuroscience (MBio)
  • Year 3 of ULFA-B143 Undergraduate Neuroscience (with Industrial Placement) (MBio)
  • Year 3 of UPXA-F300 Undergraduate Physics (BSc)
  • Year 3 of UPXA-F303 Undergraduate Physics (MPhys)
  • Year 4 of UPXA-F301 Undergraduate Physics (with Intercalated Year)

This module is Option list C for:

  • UBSA-3 Undergraduate Biological Sciences
    • Year 3 of C100 Biological Sciences
    • Year 3 of C102 Biological Sciences with Cell Biology
    • Year 3 of C103 Biological Sciences with Environmental Resources
    • Year 3 of C104 Biological Sciences with Microbiology
    • Year 3 of C105 Biological Sciences with Molecular Genetics
    • Year 3 of C107 Biological Sciences with Virology
  • Year 3 of UBSA-C1B9 Undergraduate Biomedical Science
  • Year 3 of ULFA-C1A3 Undergraduate Biomedical Science (MBio)
  • Year 3 of UCSA-G500 Undergraduate Computer Science
  • Year 4 of UCSA-G502 Undergraduate Computer Science (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 3 of UCSA-G503 Undergraduate Computer Science MEng
  • Year 3 of UPXA-GF13 Undergraduate Mathematics and Physics (BSc)
  • Year 3 of UPXA-FG31 Undergraduate Mathematics and Physics (MMathPhys)
  • Year 4 of UPXA-GF14 Undergraduate Mathematics and Physics (with Intercalated Year)

This module is Option list G for:

  • Year 2 of UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics
  • Year 3 of USX2-Y202 Undergraduate Social Studies [2 + 2]