Having an understanding of business is becoming increasingly important in a fast-paced, technological world. This course will provide the grounding needed to cope with today’s business environments. You will focus on the issues involved in a business start-up and look at how established businesses can improve effectiveness. You will also use mathematical skills to interpret quantitative data. In the first year you will start by studying businesses in a variety of contexts focussing on the issues involved in a business start-up in relation to decision making. Consideration needs to be given to research, raising finance, employing people, leadership and budgeting, as well as the factors that determine success. You will follow this by focussing on how an established business with marketing, operations, human resource and finance departments is able to improve its effectiveness. You will look at the importance of decision making in many different contexts for businesses such as technological impact, stakeholders influence and use of quantitative and qualitative data. In the second year you will build on your knowledge base by considering more complex business scenarios. You will focus on larger businesses which may be trading in international markets and how managers might measure the performance of the business and make strategic decisions. You will study external factors such as the economic, political and technological environments and assess how they act as catalysts for change in relation to a range of real life businesses. You will also look at how firms are influenced by issues such as Corporate Social Responsibility. Throughout both years of the course you will carry out calculations, interpret and analyse data, apply knowledge to unfamiliar situations, develop arguments and make judgements and decisions.