Recommended Study Sequence

This unit is a survey of the marketing process, introducing students to the marketing concept, strategic and marketing planning, marketing research, consumer and customer behaviour, issues of market segmentation, targeting and positioning as well as all the elements of the marketing mix (product/service, pricing, distribution and marketing communication strategies).

The development of business skills in the form of the application of information collection, analysis and evaluation, logical reasoning skills and communication skills relevent to business and economic issues.

For information on this unit please contact the Unit Coordinators: Sharon Taylor (Blacktown and Campbelltown Campuses) and Jean McCartney (Parramatta Campus). This unit provides exposure to financial and management accounting information from a user viewpoint. The unit aims to provide breadth of awareness and knowledge in relevant fields of accounting essential to decision making for managers.

This unit provides an opportunity for students to engage with the dynamics of the management of organisations. Students will be introduced to the connection between the way work and systems are organised and managed and their impact on individuals and societies. This is achieved by using case based opportunities to examine real life contexts. This is an essential unit for business students that can be taken by any student needing a broad initial understanding of management.

This unit is an introduction to economic concepts and contemporary economic issues. It introduces students to basic concepts such as markets and their operation, the behaviour of firms, the efficiency and potential failings of free markets, the role of government, key macroeconomic variables and problems such as unemployment. It illuminates these concepts via application to contemporary economic issues and debates over different theoretical perspectives. This unit also exposes students to recent developments in economics via presentations by specialist guest lecturers.

This is an introductory law unit designed to introduce the fundamentals of law in a commercial context. The unit introduces students to the basic principles of law and the legal system as well as examining some of the major areas of law that impact on commercial dealings. This unit examines the structure of the legal system, the way law is made, legal reasoning and problem solving. The main areas of law covered include contracts, torts and agency.

This unit introduces students to retailing and emphasises the importance of understanding the skills required to successfully operate a modern retail environment. Students will gain an appreciation of the diverse nature of retailing and become familiar with the potential career paths in retailing.

This Level 1 unit introduces the basic concepts and techniques of statistics that are particularly relevant to problem solving in business. It also provides a sound base for more advanced study in statistics and forecasting in subsequent sessions. Topics include: presentation of data; descriptive statistics; the role of uncertainty in business decision making; hypothesis testing; and basic forecasting.

This unit introduces deterministic and stochastic modelling in economic analysis. The emphasis is on learning by doing, with immediate application of analytical techniques within economics. Teaching is in small group workshops.

This unit introduces students to the skills required to engage with customers. This unit describes the theory as well as techniques in customer engagement. Students will appreciate the diverse needs of customers and the importance of the retailer - customer interface.

This unit provides students with an understanding of merchandising in modern retail organisations. A number of elements support the sale of goods and services to customers. Students will appreciate the importance of developing merchandising plans and understand the critical nature of promotional activities. Students will explore the roles of advertising, product presentation, visual merchandising, signage and ticketing and store layout. An understanding of category management including brands, assortment, and pricing will also be explored.

This unit introduces students to retail industry structures and environments. The impact of a variety of structural factors including size, technology and industry, organisational configuration, and governance are discussed. The application of technology including internal point of sale and external impacts from the Internet and e-retailing are explored. This unit also introduces students to the external environment and discusses the interaction between retailers and environments at the international, national and local level.

This unit introduces the student to the ‘back end’ of retail. Students will appreciate the importance of buying and the impact supply of merchandise has on the performance of retail establishments. Strategic sourcing and supplier relationships will be discussed. Students will also analyse the financial impact of buying and explore various costing models.

This unit provides students with an understanding of retail strategy. Students will gain an understanding of competitive forces in retail and how decisions made at various levels might impact on the future of a retail establishment. Internationalisation, sustainability, the experience economy and similar contemporary retailing topics will be investigated.

This unit investigates the management of risk in retailing. Legislation and regulations related to retail establishments are examined. Students will gain an understanding of the importance of establishing and complying with legislation and risk management strategies for retail organisations.

This unit is structured as semester-long team-based projects and provides an opportunity for students to integrate the knowledge and skills acquired in subjects they have undertaken previously. Projects will be selected by teams for approval by the unit coordinator. (Under special circumstances approval may be given for projects to be undertaken on an individual basis). Students prepare a formal project proposal which covers the problem to be addressed, the methodology to be used and the strategic plan for conduct of the project. The project will culminate in the submission of a final report which includes appropriate outcomes and recommendations. Students will also deliver a presentation based on their final report.

This unit explores retail performance including the measurement and monitoring of store performance. Several performance metrics and key performance indicators will be examined. This unit also highlights the importance of people in retailing and examines human resource management topics.