Latest Module Specifications
Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026
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Description SB104 covers Business 101 (first two weeks of term) and Learning Innovation for Enterprise (LIFE) (week 3 onwards). Business 101 is an introductory, immersive, module in business delivered by an interdisciplinary team to all first-year undergraduate students in DCU Business School (650+ students). It involves a creative, learning-centred and future-focused teaching approach to provide students with a foundation for the world of business. The module aims to challenge conventional thinking, moving students away from a rote learning, memory-based approach to higher-order thinking. This is achieved through experiential learning, including ‘live’ case studies delivered by a team of actors, team-based challenges using the Virtual Reality (VR) lab, in conjunction with formative and innovative assessment techniques. This module is delivered in the first two weeks of the academic term intensifying contact time between lecturers and students. This delivery approach supports the students' socialisation and identification with their chosen programme and establishes a safe learning environment for them in the early days of transition to University. Learning Innovation for Enterprise (LIFE) is a year-long enterprise module taken by all first-year students in DCU Business School. It is designed to illustrate the reality of the business world across a range of organisational forms including, corporate/large business, family enterprise, entrepreneurship and non-profit contexts. Students investigate processes of bringing new ideas into action within these contexts, through the lens of enterprise and innovation. In a team-taught and multi-modal environment, the module incorporates multiple layers of industry engagement, gamification, applied projects, as well as critical and creative thinking. The module is designed to highlight the spectrum of business career options open to our students upon graduation. Moreover, it seeks to develop innovative and enterprising competencies in our business students, and allow them to witness the importance and applicability of these skillsets in all enterprise contexts. The module has won numerous national and international awards for its innovative approach to teaching and learning, including the following: [1] 2022 Innovation & Entrepreneurship Teaching Excellence Awards - European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ECIE); [2] 2020 Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning - European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIE); [3] 2020 AACSB Innovations that Inspire Award; [4] 2020 DCU President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Most recently (October 2022), the module has been shortlisted for ‘Most innovative approach to developing employability skills’ in the HE Innovate Awards 2022. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Learning Outcomes 1. Comprehend the language of business – profit, revenue, costs – and perform basic evaluations of business performance in terms of these financial indicators. 2. Explain the dimensions of running a business including marketing, strategy, human resource management and governance. 3. Discuss at an introductory level the role of investment in business, how businesses can be financed and the implications of financing through debt and equity. 4. Understand the fundamentals of effective teams, including optimising team communication, decision-making and creativity. 5. Consider contemporary research and insights surrounding the future of the workplace, the workforce, and the nature of work, including the role of technology and remote working. 6. Engage with and reflect on enterprise-related content. 7. Research the social, cultural and economic landscape to identify areas of innovation. 8. Apply idea generation techniques to solve enterprise challenges. 9. Discuss the main concepts and techniques relating to innovation and entrepreneurship. 10. Work collaboratively in teams to design and produce ‘research-ready’ innovation concepts in response to a client brief. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml |
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Indicative Content and Learning Activities
Business What is business; the purpose of business; short history of business; different economic systems. Entrepreneurship and key business terms Nature and purpose of entrepreneurship, costs, profits and risks in business. Management The role and objective of managers and human resource management in business; how are employees motivated; recognising employee stress and managing trade unions; how human resource management impacts on business performance. Marketing What is marketing; how is the function of marketing linked with the accounting function; how can a business connect with its customers. Accounting, Finance and Economics What is accounting; difference between financial accounting and management accounting; what do the profit and loss statements, balance sheet and cashflow statements tell the reader. Difference between debt and equity. Teams What are high performing teams, what are virtual teams. Optimising team creativity, communication, and decision making. Future of work and technology What is the future of work and technology. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Indicative Reading List Books:
Articles:
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Other Resources
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