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Introduction
The nature and meaning of the business environment; models and theories used to explain and illustrate the concepts; the relationships between the business organisations and related environments such as the economic, legal, political, ethical, socio-cultural and technological environments.
Structure and Levels of Government
The nature of government and what governments are for; levels of government from local through to international; accountability, bureaucracy and official secrecy; the British system of government and levels of policy making; the executive, legislature and judiciary.
Economic Environment
The economic environment at both macro and micro levels; the flows of economic activity; macroeconomic policies and their influences on businesses; market structure and competition; the international economic environment; international trade and globalisation.
The Public Sector Environment
The range and scope of the public sector, what it is and what it does; comparisons and contrasts with the private sector; how it has changed over time; privatisation and managerialism; managing in the public sector.
Introduction to the Role of Law in the Legal Environment
Major areas of business law will be introduced in the context of the business environment: business organisations, contract, agency, property, environmental, competition, consumer, health & safety, and international.
Technological Environment
The importance of technology and innovation; how technology affects organisations, people and jobs; technological changes, especially the emergence of e-business.
Ethical and Ecological Environment
The meaning of corporate social responsibility and the actions business needs to undertake in order to be considered socially responsible; the benefits that are available to business from following a strategy of corporate social responsibility; how businesses can be encouraged to accommodate environmental policies into their strategic management techniques.
Social Policy and the Social Environment
Issues of corporate social policy and social responsibility concerning such matters as the environment and equal opportunities; the role and activities of pressure and interest groups and their influence upon business; corporate attitudes and responses to environmental and other social issues such as environmental audits.
International Business Environment
As businesses exploit opportunities abroad, they face challenges from international business environment, including international economic environment, international legal regulations and cross-cultural issues; The influences of these international business environments on business organisations’ global operations are investigated in the module.
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