Business Administration

Business Administration.

Aims

This module provides knowledge of the nature and structure of the modern business organisation, the nature of enterprise and the role of profit. It explains the growth and its effect on the structure of an organisation, communication, inter-personal and group processes. It shows how each of the managerial functions contributes to the total operation of a business. It will examine the theories and skills required to be a successful manager.

Learning objectives.

On completion of this module a student should be able to:

Ð'* Describe the structure of a typical organisation, understand the processes that lead to its growth and their implications for its structure.

Ð'* Describe the principal functions of a business organisation.

Ð'* Understand the interrelationships between different business functions.

Ð'* Identify and demonstrate relevant management skills relating to self and others.

Content.

1. Nature of the organisation: organisational structure; the significance of profit; importance of objectives nature of objectives in private and public sectors enterprises and the organisation: the features, strengths and weaknesses of small scale organisations.

2. Growth of the organisation: pressures for and methods of attaining growth; implications of growth for management structure; specialisation and co-ordination, nature of personal and bureaucratic structures and strengths and weaknesses of each, the ownership-control controversy, managerial objectives and their implications for nature of business enterprise; communications, interpersonal processes and group processes, organisational culture, handling change and conflict. The role of the manager and management styles.

3. Production: nature and elements of production of goods and services; types of production systems and their implications for management; costs and their relationship to growth and size of the organisation.

4. Finance: needs for short, medium and long-term finance; sources of finance, techniques of investment appraisal, elements of financial management and management accounting, profit and loss account, balance sheets and measures of financial performance.

5. People at work: role of HRM in organisations;