Understanding Modern Business and Organisations

Prepare for the world of work by analysing key trends shaping modern businesses

What defines modern organisations? How and why are they changing?

On this course, you’ll learn about the four forces which shape modern organisations. These are: the shift towards a knowledge economy and away from manual labour; the technological innovations being developed and used by businesses; business ethics, organised under corporate social responsibility (CSR) or environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals; and globalisation.

For new graduates, this course will help you understand the business world you are about to enter.

This course is aimed primarily at graduates entering the world of the work. Anyone who is interested in learning more about how modern businesses are shaped by forces of knowledge, technology, CSR/ESG, and globalisation might find this course of interest, however.

Though no specific background knowledge is required, it is pitched at a graduate-level of complexity and is thinking-intensive. Some experience of a business environment, not necessarily at a business organisation, would be beneficial.

This course is aimed primarily at graduates entering the world of the work. Anyone who is interested in learning more about how modern businesses are shaped by forces of knowledge, technology, CSR/ESG, and globalisation might find this course of interest, however.

Though no specific background knowledge is required, it is pitched at a graduate-level of complexity and is thinking-intensive. Some experience of a business environment, not necessarily at a business organisation, would be beneficial.

• Develop an initial understanding of the social and business context, structures, and management and leadership process in contemporary organisations.
• Interpret what it means for organisations to reinvent them as communities.
• Explore the main forces that shape modern business and organisations today: knowledge, technology, ethics and globalisation.
• Describe organisations that you know, in your own social, cultural, and economical context from the perspectives of the four major forces.
• Compare experiences in a variety of contexts provided by the internationally diverse participants of the course.
• Discuss hot topics from the world of modern business and organisations that matter to you.
• Evaluate other participants' essays providing them with comments and by doing so understand your own topics of interest better.
• Reflect on your learning and performance in the light of the comments you receive from the other participants.
• Apply what you learnt to the phenomenon of the financial crisis in order to deepen your understanding.