Course Catalogue

View Specification Document | Reading List

This course allows students to appraise several interconnected taught elements from the programme and apply these to a real-world international business and management problem in order to formulate recommendations that could be applied in response to the brief. Students undertaking the project will be required to work in a group to gather evidence and conduct research and to use this research to deliver a group presentation and individual reports. There will be no interaction with the organisation on which the brief is based.

The project will contribute to developing graduate attributes in investigation, independent and critical thinking. In addition, students will gain confidence in defending their ideas and become reflective learners. They will also develop collaborative and group work skills. Holistically, such attributes will enhance their employability skills in independent thinking, time management skills and teamwork.

In preparation for the projects, students must complete a compulsory Project Methods course which adopts an active blended learning pedagogy. This will consist of synchronous online lectures, asynchronous resources courses and several face-to-face tutorials. These normally take place in Semester 2.

The Project is carried out during the summer months, between May and August, and is supported with a total of 5 supervision meetings (4 group-based working towards the presentations in July) and one final meeting as an individual for feedback on individual reports.

Students must be registered on one of the associated programmes listed in this course specification.

None

None

ILO(s) 

This course aims to lay the foundations for and contribute to the development of students' capacity to design and carry out research in International Business and Marketing Strategy. The course aims to:

■  enable students to deliver a substantial business research exercise demonstrating adaptability in the appropriate selection and application of tools and research methods from the programme supported by additional critical review of academic ideas,

■  develop and evaluate options taking account of constraints identified within the brief, before weighing evidence to formulate feasible recommendations and communicate research outcomes to a professional standard whilst reflecting on their performance.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Evaluate an international business and management brief to assess the strategic challenge outlined by the brief and to construct aims and objectives for a business project that effectively addresses those challenges

2. Critically analyse diverse perspectives in marketing theory and practice, integrating academic literature, industry insight, and contextual factors to demonstrate independent reasoning and professional judgement.

3. Apply appropriate research methodologies (critically acknowledging strengths and weaknesses) to investigate complex international business and marketing problems, demonstrating methodological rigour, and justification of research design choices..

4. Critically evaluate and synthesise information from multiple sources (both academic research and professional marketing practice) to support informed, well reasoned and justified evidence-based decision-making

5. Apply decisions to formulate a range of creative solutions for sustainable market growth and then systematically evaluate the options to select between them for recommendations that are the most pertinent to the constraints set by the brief.

6. Communicate research findings and marketing insights effectively, using language tailored to specialist and non-specialist audiences, highlighting their implications as well as any limitations and ethical considerations

7. Constructively apply project management and teamworking skills to effectively deliver outcomes to satisfy project requirements, under time pressures and to a professional standard.

8. Reflect critically on their individual performance and learning, identifying strengths and limitations, and feasible approaches and resources to facilitate their personal development needs within academic and/or workplace contexts.

9. Demonstrate adaptability and autonomy in learning and professional practice, responding effectively to changing requirements, ambiguous problems, and evolving marketing environments.