Designing Global Business Solutions
| Module title | Designing Global Business Solutions |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEMM806 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Ms Jackie Bagnall (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 2 | 8 |
Module description
The purpose of this module is to provide students with an opportunity to work in remote international project teams to analyse and solve ‘live’ social, environmental or business challenges. Working remotely with partner universities and global business partners the module mirrors global consulting firms and connects project teams via digital platforms. Working in a multinational project team, students are assigned a real-world problem against which to apply their academic knowledge, critical thinking and creative intelligence.
Taking a solution focussed approach to the analysis of complex issues, we draw from models of creative problem solving and require students to engage with imagination, creativity, and innovation to design commercially viable solutions. Students are supported to generate a range of potential solutions and to present their findings in a compelling and persuasive manner.
This module encompasses theoretical knowledge and focuses on equipping students with the skills needed to excel in multinational consulting teams. It places particular emphasis on the significance of research, analysis, creativity, and innovative design. Presentation and communication skills are of paramount importance and by acquiring expertise in team consulting projects, that seek to persuade stakeholders to the solutions suggested, students will obtain a clear advantage in their postgraduate management career.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The purpose of this module is to provide an opportunity to apply knowledge of research, analysis and creativity in the design of viable solutions for social, environmental and business issues. It is designed as a capstone module that draws from across the entirety of the masts in Management programme. This module requires the definition and analysis of complex issues to find and propose solutions to a ‘live’ social, environmental or business problem. This module centres on remote partnerships with business or HE partners from overseas.
Framed as an international opportunity, students require a thorough understanding of various subjects, including contemporary global issues, complexity and systems thinking and requires imaginative and inventive approaches to the design of viable business solutions.
The module is specifically designed to serve as a connection between theoretical knowledge acquired in academia and its practical application in real-world scenarios, thereby establishing a direct link between the learning experience and potential future employment prospects.
The module requires students to bring together all the skills acquired during the previous stages of their master’s degree into one major project: a substantive consulting assignment with global scope.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. identify and determine the pertinent factors within a live client problem, using this to justify a considered and comprehensive project plan
- 2. critically analyse complexity in relation to global issues able to take a systems-wide perspective in the analysis and design of potential solutions.
- 3. generate compelling and ethical solutions to complex issues by engaging with creative thinking models in the design process.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. innovate within a variety of decision-making approaches by critically evaluating and synthesizing competitive strategies in a variety of contexts.
- 5. discuss the interrelationships between business, society and the environment when thinking about holistic change.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. foster creative collaboration by demonstrating flexibility, openness to challenge, and creatively adapting to diverse perspectives when working with others.
- 7. apply critical thinking to complex problems, able to draw from a range of relevant data sources, both academic and applied.
- 8. critically reflect on teamwork, project management and creative approaches to problem solving.
- 9. build collaborative relationships by working across multiple and diverse stakeholder groups, demonstrating inclusive team working skills with the ability to respectfully challenge and manage difference
Syllabus plan
Term 2 professional skills workshops:
- Exploring creative insights – the invention cycle.
- Problem definition - complexity and systems thinking.
- Professional impact – pitching and presenting.
- Persuasive writing – proposals and reports.
Term 3 (online)
- Launch of Global Business Challenge.
- Establish multinational consulting team.
- Produce and submit initial solution proposal.
- Presentation at Global Business Challenge event.
Term 3 Self-directed (remote) group consulting period.
- Pursue the invention cycle: Problem definition, Imagination, Creativity, Innovation, Solution.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 250 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 10 | Workshops |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 40 | Online action learning seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 250 | To be split between consultation, research, design collaboration and production of group report. Writing of individual reflection |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentations and proposals. | Varying | 1-9 | Peer verbal and/or written feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group assignment | 20 | 2,000 words or equivalent | 1-9 | Verbal and/or written feedback |
| Group presentation | 10 | 20 minutes | 3,4,6,7,9 | Verbal and/or written feedback |
| Individual assignment | 70 | 2,500 words or equivalent | 1,5,8 | Verbal and/or written feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group assignment | Individual assignment | 1-9 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Group Presentation | Individual presentation | 3,4,6,7,9 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Individual assignment | Individual assignment | 1,5,8 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Students will be re-assessed in the form of assessment which they failed only.
Deferral – if you have been deferred for any assessment you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- A curated and up to date reading list will be posted on the module ELE page.
- A range of additional materials will also be posted to the ELE page – links to websites/podcasts/ videos and other sources of interest to students undertaking research.
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Suggested academic journals.
Journal of Management Consulting: Connecting Theory & Practice (JMCP): Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research: Harvard Business Review (HBR): Organization Science: International Journal of Project Management (IJPM): Project Management Journal (PMJ): Journal of Modern Project Management (MPM): International Journal of Managing Projects in Business (IJMPiB): International Journal of Innovation Management: -
Journal of Product Innovation Management: Creativity and Innovation Management.
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | Module is only available to students on the MSc Management programme. |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 28/02/2024 |
| Last revision date | 03/02/2025 |
