Module BUSI44L15: International Enterprise Project (FT)

Department: Business School (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 and reflect on the learning process;
• 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

• Global leadership competencies and issues;
• Creative problem-solving, change management and design-thinking;
• Reflective practice, learning-to-learn and barriers to learning;
• International business and development paradigms and models, including emerging forms of social/environmental/sustainable enterprise;
• Historical, cultural and environmental perspectives relating to an international context
• Sustainable development, social and environmental responsibility reporting and impact assessment;
• Collaborative research project planning and implementation in an international context, including risk assessment and review;
• Team roles and the influence of motivation, personality type, values, beliefs and norms on effectiveness;
• Research report writing and dissemination.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the module, students should have developed:
• an advanced understanding of management and development models and issues and the challenges of sustainable development and globalization;
• an advanced understanding of alternative management and development theories and models and their application in an international setting, particularly focusing on design-thinking as the next competitive advantage;

• By the end of the module, students should have developed the following subject specific skills:
• an ability to critically analyse and evaluate international business issues and decisions in an uncertain and changing environment, particularly focusing on global turning points, applying relevant theories, concepts and tools;
• reflective writing based on an international enterprise project experience;
• an ability to apply the design thinkers’ knowledge system to an international enterprise case study;
• an ability to apply the choice management, change management model to an international enterprise case study;
• an ability to work effectively on an international research project as part of a team, valuing individual contributions to group processes, and disseminate contextually relevant research.
• an ability to communicate effectively and foster aspiration, develop their reflective practice and understanding of context, complexity, connectedness and change;

• By the end of the module, students should have developed the following key skills:
• critical assessment of complex situations;
• creative problem-solving and design-thinking;
• understanding barriers to learning, innovation and sustainable development;
• collaborative teamwork;
• critical perspectives in management education and learning;
• coherent presentation of arguments and report writing;
• self-organisation and self-directed learning;
• reflective practice/writing;
• an understanding of the skills and competencies required for future global leadership.

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 research 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: a collaborative group presentation of 15 minutes (maximum); • Individual reflective paper

■ 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