NES1001 : Introduction to Business Management
NES1001 : Introduction to Business Management
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Mr Simon Parker
- Lecturer: Dr Jeremy Robert Franks
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
Pre Requisite Comment
N/A
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
N/A
Aims
This module aims to give students an introductory overview of a range of current commercial agribusiness and rural business systems in practical and theoretical contexts. To develop analytical skills for evaluating merits and deficiencies of successful and unsuccessful agribusiness and rural systems. To introduce non-specialist students to agribusiness and rural management concepts. To provide students with the fundamental communication skills (written and oral) that satisfies the minimum criteria for succeeding in higher education and commercial environments.
Outline Of Syllabus
Topics to be covered in the rural and agribusiness context: financial management, business strategy, human resource management, the commercial marketing environment, public sector/not-for-profit sector management.
Learning Outcomes
Intended Knowledge Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
1. Apply rural and agribusiness systems management knowledge and principles and concepts to business management
in a specific production area (e.g. food production, farming, rural enterprise, estate management).
2. Improve rural and agribusiness systems or subsystems performance by identifying constraints (technical,
management, economic) and developing plans to modify, repair or create appropriate systems to achieve the
intended outcomes.
3. Understand the position and performance of the rural and agribusiness systems in a national and global
context.
Intended Skill Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will be proficient at:
1. Writing to an academic standard (with respect to grammar, referencing, presentation)
2. Communicating in ways appropriate to the rural and agribusiness management discipline and audience (oral and
written)
3. Working in teams and assessing team performance.
4. Access, critically evaluate, synthesise and manage information from a wide range of resources using
appropriate technologies
5. Communicate in ways appropriate to the rural and agribusiness management disciplines and audiences.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | Preparation group presentation |
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 14 | 1:00 | 14:00 | The lectures to be shared between teaching staff (Simon Parker & Jeremy Franks) – 7 hours each |
Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Online quiz and preparation |
Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 58 | 1:00 | 58:00 | Reading around module topics |
Guided Independent Study | Student-led group activity | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | Group presentation (7 mins) |
Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Online lectures will provide a suitable learning environment for delivering a range of theoretical and practical knowledge to undergraduate, stage-1 students (related to Intended Knowledge Outcome #1 & Intended Skills Outcome #1,2). The staff members will utilise a variety of teaching methods to ensure that students are actively engaged and participating in lectures. Group presentations of existing commercial agribusinesses will provide students with the opportunity to further explore, in a more informal environment, the topics and cases being covered in the lectures (Related to Intended Knowledge Outcome #1,2,3 & Intended Skills Outcome #1,2,3,4,5). This in-depth analysis of various commercial rural businesses and agribusinesses will expose students to the current market environment in which they operate as consumers and will enter into as professional graduates (Related to Intended Knowledge Outcome #1,2,3 & Intended Skills Outcome #1,2,3,4,5).
Reading Lists
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Digital Examination | 60 | 2 | A | 60 | n/a |
Oral Presentation | 7 | 2 | M | 40 | Approximately 7 mins per group of 5 students. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
1. During the exam, students will show their overall understanding of rural and agribusiness management functions, demonstrate their knowledge of specific aspects of rural and agribusiness management (e.g. agribusiness management’s contribution to corporate strategy) and demonstrate their ability to analyse specific rural and agribusiness functions. Related to Intended Knowledge Outcome #1 & Intended Skills Outcome #1,2,3.
2. For the group presentations, students will work in small groups to develop their team work, organisation and presentation skills. Knowledge gained from critically analysing current commercial agribusinesses will be shared with class members. Related to Intended Knowledge Outcome #1,2,3 & Intended Skills Outcome #3,4,5,6. Candidates are expected to have undertaken significant research of the financial, social and environmental drivers affecting the business, they will present these in a business analysis that illustrates the SWOT with strategic recommendations for development of W & T.
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES1001's Timetable
Past Exam Papers
- Exam Papers Online : www.ncl.ac.uk/exam.papers/
- NES1001's past Exam Papers
General Notes
N/A
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Disclaimer
The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2024 academic year.
In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described.
Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Module information for the 2025/26 entry will be published here in early-April 2025. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.