Course description

This module focuses on four main themes: organisational theory and perspectives; the external business environment; tools and techniques needed to evaluate the likely impact of external influences on the organisation; the legislative context of organisational and operational behaviour. Module participants are encouraged to develop a critical instinct for key factors which influence their own (or other) organisation: research and development, advances in technology, competitive forces, the economy, the regulatory environment, and so on. Critical analysis of these themes leads to a greater awareness that these and other key forces variously represent opportunities and threats to organisations and their operations.

Business organisations, and not-for-profit organisations, operate in a dynamic, complex, interconnected world that requires an understanding of costs, market, marketing and the factors that influence consumer behaviour. These factors constitute another element of study in this module.

This Business Environment module will help and encourage learners to take up and develop an ‘outside-in approach’, as opposed to the perhaps more common ‘inside-out approach’.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the module students will be able to:

1. Analyse and evaluate environmental impact on the organisation using models such as SWOT, PESTLE and Porter’s Five Forces.
2. Analyse organizations as a combination of resources and competencies where context (e.g. public/private sector, service/industry sector) is significant.
3. Analyse the role and reflect on the purpose of strategic environmental analysis within the broader context of the strategic management process.
4. Evaluate and apply theoretical models and a range of strategic analysis techniques to contemporary business environments.
   

• Teacher: Edward Alport