Guide for Students

Introduction to the Module

(4)

Unit 1 The Nature of Organisations

(82)

Introduction

(2)

Objectives

(1)

Section 1: Organisations in Business

(10)

Introduction

(1)

1.1 What is an organisation?

(4)

1.2 What do organisations do?

(4)

1.3 Organisations as systems

(1)

Summary

(1)

Section 2: Organisational Growth and Structure

(15)

Introduction

(1)

2.1 Growth

(1)

2.2 Growth in today's business world

(8)

2.3 Organisational structure

(5)

Summary

(1)

Section 3: The Organisation as a Legal Entity

(6)

Introduction

(1)

3.1 Sole traders

(1)

3.2 Partnerships

(1)

3.3 Incorporated companies

(2)

3.4 Charities

(1)

Summary

(1)

Section 4: Business Functions

(20)

Introduction

(1)

4.1 Porter's value chain

(4)

4.2 Inbound and outbound logistics

(1)

4.3 Operations (production)

(2)

4.4 Sales and marketing

(2)

4.5 Service

(1)

4.6 Infrastructure

(1)

4.7 Human resource management

(3)

4.8 Research and development

(3)

4.9 Procurement

(1)

4.10 Management information systems

(2)

Summary

(1)

Section 5: Organisational Culture

(7)

Introduction

(1)

5.1 National influences

(1)

5.2 What is organisational culture?

(3)

5.3 Culture change

(2)

Summary

(1)

Section 6: Information

(21)

Introduction

(1)

6.1 Nature of information

(3)

6.2 Sources of information

(3)

6.3 Accuracy of information

(1)

6.4 Information flows and management

(1)

6.5 Communication

(2)

Summary

(1)

Unit Review Activity

(1)

Unit Summary

(1)

References

(1)

Recommended Reading

(1)

Answers to Review Activities

(8)

Unit 2 The Business Environment

(72)

Introduction

(2)

Objectives

(1)

Section 1: Environmental Opportunities and Threats

(11)

Introduction

(1)

1.1 The organisation and its environment

(3)

1.2 Environmental analysis

(8)

Summary

101

(1)

Section 2: Social Environment

101

(8)

Introduction

101

(1)

2.1 Demographics and organisations

102

(4)

2.2 Social structures and behaviour patterns

106

(3)

Summary

109

(1)

Section 3: Economic Environment

109

(19)

Introduction

109

(1)

3.1 Macroeconomy and governments

110

(7)

3.2 Industrial environment

117

(6)

3.3 Changing economic policies

123

(5)

Summary

128

(1)

Section 4: Political Environment

128

(17)

Introduction

128

(1)

4.1 Politics and Power

129

(7)

4.2 International business environment

136

(3)

4.3 Environmentalism and social responsibility

139

(5)

Summary

144

(1)

Section 5: Technological Environment

145

(14)

Introduction

145

(1)

5.1 The new industrial revolution

146

(1)

5.2 New products and processes

147

(3)

Summary

150

(1)

Unit Review Activity

150

(1)

Unit Summary

150

(1)

References

151

(1)

Recommended Reading

151

(1)

Answers to Review Activities

152

(7)

Unit 3 Competition and Change

159

(56)

Introduction

160

(1)

Objectives

161

(1)

Section 1: Stakeholders

161

(10)

Introduction

161

(1)

1.1 Who and What are stakeholders?

162

(1)

1.2 Conflicting interests

162

(3)

1.3 Stakeholder power

165

(5)

Summary

170

(1)

Section 2: Market Forces

171

(12)

Introduction

171

(1)

2.1 Industry life cycle

171

(2)

2.2 Porter's five forces

173

(9)

Summary

182

(1)

Section 3: Conducting an Environmental Analysis

183

(6)

Introduction

183

(1)

3.1 Monitoring the environment

183

(2)

3.2 Using environmental information

185

(4)

Summary

189

(1)

Section 4: Change and Competitive Advantage

189

(26)

Introduction

189

(1)

4.1 Responding to the PEST environment

190

(1)

4.2 Responding to the competitive environment

191

(4)

4.3 Implementing change

195

(5)

4.4 Future trends

200

(7)

Unit Review Activity

207

(1)

Unit Summary

207

(1)

References

208

(1)

Recommended Reading

208

(1)

Answers to Review Activities

209

(6)

Unit 4 Marketing

215

(84)

Introduction

216

(1)

Objectives

216

(1)

Section 1: Introduction to Marketing

217

(21)

Introduction

217

(1)

1.1 What is marketing?

217

(9)

1.2 The marketing concept

226

(6)

1.3 Marketing management

232

(5)

Summary

237

(1)

Section 2: Markets and Customers

238

(19)

Introduction

238

(1)

2.1 Customers

238

(1)

2.2 Competition

239

(1)

2.3 Market segmentation

240

(7)

2.4 Marketing research

247

(2)

2.5 Marketing research process

249

(7)

Summary

256

(1)

Section 3: The Marketing Mix

257

(42)

Introduction

257

(1)

3.1 What is the marketing mix?

257

(2)

3.2 Products, services and benefits

259

(3)

3.3 Product classification

262

(3)

3.4 Product life cycle

265

(4)

3.5 Product mix

269

(1)

3.6 Setting prices

270

(5)

3.7 Role of distribution

275

(5)

3.8 Promotion

280

(7)

Summary

287

(1)

Unit Review Activity

288

(3)

Unit Summary

291

(1)

References

292

(1)

Recommended Reading

293

(1)

Answers to Review Activities

294

(5)

Unit 5 Operations and Operations Management

299

(46)

Introduction

300

(1)

Objectives

300

(1)

Section 1: What are Operations?

301

(7)

Introduction

301

(1)

1.1 Definitions

301

(3)

1.2 Transformation for the customer

304

(3)

1.3 Value added

307

(1)

Summary

308

(1)

Section 2: Running Operations

308

(12)

Introduction

308

(1)

2.1 The operations challenge

309

(5)

2.2 Activities within operations

314

(5)

Summary

319

(1)

Section 3: Design within Operations

320

(25)

Introduction

320

(1)

3.1 Product design and development

320

(4)

3.2 System and process design

324

(7)

3.3 Quality and quality management

331

(3)

Summary

334

(1)

Unit Review Activity

334

(2)

Unit Summary

336

(1)

References

336

(1)

Recommended Reading

337

(1)

Answers to Review Activities

338

(7)

Unit 6 Logistics

345

(50)

Introduction

346

(1)

Objectives

346

(1)

Section 1: What is Logistics?

346

(9)

Introduction

346

(1)

1.1 Origins of logistics

347

(3)

1.2 Defining logistics

350

(3)

1.3 Logistics strategy and information technology

353

(1)

Summary

354

(1)

Section 2: Logistics in Practice: a Factory Visit

355

(11)

Introduction

355

(1)

2.1 Factory tour

355

(6)

2.2 Stock control systems

361

(1)

2.3 Physical distribution

362

(3)

Summary

365

(1)

Section 3: Controlling Supply: Materials Planning and Control

366

(11)

Introduction

366

(1)

3.1 Scope and purpose of materials control

366

(2)

3.2 Constraints on material planning and control

368

(4)

3.3 Reordering stock

372

(1)

3.4 Just in time

373

(3)

Summary

376

(1)

Section 4: Supply Chain Management and Distribution Systems

377

(7)

Introduction

377

(1)

4.1 What is supply chain management?

377

(1)

4.2 Relationships in supply chains and partnership sourcing

378

(6)

Summary

384

(1)

Section 5: Strategy, Performance and key Measures

384

(11)

Introduction

384

(1)

5.1 Logistics strategy, fit and performance

385

(2)

5.2 Benchmarking

387

(2)

Summary

389

(1)

Unit Review Activity

389

(1)

Unit Summary

389

(1)

References

390

(1)

Recommended Reading

390

(1)

Answers to Review Activities

391

(4)

Unit 7 Human Resource Management

395

(66)

Introduction

396

(1)

Objectives

396

(1)

Section 1: Nature of Human Resource Management and its Function

397

(6)

Introduction

397

(1)

1.1 Historical aspects

397

(2)

1.2 HRM or personnel management?

399

(3)

1.3 The function

402

(1)

Summary

403

(1)

Section 2: Employee Resourcing

403

(19)

Introduction

403

(1)

2.1 What is human resource planning?

404

(5)

2.2 Recruitment and selection

409

(12)

Summary

421

(1)

Section 3: Employee Training and Development

422

(13)

Introduction

422

(1)

3.1 The training process

423

(8)

3.2 Staff assessment and appraisal

431

(4)

Summary

435

(1)

Section 4: Employee Relations

435

(26)

Introduction

435

(1)

4.1 Historical aspects

436

(6)

4.2 Procedures

442

(1)

4.3 Legislation and policies

443

(5)

Summary

448

(1)

Unit Review Activity

449

(2)

Unit Summary

451

(1)

References

451

(1)

Recommended Reading

452

(2)

Answers to Review Activities

454

(7)

Unit 8 Business Strategy

461

(72)

Introduction

462

(1)

Objectives

462

(1)

Section 1: Environment, Values and Resources

463

(33)

Introduction

463

(1)

1.1 Values

464

(6)

1.2 Resources

470

(11)

1.3 Environment

481

(14)

Summary

495

(1)

Section 2: Strategic Planning

496

(37)

Introduction

496

(1)

2.1 Types of business strategies

496

(16)

2.2 Choosing a strategy and setting targets

512

(12)

2.3 Implementing strategy

524

(3)

Summary

527

(1)

Unit Review Activity

528

(1)

Unit Summary

528

(1)

References

529

(1)

Recommended Reading

530

(1)

Answers to Review Activities

530

(3)

Unit 9 Business Planning and Project Management

533

Introduction

534

(1)

Objectives

534

(1)

Section 1: Drawing up a Business Plan

535

(14)

Introduction

535

(1)

1.1 What is a business plan?

535

(2)

1.2 Creating the business plan

537

(12)

Summary

549

(1)

Section 2: Implementing the Business Plan

549

Introduction

549

(1)

2.1 Initial planning

550

(6)

2.2 Creating a project plan

556

(27)

2.3 Management of progress, costs and risks

583

(10)

Summary

593

(1)

Unit Review Activity

593

(1)

Unit Summary

594

(1)

References

595

(1)

Recommended Reading

595

(1)

Answers to Review Activities

596

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

We're the #1 textbook rental company. Let us show you why.

Business Functions An Active Learning Approach

9780631201779

0631201777

Supplemental Materials

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Rewards Program