Module BUSI44L15: International Enterprise Project (FT)

Department: Economics, Finance and Business (Business)

BUSI44L15: International Enterprise Project (FT)

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To enable participants to:
• apply relevant knowledge in a complex situation;
• experience collaborative research and apply relevant analytical tools/frameworks;
• recognise and understand the economic, social and environmental factors/impacts relevant to their field of study in an international setting;
• reflect on the relationship between theory and practice and how ideas, forms, practices and processes may be developed to improve human and environmental well-being.

Content

• Leadership styles and issues
• Learning-to-learn and barriers to learning
• Alternative business and development paradigms and models, including emerging forms of social/environmental/sustainable enterprise
• Sustainable development, CSR and business ethics, including stakeholder theory
• Project planning and management, including risk assessment
• Team roles, effectiveness and personality type
• Historical, cultural and environmental perspectives
• Impact assessment, reflection and review
• Report writing and dissemination

Learning Outcomes

• On successful completion of the module students should have:
• a critical knowledge and understanding of traditional business and development models, including recognition of the challenges of sustainable development, involving a critical appreciation of the ethical and value management issues in a value-pluralistic society.

• On successful completion of the module students should have:
• the ability to critically analyse and evaluate business problems and decisions in an uncertain and changing environment, applying relevant concepts and tools;
• the ability to communicate effectively using advanced techniques of negotiation and persuasion and with reference to a range of media, including business reports;
• the ability to work effectively on an enterprise project as part of a team, valuing individual contributions to group processes.

• On completion of the module students should:
• be able to critically assess a complex situation and apply relevant knowledge to formulate recommendations;
• be able to understand issues affecting the gap between theory and practice which may act as barriers to learning and performance improvement in an organisation;
• appreciate the concept of the reflective practitioner and be able to reflect critically on their own practice as a way of learning and developing;
• have enhanced their ability to work effectively in collaboration with others and to critically assess the relevance and validity of others’ views;
• have enhanced their ability to think critically and creatively and to argue coherently;
• be able to challenge traditional approaches and examine/experiment with alternatives;
• have an understanding of value-pluralism and how to address conflicting or irreconcilable values, and the unresolved tensions and insecurities they engender;
• have enhanced their skills of self-reflection and criticality including self-awareness, openness and sensitivity to diversity in terms of people, cultures, biodiversity, business and management issues;
• have enhanced their ability to disseminate contextually-relevant research;
• have enhanced their ability to become reflective practitioners in the management of their own work
• have enhanced their ability to self-manage effectively in terms of time, planning and behaviour; motivation, individual initiative and enterprise.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The module provides students with the opportunity to engage as a group with a project outside their usual workplace in an international development context. The project provides students with an opportunity to put their learning into practice and then enhance their learning by reflecting on their experience.
• The main modes of learning are from the on-the-ground work associated with the particular project that is undertaken, and from the associated academic material on development and social enterprise.
• The teaching input will take two forms. Initially there will be some relatively didactic input introducing students to the theoretical underpinnings of development and social enterprise. It will then move to a more supportive role as students begin to work on their project, providing practical advice and reinforcing the theoretical input in relation to the particular project(s). There may also be some further didactic input dependent upon the specific nature of the project(s). The final element of teaching will take place after the project work has been completed and will largely consist in providing feedback on an initial draft of the project report together with input on how to produce a critical and reflective individual report.
• The assessment consists of a group report on the project work (75%) and an individual reflective report on the learning that the team members each gained from the project itself (25%). These reports will enable reflection on the project as a whole including: the linkage between theory and practice; the process and outcome of the project; the effectiveness of the team; and the lessons learned.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Group presentation

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University