Business Law and Mitigating Risk
| Module title | Business Law and Mitigating Risk |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEMM386 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr William Casely () |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 2 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 30 |
|---|
Module description
All sizes of organisations are increasingly working across international boundaries, with many SMEs becoming ‘micro-multinationals’. Businesses rely on the law to be recognised as a trading entity, for their interests to be protected, and to facilitate their increasing diverse relationships. Practically, this course will enable you to understand the requirements of setting up your own business and assist you in successfully navigating the legal space. You will master the ability to navigate and negotiate commercial contracts, manage and mitigate business risk through acquiring the capability to identify and understand key commercial, policy and legal requirements.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of this module is to equip participants with an understanding of how law and policy affect new venture and business growth. It will enable participants to gain the necessary skills to identify risk and work with legal professionals and the key considerations when negotiating commercial terms in everyday business in order to achieve their business goals. Ultimately, participants will be better placed to strike commercial agreements, identify and navigate potential risk to their business entity through each growth phase.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. analyse and identify potential legal and policy risks
- 2. describe the legal requirements for business and trading within each phase of business growth
- 3. understand the legal, commercial and practical implications of commercial agreements
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. interpret legal and policy terms/concepts, leading to an understanding of legal issues in business
- 5. evaluate business risk from a legal and policy perspective
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. critically evaluate the role of legal and business professionals in mitigating risk
- 7. determine business feasibility within a legal framework
Syllabus plan
- Introduction to business law (English and International)
- Introduction to risk
- Lessons learnt - Guest lectures from startups and legal professionals
- Business law, policy, and risk
- Forming and organising a business
- Intellectual Property
- Finance life cycle
- International Markets
- Commercial contracts and negotiation
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 100 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 16 | Lectures: Subject sessions and guest lectures |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 16 | Workshops: Workshops exploring a variety of topics |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 18 | Online introduction & in course: Introduction to topic (pre-learning) |
| Guided Independent Study | 100 | Research and assignment: Completing a real-world risk audit for a start-up |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop exercises and discussions | In class (Approximately per day = 60 minutes) | 1-7 | Verbal |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risk Audit and commercial scenario | 100 | 3,500 words | 1-7 | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk Audit and commercial scenario (100%) | Individual Risk Audit and commercial scenario (3500 words, 100%) | 1-7 | August resubmission period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Clarke M.A, Hooley R.J.A, Munday R.J.C, Sealy, L.S, Tettenborn A.M and Turner P.G. (2017) Commercial Law: Text, Cases, and Materials (5th Ed.) OUP Oxford. ISBN-13: 978-0199692088
Stokes R (2016) Commercial Law (9th Ed). Sweet & Maxwell. ISBN-13: 978-0414037373
Balaban Lewis D. and Sargeant M(2017) Employment Law: The Essentials Paperback (14 Ed.) CIPD - Kogan Page. ISBN-13: 978-1843984382
Info Entrepreneurs. (2009). Negotiate the Right Deal with Suppliers. Available at: https://www.infoentrepreneurs.org/en/guides/negotiate-the-right-deal-with-suppliers/
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 27/11/2018 |
| Last revision date | 11/02/2021 |
