Brand Communication And Reputation Management

The central aim of this Unit is to provide you with a thorough understanding of the role that Communications plays within the marketing strategy of any organisation and be able to critically analyse and reflect upon the relationship between buyer behaviour and the development of a Marketing Communications Strategy. The unit will enable you to understand the main functions of the marketing communications mix including key areas of integrated marketing communications systems: public relations, advertising, and digital media. In addition, the unit will seek to develop a critical appreciation of the role of Public Relations and Digital Marketing as a key tool for ‘reputation management’ and the mechanisms for developing successful digital campaigns.

Intercultural Business Competencies

Aims:

• To appraise and develop writing and written communication skills appropriate to a manager

• To evaluate team building and interpersonal skills and critically analyse and employ non-verbal and verbal communication and listening skills

• To integrate cultural frameworks with theories from other disciplines in producing a justification for propositions or ventures

• To investigate developments in international business, focusing on issues of polarity, dependence and interdependence in respect of socialization processes and interaction rules that foster a normative basis for interdependency

• To critically evaluate personal models of effectiveness in management contexts

• To identify, reflect upon and evidence key areas for your personal development

Relevance:

International business demands managing strategies in international markets, with considerations of interdependencies of intercultural competence in managing differences in interpersonal interactions, which is key for successful business operations.

In this unit you will evaluate the major dimensions of the international markets and the different strategies. You will explore the application of oral and written communication theories within the context of a technological and international business environment. Additionally, you will demonstrate expertise in formulating and evaluating business strategies for different business environments.

Emphasis is placed on developing your competences as an international manager. You will determine key aspects of the work environment and its implications for interactive work behaviour.

Excellent high performing international marketing managers exhibit self-awareness and engage in decision making with an understanding of their own and others’ capabilities. These abilities enable visionary approaches to problem solving and effective development of others. This unit gives you the opportunity to better understand your personal performance, get insight into working in international markets and across cultures, manage yourself effectively and become a more reflective learner.

This will help prepare you for the ever-changing and increasingly global working environment.

International Relations

• To analyse and assess key concepts of International Relations theory and question theoretical arguments presented to them

• To evaluate the significance of and application of political ideologies in the cold war and post-cold war eras

• To demonstrate an ability to apply IR paradigms to current and historic events and issues in international politics, synthesize your learning in relation to the key themes and issues developed in this unit.

• To investigate the power and benefits, as well as the drawbacks, of organs of world governance.

• To investigate power and interdependence – power politics vs complex interdependence: focusing on issues of polarity, dependence and interdependence.

• To introduce you to recent changes in international relations which have impacted upon the global spread of democracy and evaluate differing interpretations of globalisation and its impact upon global trends

• To raise issues of ethical and political positions on questions of intervention and state building. 

• To evaluate ideas lying behind contemporary intervention and key policy debates

Relevance:

The growth of NGOs, in numbers and influence on the world stage; the internationalization of industry and all areas of business; the multi-cultural communities comprised of both economic migrants and refugees globally; makes knowledge of international relations an imperative for those working internationally or engaging in international issues at home. In this unit you will explore and critically evaluate the main theories associated with the study of international relations including realism and neo realism, liberal IR theory, constructivism and Marxian structural approaches.

These theories are primarily in order to assess why things happen in international relations. As well as addressing these analytical questions, the normative and political dimensions of IR theory will be discussed with the benefit of historical perspective beginning with the genesis of the discipline of International Relations after World War One.

You will critically evaluate complex sources of information and make informed decisions on whether globalization is eroding and re-defining our ‘three worlds’ categorization of societies, in light of the events of 9/11, on-going wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, change and conflict in Africa and the Middle East, and the growing economic and political importance of the BRICS countries. You are required to critically evaluate apply concepts and skills through experiential learning gained through class activities, case studies, and group interaction and presentations.

Peacekeeping And Security

• To enable you to identify and critically examine key theoretical frameworks and empirical studies on the concept of peace operations.

• To critique central issues that have been used to analyse various types and functions of peace operations and security challenges in the world.

• To evaluate the usefulness of these theories by applying them to specific cases and develop your own perspectives in peace and security analysis.

• To introduce you to the components of Gender in Peace and Security.

• To identify and critically analyse measured and institutional structures developed for a gendered outlook in Peace Operations.

• To reflect on reforms, rehabilitation and governance of societies and institutions as an important aspect of building Gender confidence in conflict and post conflict areas. 

• To expose you to the conceptual and operational issues that impact the integration of gender into multidimensional peace operations.

Relevance:

Through critical reflection you will be able to analyse central concepts, questions, relationships and assumptions that underlie each theoretical thought or model and apply your analysis to specific and selected cases on conflicts and insecurity and conflict management in specific situations and further issues internationally.
Focus is also given to the processes of how gender balance and equity can be achieved in peace operations, and some of the ethical issues related to such operations.

You will be introduced to how peace operations evolve and gain understanding of the security sector, its components and the demand for ‘reform’; gender and security sector reform; gender and peace operations; and the changing dynamics of peace operations.

Through the use of case studies you will develop the skills of comparative analysis as well as knowledge and understanding of the governance of the security sector; and the role of civil societies and the security sector.

Performance Achievement Planning

This short course is a professional development course that is designed to support all PG students in the University of Bedfordshire Business School to enhance their employability and develop a professional profile through their journey in the Masters. The specific aims are to:

1. Enhance students’ professional, personal development and communication skills.  
2. To support students to evidence how their experience at masters level has contributed to the development of their professional profile as required after graduation.
3. To support students to develop the necessary academic skill required for successful completion of postgraduate research

Business Dissertation

Aims:

• To bring theory and practice together to formulate a  topic of your interest whether it is a research-oriented topic or a more clinical topic that is relevant to the context of business and conduct research on your choice of topic relevant to your field of study
• To stimulate you to reflect on issues critically and to identify aspects that need further research
• To provide you with the opportunity to explore a topic and appreciate the importance of literature review in the learning process
• To critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of other people’s research to formulate your own study
• To enhance skills in time-management, research management, project organisation and decision-making
• To apply and reflect on the practicalities of research including access to sources and ethical considerations

Relevance

An important aim of a Master’s degree is to master and apply your knowledge and skills independently so that you can successfully carry out research. This dissertation provides you with the opportunity for sustained independent study that builds on your research proposal and represents the culmination of your Master’s level studies.