Main Aim(s) of the Unit:

The unit introduces the student to a range of studies which are useful in understanding people in the workplace. It examines the concept of management within the global business environment and through the appraisal of business cases, a variety of approaches are considered.

The unit prepares students for their likely future roles as managers in organisations. It encourages them to synthesize knowledge and experience gained in other units by considering competing perspectives on the nature of management. It encourages them to reflect upon the contribution that they might make as individuals to the management process, and to explore their own skills as potential managers, within the context of their peer group. The unit touches practical, moral and ethical dimensions of the management role and examines the key problems and dilemmas that may emerge for stakeholders in contemporary organisations.

Main Topics of Study:

The Organisational Background to Business Administration

The Management Framework to Business Administration

• What are Business Administration and Management?
• The Board of Directors
• Functions within an Organisation
• The ‘Systems’ Approach to Organisation
• Planning-Control Feedback Cycles

Characteristic Features of Organisations

• The Structure of Organisations and the Need for Authority
• The Features of Bureaucratic and Non-Bureaucratic Organisations
• Traditional Principles and Types of Organisation
• More about Systems & Subsystems

The Structure of Business Enterprises

• The Pattern of Organisations
• Business Types including; Sole-Trder Enterprises, Partnerships, Limited
• Partnerships, The Limited Liability Company, Non-Profit-Making Units (Clubs & Societies), Public Enterprises
• Public Sector Organisations; Autonomous Public Corporations, Nationalised Industries, Local Government Institutions, Central Government Departments

Functions within Organisations

The Production Function:

• The Production Process and Types of Production
• Site Selection & Factory Planning
• Plant & Equipment
• Materials & Materials Handling
• Production Administration
• Costing Aspects of Production
• Work Study
• Maintenance & Production
• CAD, CAM & CIM

The Purchasing Function:

• The Nature of Purchasing and the Role of the Purchasing Officer
• Purchasing Department Procedures, Inventory Control, Stores Control and Economic Order Quantity

The Research & Development Function:

• The Functions of the Research & Development Department
• Basic Research
• Problem-Based Research
• Ideas Generation
• Applied Research & Development
• Patents, Trade Marks & Service Marks
• Research & Development in the Business Organisation

The Marketing Function:

• Introduction to Marketing and The Marketing Philosophy
• Market Analysis & Research
• Promotion, Publicity & Public Relations
• Pricing Policy
• Credit Control
• Sales Administration
• Transport & Distribution (Logistics)
• Export Marketing

Personnel Department:

• The Need for Staff
• The Functions of the Personnel Department and a Personnel Policy
• Employee Records
• Promotion, Transfer, Termination & Dismissal

The Administrative Officer’s Role

• Industrial Relations Practice
• The Remuneration of Staff

Office Administration:

• The Role of the Administrative Officer
• Facilities Management - The ‘New-Look’ Office Administrator
• The Office & its Functions
• The Clerical Function, Business Correspondence, Mail Inwards, Mail
• Outwards, Systems for Producing Business Correspondence.
• Meetings, Conferences, Functions and Delegation

Other Responsibilities of the Administrative Officer:

• The Organisation & Methods Department
• Security Aspects of Business
• Risk Management
• The Environment of Organisations
• What is a Claimant?
• Assessing the Impact of Claimants

Learning Outcomes for the Unit

On successful completion of this unit students will be able to:

1. Provide critical evaluation of the major functional areas of a business and describe their interrelationship.
2. Evaluate competing perspectives on the nature of management as both a function and process within organisations
3. Discuss the concept of managerial power and authority, in the context of the work of individual managers, and organisations within their social and cultural contexts.
4. Discuss models of managerial decision-making
5. Discuss the development of organisations in their historical, social and cultural contexts, and the choices that this creates for the management of organisations
6. Explain the process of organisational change and development.
7. Discuss management as a moral and ethical process
8. Demonstrate an appreciation of the role of the Administrator as part of the Managerial process

The numbers in the boxes below show which of the above unit learning outcomes are related to particular cognitive and key skills.

Learning and teaching methods/strategies used to enable the achievement of learning outcomes:

Learning takes place on a number of levels through lectures, class discussion including problem review and analysis. Formal lectures provide a foundation of information on which the student builds through directed learning and self managed learning outside of the class. The students are actively encouraged to form study groups to discuss course material which fosters a greater depth learning experience.

Assessment methods which enable the student to demonstrate the learning outcomes for the Unit:

Examination: 3 hours duration 100%

Indicative Reading for this Unit:

Main text:
Business Management & Administration - G Whitehead & G Whitehall (Institute of Commercial Management)

Alternative Texts and Further Reading:
Modern Business Administration - R C Appleby (Pitman)
The Structure of Business - M Buckley (Pitman)

Students should also be prepared to read other suitable accounting text books

Guideline for Teaching and Learning Time (10 hrs per credit)

50 hours Lectures / Seminars / Tutorials / Workshops:
Tutorial support includes feedback on assignments and may vary by college according to local needs and wishes.

50 hours Directed learning:
Advance reading and preparation / Class preparation / Background reading / Group study / Portfolio / Diary etc

100 hours Self managed learning:
Working through the course text and completing assignments as required will take up the bulk of the learning time. In addition students are expected to engage with the tutor and other students and to undertake further reading using the web and/or libraries.