Scheme of Work

Unit name: Business and the Business Environment

Unit ID: T/618/5032
Lecturer: Daniel VanHoutte / Le Thi Huong Lan
Lecturer email: [email protected]/ [email protected]
Tutor: Pham Thu Van/ Dinh Thuy Dung
Tutor email: [email protected]/ [email protected]
Office hours: By appointment
Assessment: 1 individual assignment + 1 exam
Total study hours: 54 learning hours + guest speakers and/ or field-trip

About this module

Business organizations differ in many ways but share one common feature of transforming inputs
into outputs. This transformation process takes place in an environment which is dynamic,
competitive, uncertain, and frequently hostile. Understanding business nature and business
environment is the key for a business organization to reach its full potential and to be successful.
This unit aims to give students background knowledge and understanding of business, of the
functions of an organization and of the wider business environments in which organizations operate.
Students will examine the different types of organizations, their size, scope, and how they operate.
Students will also explore the relationships that organizations have with their various stakeholders
and how the wider external environments influence and shape business decision making. The
knowledge, skills and understanding gained by completing this unit is fundamental for students to
have an insight into different business functions which will support the development of analytical
thinking and enable them to choose their preferred areas of specialism in future studies and in their
professional career.

Learning outcomes
By the end of this module, you will be able to:

1 Explain the different types, size and scope of organisations.

Demonstrate the interrelationship of the various functions within an organisation and how they
2
link to organisational structure
Use contemporary examples to demonstrate both the positive and negative influence/impact
3
the macro environment has on business operations.
Determine the internal strengths and weaknesses of specific businesses and explain their
4
interrelationship with external macro factors.

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Schedule (tentative)
Week Lecture topic Reading
LO1: Explain the different types, size and scope of organizations
Week 1 Introduction of the course. Chapter
Types of organizations 10
 Differences between for profit and not for profit and non-
government organisations (NGOs)
 Legal structures and forms of business.
Size and scope of organizations Chapter
 Differences between large-, medium-sized and small 11
organisations, including objectives and goals, market share, profit
share, growth and sustainability
Week 2 Size and scope of organizations Chapter
 Industrial structures and competitive analysis 12, 14,
 Market forces and economic operations 15
Size and scope of organizations Chapter
 Stakeholders and responsibilities of organisations to meet 3, 10
different stakeholder interests and expectations.
 Global growth and developments of transnational, international
and global organisations
 Differences between franchising, joint ventures and licensing.
LO2: Demonstrate the interrelationship of the various functions within an organisation and how
they link to organisational structure
Week 3 Organizational functions Chapter
The role of marketing, finance, human resource management and 2
operations within an organisational context and the interrelationships.
How functions relate to overall organisation mission and objectives.
Organizational structure Chapter
Different structures depending upon the size and scope of the 2
organisation, including bureaucratic and post-bureaucratic, parent,
strategic business units (SBUs), matrix and functional levels.
LO3: Use contemporary examples to demonstrate both the positive and negative
influence/impact the macro environment has on business operations.
Week 4 Context of macro environment Chapter
Week 5 The application of the PESTLE framework and how organisations need 4, 5
to monitor and forecast external influences. How the macro environment
influences/impacts upon business activities.
Individual assignment due
Week 6 Changing macro factors Chapter
Week 7  Work environment, emerging markets, global economic and 6-9
Week 8 social power
Week 9  New, including digital technologies and innovation
 Globalisation
 Ethical considerations and sustainable business
Organizations response to changes Chapter
How organisations go through the transformation process and overcome 18
resistance to change in response to the changing market environment.
LO4: Determine the internal strengths and weaknesses of specific businesses and explain their
interrelationship with external macro factors.

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Week 10 Framework for analysis Chapter
Introduction to SWOT and/or TOWS analysis and how they can assist in 18
the decision-making process within organisations.
Week 11 Key external macro factors including the competitive environment and Chapter
government intervention that influence organisations and business. 1, 18
Week 12 Summary and final review
Week 13 Individual assignment due

Structure of the semester

This module includes two sessions per week: A lecture session to introduce you to the new
concepts, theories, and knowledge in BEE field and a tutorial session to assist you in understanding
the course materials as well as to guide you in preparing your homework and assignments.

Teaching methodology
The classroom sessions shall comprise lectures, discussions, games, exercises, student
presentation, case studies.

Important class policies

Participation: You are required to achieve at least 70% participation of all lectures and tutorial
sessions. Failing to do so will result in having to retake the module. You are also expected to read
all materials in advance and participate actively in the discussion of articles, topics or case studies.
Your presentation and contribution to class activities also add to your participation in class.

Contribution to a healthy classroom environment: Students are expected to be on time, to remain

quiet when the lecturer is speaking or when other students are making formal presentations.
Laptops and other electronic devices can only be used in the class for learning purpose.

Academic honesty: The discussion in the sessions will be open, including discussions about
examinations and assignments. However, while you may discuss ideas with members of the
teaching team or colleagues, you must produce your own work. Any violation of academic integrity,
including plagiarism or submitting duplicate work will have very serious consequences. The
minimum consequence will be having plagiarized paper to be marked “rework all” and you will have
only one chance to do so.

Group efforts: Sometime in the sessions may be devoted to syndicate work. Syndicate work
involves working with people who have different perspectives, backgrounds and ways of doing
things. These experiences will give you a chance to explore change as a group. Any conflict that
occurs within a group that cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of all members of the group should
be referred to the teaching faculty for resolution. Group works require every group member’s efforts.

Written and oral assignments: Accurate and succinct communication is extremely important in
business. Consequently, it is expected that a high standard of written and oral communication will
be maintained during the sessions.

Grading for assignments: this will focus on three criteria: Content - the extent to which you
addressed the issue; Analysis - the extent and level at which you went beyond description and
discussed the reasons for your decisions, etc.; and, Style - the presentation, level of expression,
argument, level of typographical mistakes, and referencing.

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Due dates for assignments: Your assignments’ due dates are indicated in the assignment
schedule. Late submission is not allowed.

Assessments
All learning outcomes are assessed through two written individual assignments.
Individual assignment 1/Exam: Based on a given vocational scenario related to business
organizations, you will be required to explain their types, sizes, and scopes. Besides, you need to
analyze how their structures, sizes and scopes link to the business objectives, productsand/or
servic es they offered.
Individual assignment 2: With the same given vocational scenario of a business organization, you
will be asked to use analyzing frameworks to examine the influence of the external environment on
business operations, the internal strengths and weaknesses of the organization. Additionally, you
need to critically analyze the interrelationship between the two environments and propose
recommendations for further improvement.
Each assignment has 1 redo opportunity.

Text book

1. WORTHINGTON, I., BRITTON. C., THOMPSON, E. (2023) The Business Environment A

Global Perspective. 9th Ed. Harlow: Pearson.

Recommended books

1. BURNS, J. and NEEDLE, D. (2019) Business in Context: An Introduction to Business and its
Environment. 7th Ed. Cengage Learning.

2. MORRISON, J. (2020) The Global Business Environment: Towards Sustainability? 5th Ed.
Red Globe Press.

3. WETHERLEY, P. (Editor) and OTTER, D. (2018) The Business Environment: Themes and
Issues in a Globalised World. 4th Ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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