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Module

NES1001 : Introduction to Business Management

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Mr Simon Parker
  • Lecturer: Dr Jeremy Robert Franks
  • Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
  • 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 aims to give students an introductory overview of a range of current commercial agribusiness and rural business systems in practical and theoretical contexts. To develop analytical skills for evaluating merits and deficiencies of successful and unsuccessful agribusiness and rural systems. To introduce non-specialist students to agribusiness and rural management concepts. To provide students with the fundamental communication skills (written and oral) that satisfies the minimum criteria for succeeding in higher education and commercial environments.

Outline Of Syllabus

Topics to be covered in the rural and agribusiness context: financial management, business strategy, human resource management, the commercial marketing environment, public sector/not-for-profit sector management.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion101:0010:00Preparation group presentation
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture141:0014:00The lectures to be shared between teaching staff (Simon Parker & Jeremy Franks) – 7 hours each
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion110:0010:00Online quiz and preparation
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading581:0058:00Reading around module topics
Guided Independent StudyStudent-led group activity81:008:00Group presentation (7 mins)
Total100:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Online lectures will provide a suitable learning environment for delivering a range of theoretical and practical knowledge to undergraduate, stage-1 students (related to Intended Knowledge Outcome #1 & Intended Skills Outcome #1,2). The staff members will utilise a variety of teaching methods to ensure that students are actively engaged and participating in lectures. Group presentations of existing commercial agribusinesses will provide students with the opportunity to further explore, in a more informal environment, the topics and cases being covered in the lectures (Related to Intended Knowledge Outcome #1,2,3 & Intended Skills Outcome #1,2,3,4,5). This in-depth analysis of various commercial rural businesses and agribusinesses will expose students to the current market environment in which they operate as consumers and will enter into as professional graduates (Related to Intended Knowledge Outcome #1,2,3 & Intended Skills Outcome #1,2,3,4,5).

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams
Description Length Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Digital Examination602A60n/a
Oral Presentation72M40Approximately 7 mins per group of 5 students.
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

1. During the exam, students will show their overall understanding of rural and agribusiness management functions, demonstrate their knowledge of specific aspects of rural and agribusiness management (e.g. agribusiness management’s contribution to corporate strategy) and demonstrate their ability to analyse specific rural and agribusiness functions. Related to Intended Knowledge Outcome #1 & Intended Skills Outcome #1,2,3.

2. For the group presentations, students will work in small groups to develop their team work, organisation and presentation skills. Knowledge gained from critically analysing current commercial agribusinesses will be shared with class members. Related to Intended Knowledge Outcome #1,2,3 & Intended Skills Outcome #3,4,5,6. Candidates are expected to have undertaken significant research of the financial, social and environmental drivers affecting the business, they will present these in a business analysis that illustrates the SWOT with strategic recommendations for development of W & T.

Reading Lists

Timetable