Management with Digital Innovation with a Year in Business

Core Modules

Year 1

• Professional Skills 
• Quantitative skills and ideas for decision making 

  In this module you will develop an understanding of quantitative studies and how they are employed in Management and Economics. You will look at how quantitative studies relate to differences, associations and relationships in groups and populations, and examine a range of statistical techniques.

• Foundations for Enterprise Internationalisation 

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the formal economic, political and legal institutions, as well as cultural, religious, and linguistic differences that must be taken into account when conducting business across borders. You will look at how the global context in which companies operate has evolved over time, considering the role of foreign direct investment and internationalisation strategies. You will examine the motivations for entering a foreign market, the factors determining whether a company enters on their own or in partnership, the risks of entry and how they are analysed, and how companies negotiate with governments.

• Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the basic concepts of accounting, examining its role in organisations and society. You will consider the basic components of financial statements, including income statement, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, and the procedures and techniques for the preparation of these. You will also look at the principles of financial decision making and how to analyse accounting information

• Foundations for Sustainable Business

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the main economic, social, ecological and governance factors that determine the long-term sustainability of organisations. You will look at the interconnectedness of these factors and how they set the context within which small and large businesses, public service organisations and third sector organisations operate. You will consider perspectives on the identification and management of corporate social responsibility, including the complex and often contested business case for it, and how this is often tied into, and justified, in terms of the economic context within which the organisation operates. You will also examine the importance of corporate governance for global sustainability.

• People and Organisations

  In this module you will develop an understanding of organisation as a process and the organisation as an entity. You will look at key managerial activities, examining classical ideas about organisation with the context of nationalisation and humanisation. You will see how these ideas reappear, albeit in a modified form, in contemporary organisations, looking at organisational forms and modern management techniques such as culture management, emotional labour, and charismatic leadership. You will also consider Max Weber’s distinction of formal and substantive rationality and Anthony Giddens’ formulation of the duality of action and structure.

• Foundations in Digital Enterprise

  In this module you will develop an understanding of information systems and how they have become the backbone of contemporary businesses. You will consider how they are used by business managers as a tool for achieving operational excellence, developing new products and services, improving decision making, and achieving competitive advantage. You will also examine the broader organisational, human and information technology dimensions of information systems and how they can be used to provide solutions to challenges and problems in the business environment.

• Principles of Marketing

Year 2

• Collaboration and Communication in Business
• The Global Economy
• Responsible Business and Management

  This module builds on the knowledge and ideas introduced in Foundations for Sustainable Business, and develops them further through the introduction to the concept of doughnut economics of a regenerative and redistributive economy where businesses operate within the ecological ceiling of planetary boundaries and the social foundation of meeting the essentials of life. Throughout, we link to the concept of the triple bottom line (TBL) of environmental, social and economic sustainability.

• Project Management

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the role of project management within organisations and its value in achieving organisational objectives. You will look at the process of planning, scheduling, monitoring and controlling resources (physical, technological, human and others) for the achievement of a focussed objective. You will consider the factors involved in promoting organisational change, and critically examine the problems of implementation. You will also examine the techniques used for monitoring and controlling projects, and approaches to project risk management.

• Data Visualisation and Analytics
• Creative Process Management

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the practice of problem-solving in organisations. You will look at the models, frameworks, tools and methods used to deal with the complexities of decision making in different types of organisations, including the implementation or use of information systems and technologies. You will consider which courses of action are most appropriate for particular management situations, and examine techniques used by managers to gain insights into situations and structure potential solutions to perceived problems, including concepts of non-linearity, self-organisation, creativity and chaos.

• Digital Innovation and Circular Economy

Year 3

• Year in Business

  This year will be spent on a work placement. You will be supported by the School of Management and the Royal Holloway Careers and Employability Service to find a suitable placement. However, Royal Holloway cannot guarantee that all students who are accepted onto this degree programme will secure a placement, and the ultimate responsibility lies with yourself. This year forms an integral part of the degree programme and you will be asked to complete assessed work. The mark for this work will count towards your final degree classification.

Year 4

• Business Data Analytics

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the main managerial and technological principles which underlie business and analytics. You will look at the impact of business data analytics on product and service innovation, and examine the main challenges and risk related to business data analytics activities within organisations. You will learn how to carry out a variety of business data analytics techniques, and consider the impact of legislation, regulation and ethical codes of practice on business data analytics programmes and the organisations running them.

• Business and Management Impact Project I
• Business and Management Impact Project II

You will take one of:

• Business Negotiations Skills in Context
• Management Consulting

  This module will familiarise you with the management consulting sector, its controversies and the key skills necessary to enter the sector.

• Marketing and Entrepreneurial Skills
• Professional Practice: Skills and Careers

One or both of (if taking both, no options in autumn term):

• Business Simulation

  Students will undertake an online business simulation and will apply concepts and knowledge from across their programme to make decisions that will affect the performance of their enterprise. Students will experience how different decisions and factors affect business performance while learning about the interrelationships between marketing, operations, finance and sales.

   

• Social Media, Networks and Business

  In this module you will develop an understanding of social networks and social media platforms from multiple perspectives. You will look at the growth of social media and the connectedness of the networked society, considering recent advances in network science, social psychology, and marketing. You will examine the role of social networking technologies in enabling business innovation and societal change, and critically assess positive and negative impacts of these technologies.

Optional Modules

There are a number of optional course modules available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course modules that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new modules may be offered or existing modules may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.

Year 1

You will take one of the following:

• Markets and Consumption

  In this module you will develop an understanding of how marketing can be seen as both an academic discipline and as a business practice. You will look at the role of the consumer as a stakeholder in an organisation, examining how they make consumption decisions. You will assess marketing as a business practice, considering how it has penetrated all sectors of the economy (private, public, and not-for-profit). In addition, you will learn about the sustainability of marketing practices in an increasingly globalised consumer society.

• Foundations for Sustainable Business

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the main economic, social, ecological and governance factors that determine the long-term sustainability of organisations. You will look at the interconnectedness of these factors and how they set the context within which small and large businesses, public service organisations and third sector organisations operate. You will consider perspectives on the identification and management of corporate social responsibility, including the complex and often contested business case for it, and how this is often tied into, and justified, in terms of the economic context within which the organisation operates. You will also examine the importance of corporate governance for global sustainability.

Year 2

You will take one of the following:

• Strategic Management

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the theories of strategic management. You will consider these theories in the context of contemporary business operations, including the political and regulatory frameworks, in response to technological change, financialisation, the development of new business models, and changes in the way corporate performance is assessed. You will look at key concepts and debates in the theory of corporate and business strategy, and examine the changing context in which corporate strategy is formulated and implemented.

• Digital Marketing and Customer Experience
• Management Accounting
• Managerial Finance and Economics
• Human Resource Management

  This module aims to provide students with a critical understanding of theory, policy and practice in the field of human resource management. Students are expected to gain a broad appreciation of the major current themes and debates in the field. While the main emphasis is on the nature of human resource management policies and practices in organisations, the programme also concentrates on the contextual labour market and political factors that shape human resource management policy choices.

• Managing Organisational Change

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the emergent discipline of organisational change and change management. You will look at the social scientific concepts and theories underpinning the management of change, and consider how these are applied in practice. You will examine the organisational problems central to contemporary management, becoming familiar with the diagnostic and prescriptive tools used in complex organisational change processes.

• Operations Management

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the design, planning and control of operating systems for the provision of goods and services. You will look at the tools and techniques used in the development of operational systems and the factors that affect the choice of operating methods. You will consider approaches to the planning cycle, inventory management, and production control techniques, including capacity planning, and the merits of push and pull systems. You will also examine quality control and its management in practice.

• Career Management in a Changing World

  The aim of this module is to encourage you to think critically and practically about your own career development as well as the careers of others (as managers and HRM professionals). It builds on current research and practice in the field of careers studies; utilising theory, research and practical activities, to equip you with the knowledge and skills to enhance and futureproof your career journey and employability in a changing world.

   

• Business Law for Accounting and Finance
• Financial Literacy and Personal Financial Planning

  This module will introduce students to the economic, legal, tax and regulatory systems which impact personal financial planning decisions. Students will learn about different types of investments and the applicable tax implications.  Contemporary issues such as voluntary work, caring for an aging population, unpaid work in the home and the differences in wealth between generations and countries will be explored. The risks, rewards and mitigation strategies of making borrowing and investing decisions will also be covered. 

• Management, Music and Creativity

Year 4

Autumn term - one of (if not taking both Business Simulation and Social Media, Networks and Business, see above):

• Asia Pacific Business

  In this module you will develop an understanding of multinational business in the Asia Pacific, their worldwide operations, and their impact on Europe. You will look at the contemporary economic, political, and cultural contexts of the Asia Pacific nations, and consider the diversity of the business environments and business practices in the region. You will examine the factors that lay behind the rapid growth of the region in the last five decades, and use empirical evidence to analyse the operation, performance and impact of multinational enterprises originating from there.

• Current Issues in the Global Workplace
• Wellbeing at Work

  The significance of workers’ wellbeing has grown notably in recent years, capturing the attention of organisations, HR professionals, and researchers. This module aims to evaluate how organisational interventions influence worker wellbeing and attitudes through the examination of key theories, models, and policies. It delves into various dimensions of wellbeing and investigates the interconnections between HR management, organisational performance, and employee wellbeing. Ultimately, it offers students an in-depth exploration of how work affects worker wellbeing, drawing from extensive literature debates.

• Corporate Entrepreneurship

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the theories and practices related to corporate entrepreneurship. You will look at the management of creativity and innovation in large organisations, as well as the processes and structures relevant to the successful appropriation of opportunities within a market context. You will also consider the barriers that constrain managers and their companies from being entrepreneurial and examine conceptual and empirical evidence of corporate entrepreneurship from real-world examples.

• Strategic Finance

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the 'time value of money'. You will look at the main principles of finance theory and how these can be applied to commercial problems. You will consider the relationship between risk and return, and examine the valuation of equities, bonds and options and the relative merits of different approaches to choosing and valuing securities. You will evaluate the consequences of a proposed takeover or merger from the perspective of capital markets and assess the relevance of information efficiency.

• Responsible Entrepreneurship and Innovation

  In this module you will develop an understanding of responsibility in the context of entrepreneurship. You will look at the entrepreneurial process and consider the inherent ambivalence of both new ideas and their unintended consequences. You will examine the concepts of social entrepreneurship, sustainable entrepreneurship, and minority entrepreneurship, and evaluate how new organisations emerge, grow, and approach responsibility challenges.

• Organisational Ethics and Decision Making

Spring term - two of:

• Business and Professional Ethics
• European Business

  In this module you will develop an understanding of how institutions, policies and processes have shaped the European Union and the European business environment. You will look at the key institutions, policies and processes involved in the widening and deepening of the union, and theories which explain its development. You will consider the national, regional and global influences on European business and examine the complex relationships between the EU and its major trading partners. You will also critically evaluate the challenges facing European countries, policymakers and businesses.

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• Strategic Management Accounting

  In this module you will develop an understanding of financial management control strategy. You will look at the dependencies and relationships between business models and operating architecture, capital structure, and off-balance sheet financing. You will consider the context of managing accounting in a changing environment, and evaluate the impact of mergers and acquisitions on businesses. You will examine strategic control tools and techniques such as responsibility accounting and transfer pricing, and assess the relationship between product markets, internal organisation cost structures and capital market expectations.

• Marketing, People and the Planet
• Leading and Leadership in Organisations

  This module aims to provide a comprehensive overview to important and current leadership theories. Working at the boundary of practice and theory, weekly sessions are highly interactive and will be delivered in the form of lectures and workshops. We expect each student to engage proactively with all aspects of the module, including adequate preparation for each session as well as post-class reflections.

   

• Innovation, Strategy and the Corporation

  In this module you will develop an understanding of business innovation in the context of new ventures and corporations. You will look at how changes in technology, markets, and society are affecting how new business models, products and services emerge. You will consider innovation as a source of competitive advantage and examine the management of innovation, critically evaluating associated risks and uncertainty. You will also analyse past experiences and how they can be used to exploit future opportunities through innovation.

• Management and the Arts
• Organisations and Accountability

  In this module you will develop an understanding of contemporary issues in the theory and practice of accounting for sustainability. You will look at key issues in the growing ara of sustainability accounting including notions of accountability in the context of sustainability, cultural and religious perspectives on sustainability accounting, elements of sustainability reporting, and the role of accounting in embedding sustainability in decision making.

• Business Process Applications

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the principles and concepts of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). You will look at how firms use ERP systems for strategic effectiveness and consider the key strategic issues facing managers seeking to deploy and exploit such systems. You will examine the challenges facing those responsible for the selection, implementation and management of ERP projects, and gain practical experience using SAP software and other enterprise-level applications.