Business Law and Mitigating Risk

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.

Full module specification

Module title:	Business Law and Mitigating Risk
Module code:	BEMM386
Module level:	M
Academic year:	2023/4
Module lecturers:	- Convenor
Module credit:	15
ECTS value:	7.5
Pre-requisites:	None
Co-requisites:	None
Duration of module:	Duration (weeks) - term 2: 2

Module aims

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.

ILO: Module-specific skills

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

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

6. critically evaluate the role of legal and business professionals in mitigating risk
7. determine business feasibility within a legal framework

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

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

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 (5^th 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/

Module has an active ELE page?

Yes

Origin date

27/11/2018

Last revision date

11/02/2021