In this hands-on module, you'll work in a dynamic team to conduct sustainability analysis. You will engage in critical analysis and application of key sustainability frameworks such as Lifecycle Assessment (LCA). You'll develop strong analytical skills to assess environmental impacts and sustainability metrics. You'll synthesise the sustainability analysis to identify areas for improvement. You'll further make recommendations for innovative solutions to sustainability challenges aimed at enhancing sustainability practices. The agile teamwork will give you applied experience of collaboration, and adaptive planning. By the end of the module, you'll be equipped with a robust foundation in sustainability analysis and be equipped with the skills to contribute meaningfully to sustainability initiatives across various sectors. Furthermore, you'll have worked in a dynamic team to hone your team work and project management skills.
View the full module definitionThis module explores the intersection of finance and sustainability, focusing on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. You’ll gain a deep understanding of climate change science and its financial implications, the evolution of responsible investing, and key regulatory frameworks. The module covers various aspects of ESG investing, including environmental, social, and governance factors, and their application at country, sector, and company levels. It also examines green and sustainable finance, the role of financial technology, and the importance of engagement and stewardship in ESG investing. Through a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical applications, you’ll be equipped to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of sustainable finance and contribute to the transition towards a low-carbon economy.
View the full module definitionOrganisations and managers have to adapt, change and evolve to meet the conflicting, competing and complex business related environmental change factors, whose rate of change is developing at an exponential rate. Irresistible influences fromNational, International and Global Macro. Micro and Operating environments are shaping and influencing contemporary management theories and practice. Today’s managers must equip themselves with new skills and knowledge in order to interact with and respond to the emerging challenges that change brings and where appropriate take the required corrective action. Business leaders are required to develop higher level management skills, especially critical evaluation and decision making within National, International and Global contexts, when needing to respond effectively to the challenges within theseconstantly changing operating environments This module provides professional managers with an opportunity to consider eflect and critically appraise a range of current contemporary management issues, including developing International lenses of reference from a theoretical and practical application whilst relating these factors to the art of management. The course content will provide a framework to assess how these issues impact within organisations and how managers are able to reactto these issues. The module will develop your critical appreciation of the challenges faced by management professionals in developing responses to business environment conditions which are complex, dynamic and diverse. You'll engage with contemporary issues in context with associated links to organisational strategy and management approaches and systems related to information, networks and collaborations as well as organisational learning.In achieving its overall objectives, You'll be encouraged to further develop, engage, evaluate and critique your contemporary understanding with a view to the realities of practice and organisations. You'll consider interactions, theories and frameworks that explain contemporary issues and ground this in organisational and individual contexts. It is widely accepted that such issues are crucial to the viability of organisations across all sectors and contexts and the creation of value (however defined).
View the full module definitionInternational business strategy evaluation and formulation are crucial tasks within all organisations, requiring the analysis of complex information. This module aims to broaden and deepen your understanding of critical and strategic issues and activities in international business. It introduces the tools, theories, and concepts of international business strategy for multinational enterprises (MNEs). Through this module you'll develop an understanding of firms' internal and external environments, critically assessing their strategies and proposing and evaluating strategic options. By learning how to analyse international firm strategy, you'll gain insight into how firms strive to achieve and maintain competitive advantage and what distinguishes successful companies. Additionally, this module aims to develop skills in interpreting and analysing complex real-world issues using theoretical perspectives, concepts, models, and data. The emphasis is on using theory to inform practice and address real-world problems.
View the full module definitionIn this module, you'll learn how to critically evaluate the complex interplay between environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability in modern organisations and society. Through an exploration of key frameworks like the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Triple Bottom Line, you'll gain an understanding of how global challenges such as climate change, inequality, and resource depletion can be addressed through innovative business practices. You'll engage with concepts like the circular economy, systems thinking, and sustainable innovation, equipping you to rethink conventional business models and propose actionable solutions for real-world sustainability issues. You'll also develop specialised knowledge in social entrepreneurship and sustainability reporting. By examining how social enterprises create impactful solutions to pressing societal challenges, you'll design your own business models that balance purpose with profit. You'll explore key sustainability reporting frameworks such as the GRI and SASB, learning to critically assess corporate responsibility practices and evaluate the effectiveness of sustainability metrics. These skills will prepare you to lead or advise organisations in implementing sustainable practices, measuring impact, and driving change in increasingly complex and dynamic environments.
View the full module definitionThis major project module allows you to engage in a substantial individual primary and/or secondary research project focussed on a topic relevant to your business degree and specialist subject area under the supervision and guidance of a member of academic staff. Supervisors will discuss with you the contemporary research problems and issues based on your research and practice, and you will conduct literature reviews, evaluate and critically appraise a range of information, investigate and adopt suitable theoretical frameworks, research methodologies and methods, and process and analyse data to produce a coherent and justified solution to the problem(s) identified. Throughout the module your supervisor will support you in terms of content and skills development so that you can work semi-autonomously on your individual research project. This is achieved through regular supervisory meetings throughout the year, which will allow for individual discussion of the tasks that will have to be completed in order to develop the project smoothly.
View the full module definitionEntering third level education is exciting; but it can also be a daunting experience. At ARU, we want all students to make the most of the opportunities Higher Education provides, so they reach their potential, become lifelong learners and find fulfilling careers. However, we appreciate that the shift from secondary education, or a return to formal education is, in itself, quite a journey. This module is designed to ease that transition. You'll be enrolled on it as soon as you receive an offer from ARU so you can begin to learn about university life before your course starts. Through Into ARU, you'll explore a virtual land modelled around ARU values: Courage, Innovation, Community, Integrity, Responsibility, and Ambition. This innovative module is designed as a game, where you collect knowledge and various complete mini tasks. You'll proceed at your own pace, though we expect all students to have completed their Into ARU exploration by week 6. Students who, for whatever reason, are unable to complete by that date, will be signposted to existing services so that we can be confident that they are supported.
View the full module definitionYou'll investigate and critically evaluate historical and contemporary approaches to leadership theory, focusing especially on leadership at junior to middle management level. Classical theories of leadership will be examined including traits theory, behavioural theories and contingency theories. Some contemporary theories will include issues such as emotional intelligence, psychodynamics and leader-led relations. There will be a strong emphasis on applying the theory to your own personal leadership with a view to enhancing leadership performance in preparation for middle management roles within the organisation. Management of change will be another key emphasis, including organisational politics & power, change theories and the implementation of the change process. Issues for consideration will include the organisational context of change, resistance to change and practical management of the change process.
View the full module definitionIn this module, you’ll be introduced to basic economic principles, theories and models that are used to explain the behaviour of businesses, consumers, markets and the economy as a whole. You’ll develop the ability to utilise these to understand and predict economic behaviour and the direction of influence of different factors (such as changes in government policies). You’ll gain an understanding of how individual consumers decide on how much to purchase in order to maximise their satisfaction derived from consumption, how individual firms decide how much to produce and what price to charge in order to maximise profits in different types of markets (from perfect competition to monopoly), how the interaction of demand and supply determines the market outcome, how aggregate demand and aggregate supply describe the economy, and how changes in business conditions and other factors influence the performance of the economy (short-run economic fluctuations and the economy in long-run). You’ll develop economic intuition, the ability to interpret economic information and employ economic reasoning to improve managerial decisions.
View the full module definitionManagement decision making is a complex subject involving many variable factors. The primary objective of this module is to provide a conceptual and analytical framework for looking at organisations operating in capital, financial and operational markets. You'll explore the financial element contained in decisions and the techniques that may be used to assist informed management decisions. You start by considering the availability of financial information that may be relevant to decision making and whether this fits with the information you need to make the decision. This is further developed to the type of decision and differing requirements, leading to a more bespoke deliverable information set that meets the context of the decision. You'll gain an appreciation of core themes prevalent throughout financial management. The module also explores the financial techniques developed by financial and management accountants and how they may be used and applied. Finally, consideration is given to the relevance and weighting of the financial element in the decision-making process and how qualitative issues may be incorporated in the overall decision.
View the full module definitionWithin this module you'll explore the fields of management and strategy, noting how strategic analysis and formulation contribute to an organisation’s performance. You'll explore practically relevant ideas and frameworks that facilitate strategy design and implementation, dealing with the craft of strategy, identifying and choosing superior competitive positions, how to analyse strategic situations and how to create the organisational context to make the chosen strategy work. Practical and problem-oriented, this module places emphasis on the application of concepts and exploration of frameworks to assist you in analysing and gaining insight into competitive situations and strategic dilemmas. You'll also explore the fields of management and strategy, noting how strategic analysis and formulation contribute to an organisation’s performance.
View the full module definitionYou'll critically review existing entrepreneurship and innovation models and concepts, including process models, and explore ‘patchwork’ and ‘opportunity’ based approaches to entrepreneurship and innovation. During the module you'll explore how ‘innovation’ comes from a variety of sources, examine the principles of ‘open’ innovation, and recognise the importance of exploiting available networks and developing an innovative culture. Your ability to analyse and critique ‘entrepreneurial’ business models, both existing and conceptual, will be improved through the utilisation of tools such as the Business Model Canvas. You'll think creatively by proposing innovative solutions to creating and capturing value through the medium of consultancy report and applying some of the theoretical underpinnings of the module. Finally, the principles of entrepreneurship and innovation are analysed in the context of entrepreneurs, start-up and family businesses from across the globe, in various commercial, public-sector and not- for-profit sectors, emphasising the importance and challenges of ‘social’ and ‘sustainability-led’ innovation.
View the full module definitionThis module offers a comprehensive exploration of how organisations can strategically manage technology and innovation to foster competitive advantage and drive market success. You'll gain practical skills in problem discovery, identifying technological opportunities, and creating customer-centric solutions. The course emphasises the development of sustainable strategies for commercialising technology, with key areas of focus including technological disruption, standards battle, platform competition, technology transfer, and market adoption. You'll also build hands-on expertise in intellectual property (IP) management and collaboration strategies, equipping yourself to protect innovations and sustain competitive advantages. Additionally, this module emphasises leadership in managing cross-functional innovation teams, with a focus on agile leadership and navigating the challenges of sustainable technology and organisational change. Through a combination of key frameworks, real-world case studies, and practical activities, you'll develop the skills to analyse and apply strategies for managing innovation in complex, competitive environments. This module ensures that you leave with practical tools for implementing innovation strategies, managing new product development (NPD) processes, and leading technological change in today's fast-paced industries.
View the full module definitionThis module will enable you to develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of the major areas of international intellectual property law including key concepts and principles and such detailed rules as are necessary to illustrate those broad principles as they apply in particular situations. This study will enable you to gain a sound knowledge and understanding of the law relating to information, intellectual property and social media, to suggest solutions to factual problems and apply this knowledge and understanding to the critical analysis of contemporary business and social issues relating to the law of information, intellectual property and social media. Throughout the module, you’ll discuss, apply and evaluate the law as it operates in business and society, developing a wide range of legal skills including those directly linked to employability and in particular employers producing, using and processing personal data information and those initiating or using social media, patents, trademarks and copyright material.