B100 An introduction to business and management

B100 Module guide

Written by Anja Schaefer
This publication forms part of the Open University module B100 An introduction to business and management. Details of
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First published 2015.
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SUP10584 1
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Contents
Introduction 5
1. Overview of the module 6
1.1 Structure of the module 6
1.2 Learning outcomes 7
1.3 Skills development 7
2. The teaching and learning approach 9
Introduction 9
2.1 The module website 9
2.2 Printed materials 10
2.3 Tuition 11
2.4 Study time 11
3. Assessment 13
4. Final remarks 14
Module team 15
 Introduction

Introduction
Welcome to B100: An introduction to business and management
Businesses and organisations are vital to both the health and wealth of
modern societies. Business and Management is an important and interesting
area of study, which will prepare you for work in a variety of positions in
private, public and voluntary sector organisations. In addition to learning
about organisations and how they work, a qualification in Business and
Management will give you an insight into many aspects of society and the
economy. B100 provides an introduction to the field of business and
management studies, including the various business functions (human
resource management, marketing, accounting and finance) carried out in an
organisation, and the context in which businesses – and you as a citizen –
operate: the economic and political conditions, the ethical requirements of
organisations, and the global picture.
B100 is the foundation module for all Open University undergraduate
qualifications in Business and Management. It provides a vital introduction
to the subject and is the foundation on which you will build in your future
studies in Business and Management. It can also be studied as part of an
Open Degree, which combines modules from different disciplines. The
value of B100 as part of an Open Degree is that it provides you with some
management knowledge that will be essential in many work situations, as
well as giving you further insight into the workings of the economy and
society.
B100 is a Level 1 undergraduate module: it is likely to be the first module
that you study as part of your Business and Management qualification. It is
intended to prepare you for Level 2 study and you will find that the
complexity and demands of the materials increase gradually and slowly over
the seven blocks that constitute B100. B100 therefore not only provides you
with vital business and management knowledge but is also designed to help
you develop the study skills that will enable you to progress in your
qualification.
This module guide includes important information about the module and
useful guidance for studying and completing the assessments. You should
read the guide in full and keep it to hand while studying. The next section
of the guide provides an overview of the content of the module, the learning
outcomes and important skills. Section 2 outlines the resources available on
the module website to support your learning. Section 3 discusses the
assessment structure of the module and links it to the available study
resources. There are also some closing remarks.

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B100 Module guide

1. Overview of the module

This module provides an introduction to business and management, looking
at organisations in the private, public and third (voluntary) sector. It does
not require previous knowledge of business and management and does not
assume that you are currently in employment. It covers internal aspects of
business – such as people at work, financial information and marketing, as
well as organisational culture and structure. It then provides an overview of
the external (economic and political) context in which businesses and
management operate, business ethics, and the global context of business.

1.1 Structure of the module

B100 is a 60-credit module that requires 600 hours of study over 30 weeks.
It comprises seven study blocks, designed to be studied in sequence. To
direct and support your progress through the module, refer to the module
website, which contains the study planner. The blocks are:

. Block 1: Introduction
This block introduces the nature of business and other types of
organisations, including some of the key aspects of organisations and
their environments, as well as some core ideas about management.
. Block 2: Working in organisations
This block introduces the key concepts of work, reasons why people
work, and managing people at work.
. Block 3: Accounting and business finance
This block introduces the importance of financial information for
business managers, including the need for raising finance and managing
financial resources accurately and prudently.
. Block 4: Marketing
This block provides an introduction to the subject of marketing,
including an introduction to marketing strategy, customer behaviour, the
marketing mix, social media marketing, social and political marketing
and societal and sustainability issues in marketing.
. Block 5: The economic and political context
This block gives you an introduction to some basic micro- and macro-
economic concepts and ideas, including supply and demand and price
determination, economic growth and national income, money supply and
interest rates, and governmental economic and industrial policy.

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 1. Overview of the module

. Block 6: Business ethics

This block introduces the idea of the wider responsibilities of businesses,
beyond their own organisation and its financial goals and obligations.
The block introduces some ethical theories that can help managers make
sense of their obligations and discusses important contemporary business
ethics issues, including sustainability and human rights.
. Block 7: The global context
This block introduces the global context in which large companies and
even many small companies now operate. It covers topics and ideas
from the meaning and nature of globalisation, drivers of globalisation,
the internationalisation and globalisation of enterprises, to ethical issues
in international business.

1.2 Learning outcomes

Each block has specific learning outcomes, which describe what you are
expected to learn from studying the block in question, but the overarching
aim of the module is to enable you to acquire and demonstrate knowledge
and understanding of:

. the nature of businesses and other organisations, including organisational

structure, culture and values
. the principles of the main business functions (human resource
management, accounting and finance, and marketing)
. the external environment in which the business operates, including the
economic and political context at national and global levels
. the principles of business ethics and the main social and environmental
issues faced by businesses and other organisations.

1.3 Skills development

In addition to the learning outcomes that relate to your knowledge and
understanding of the study material, the module aims to support you in
developing the following cognitive, practical and professional skills:

. selecting and analysing information relevant to a particular problem or

issue related to business and management
. applying theories, models and concepts to practical situations
. framing and addressing questions in relation to business and
management
. using academic and business and management language appropriately
and effectively
. interpreting, using and presenting numerical information effectively and
appropriately

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B100 Module guide

. searching for and using relevant digital and non-digital information from
sources other than the module materials
. communicating in a professional manner in written work, face-to-face
and online, and developing awareness of ethical issues and professional
standards relevant to business and management.
Your development of these skills will be supported through the activities
that you will be asked to complete (both in the texts and online), tutorials,
day schools and information literacy resources (see the next section of this
guide). Your command of these skills will be assessed in the tutor-marked
assignments (TMAs) and the end-of-module assignment (EMA).
You will also be asked to consider how the knowledge and skills that you
develop through studying B100 can help you in your present or future work
or other practice.
Studying at a distance is challenging and rewarding. The module team is
very aware of the commitment that you make and have put together a
carefully tailored set of resources to support your learning. The next section
outlines the different elements of the module and provides some suggestions
for their best use.

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 2. The teaching and learning approach

2. The teaching and learning

approach
Introduction
The teaching and learning resources for B100 are represented in Figure 1.
The B100 website is the focal point for organising your study and contains
a number of online activities designed to deepen your understanding of
module concepts and to develop vital cognitive and study skills. The
website is also the place where you can access other important resources,
especially your tutor group forum and online tutorials, as well as assessment
resources. The other main part of your B100 materials is the seven printed
study books.

7 books of
Online activities Module guide
readings

B100 Assessment
Student café
resources resources

Face-to-face and Tutor group Video and

online tutorials forum audio resources

Figure 1 B100 teaching and learning resources

Each of the resources is explored in further detail here:

2.1 The module website

You might like to think of the B100 module website as your virtual
classroom. It contains everything that you need for studying B100: study
materials (including audios, videos, interactive and other online activities),
module news, a week-by-week study calendar, alternative versions of the
materials, links to your tutor group forum (TGF) and the Student café,
assessment materials, and other useful resources and links.
All B100 materials are available on the module website. About 50% are
online-only items; the other 50% are also provided in print.
Online activities – B100 is organised as weekly sessions, each containing a
series of activities. Some of these activities are interactive and intended to
be completed on the website. Others may involve reading some text and
taking notes on it. Others may involve watching a video or listening to an
audio, or accessing your tutor group forum (TGF) to participate in a
discussion there. Make sure that you allow enough time to complete
these activities: they are a crucial part of the learning on B100.

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B100 Module guide

Video and audio – these include audio introductions for each block and
video case studies.
Tutor group forum (TGF) – you are allocated to a tutor group and each
tutor group has an online forum. You can access your TGF from the B100
website. The TGF is a good place to ask your tutor and your fellow
students questions. You will also be required to take part in several online
discussions there.
Student café – this is an online forum that can be accessed by all your
fellow B100 students, not just by your tutor group. It is accessible from the
B100 website. It is mainly a social forum where you can introduce yourself
to your fellow students and discuss general things. It is not meant for
discussion of assessments, module materials, etc.
Assessment materials – these are available on the module website.
Assessment is based on continuous assessment and consists of five tutor-
marked assignments (TMAs), and one end-of-module assessment (EMA).
More information on these assignments is contained in the online
Assessment resources area.
Electronic files of the seven books of readings for B100 are also available
on the website. You will also receive all these in printed form, but the PDFs
are available as alternative formats.

2.2 Printed materials

About 50% of B100 materials are provided through seven books of readings
(one each for each of the seven blocks) and this module guide. The readings
are provided as printed books but are also available on the module website.
The texts contain introductions to the key concepts and ideas that form the
knowledge and understanding component of B100. They incorporate
examples and a number of short exercises that will help you to develop and
check your understanding. Like the online activities, these exercises are an
important element of learning on B100, so do not be tempted to skip them.
B100 makes extensive use of case studies, both in the online materials and
the readings. Case studies provide you with contexts in which to understand
the theories, concepts and models that you will encounter in the readings.
They also offer an opportunity to deepen your understanding by applying
these theories, concepts and models to practical business and management
situations.
Many of the ideas and theories covered in B100 originate from academic
research. Academic researchers at various institutions have, over the years,
studied different aspects of business, organisations and management in
detail and their results have been disseminated as part of the overall
knowledge about these subjects. Throughout B100 the ideas of many
different researchers – particularly those that have shaped an area of study
in a substantial way – will be introduced.
The readings also include brief summaries of research conducted by the
Open University academics who authored B100. These summaries will give

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 2. The teaching and learning approach

you a slightly more detailed insight into particular aspects of organisations,

their management and the wider societal trends within which they operate.
They also illustrate how academic research influences wider knowledge
about a topic. Of course, there are many other researchers who produce
excellent research on all aspects of business and management. The
summaries of these particular pieces of research are included because the
authors are familiar with and passionate about them, not because they wish
to make any particular claims to fame.

2.3 Tuition
B100 provides a mix of face-to-face and online tuition. You will receive 14
hours of face-to-face tuition in total in the form of day schools. If you
prefer, or it is more convenient, there are online alternatives that cover the
same material. Do not be tempted to skip these tutorials. They are an
important element of studying B100. They will give you an opportunity to
meet a tutor and your fellow students, to clarify any questions that you have
about the B100 materials and assessment, to deepen your understanding of
certain theories, concepts and models in discussion with a tutor and other
students, to prepare for your tutor-marked assignments, and any other
queries. Additionally you will be offered a series of 1-hour online tutorials
which have a specific focus on the tutor-marked assignments.
You should make every possible effort to attend these tutorials. There is
plenty of evidence that students who attend these tutorials tend to enjoy
their study more and often also perform better overall in their studies.
The second stream of tuition will be your tutor group forum (TGF). This is
the main means through which your tutor will communicate with you and
you need to check it regularly. The TGF is also the place where a lot of
discussion with your fellow students will take place through regular
activities started by your tutor. Your participation in these will form a part
of your continuous assessment.

2.4 Study time

B100 is a 60-credit module. Each credit corresponds to 10 hours of study,
so a 60-credit module assumes that you will spend 600 hours studying. Not
all of that time is spent reading, doing activities on the B100 website,
attending tutorials or preparing assignments. Some of it is allocated to
organising your study, travelling to and from face-to-face tutorials, getting
online, and perhaps doing some additional reading or accessing other forms
of additional material. Over 30 weeks, 600 hours is 20 study hours per
week. Depending on how long you take to organise yourself you may not
need quite this much time but you should still need, on average, 18 to 20
hours of study time per week. Of course, it is not necessary to spend
exactly 20 hours on study each week – you may be able to spend 30 hours
in certain weeks but only 10 in others.

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B100 Module guide

On a traditional, face-to-face university course, you would normally study

for 360 credits over 3 years, i.e. 120 credits per year. This means that B100,
as a 60-credit module, is the equivalent of 50% of full-time study (or half a
year’s worth of traditional university study). It is worth bearing this in mind
when planning your study time.
Your study time will be divided between different types of activities. These
include:

. Module-directed study – including reading, making notes, the online

activities and working with the audio and video materials online, and the
exercises in the readings.
. Face-to-face and online tutorials; TGF activities.
. Self-directed study – additional study to support your learning, including
reading newspapers or accessing other (business-related) news, reading
additional articles suggested by the module team, etc.
. Organising your study.
. Assessment preparation.
The study planner on the module website provides suggested timings for
your study, but you may not always be right ‘on time’. If you feel that you
are getting to the point where it is difficult to keep up, ask your tutor for
advice.

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 3. Assessment

3. Assessment
This section gives a brief overview of the assessment structure for B100.
More detailed information is available in the Assessment guide available
online under ‘Assessment resources’ on the B100 website. The TMAs and
the EMA take the format of short case studies or scenarios with some
questions that you will have to answer using ideas from the B100 materials.
You are strongly advised to familiarise yourself with the Assessment guide
at an early point during your study of Block 1.
Assessment for B100 is based on continuous assessment. Table 1 sets out
the assessment grid for the module. There are five tutor-marked assignments
(TMAs) and one end-of-module assessment (EMA). They all use case study
situations. The TMAs are due at the end of Blocks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
respectively'. They each assess your learning from one block of study.
TMA 01 is entirely formative and does not count towards your final mark
on B100. It provides you with a valuable opportunity to work on your
assignment writing skills with no stakes attached. You will get feedback
from your tutor on how well you did on TMA 01 and you are expected to
show how you have used this feedback in TMA 02. The EMA is due after
you complete the module. It assesses your learning from Blocks 6 and 7, as
well as some of your learning from studying B100 overall. Together, the
TMAs and the EMA form your continuous assessment and are worth 100%
of the marks for B100. Note that, in order to pass B100, you need to gain
an average of 40% on your continuous assessment.

Table 1: Assessment grid

Continuous assessment marks

TMA 01 Does not carry a mark. You will receive feedback from your
tutor.
TMA 02 15%
TMA 03 15%
TMA 04 20%
TMA 05 20%
EMA 30%
Total 100%

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B100 Module guide

4. Final remarks
Level 1 undergraduate study involves getting to know the basic building
blocks of a subject. In the case of B100 these are the nature of businesses
and other organisations, three of the main business functions (human
resource management, accounting and finance, marketing), some elements of
the external environment in which businesses and other organisations
operate (the economic, political and global context), and business ethics.
Level 1 study also involves developing vital skills that will help you to
progress through your further studies and to be successful in work
situations. B100 develops cognitive, practical/professional and key skills
appropriate for Level 1. It focuses in particular on the effective use of
academic and business language, some quantitative skills, information
search and digital literacy skills, and some critical thinking and problem-
solving skills.
B100 may be part of your plan to study for either a Bachelor of Arts degree
(BA) in Business & Management, a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE))
in Business & Management , a Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) in
Business & Management, or a similar qualification. Or it may form part of
your plan to study for an Open Degree. Whichever path you pursue, you
will find that B100 is an important foundation module for your further
studies.
The B100 team hope that you enjoy the module and wish you all the best
for your studies.

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 4. Final remarks

Module team
Team members
Dr Anja Schaefer, Chair and Author
Professor Chris Cornforth, Author and Critical Reader
Dr Valérie Fournier, Author
Stephen Godrich, Regional Manager
Dr Fiona Harris, Author
Ashleigh Hewitson, Curriculum Assistant
Barry Jones, Qualification Manager
Fran Myers, Regional Manager
Valerie O’Connor, Curriculum Assistant
Paul Ranford, Author
Dr Alessandro Sancino, Author
Dr Owain Smolović Jones, Author
Elaine Wimmer, Curriculum Assistant
Dr Nik Winchester, Author

Critical readers
Dr Anthony Conway
Aqueel Wahga

External Assessor
Dr Finola Kerrigan

Production team
Veda Beeharry, Media Coordinator
Sophia Braybrooke, Learning Media Developer
Debbie Crouch, Graphics Media Developer
Howard Davies, Interactive Media Developer
Nenad Djukic, Technical Testing Service Administrator
Kim Dulson, Licensing and Acquisitions Assistant
Vicky Eves, Graphics Media Developer
Johanna Garcia, Assistant Sound and Vision Producer
Owen Horn, Sound and Vision Producer
Tegai Lansdell, Interactive Media Developer
Joanne Mitchell, Media Project Manager
Neil Mitchell, Graphics Media Developer
Mahesh Patel, Online Services Media Developer
Deana Plummer, Licensing and Acquisitions Assistant
Ryan Rushton, Learning Media Developer

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