B120: An Introduction to Business Studies Tutorial 1

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B120 An Introduction to Business
StudiesTutorial 1

• 3 October 2009

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Welcome to B120 !
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Agenda

• Introduction to B120
• Course Structure, Assessment, etc.
• Introduction to Book 1
• Activities
• Review
• Questions Close

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Learning Outcomes

• To meet fellow students and tutor face to face
• Explain how the components of B120 fit together
• Relationships tutor/student/group
• Carrying out STEEP and SWOT analyses
• TMAs advice

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Relationships tutor/students/group

• Contacting each other
• Confidentiality
• Student support groups

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B120 Course Structure

• There are 5 Course Books
• Book 1 What is a business?
• Book 2 An introduction to HRM in business
• Book 3 An introduction to Accounting Finance
• in business
• Book 4 An introduction to Marketing in business
• Book 5 Different ways of looking at business

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Introduction to Book 1
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Book 1 Aims Objectives

• Describe some common characteristics of
  businesses
• Explore what makes businesses different from each
  other
• Understand the main Sociological, Technological,
  Economic, Environmental Political forces that
  impact on business
• Explain how organisational cultures emerge within
  businesses
• Outline different types of structures and how
  they might impact on how work is organised within
  a business
• Identify the importance of business ethics
• Provide an introduction to business functions

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Book 1 Sessions

• What is a business ?
• The external environment
• Business structures
• Business cultures
• Business ethics
• An introduction to business functions
• Small business and entrepreneurship

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Book 1 Key Concepts Ideas

• Businesses come in all shapes and sizes
• A business cannot operate without being
  influenced by and impacting upon its external
  environment
• The shape and identity of a business is closely
  linked to its structure and culture
• Business ethics is an important part of business
  and of B120
• Small businesses, while often overlooked, provide
  a large proportion of employment and are an
  important part of the business world

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Book 1 Key Theories

• Business Types (Public / Private, Profit / Not
  for Profit)
• Morgans Metaphors (Morgan)
• STEEP SWOT Analysis
• Business Structures (Pugh Hickman)
• National Cultures (Hofstede)
• Organisational Culture (Trice Beyer / Drennan)
• The Role of Ethics in Business (CSR)
• Stakeholder Analysis (Johnson Scholes)
• Introduction to other Business Functions

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Activity Exploring Business

• What is a business?
• How do we define a business?
• What are its main characteristics?
• What makes a good business?
• Use your own experiences to discuss these
  questions as well as using course materials

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Activity Exploring Business

• Stakeholders
• Think of some organisations in your context and
  identify the principal stakeholders
• Highlight whether they are internal or external
  stakeholders
• What are their stakes in the organisation?
• What conflicts are there between stakeholders
  interests?
• Do the same for your own organisations

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STEEP

• A useful structure to help analyse the external
  environment relating to a business
• Sociological factors
• Technological factors
• Economic factors
• Environmental factors
• Political factors

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Activity Exploring Business

• Looking at your own business examples- for each
  one, discuss
• What sort of business is it?
• What are the influences on it from the external
  environment?
• Use the STEEP model as a framework for analysis

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Activity 1 Streetwise Fashion
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Activity 1 Streetwise Fashion

• Tips for Reading Case Studies
• Read the case through quickly to get a feel for
  the situation
• Understand what it is you are required to do
  check the questions and any instructions
• Re-read the case, make notes, ask yourself,
  what seems to be going on here that may be
  relevant?
• Start organising your thoughts/notes - using
  concepts from the course to help you expand
  upon and support your diagnosis

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Activity 1 Streetwise Fashion

• S T E E P

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Activity 1 Streetwise Fashion

• Sociological
• Demographics, age structure of populations,
  patterns of work, gender roles, etc.
• Technological
• Information and communications technology, scale
  and rate of change, internet, etc.
• Economical
• Rate of economic growth, interest rates,
  inflation, energy prices, exchange rates, etc.
• Environmental
• Legislation, environmental reporting,
  shareholders, pressure groups, customers, etc.
• Political
• Legislation, WTO / EU trade regulations,
  government, public services, taxes, etc.

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Activity 1Streetwise Fashion

• S W O T

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Activity 1Streetwise Fashion

• Strengths Weaknesses
• Internal environment, resources and how they are
  used, structure, culture, brand, people etc.
• Opportunities Threats
• External environment, competitors, customers,
  suppliers, environment, technology etc.

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Activity 1 Streetwise Fashion

• Strengths

Weaknesses
Internal
Opportunities
Threats
External
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Activity 1 Streetwise Fashion

• In Groups Discuss
• Is the relationship between the two businesses
  likely to be successful ?
• What are the differences between the two
  businesses ?
• What might be the benefits and the costs for
  each of the businesses ?
• Group Activity
• Make a STEEP SWOT analysis for each company
• Present your STEEP SWOT frameworks to the other
  groups
• Take 20 minutes to discuss your ideas and prepare

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B120 Assessment

• Tutor Marked Assessments (TMAs)
• There are 2 TMAs in B120..
• TMA01 2 Mini case studies based on books 1 2
  - 25 October 2009
• TMA02 Report based on books 4
• - 12th December 2009
• Quizzes
• There will be 2 Quizzes during the course

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B120 Assessment

• Tutor Marked Assessments (continued)
• If you think you might miss the deadline -
  please do contact me
• Under certain circumstances - an extension can
  be agreed
• You do need to have a valid, plausible reason
• Any extension must be agreed before the due
  date
• Late TMAs without authorisation - will not
  count towards your final mark

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TMA Marks

• Each TMA and Quiz is marked out of 100
• TMA01 15 of total marks
• TMA02 15 of total marks
• Quiz 1 10 of total marks
• Quiz 2 10 of total marks
• Examination marked our of 100
• Examination 50 of total marks
• Total assessment
• TMA Quiz marks Examination Marks 100

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B120 Assessment

• End of Course Examination
• Final written assessment
• It will cover all 5 books
• More to come on this nearer the time

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Review of Today
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Questions
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Important Dates
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Learning Outcomes

• To meet fellow students and tutor - face to face
• Explain how the components of B120 fit together
• Relationships tutor/student/group
• Doing a STEEP SWOT analysis
• Case study Streetwise Fashion
• TMAs and Quizzes - advice