What will I learn on this module?
This module develops knowledge of core business functions - marketing, finance, people management and operations, through an experiential learning approach using Business Simulation to develop you as future managers, team shapers and strategic-level decision makers.
The module acts as a capstone learning environment where prior knowledge and skills developed earlier in the programme are applied to understand how business functions operate in an international business environment. Through the Business Simulation, you will experience how business functions are interdependent and support corporate strategy. Furthermore, working in teams you will take responsibility for high-impact business decisions through Role Playing. Formative peer-assessment and 360 feedback on leadership and team contribution will act as vehicles of self-reflection.
By the end of the module, you will develop your operational and strategic thinking, team-leading and team-working etiquette.
A research-led approach emphasises hands-on problem-solving using the Design Thinking framework. Through a "sense-think-act" approach, you will explore market dynamics and competition, develop business insights using visualisation and sense-making, scenario building, and implement business functional decisions and corporate strategy.
Indictive topics covered in the module will include:
• Core functions of business
• Leading a multi-national corporation through a competitive international business simulation environment
• Developing a Business Model for an international business
• Developing strategic insights from the data related to business functional areas and marketplace and apply design thinking in solving strategic business problems
• Strategic decision making in relation to marketing, operations, finance and human resources
• Evaluating company performance using performance evaluation frameworks such as balanced score card and strategy map
How will I learn on this module?
The module begins by covering core business functions through lectures, case studies and independent learning. You will take ownership of your academic and strategic-thinking development through directed learning, supported by tutor-guided activities including prompted reading and reflective questions, alongside advanced independent study that extends beyond the provided reading list.
A skills development week follows, where you will rapidly develop knowledge of the business simulation process and Role Playing, learning how to apply these in strategic and cross-functional scenarios. The Business Simulation and Role Playing programme introduces challenging scenarios requiring decisions through weekly lectures, supported by independent case studies from industry. Studio-based sessions provide the space for dynamic, team-based problem-solving, developing critical appreciation of business planning, commercial decisions, risk management and managing conflict across business functions. Drawing on prior learning — including Belbin team roles — you will make sound, challenging and swift decisions recorded in a digital learning environment. Role Playing offers the opportunity to take different high-impact managerial roles, stretching your competences and tolerance in challenging situations. Feedback is provided by your academic lead alongside peer-support and 360 formative feedback from the simulation environment throughout the programme.
At the end of the module, your team will present its journey through an assessed poster presentation, judged by a panel of academics, with the most successful business recognised and showcased. The virtual learning environment supports discussion forums, debate and peer feedback throughout. Part-time learners will be accommodated through online workshops, tutor guidance and remote team working.
How will I be supported academically on this module?
How will I be supported academically on this module? (SRS 0003)
A range of approaches are adopted to accelerate your learning in this module. At the outset, you will receive the Teaching and Learning Plan (TLP), which sets out learning outcomes, module and programme aims, the teaching and learning strategy, a teaching schedule, directed reading references, core texts, data sources and details of seminar and workshop activities. The first session outlines the module's rationale, learning objectives and contribution to your programme goals, covering the assessment strategy, key academic skills, workshop expectations and available resources.
Your module tutor will provide academic support throughout, including:
• Delivering lectures on core business functions and providing case studies and research
• Supervise studio-based creative thinking sessions in a simulated environment providing you with hands on learning support.
• Providing guidance in relation to the digital simulation environment
• Development of key resources including activities for business simulations made available through the VLE
• Assessing assignments and assessing or reviewing any other agreed summative or formative outputs as appropriate
E-Reading Lists
The module will also have an e-reading list which directs learners to specific reading for each session. This includes direct access to repositories, journal articles and other academic sources. You will also be provided with access to a significant set academic research sources via the Northumbria University library portal.
You will receive formative feedback from your tutor in response to opinions you express and issues you raise during workshop sessions and face-to-face or online tutorials.
What will I be expected to read on this module?
All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)
What will I be expected to achieve?
Intellectual / Professional Skills & Abilities:
MLO1 Systematically identify and be able to critically analyse and evaluate responsible and integrated strategic decision-making through a cross-functional approach.
MLO 2 Be able to critically apply simulation-based software in a given problem scenario.
Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
MLO3 Demonstrate ability to work in cross-cultural teams and make appropriate and personal contribution to team effectiveness.
How will I be assessed?
Formative Assessment
Formative assessment of your applied skills, knowledge and understanding, as demonstrated in your work done as part of making business simulations decisions , is a key component of the assessment strategy. You will use feedback from each round of the business simulation to inform decision making for the next round. This forms an integral part of the formal scheduled teaching programme utilising lectures and practical studio-based sessions to enable you to use ‘learn by doing’ approach.
To foster engagement with your tutors and peers, an asynchronous discussion board on the VLE will also be used.
Summative Assessment
Learning will be assessed through the business simulation. You will complete in teams a range of on-line weekly tasks which will culminate in two assessments
1) Business Model Group Poster (30%). This will assess MLO2 and MLO3.
2) Individual Analytical and Reflective Report (1750 words) – 70% . This will assess MLO1, MLO2 and MLO3 and a draft is collected digitally over the entire business simulation run.
You will be provided with written, electronic, feedback on your summative work.
Module abstract
In this module, you will work in teams to make strategic decisions in a realistic competitive simulated environment and learn to juggle the competing priorities resulting in a sustained competitive advantage. The simulation environment will combine theory and practice to enable you to develop in depth knowledge and skills in various business functional areas
You will also work as a team to experiment and evaluate strategic choices and hence apply the critical leadership, analytics and project management knowledge and skills developed in your first semester. Replicating a typical organisational environment, you will learn through a hands-on problem-solving approach using the Design Thinking framework. As such, through a "sense-think-act" approach, you'll explore and understand market dynamics and competition, develop business insights using visualization and sense-making, ideate strategies, test them in a simulated environment, and refine them through iteration.
This module forms a core part of the programme’s experiential learning element and aligns with the University’s commitment to experiential learning by enabling students to learn through action, collaboration, reflection and iterative decision-making in a realistic business simulation environment.
