Management Consultancy

Code

BIOS3007

School

Biosciences

Level

3

Credits

20

Semesters

Autumn UK

Summary

The module is orientated to a real-life case study farm that will allow students to develop and apply their knowledge of management principles and farm accounting, including the allocation of scare business and natural resources. This involves assessment of enterprise performance and whole farm performance under current and planned resource use, current agricultural policy and the market environment. Each student will provide written and oral consultancy reports on their findings that provide recommendations of direct relevance to the business manager, landowner and other interested business stakeholders (e.g. bank manager).

Target Students

Students specialising in agribusinessmanagement.

Co-requisites

Modules you must take in the same academic year, or have taken in a previous year, to enrol in this module:

• Rural Business Management (BIOS3004)

Classes

• One 7-hour un assigned
• One 3-hour tutorial each week for 3 weeks
• One 2-hour lecture each week for 6 weeks
• One 5-hour field studies
• One 3-hour computing each week for 2 weeks

Un Assigned - Oral presentation

Assessment

• 80% Report 1: Business report and accounts (2000 words)
• 20% Presentation 1: Presentation interview (30 minutes)

Assessed by end of autumn semester

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

1. How to appraise individual enterprises and whole firms with a view to improving the respective financial and technical performance of the business.
2. Appropriate terminology and nomenclature to appreciate and express knowledge of the subject area; including understanding the commercial environment in which consultants work
3. A diverse range of the essential information, major concepts, principles and theories associated with a specific case-study relevant to agriculture and sustainable agricultural systems, focusing upon management and economics but also including crop and animal science as appropriate
4. The latest trends and developments relevant to the specific case-study and of the associated philosophical, ethical and policy issues
5. The ability to acquire, interpret and critically analyse biological and management data and information derived from a variety of sources
6. A range of practical techniques and methodologies, together with appropriate procedures for data analysis and presentation.

Intellectual Skills

1. Recognise and use appropriate theories, concepts and principles from a range of relevant disciplines, drawing particularly on business management techniques
2. Collect and integrate several lines of evidence and apply them in a balanced manner to support an argument for choosing one competing alternative over others
3. Apply knowledge and understanding of business management and scientific principles to address familiar and unfamiliar problems
4. Critically analyse, synthesise and summarise information drawn from various sources, including published research papers and reports.

Practical/Professional Skills

1. Design and carry out appropriate analysis to assess feasibility of competing alternatives
2. Collect, record and analyse information and data in the library making accurate observations and to summarise it using appropriate business management techniques
3. Appreciate and analyse financial and other management information and use it in decision making.

Transferable/Key Skills

1. Communicate accurately, clearly, concisely and confidently in written, verbal and visual forms making appropriate acknowledgement to the work of others
2. Work productively as an individual
3. Listen to, appreciate and evaluate the views of others
4. Manage and organise time efficiently and work to deadlines by using flexible and effective approaches to study
5. Process, analyse and present data using a variety of methods, including appropriate qualitative and quantitative techniques and packages
6. Use the Internet and other electronic means critically for communication and as a source of information
7. Appreciate the difficulties of having incomplete information on which to base decisions and understanding the nature of risk.

Conveners

• Professor Paul Wilson