NBS8490 : Business in Action
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Mrs Jo Clark
- Owning School: Newcastle University Business School
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module enables students to explore real world business challenges associated with all of the modules on the MBA programme. These issues are explored in a variety of ways including some time-bound interactive business experiences. These opportunities consolidate learning across the programme and integrate the theory and practice across the modules.
The module aims to develop the students’ critical and problem-solving skills by inviting them to examine the challenges faced by individual managers and leaders in business and to practice the skills to devise and implement practical solutions.
The module aims to expose students to current management practice and offer opportunities for critical reflection on relevant theory through a series of business engagement opportunities. These include a series of events working with our business partners offered during a business experience week including company visits (at least one of which will feature a business challenge). Company visits to leading regional businesses will enable the students to experience practice in key areas of management. Visits may be in person or virtual at the companies' request.
Students will respond to a variety of challenges, opportunities and cases. Working in real time, the students will apply the theory and practice the skills taught in this and other modules enabling them to build confidence to tackle difficult and unexpected situations in the workplace.
Outline Of Syllabus
• Tools for Discovery and Diagnosis
• Management Consultancy Theory
• Consulting Skills
• Working with clients
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 5 | 3:00 | 15:00 | Classes in Business Experience week - PIP or synchronous |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 3 | 3:00 | 9:00 | Introduction to management practice, business in action sessions - PIP |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 23:00 | 23:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 5 | 2:00 | 10:00 | Host organisation research - business in action |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 10 | 2:00 | 20:00 | Workshops and panels, company visits, in Business Experience week |
| Guided Independent Study | Student-led group activity | 1 | 16:00 | 16:00 | Groupwork for MBA competition |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 3 | 1:00 | 3:00 | Q&A and assessment guidance |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 4 | 1:00 | 4:00 | Consultancy skills reflection classes for Business Experience week- practitioners' perspectives PIP |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The series of lectures in semester one prepares you to undertake the major business challenges presented by a range of business learning partner organisations (LPOs) in semester two. In this way relevant theory will be covered previously, recapped as appropriate in this module and you will also develop a ‘toolkit’ of skills to enable you to undertake the diagnosis and problem solving that is required of you when working with our business partners and as a module outcome.
You will be fully briefed and debriefed during the lecture series on the corporate visits and other activities and any business challenges involved in these.
As this module involves our you in working with our business partners, LPOs, on unresolved real business issues and problems it incorporates the teaching of the theory of management consultancy as well as the development of skills required to undertake this successfully. You will conduct yourself and work with your team in a professional manner and understand what it means to operate as a professional consultant. Reflecting on this, professional consultancy practice, forms a key element of your assessment in this module.
A variety of approaches to diagnosing and resolving business challenges are delivered through the series of lectures enabling you to select appropriate methods to apply in practice.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | 2 | M | 50 | Individual recorded voiced over Powerpoint presentation on learning based on module activities |
| Oral Examination | 2 | M | 50 | Group presentation |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case study | 2 | M | Feedback from presentation on case competition |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
These assessments enable you to demonstrate that you have met broader learning outcomes from this extensive module. Working in teams is a strong aspect of the current module and is assessed through the assessment of group exercise to prepare a report and a formal client presentation.
Your individual reflective assessment is tied to the contirbution you make during the business experience week thereby maximising the value that you will obtain from the week by requiring you to critically reflect on both what you have learned about applying theory into practice during the week and also your team or leadership contribution.
Formative feedback is provided following the compulsory but unassisted case competition presentations to the LPO client organisation hosting this activity. Senior personnel from the organisation can provide feedback as can the module leader.
Formative feedback is also provided during reflections that takes place at the end of each Business Experience during the module weeks.
If you are eligible for a second attempt, the resit will be any failed components and the resit calculation will be based upon the original module calculation.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NBS8490's Timetable