Contemporary And Pervasive Issues

Module Title	Contemporary And Pervasive Issues
Module Code	25-6010-00L
Semester of Delivery	See Module Information Tables
Mandatory/Elective/Option	See Module Information Tables
Level	6
Credit Points	20
Assessment Mode Weighting	CW100
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
Class Contact Hours
Average Weekly	1.5
Directed Learning
Average Weekly	5
Module Leader	Jim Chandler
	Sheffield Business School
Module Banding	A
Approval Status	Validated

Rationale

One of the highest level cognitive skills is the ability to integrate theory and practice across a wide disciplinary range and this should constitute a core element of the undergraduate programme.

Furthermore, a key requirement of a modern business and management education is to prepare students adequately for the world of work. Today businesses have to operate in a complex environment in which ethical, legal, political and economic factors play an increasingly important part. A sound understanding of these issues must be seen as part of the professional equipment of the managers and decision-makers in both public and private business sectors.

Moreover, in an era of rapid change, undergraduate education cannot expect to deliver a finished product; but must take responsibility for fostering the capacity and vision to undertake continuing learning. Indeed, to aspire to senior positions in organisations students must be able to assume ever-changing roles.

At final year level students have a number of resources upon which to draw; namely modules studied during the first two years of the course, the one-year work placement and increasing maturity.

The rationale for the module, therefore, is the application of wide-ranging knowledge and learning to key contemporary and pervasive issues in order to develop the intellectual skills students will require to function creatively and effectively in the modern world.

Summary of Aims

The aims of this module are to:-

1. Enable students to identify contemporary and pervasive issues in the field of business and management which reflect the dynamism and vibrancy of the business environment;
2. Facilitate student learning with respect to the analysis of such issues;
3. Enable students to demonstrate understanding of the impact of these issues on business and management and how organisations might themselves affect the issues;
4. Encourage students to use insights from previous study and placement experiences in order to explain the nature and effects of key contemporary issues;
5. Provide opportunities for students to explore in depth issues of their choice and, in so doing, demonstrate positive and critical attitudes towards change and enterprise.

Anticipated Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module students should be able to:

1. analyse the possible impact of contemporary and pervasive issues upon the current and future context in which organisations are located, including their socio-economic, technological, ethical and political dimensions.
2. integrate a range of subjects, disciplines and topics in the fields of organisation and management in order to explore contemporary and pervasive issues in a multi-faceted way.
3. critically analyse contemporary and pervasive issues from the perspective of a range of different stakeholder and social groups.
4. evaluate the place and purpose of business within its wider social context and analyse the mutual dependence of business and society.
5. communicate their ideas effectively and be able to secondary and primary source material either individually or in groups to develop their understanding relevant to the course.

The module will be assessed through coursework which will be composed as follows:

Presentation (25% weighting)

Students will in small groups provide an oral presentation which they may supplement as appropriate with other material on an issue linking at least two major themes relevant to the module.

The assessment will concern learning outcomes 1,2,3,4,5,6.

Summative Project (75% weighting)

Students will be required to write an individual project of approximately 5,000 words connecting at last two themes discussed in the module.

The assessment will concern learning outcomes 1,2,3,4,5.

Module Assessment criteria

Students will be assessed on their ability

1. Demonstrate a capacity to analyse the impact of contemporary and pervasive issues in relation to their impact on the present structures and processes of business organisations and their possible evolution.
2. Show a capacity to integrate a range of subjects and disciplines in the field of organisation and management in order to analyse contemporary and pervasive issues related to business.
3. Demonstrate an ability to consider contemporary issues in relation to the perspectives of different social groups and stakeholders.
4. Place the function and processes of business within a wider socio-economic context.
5. Demonstrate a capacity to communicate their understanding in writing and verbally and, when required, to co-operate effectively with others in providing assessed outputs.

Learning Outcome	Assessment Criterion	Level descriptors
		fail	PASS	2.2	2.1	First
1	Project and Presentation	inaccurate knowledge and little evidence of understanding of contemporary and pervasive issues in the environment of business and management	description of some contemporary and pervasive issues in the environment of business and management, incomplete understanding	methodical description and some evidence of understanding of contemporary and pervasive issues in the environment of business and management	full knowledge, systematic description and thorough understanding of contemporary and pervasive issues in the environment of business and management	comprehensive knowledge of, insight into and systematic description of contemporary and pervasive environmental issues and exceptional understanding
2	Project and Presentation	inadequate application of knowledge of contemporary issues to business activity and public service provision	partial application of knowledge of contemporary issues to business activity and public service provision	methodical but descriptive application of knowledge of contemporary issues to business activity and public service provision	methodical and well reasoned application of knowledge of contemporary issues to business activity and public service provision, showing insight	comprehensive, creative and astute application of insights to business and management
3	Project and Presentation	lacks understanding of the origins, nature and impact of certain key issues issues in the environment of business and management	restricted and/or confused understanding of the origins, nature and impact of certain key issues issues in the environment of business and management	methodical description of the origins, nature and impact of certain key issues issues in the environment of business and management	systematic description and substantial evidence of understanding of the origins, nature and impact of certain key issues issues in the environment of business and management	comprehensive and systematic description and evidence of exceptional understanding of the origins, nature and impact of certain key issues issues in the environment of business and management
4	Project and Presentation	ineffective use of research skills to explore the origins nature and effects of one key contemporary issue	generally accurate use of a narrow range of research skills to explore the origins nature and effects of one key contemporary issue	generally accurate use of a number of research skills to explore the origins nature and effects of one key contemporary issue	accurate use of a wide range of research skills to explore the origins nature and effects of one key contemporary issue	professional approach to research, using a comprehensive range of skills and showing critical insight to explore the origins nature and effects of one key, contemporary issue
5	Project and Presentation	inadequate and ineffective analysis, inability to explain the origins, nature and effects of a key issue	generally accurate description, restricted and/or confused analysis of the origins, nature and effects of a key issue	systematic description, restricted analysis of the origins, nature and effects of a key issue	systematic description and methodical analysis of the origins, nature and effects of a key issue	systematic description and accomplished analysis of the origins and nature of a key issue, creative, holistic approach to the analysis of its effects
6	Presentation	irresponsible approach to collaboration with others	minimal collaboration with others	adequate level of collaboration with others	full and responsible collaboration with others, makes a full contribution to the group and learns from other members	full and responsible collaboration with others, makes a full contribution to the group, learns from other members and shows leadership

• use of wide range of sources - including library-based, internet, placement, earlier modules
• depth and breadth of knowledge
• understanding
• analytical and other cognitive skills
• research skills
• oral communication skills
• written communication skills - i.e. ability to gather, marshal and present material as a reasoned and coherent argument
• team-working

Teaching and Learning Strategy and Methods

There will be a series of lectures designed to illustrate the breadth, pervasiveness and pertinence of contemporary issues.

In parallel, there will be a programme of seminars the function of which will evolve. Initially it will be to support the lectures, subsequently it will provide the forum for the delivery of the group presentations and finally it will provide support to students in the preparation of their individual essay.

Indicative Content

A framework for analysis - models and theories

Overview of contemporary issues e.g.

• innovation, creativity and enterprise
• e-commerce
• knowledge management
• sustainability
• globalisation
• ethics, values and norms
• environmentalism
• changing role of the state
• public/private/third sector conjunction
• poverty and underclass
• ideological challenge
• the British economy and Europe
• health
• law and order

Clearly this is a limitless and ever-changing picture. Not all of these issues could or will be covered every time and new issues would be added and others would disappear.