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MN10574: Business economics

[Page last updated: 05 August 2021]

Academic Year: 2021/2
Owning Department/School: School of Management
Credits: 12 [equivalent to 24 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 240
Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4)
Period:
Academic Year
Assessment Summary: CW 20%, EX 80%
Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework 1 (CW 20%)
  • Examination (EX 80%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Aims: This unit aims to provide students with an understanding of the operation of the macroeconomic and microeconomic contexts in which businesses operate. The unit will highlight some of the frameworks and analytical tools used by economists, and to show how these are relevant to business decisions and can assist in providing insights into the nature of the competitive environment. The objective of the macro-economic component is to develop students' ability to understand the influence of changes in the broad economic environment on businesses. The objective of the microeconomic component is to develop an understanding of the markets in which firms do business. The focus of the material covered is more heavily weighted towards the microeconomics side, and within that, the area of industrial economics.

Learning Outcomes: By the end of this unit students should be able to perform an analysis of key economic issues in the macro- and micro- environments in which business operates. They will be able to do so in a time-constrained manner and without access to a textbook.

Skills: Grasp of basic microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts and their applicability to the real world (taught, facilitated and assessed). Ability to construct an argument (facilitated, assessed). Critical thought, writing and analytical awareness (facilitated, assessed).

Content: Introduction to business economics, focussing on the microeconomic theory of the firm and industry, and related analytical frameworks. Likely microeconomic topics to be covered include: consumer behaviour; demand and supply determination, production and costs, structure of product markets, pricing possibilities, The five forces affecting industry profitability, the intensity of rivalry between firms and measurement of monopoly power, oligopoly price and non-price behaviour under conditions of competition and co-operation, barriers to entry and entry deterrence, and the impact of government competition policy on strategic options. Macroeconomic topics will include: the business cycle, inflation, unemployment, exchange rates, Economic growth and GDP.

Programme availability:

MN10574 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

School of Management

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2021/22 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2022/23 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2021/22.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.