module specification

This module develops student’s knowledge and understanding of the globalised business environment and economy. It examines the characteristics of the current global business environment and economy and explains how these came into being. It also looks at how modern firms have contributed to and adapted to a more globalised economy and business setting, focussing on particular issues such as international trade, international migration, global business activity and environmental damage.

The module aims to provide students with:

1. a systematic knowledge and understanding of the role of the large corporation in the processes characterised as ‘globalisation’;
2. a critical awareness of current issues concerning the deepening and widening of economic activities and networks worldwide;
3. an ability to apply economic principles and analysis in this business context;
4. an ability to understand the justification and impact of regulation of elements of international business activity;
5. a range of transferable and subject-specific skills and knowledge that will be of value in employment and self-employment;
6. an appreciation of the economic dimension of the wider social, regional political, and environmental issues.

The module also aims to develop students' skills, in particular: academic study skills; literacy;
critical thinking; team-working; and communication, including oral presentation.

HE Academic Skills Development. Reading and reviewing academic research, presenting arguments in various formats, the concept of critical thinking.
Presentation IT skills. Use of intermediate Powerpoint to make professional presentations. IT presentation software. Formats, embedding pictures and other objects, creating animation, editing and formatting, creating charts from worksheet data. Undertake oral presentation to an audience to a professional level.

Defining Globalisation – presenting different definitions of globalisation in order to identify different understanding and approaches to it and defining the main characteristics of the phenomena that the module will explore.
Development of Globalisation – an examination of the historical development of the global economy.
Development of the Modern Corporation – an examination of the historical development of the modern global corporation.
Global Production – introduction to systematic analysis of the global organisation of production by modern corporations.
International Trade – trade in theory, trade in practice, corporations and trade.
International Finance – capital flows in theory, international finance in practice, corporations and financial flows.

Technology – the global spread of technology by corporations and it’s impact.
International Debt – an introduction to the development of international debt in developed and developing countries.
Globalisation and Inequality – link between global economic and corporative activity and inequality.
Population – population growth and the link with international economic and corporative activity.
Globalisation and Poverty – the relationship between economic and corporative activity and material poverty across the globe.
Labour Migration – economic migration, an analysis of costs and benefits to individuals, corporations, and the economy.
Globalisation and Culture – examination of the extent to which aspects of globalisation and business activity have created a global culture.
Globalisation and the Biosphere – examining the links between global economic and corporative activity and global warming, pollution, environmental degradation.
Pollution and Climate Change Policies – analysis of the problems and possibilities linked to policy responses at individual, corporate, national, regional and global levels.
Globalisation Assessed - the competing arguments of pro and anti globalisation and pro and anti global corporation perspectives are assessed.

Students’ learning is organised around direct contact time with the teaching team, and reflective independent learning. The direct contact time takes place through lectures, seminars and group workshops. Students must complement this 'formal' learning activity with further reading of the material suggested in the teaching sessions, solving problems using analysis, research, writing, planning and preparation for group presentations, class tests, and the final exam.

Student contact time will normally be 3 hours per week. Lectures and whole group workshops will typically be around 1.5 hour duration. Lectures will deliver core knowledge. As this module emphasises the development of theory, policy and application a whole-group workshop will provide examples of how to use economics to understand and analyse problems associated with globalisation. In the 1.5 hour seminar the emphasis is on student learning through participation, formative feedback and active learning.

Contact time with teaching teams will be organised around a range of learning activities including active learning to acquire knowledge and understanding, problem solving, problem based learning,presentations, analysis of case studies, group reading and analysis of research papers, discussion of policy issues and debate.

Lecture and seminar activities are structured to enable students to develop basic knowledge and  then to progress to develop higher order skills of synthesis and critical evaluation. Some activities require students to carry out independent work prior to meetings with lecturers.

Professional and transferable skills are developed in lectures and seminars, and through independent directed learning and assessment. Skills development is enhanced through problem solving and problem based learning practiced in seminars, working co-operatively in groupsfor assessments and group presentations. These presentations will review and discuss issues and problems faced by corporations, government policy interventions, and distributional and ethical issues.
Inititative and independence is developed progressively through the module such that students are required to begin to take greater responsibility for their work.

Business and economic historical and contemporary student debates are integrating sessions which draw on module material (2 weeks around the end of the autumn term, then 2 weeks around Easter). Groups of 3 or 4 students prepare arguments for or against propositions in a present ,reply, questioning, open discussion format. Presentatations involve  6-8 students per week, 12-18 students in two week periods.

The module makes use of virtual learning environment platforms (WebLearn, Publisher E-resources) in which module lecture material, course handbooks,test questions, previous assessment with feedback, and other material is placed. Students are required to engage with research published in academic journals. ICT resources include links to key web resources such as Government departments, research institutes and multi-lateral organisations. Students will be shown to treat material from campaign and pressure groups with caution and research from a variety of sources.

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. demonstrate a broad knowledge of the reasons for and characteristics of the modern business world and economy;
2. display a systematic understanding of approaches to the processes of globalisation;
3. demonstrate knowledge of economic theory related to aspects of the current multinational economy, its businesses, and corporate policy;
4. explain how economic factors and business considerations can confront ethical issues;
5. gather evidence and assimilate, structure, analyse and evaluate it in both its qualitative and quantitative dimensions so as to understand and critically evaluate issues connected with contemporary globalisation and business corporations;
6. demonstrate study skills development  including academic reading, writing, critical thinking and referencing and plan, communicate, and self-manage;
7. work effectively in groups and demonstrate team-working, planning, conflict resolution, communication, self-management, time-management, and self-presentation skills;
8. develop a presentation to a basic professional standard, and demonstrate sound debating skills and the ability to present coherent arguments and influence and persuade others. 
    

The group project will enable students to further develop their ability to work effectively in groups, undertake team activity, plan and allocate functions, seek to resolve any conflict, communicate effectively, work under binding time constraints, and undertake a presentation.

The essay and the examination will be structured so as to require students to write answers to questions addressing the important issues of both globalisation and the modern business corporation. The essay and final exam will assess the student’s knowledge and understanding of globalisation and corporations covering theory, issues, policy and application; ability to apply and to critically assess what they learn directly to corporations; ability to marshal evidence, both qualitative and quantitative, to understand and critically evaluate policy issues in the area.

Attendance data is collected by lecturers and tutors which is added to Evision and this information will constitute the main element of the attendance/participation mark. However there will also be a reward for active and constructive class participation which is be assessed in discussion with the seminar group.

Bhagwati, J. (2007) In Defence of Globalisation, Oxford University Press.
Bisley, N. (2007)Rethinking Globalisation, Palgrave.
Bulkeley, H. and Newell, P. (2010) Governing Climate Change, Routledge.
Clapp, J. and Wilkinson, R. (2010) Global Governance, Poverty and Inequality, Routledge.
Dicken, P. (2011) Global Shift, 6th Ed., Sage.
Held, D. and McGrew, A. (2006) The Global Transformations Reader, Cambridge, Polity Press.
Ravenhill, J. (2011) Global Political Economy, 3rd Ed., Oxford University Press.
Scholte, J. (2007) Defining Globalisation, The World Economy, 31 (11): 1471-1502.