BR3006 - Business Functions

At The Bridge you learn through a blended approach where short, focused and interactive face-to-face sessions are underpinned by guided and independent online learning. Your attendance for scheduled activities is monitored regardless of whether you are on campus or joining the session remotely. This ensures you access all of the learning opportunities which have been purposefully designed for your success.

A range of teaching and learning approaches are adopted to accelerate your learning in this module.

During the first week of this module, you will receive information about the module and Teaching & Learning Plan. The teaching and learning plan (TLP) sets out
• Learning outcomes and overall module and programme aims
• Teaching, learning and assessment strategy
• Teaching schedule
• Directed reading references (text and journals) and core texts for the module
• References to data sources and details of lab activities

You will also receive the assessment brief which sets out the formative and summative assessments throughout the module.

There are three key sources of academic support available to you during your time at the Bridge in addition to Ask4Help who are available 24/7 for general queries related to your studies.

Your Module Tutor
Your module tutor is responsible for your learning outcomes on the module. They deliver the workshops and provide guidance in relation to learning and assignments. They develop all of the key resources and make them available through the eLP (electronic learning portal module) Blackboard, which is used to provide support materials, interactive learning tasks and give you regular opportunities to test and get feedback on your learning. You will be given both written and verbal feedback and guidance on your work and progress during the semester by your module tutor.

Your Learning Mentor
On programme, you will have your in-person and online engagement activity tracked against the learning plan with key check-in points built into the academic calendar to ensure you maximise your learning potential. Engagement with formative assessments will also be used by the learning mentor to discuss any action planning required to ensure success.

Academic Skills Team
The Bridge aspires to build a range of student skillsets, including digital skills, academic writing and discourse, working alone and in teams. Your learning mentor may refer you a dedicated academic skills team which is based in the centre. Here you can attend drop-ins or schedule 1-1 sessions on issues which have been identified at the diagnostic stages of the programme however you may also have self-identified areas for your own growth and self-refer yourself for support.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
MLO1:Develop a deeper understanding of the different types of business.
Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
MLO2: Being able to demonstrate an understanding and awareness of a business issue facing a core function of a business.
MLO3: Present this awareness in an appropriate report style
Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA)
MLO4: Develop a greater awareness of environmental issues facing UK businesses.

You will receive formative feedback throughout the module including at the following checkpoints:-

•Week 2: Navigating the course materials
•Week 4: Completing the in-module reflective tasks
•Week 6: Completing the in-module knowledge checks and tasks

This module allows the option for you to chose how you are assessed formally depending on your learning preference and approach to the specific module. You should indicate your chosen assessment choice by the in-module reflective check-point at week 4.

The first part of the assessment requires you to conduct traditional research, and supplement it with ethical usage of AI, to generate a list of the various core business functions. You must then select one of these business functions and further your research into contemporary environmental issues in this function. This covers MLO1, MLO2 and MLO4 and acts as your evidence base for part 2.

Part 1 should be presented in a table which covers the Business Function name, key definitions of the function, the references you have used in Harvard format plus the in-text citation. There should be a final column to capture the issues you have identified against your chosen business function. This first Component is worth 35%.

This evidence base will then be used to inform a 1,000 word case study (65%)

Universal Design for Learning
You may choose to complete an alternative assessment which would be a 2 Hour open notes exam in your classroom which will assess MLOs 3-4. This would be discussed and agreed with your Learning Mentor.

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This module provides you with a foundational understanding of the core components that underpin any business or enterprise. You will be introduced to the four key functional areas common to organisations of all types, building awareness of how these areas interact and the challenges businesses commonly face within them. The module also explores different types of business and enterprise, helping learners appreciate the variety of organisational structures and contexts they may encounter. Alongside this conceptual grounding, you will develop a basic business and enterprise vocabulary, equipping you with the language needed to engage confidently with business-related discussions and further study. By the end of the module, you will have gained an initial, practical understanding of business functions, increased awareness of the factors influencing business operations, and a solid foundation for progressing to more advanced business topics.