Higher National Diploma in Business Management

Business activity is fundamental and universal to our everyday lives. Business organisations may differ in many ways, depending on the industry in which they operate globally, but they do share one common feature: the transformation of inputs into outputs. This transformation process takes place against a background of external influences that impact on business activity. The external environment in which business organisations operate is dynamic, complex, volatile and interactive.

The aim of this unit is to give students background knowledge and understanding of business, the functions of an organisation and the wider business environments in which organisations operate. Students will examine the different types of organisations (including for-profit and not-for-profit), their size and scope (for instance micro, SME, transnational and global) and how they operate. Students will explore the relationships that organisations have with their various stakeholders and how the wider external environments influence and shape business decision-making.

The knowledge, understanding and skill sets that students gain in this unit will help them to gain an insight into different business functions, which will support them with further study, support the development of analytical thinking and the application of key analytical tools used throughout business planning, and enable them to choose their preferred area

Large-, medium- and small businesses that operate globally, internationally or locally have at least one thing in common – they all use marketing to influence us to engage with their products and/or services. Whether this means becoming a loyal customer buying a product and service or donating to a charity, organisations use a range of marketing techniques and tools to inform and influence us.

‍This unit is designed to introduce students to the dynamic world of the marketing sector and the wealth of exciting career opportunities available to support their decision-making in their career choices. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the competencies and behaviours required by employers to work in the marketing sector. They will be introduced to the key principles of marketing, enabling them to develop a marketing plan and to employ elements of the marketing mix to achieve results. They will study the underpinning theories and frameworks of marketing while relating them to real-world examples, including products/services that they encounter in their daily lives.

‍The knowledge, understanding and skill sets that students will gain on successfully completing this unit will enhance their career opportunities; whether this is setting up their own business or employment in an organisation.

The aim of this unit is to enable students to appreciate and apply principles of effective Human Resource Management (HRM). People are the lifeblood of any organisation and being able to attract, recruit and retain talented staff is at the core of all HRM activity. This unit will explore the tools and techniques used in HRM to maximise employee contribution and how to use HR methods to gain a competitive advantage. Students will explore the importance of training and development in building and extending the skills base of the organisation and ensuring it is relevant to the ever-changing business environment. Students will also consider the growing importance of becoming a flexible organisation with an equally flexible labour force, and become familiar with techniques of job design and with different reward systems.

The unit investigates the importance of good employee relations and the ways in which employers engage with their staff and possibly with trade unions. Students will gain an understanding of the law governing HRM processes as well as the best practices which enable an employer to become an ‘employer of choice’ in their labour market.

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The ability to lead and manage effectively is highly sought after by industry, as employers seek to produce and develop managers who can motivate, enthuse and build respect throughout their workforce. The hard and soft skills required by leaders and managers are frequently highlighted by employers as skills gaps in recruitment. Developing these skills will help students to meet career aspirations in leadership and management.

The aim of this unit is to help students understand the difference between the function of a manager and the role of a leader. Students will consider the characteristics, behaviours and traits that support effective management and leadership. Students will learn about the theories that have shaped the understanding of leadership and management and how these have provided a guide to action for managers and leaders who want to secure success for their businesses. Students will look at leadership styles, how and why they are used and the extent to which they are effective.

This unit also gives students an understanding of motivational strategies. They will develop motivational strategies covering intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of motivation. Finally, students will evaluate the importance of managing performance in achieving continuous improvement.

The overall aim of this unit is to introduce the fundamentals of management accounting which apply to the wider business environment and the organisations which operate within that environment. Students will explore how management accounting uses financial data to aid planning decisions and the monitoring and control of finance within organisations.

On successful completion of this unit, students will be in a position to present financial statements in a workplace context and be able to assist senior colleagues with financial business planning. In addition, students will have the fundamental knowledge and skills to progress to a higher level of study.

The purpose of BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business (Management) is to develop students as professional, self-reflecting individuals able to meet the demands of employers in the business sector and adapt to a constantly changing world. The qualification aims to widen access to higher education and enhance the career prospects of those who undertake them.

The objectives of the BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business (Management) are as follows;

• To equip students with business skills, knowledge and the understanding necessary to achieve high performance in the global business environment
• To provide opportunities for students to enter or progress in employment in business, or progress to higher education qualifications such as an Honours degree in business or a related area
• To offer students the chance of career progression in their chosen field
• To equip students with knowledge and understanding of culturally diverse organisations, cross-cultural issues, diversity and values
• To offer a balance between employability skills and the knowledge essential for students with entrepreneurial, employment or academic aspirations

Entrepreneurship is about people who have dreams and take their career into their own hands, leading it in the direction of their choice. More recently it has also become about transforming the world by solving big problems, for example initiating social change, creating an innovative product and presenting a new life-changing solution.

This unit introduces the study of entrepreneurship and will benefit those thinking of starting up an entrepreneurial venture and those who are future leaders and managers.

‍The unit aims to illustrate the concept of entrepreneurship and how having an entrepreneurial mindset can make a contribution to all businesses, be that a new business start-up or existing public and corporate organisations. Students will explore the skills, traits and characteristics of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship. Students will understand the importance of different-sized businesses on the economy and the contribution they can all make to society. Students will also learn about the need for entrepreneurs and the impact of disruptive entrepreneurship.

‍By the end of the unit, students will have gained research skills and the knowledge that they can develop an entrepreneurial mindset that will benefit them throughout their careers. They will understand the contribution that businesses make to the economy and the importance of entrepreneurial activity for all businesses in all sectors.

Balancing the books is at the heart of all business management. The overall aim of this unit is to introduce students to essential financial accounting principles and techniques which will enable them to record and prepare basic final accounts. Students will learn how to prepare accounts for sole traders and partnerships as well as limited companies.

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to contribute effectively to the accounting function of an organisation or to understand how to record and prepare basic financial accounts for their own business. They will have the knowledge and skills required to progress to a higher level of study.

Research skills are as vital for the workplace as they are for academic development. Research skills enable students to identify a problem, collect informational resources that can help address the problem, evaluate the resources for quality and relevance, and come up with an effective solution to the problem. These are seen as essential skills by employers for most positions in the industry, to support a range of duties, for example, report writing, building a business case, business planning and launching a new product or service.

‍This is a Pearson-set unit. Students will choose their own project based on a theme provided by Pearson (this will change annually). The project must be related to their specialist pathway of study (unless they are studying the general business pathway). This will enable students to explore and examine a relevant and current topical aspect of business in the context of the business environment and their chosen specialist pathway.

‍The aim of this unit is to offer students the opportunity to engage in sustained research in a specific field of study. The unit enables students to demonstrate the capacity and ability to identify a research theme, to develop a research aim and objectives and to present the outcomes of such research in both written and verbal formats. The unit also encourages students to reflect on their engagement in the research process, during which recommendations for future, personal development are key learning points.

Organisational behaviour is concerned with understanding, explaining and predicting the behaviour of individuals in the workplace and can assist in the development of practical solutions to organisational and managerial problems. Individuals, whether acting in isolation or collectively as part of a group, engage in actions and behaviours that can have a positive or negative impact on company performance and the achievement of strategic goals. It is therefore essential that those who are involved in managing and leading people in organisations acquire insight and expertise in organisational behaviour.

‍The aim of this unit is to develop knowledge and understanding of how organisational behaviour concepts, theories and techniques can be applied in work and management settings in order to enhance individual, team and organisational performance. Students will be able to apply this knowledge in a variety of business situations. They will appreciate how effective application of organisational behaviour principles can be used to explain why people behave and act in particular ways and to predict how employees will respond to certain demands. The unit also develops student understanding of the influence of culture, the operation of power and politics in organisations and how these variables influence the actions and behaviour of people in an organisational context.

‍On successful completion of this unit, students will have developed a range of transferable skills and knowledge. This includes core people management skills used to achieve positive organisational outcomes and to create value by recognising individual differences, team working and the creation of inclusive organisational cultures.

Change is the only constant in life’ (Heraclitus, 500 BCE). Whatever industry, whatever position you are employed in, there is always change. As such, businesses need to adapt and change with the changing business environment. Organisations are seeing change at a more rapid speed than ever before. Technology is playing a big part in this increased pace of change. Change leaders are evident in all business sectors and in a variety of roles within an organisation.

‍In business, change is all around in all areas of an organisation, from minor process changes to large-scale structural change. The aim of this unit is for students to understand the different types and scope of change that may occur in an organisation. The unit will aim to illustrate the drivers/triggers for change and how they vary and affect organisations in different ways, including the degree of impact and management’s response to change. Students will gain an appreciation of how the depth of change can influence organisational behaviour both during and after the change.

‍On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to apply a range of change management concepts, including diagnosing driving/resisting forces, planning for change and dealing with change in organisational settings. This will put students in a strong position to contribute to change initiatives in the workplace.

As the globalisation of business continues the world is becoming smaller, this means developing complex opportunities and risks for business operations as organisations expand and transform in this dynamic environment. Understanding business from a global perspective is about being open to new ideas, issues and solutions, and opening business up to new opportunities and growth.

‍The aim of this unit is to explore the wider position that some organisations have in the global environment. Students will gain an appreciation of the complexities of operating in a global environment, enabling them to gain insight into an organisation’s current or aspirational global presence.

‍On successful completion of this unit, students will understand the wider global environment in which organisations operate. This enables students to add value to an organisation as they will be able to apply their knowledge in such a way that they can advise senior managers (in large and small organisations) on global matters that they might not have otherwise considered.

Operations management is everywhere, in every organisation, in every service experienced and in every product consumed. Operations management is the administration of business practices to create the highest level of efficiency possible in an organisation. It is concerned with converting materials and labour into goods and services as efficiently as possible to maximise profits.

‍The aim of this unit is to introduce students to the role of operations in an organisation, how the nature of operations management has evolved and how it contributes to sustained competitive advantage. Students will understand the key concepts of operations management in an organisational and environmental context, and how this links to supply chain management, products and processes, organisational efficiency and effectiveness, and the achievement of tactical and strategic objectives. A variety of operations management techniques and frameworks will be explored, including continuous improvement, total quality management, benchmarking and risk analysis.

‍By the end of this unit, students will have an appreciation of the dimensions of operations management and its central role for organisations across a wide range of sectors. Students will also have the knowledge and skills required to progress to higher levels of study or employment in positions in operations, logistics and supply.

This unit is designed to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of why it is important for marketers to enhance and manage the value of customer interactions.

Students will learn underpinning theories and frameworks and will be expected to relate them to real-world examples, including their own experiences.

‍Organisations ideally seek a mutually beneficial relationship between themselves and their customers. This is particularly important when considering the costs associated with acquiring a new customer. It has been suggested that it can cost five times as much to gain a new customer as it is to retain an existing one. Moreover, there is no guarantee that a new customer will be as loyal as a current one. Any organisation, whether for profit, NGO or a charity, seeks ways of retaining customers through enhanced customer experiences.

‍To retain loyal (and profitable) customers, organisations seek to understand them better. By understanding customers through the capture of relevant data, organisations can enhance a customer’s lifetime value. They then aim to build a relationship with the customer where they remain loyal and continue to purchase a range of products and services.

‍The knowledge, understanding and skill sets that students will gain on successfully completing this unit will enhance their career opportunities, whether they are setting up in business independently or if they are employed by an organisation.

This unit supports individuals who are working in or towards managerial roles in all market sectors to develop and enhance strategic thinking and planning that will improve the organisational performances of businesses in their respective competitive markets. General manager skills and competencies are focused on through a range of themes and topics that can be applied in most contexts.

‍The aim of this unit is to develop student’s awareness of the different types of strategic approaches that could be used in an operational, tactical or strategic role for an organisation. This will be underpinned by a thorough knowledge and understanding of the theories, models and concepts that could significantly support an organisation’s strategic choice and direction.

‍On successful completion of this unit, students will have developed sufficient knowledge and understanding of strategy to make a positive, efficient and effective contribution to the development of business plans and operational direction. They could do this in the role of a junior manager responsible for having specific input into an organisation’s decision-making and planning.