MSc International Business and Supply Chain Management

In an increasingly globalised business environment, the ability of organisations to identify, and then to manage, supply networks and individual chains of supply have grown in its significance.

In this module you will learn about the key elements and activities within Procurement and Supply Chain management, how this function supports the wider organisation and its objectives, and how these activities can be managed to ensure the optimal outcome.

You will build your knowledge of upstream and downstream relationships with suppliers and customers are managed effectively to ensure value is added whilst controlling costs and ultimately satisfying the customer.

Physical logistics is concerned with managing and controlling the activities and processes along a chain of supply and delivering finished goods that satisfy customer orders.

This often involves customised products and services, quick response deliveries, and state-of-the-art information systems. With a new era of customer ‘pull’ as well as the globalised business environment, alongside with the emphasis on sustainability, has led to the concept of ‘Strategic and Sustainable Logistics’.

You will evaluate how effective logistics and distribution systems can become key business enablers, and you’ll look at the importance of managing international logistics systems.

This module is designed to develop your self-awareness as a leader and team player, helping you understand your strengths and weaknesses. You'll gain and improve essential management and leadership skills, while also cultivating reflexivity and an enterprising mindset to better handle uncertainty. The module aims to boost your confidence and ability to effectively articulate your skills for career development and employment, and to enhance your interpersonal communication. We'll explore diverse leadership perspectives on key topics like ethics, EDI, sustainability, technology, and change, equipping you to manage issues of corporate social responsibility and societal wellbeing. Finally, you'll learn to analyse and respond to the impact of environmental forces and social issues on organisations.

This module will help you to build and develop your knowledge in International Business and Management in an progressive way.

You’ll learn about the four key business functions of:

• Operations
• Finance
• Marketing
• Human Resources.

You’ll build the knowledge and understanding of how the business functions contribute to the success of an organisation and how to gain a competitive advantage.

You will develop knowledge in the area of strategic change management, and innovation. You’ll gain understanding of the organisation and the economic context of the business environment.

Through this module you build your insight into a series of relevant and current topics that represent key issues around innovation and change and the organisational context in modern general management; strategic management, including the critical evaluation of the business and economic environment.

You will develop a systematic and critical understanding of knowledge across core functional areas of Business and Management by designing, executing, and evaluating a substantial, practice-based integrated business research project.

You will receive comprehensive training in research and consultancy skills to prepare for this project. Throughout this process you will get continuous support from our tutors, and you will demonstrate a wide range of essential skills including critical analysis, project planning, problem-solving, and both written and oral communication. We ensure that our graduates are fully equipped to tackle real-world Business and Management problems with confidence and professionalism.

You will explore the variety of organisational, social, and environmental contexts in which projects operate. You will examine sustainable project management from the perspectives of contemporary organisational practice, stakeholder engagement, and ESG (economic, social, environmental, and governance) considerations.

You will then critically evaluate principles, frameworks, and standards for sustainable project management, and assess how sustainability factors are embedded throughout project lifecycles. As projects drive change, you will learn the strategies to secure stakeholder support and manage change effectively. You will also develop the ability to apply

• sustainability performance metrics
• standards
• and best practices,

helping prepare you to lead responsible and sustainable change in diverse sectors.

The purpose of this intensive experiential learning module is to enable students to gain project and consultancy experience working in cross-cultural teams. Students can work on a real problem within a client organisation. A series of workshops are held on consultancy and projects, building on previous learning in your studies. In the module students will apply their understanding of management in relation to specific organisational problems. By participating in this module, students will develop their practical problem-solving skills as well as communication and ability to work in cross-cultural teams.

In this module, you’ll understand how to make decisions for businesses under uncertainty and risky conditions. You’ll critically evaluate and apply decision science frameworks while utilising knowledge acquired from the Business Intelligence module. You’ll also develop a critical understanding of how data can be used to simulate situations, which informs management decision making in a range of functions as well as how it creates strategic value. Throughout this module, you’ll be encouraged to engage with contemporary and ethical issues surrounding responsible decision making practices and you’ll engage with the organisational and wider environmental context in which these decisions are made.

This non-credit-bearing module focuses on developing the academic writing and reading skills required when undertaking postgraduate level study.

It will help you develop your understanding of key features of successful academic writing, including how to integrate sources to support arguments, how to demonstrate critical thinking and how to address assessment tasks effectively. Critical reading and research skills are also developed as well as Critical AI Literacy. It is particularly suitable for postgraduate students who have had little or no previous Academic English training or study experience in a UK university.

If you decide to take the sandwich mode your year of full-time taught study will be followed by one year of full-time, supervised work experience. The time on supervised work experience is paid and spent with a suitable international hospitality and tourism employer. You carry out an assessed project for the company as part of your academic studies on the placement. You'll expand your enterprise skills in the context of the workplace. The focus will be on building your intrapreneurial mindsets during your placement, helping you to develop the curiosity, creativity, vision and resilience to be successful in a variety of organisations. The placement will enable you to drive innovation in one or more of the following areas: ethical business behaviour, inclusivity, responsible management, sustainability, digitalisation and internationalisation. Drawing on your research skills you'll propose evidence based innovative solutions to your placement organisations’ challenges.