OBJECTIVES:

Modern organisations operate in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. Changes and shifts in the wider external environment are no longer limited to either specific industries or by geographical boundaries, but both directly and indirectly impact on all organisations across the globe. Succeeding in this increasingly complex and integrated global environment requires organisations to be agile in order to respond quickly, flexibility and appropriately. This poses challenges for the modern manager: How can organisations plan and anticipate the future when this is often uncertain? How can organisations best balance the need for clear communication with increasing levels of ambiguity? How can internal resources be deployed most effectively whilst maintaining commitment and engagement levels? And finally, how does this impact on the professional development of managers? This unit will explore the traditional nature and form of organisations and how the external environment has led to the emergence of new organisational forms and ways of working. The implications of this on the role and scope of management will be considered drawing out the professional implications for those aspiring to a career in management. A range of contemporary working practices will be considered, examining the risks and benefits associated with these leading to an understanding of how these can best be deployed. This unit will also consider the people performance link, developing an understanding of the contribution that the right person, in the right place at the right time makes in helping ensure sustainable organisational success.

Throughout the world, the increasing level of innovation is a key factor that gives rise to constant changes in the market conditions for different goods and services. Business organisations therefore need to constantly evolve in order to compete effectively, underlining the need for strong business performance. This unit focuses on the importance of business performance and the need to identify, develop, and utilise the appropriate forms of measurement needed for informed managerial decisions and for the evaluation of the results of the actions taken. The impact of innovation within the organisation is very much part of this focus and its effect on business performance is addressed accordingly. As such, the unit aims to provide you with a theoretical framework of the concept of innovation that can be used to evaluate its impact in a range of business contexts and situations. As a result of studying this unit, you should be able to appraise the issue of innovation as it falls within, and relates to, a range of key business functions and disciplines. You should additionally be able to form a holistic view of the drivers and effects of innovation on the business enterprise, and to develop an awareness of the need to innovate. Furthermore, you should come to realise that the concept of innovation pertains to more than just technology, and, indeed, may not even have a technological basis or dimension. However, the need to identify, develop and rely on the right measurements is crucial to developing the correct perception needed to maintain and enhance business performance.

The focus of Effective Financial Management is the management of financial resources in a business. It addresses the applied techniques that managers need in order to take financial decisions in a business. It also addresses the critical and theoretical knowledge and skills that managers need to take financial management responsibilities. The aim of this unit is to enable you to: Assess the objectives of financial management Evaluate organisational activities, processes and performance Understand the impact of the financial risk on financial management in a business Examine and explain how businesses can finance their activities Evaluate options for the financing of a business Apply techniques to make appropriate investment decisions

This unit is aimed at developing a strong working understanding of economic theory and principles in the everchanging and dynamic international economic marketplace. When a firm decides to engage in international trade, it has different options. The aim of this unit is to make you aware of the relevance of each method of entry with the analysis of case histories. A key focus will be on how multinational firms and organisations operate internationally in an increasingly competitive marketplace. One of the key driving factors is the rise of information and communication technologies, and many markets that were previously limited to within nations are now truly international. The factors of production are increasingly mobile across the world with the movement of labour and capital being commonplace. You will also gain a working knowledge of the organisations that facilitate the many processes involved within the international trading environment.

In today’s connected world, brands have many more choices than ever before to engage with their customers. The use of mobile, social media, and personalised channels have all contributed to the explosion of customer touchpoints through which brands can reach out to their target audiences. This explosion of channel options now enables organisations to construct powerful media plans with precisely the right media mix to reach their audience, whether they operate in consumer or industrial markets, product or service providers, public sectors and charities. This fragmented media landscape means that it is imperative for brands to create and communicate a consistent message; one that cuts through the competitive noise to tell an engaging and compelling brand story. To be able to leverage these new media opportunities, organisations increasingly need people with the right skills and a deep understanding of how to plan, implement and manage fully integrated marketing campaigns. This unit will help you to develop these skills by introducing the concept and principles of integrated marketing communications (IMC). Specifically, the unit will explain the importance of IMC in meeting the brand, marketing, and business objectives and, as such, you will develop a broad understanding of how IMC is implemented in a variety of real world situations. As such, this will prepare you for the complex task of developing and managing a fully integrated multichannel campaign that is appropriate for different businesses, markets, and industries, whilst building your knowledge of customer behaviour, media planning, and brand strategy. The ultimate aim of this unit is to help you gain highly relevant and valuable marketing skills increasingly sought by employers in all markets, sectors, and industries.

What makes someone decide to buy a particular brand? Why do some people select a certain product over another? How consumers make such buying decisions is a complex process that is heavily influenced by who they are, pressures from peer groups, their lifestyles, and their finances. It involves how people feel about themselves, about the brands they purchase and those they do not. For marketers, understanding this unpredictable purchase behaviour is a combination of science and art, firmly grounded in theories of human psychology and economics. It is one of the most critical success factors in any marketing strategy which is why marketers constantly seek new insights about customer behaviour; about why people act as they do and about their needs, wants and fears, so that they can develop marketing strategies that connect with the target customer on a deep emotional level. This unit introduces you to the concepts of consumer behaviour. It addresses the important differences between how and why individual consumers make purchase decisions and the processes used by organisations and groups. It explores a range of popular models and theories about customer behaviour and puts them into the context of today’s digital marketplace and the multicultural dimensions that influence customers everywhere. Ultimately, it will explain how marketers use behavioural insights to inform every part of the marketing mix, from the packaging design to media channel choice, and from pricing strategy to the marketing message.

Social marketing relates to the use of marketing approaches considering the positive impact on individuals and communities within society. It is an application that is used within the marketing sector to address issues of health, environment, and safety by demonstrating social wellbeing. Social marketing also provides a robust platform for the development of behavioural change strategies and programmes for marketers to instil social benefits by addressing changing demographic landscape within social, cultural, and economic environment. In addition, the concept of social marketing has been growing significantly in its scope and impact as a result of a structural change due to transformative consumer research (TCR) movement led by the Association of Consumer Research across cultures involving diverse target audience. The social marketing practice provides coverage ofsubstantive topics including consumption and wellbeing, combatting threats to self, improving financial decisionmaking, and regulating the advertising of tobacco and other adult products. Societal marketing considers the ethical aspect within application of marketing theory and practice outlining sustainable interests of society beyond just providing employability and utility benefits. The practice of social marketing provides broader coverage to the key areas of corporate social responsibility, ethics in organisational strategies, green and responsible marketing. The social and societal marketing practices work in synergy with each other providing mutual benefits but, more importantly, added value to the society and businesses overall. This unit intends to cover contemporary areas of marketing practices from the perspective of social benefits, ethical considerations and behavioural change interventions. It also presents a unique opportunity for you to assess and evaluate the influence of marketing approaches and further contribute to the strategic development of promotional strategies for social and societal impact.