Students in this course will study business in a variety of contexts (e.g. large/small, UK-focused/global, service/manufacturing) and consider: • The importance of the context of business in relation to decision making • The interrelated nature of business activities and how they affect competitiveness • The competitive environment and the markets in which businesses operate • The influences on functional decisions and plans including ethical and environmental issues • The factors that might determine whether a decision is successful e.g. the quality of data and the degree of uncertainty • How technology is changing the way decisions are made and how businesses operate and compete • The impact on stakeholders of functional decisions and their response to such decisions • Use of non-quantitative and quantitative data in decision-making (including the interpretation of index numbers and calculations such as ratios and percentages) • Managers, leaders, and decision-making in marketing, operational, human resource, and financial performance • Strategic decision-making and analysis of business performance