NX9310 - Business Information Management

The module involves a weekly one-hour lecture to introduce the core subject content and presentation of the learning materials. This lecture will introduce you to theoretical concepts associated with the management of business data and information and will equip you with the knowledge necessary to fully address the practical content of the workshop. You should make sure that you are confident with the principles and theories covered in the lecture in order to make best use of the workshop time. During the workshop you will engage with practical exercises, but you will also be able to ask questions of the tutor and confer with your peers in order to clarify your understanding of the topics covered.

Northumbria University aims to provide you with an enriching learning journey through your studies and will support you in your learning through a variety of learning methodologies, including remote and blended learning. All modules resources will be available online should you not be able to access campus, and the University has one of the largest collections of e-learning materials in the UK. This is an example of how the University is anticipating the future, and how you may wish to access learning materials. You will engage with tutors via email and through Blackboard’s Collaborative online video-conferencing facility. The discussion board on Blackboard will enable you to share your ideas and learn from others. Learning in an online environment can be very enjoyable and stimulating.

The Foundation Programme is designed to promote your independent research-rich skills. You will be expected to read beyond the reading list and extend your understanding through research using academic journals, text-books and electronic resources in the Library. You will also participate in paired/group-work that is aimed to develop your team-working and interpersonal skills as a future manager. The learning philosophy of the Programme is influenced by an inquiry-based independent research approach which is both enjoyable and stimulating. Whereas many students may have been told what to do at school or college, we aim to encourage you to become much more independent and control the way you learn and that fits into your own personal; preferences. We recognise that you are an adult and wish to prepare for your future, so we place great emphasis on you developing your own personal responsibility as a learner. This means that instead of relying on your tutor to tell you what to do, you engage proactively with your tutors and discuss what possible approaches are available, what resources could be used and then take control of your learning. For example, you will be required to manage your own reading and note-taking, as well as planning your schedule for study. As part of the research-rich approach (i.e. research oriented), you will be expected to apply theory to a real world context and be able to make linkages between what you have read and what you see in practice. Much of the literature on management development refers to the volatile and uncertain world we now work in, in order to prepare you for your future in management, we want you to become much more independent in learning and able to respond imaginatively to change. This is a key life-skill that we will promote here at Northumbria. You will be encouraged to undertake independent research and develop the skills associated with being a research-rich, lifelong learner. You should plan to undertake at least 10 hours independent reading and note-making each week for this module.

You should take on board the formative and summative comments from staff and identify your own action points as you progress through the Programme. We would like you to see assessment in wider terms of learning, not just a mark on a piece of paper. Assessment is important in changing our ideas and helping us move in a better direction, so take on board formative comments during seminars and reflect on those comments on your summative assignment. It is important that you see each assignment as an opportunity to build your confidence as well as knowledge.

You will be provided with a teaching and learning plan to direct your reading and preparation which you will be able to access through an online reading list on the modules Blackboard site and through the Library website. There will also be multimedia support available through the teaching and learning plan, where you will be directed to access a range of videos and other resources.

During the workshops you will create and save a portfolio of your own personal materials in the form of spreadsheets, charts and documents. These materials will help you in the creation of your individual assessed report. In order to further enhance your skills, you will be encouraged by your lecturer to undertake a significant amount of independent reading, note-making and practice each week for this module.

Academic staff are drawn from a range of disciplines within the Newcastle Business School, many of whom have expertise in Business Analysis & Information Management. In addition, many have extensive professional experience that they bring to your learning experience, whether this is in the way of previous teaching or management practice in a work-based environment. Staff teaching on this module have a wide range of research interests within the field of data analysis and information management. Where possible, they will use these interests to further inform the content of the module and ensure that such content is relevant and up to date.

The directed activities you undertake on the module are designed to ensure that you support, consolidate and enhance the knowledge gained in the lectures and workshops. They will encourage you to create an active and self-directed learning experience, that will allow you to take responsibility for your own learning, whilst still having a high level of support. Support will be provided to you by members of academic staff on the module team i.e. those teaching on the module and providing the lectures and workshops. This support will also allow you to work collaboratively with your peers, particularly in workshops and during self-directed learning activities. You will also have the support of the programme leader and student support team at the University. .

Your module is supported by an e-learning portal (Blackboard Ultra), which hosts the teaching and learning plan, learning materials and recordings, workshop and seminar exercises, assessment information, and details of additional resources such as online recordings and videos. It is also frequently used for electronic assessment submissions and the subsequent release of marks and feedback.

The module’s online reading list can also be reached through the Blackboard Ultra site. This provides you with a comprehensive list of links from which to access all the modules’ eBooks, news resources, and directed learning academic articles. The module’s Blackboard site also has an announcement board and email facility, which the module tutor and team will use to communicate important information about the module throughout the semester. Blackboard Ultra is therefore central to your learning journey as it is a one-stop location for resources and guidance. We therefore advise, and expect, students to check-in to it on a regular basis. There is also a one-hour weekly drop-in webinar session available for you to attend and contribute to as part of the module support.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
• Develop and implement a survey instrument to collect primary data for a pre-defined project/study [MLO1]
• Handle, prepare and analyse the survey data for presentation to a business audience [MLO2]

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• Develop and implement team working protocols in the design and dissemination of a survey instrument and presentation of the key findings from the study [MLO3]

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• Develop an understanding of business research and the role played by surveys and primary data collection [MLO4]

The module will comprise both formative and summative assessment.

For formative assessment, you will gain group and one-to-one feedback on the development of your Excel skills within the IT workshops from your tutor. In the creation of your group-based survey instrument, formative assessment will cover the ethical dimensions of your study, the development and testing of your study instrument, the outcomes of piloting and instrument deployment involving both academic and peer inputs. As a team, you will give a presentation on your group work and key findings based on your preliminary analysis, gaining feedback through question/answer sessions from your tutor and fellow students, with face-to-face feedback.

For summative assessment, you will submit a 2,000 word individual report based on the group-based survey exercise and the subsequent data analysis. This summative assessment will cover all the module learning outcomes (MLOs 1-4 inclusive).

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Providing businesses with information to understand its key activities is crucial, as is the communication of this information. This module provides a practical introduction to the creation and communication of business information. The module develops attributes essential for both undergraduate study and for entering employment at the graduate level. These include teamwork, introductory research skills, data handling, information and data literacy (developing competency in analytical tools, e.g. Excel), interpreting your analysis, and communication to a business audience. The module’s practical focus provides experience of various dimensions of the management, analysis and dissemination of business information and research findings, with the assessment being centred on learning by application and demonstrating the attributes described. These attributes provide an important foundation for your learning on this programme and in subsequent University study. The module allows you to experience various dimensions of research-rich learning, being research oriented in developing an understanding of research processes and enquiry-based through the practice of data collection, analysis and presentation.