Introduction
Welcome to Introduction to business and management. You
have chosen to study a dynamic subject that will stretch your knowledge
and challenge your ideas. This is an introductory course, which is designed
to engage you with the key concepts, models, debates and problems in the
study of business and management. Developing this foundation will be
beneficial to your subsequent study of specialised subjects, because you
will be able to make connections between different issues.
This introductory course is also a chance for you to develop your academic
skills, in particular your critical approach to the ideas you are presented
with. Studying at this level means actually engaging with what you are
reading: considering what is being said in relation to other theories,
practical examples, and your own reflections. The subject of business
and management offers an ideal opportunity to develop this academic
approach, as a wide variety of groups, individuals and organisations offer
diverse opinions and theories regarding the workings of business and
successful management.
Throughout the course you will be taking an active part in your learning,
developing your own responses to what you read and so building a
deeper appreciation of issues concerning business and management. It
is therefore helpful to view this introductory course as an opportunity to
develop a solid framework of knowledge, as well as a critical academic
approach. Together these will make your work on this course engaging
and stimulating, and will equip you with the tools needed to do well in
your future studies.
In the remainder of this introductory chapter you will be given advice and
guidance on the following:
• the course aims and learning outcomes
• the reading system
• your role in using the subject guide
• the structure of the course
• preparing for the assessment.
It is important to understand all of these at the beginning to ensure that
you are able to get the most out of the course.
The subject of business and management is an important and exciting
one. You will learn about the workings of business organisations, how they
function, and how they interact with the environment. The subject also
includes how these business organisations are managed, including the
strategies used to guide them and the decisions involved in the role of the
manager. Studying these issues by following the course as it is designed
should ensure that although challenging, it will also be an enjoyable and
satisfying experience.