This module aims primarily to ensure that students understand the nature and meaning of corporate strategy and are able to assess the strategic position of corporations operating in complex global markets. In the early stages, the module emphasises concepts and tools necessary for critical strategic analysis. It then focuses on specific strategic issues and challenges that affect contemporary business operations, including for example, mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances, knowledge management. A strong focus will be placed on the management of change, organisational learning and strategy implementation. Overall, this module focuses strongly on both formative and summative learning. Students give the opportunity to reflect on their experience to foster their critical appreciation of the discipline and evaluate its evolution in their own understanding of the topic. Their critical appreciation of strategic management will be questioned throughout the lecturing programme but also within assessed components, including the exam.

This module is designed to critically evaluate how current issues in both Economics and Politics affect Accounting and Business Management and performance. There is a strong initial emphasis upon analysing the causes of major world events and examining the various scenarios that these events confront business managers with. The module utilises the above to set the scene for more 'general' global management issues by examining:

• The advantages & disadvantages of Globalisation as well as Multi National Companies
• Managing Diversity in Business
• The role of the State in Managing the Economy
• Public/Private Partnerships
• Economic Regulation
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Business Ethics
• Reputation Management
• Greening Business

Growth in the franchised sector of business has developed phenomenally over the past few years and offers individuals of all lifestyles the opportunity of owning and running their own business; moreover, the opportunities for post-graduate ownership of franchises have never been greater. The purpose of this module is give students the skills set to be able to own a franchised business and maximise the potential thereof. The module will explore the issues related to the purchase of business-format franchising such as: understanding the legalities of the franchise agreement; promotion in franchised businesses; micro and macro environmental assessment in franchising; staff recruitment/management in franchisee businesses; systematisation and procedural adherence, risk/reward management, growth management, expansion and building ongoing security for the business; and funding expansion. Essentially, this module offers an in-depth appreciation of franchising and highlights the importance of dynamic management practices to give and maintain competitive advantage to the franchised enterprise. The module draws together the multi-disciplinary skills needed to be successful in this business sector. The content of this module will be generated in cooperation with the British Franchise Association to ensure that it meets the strict code of ethical conduct promoted by the recognised trade body.

A comprehensive examination of global accounting practices including a mixture of conceptual issues that affect the global business community, including the consolidation of financial statements that form an integral part of the globalised accounting world. This is underpinned by the most recent international developments in accounting/corporate reporting. It also encompasses areas of performance evaluation in a global context and lends itself to developing skills to use visual data in order to enhance the same.

This module will look at the ever changing area of financial accounting and corporate reporting. It will consider the different approaches to developing accounting rules and regulations used across the world as well as technological and reporting developments which have been implemented recently or are currently in discussion. It will also consider the impact of globalisation and the internationalisation of the accounting market on the stakeholders of a business.

In this module, you will focus on those contexts, theories and practices which are important to financial managers within firms. This module builds on ACFI2303 (Corporate Finance) and ACFI2304 (Equity and Fixed Income Valuation) in your second year. Topics covered in the module include: The efficient market hypothesis (EMH) and shareholder wealth maximisation; Fisher separation and capital budgeting/investment appraisal; firm valuation techniques; raising capital, the importance of capital structure and financial leverage; corporate dividend policy; firm expansion through mergers and acquisition (M&A); risk management, options, and option pricing models; and bankruptcy prediction. Students are expected to critically evaluate the arguments and evidence presented, using structured and unstructured data that they acquire themselves from a variety of sources. The module requires numeracy skills, an appropriate use of statistics, communication skills, technology skills and team working.