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Business Networks

  • Code: WOR1LE001
  • Extent: 18 ECTS (486 h)
  • Semester: 1*
  • Language: English
  • Level: core studies
  • Type: compulsory

*The course is offered only in autumn semesters.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites.

Learning outcomes

Students become familiar with business principles, business communications and business practices common to working life.
Upon successful completion of the course, students

  • have broadened their English vocabulary
  • are familiar with key business and economics concepts and terminology in English
  • understand the role of marketing in companies
  • are familiar with different markets and marketing environments as well as key marketing stakeholders
  • understand the significance of customer-focus in business activities
  • are familiar with how companies and other organisations act and cooperate in networks
  • know how companies should act in order to reach their objectives and be profitable
  • understand the management assistant’s role in organisations and networks
  • are familiar with the management assistant’s job profile, tasks and competence requirements
  • have the skills to develop the interpersonal relationships that are required in networks and are knowledgeable of professional ethics
  • know how to work in teams in projects
  • understand the value of information and knowledge
  • are familiar with key information sources and are able to assess them with a critical mindset
  • have the skills to produce standard documents that include images and tables
  • know how to make on-screen presentations and refine numerical data
  • have the computer skills required in working life and have learned the 10-finger typing system
  • are familiar with the significance of communication for organisations
  • know how to recognise and organise the practices of organisational communication.

Course contents

Introduction to Business English (2 ECTS)
Introduction to Marketing (3 ECTS)
Organisations and Leadership (5 ECTS)
Introduction to Information Retrieval (2 ECTS)
Office Applications (4 ECTS)
Purpose and Practices in Organisational Communication  (2 ECTS)

More detailed information on the above parts of the course is provided in the relevant course descriptions.

Cooperation with the business community and other organisations

The course includes a practical company project, during which students acquire, analyse, document information relating to a real case organisation and write a report on this. The course includes visits to companies, guest lectures by company representatives and cooperation with the alumni assistant.

Teaching and learning methods

The course makes use of an investigative and developmental approach to learning, with emphasis on independent study and an analytical and creative approach to learning.
The course covers 486 hours of study, covering contact hours, teamwork and self-study.
Contact hours 200 h, averaging 12 h a week throughout the semester.
Self-study 83 h
Self-assessment of learning 1 h

Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

A competence demonstration is organised before the start of semester.

Contact teachers

Ulla Björklund, Pasila (Introduction to Information Retrieval)
Olli Laintila, Pasila (Introduction to Marketing, Organisations and Leadership)
Heli Lankinen, Pasila (Office Applications)
Ilpo Päiväläinen, Pasila (Introduction to Business English)
Mirka Sunimento, Pasila (Purpose and Practices in Organisational Communication)

Each part of the course has one or several teachers, who make up the student counselling team.

Course materials

Introduction to Business English:
The material and other reference material to be informed later.

Introduction to Business Administration:
Griffin, R.W. & Ebert, R. J. 2003. Business. Eighth edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Haasio, A. 2009 Management Assistant’s Guide to Information seeking.
Classroom materials and other materials informed and distributed by the teachers.

Assessment

Introduction to Business English
Vocabulary tests, assignments and presentations 100 %

Introduction to Marketing
Exam and participation 50 %
Company Project 50 %

Organisations and Leadership
Exam and participation 50 %
Company Project 50 %

Introduction to Information Retrieval
Exam 50 %
Activity and assignments 50 %

Purpose and Practices in Organisational Communication
Exam or assignment 60 %
Company Project 40 %

Office Applications
Exam and participation 70 %
Company Project 30 %

Assessment criteria/Introduction to Business English, scale 5-1.

5 excellent
 3 good
 1 satisfactory
The student:

  • has knowledge of business vocabulary and concepts at an advanced level. He/she demonstrates knowledge of idiomatic business English.
  • is able to apply terminology and concepts of business English to various written and spoken communication contexts very fluently.
 The student:

  • has an intermediate knowledge of business vocabulary and concepts. The student demonstrates good skills at producing good written and spoken communication.
  • is able to explain the meaning of business concepts using more elaborate vocabulary than at an elementary level.
 The student:

  • has a basic knowledge of business vocabulary and concepts used in business situations. The level of the written and spoken communication of the student is at a passable level.
  • is able to describe and explain business vocabulary in a basic manner. 

 

Assessment criteria/Introduction to Marketing, scale 5-1.

5 excellent
 3 good
 1 satisfactory
The student:

  • has excellent marketing, business analysis, reporting and project management skills.
  • has an excellent knowledge about the marketing theories, concepts, planning and analysing methods.
  • has an excellent attitude towards learning through continuous, supportive and initiative participation in teamwork and conducting assignments.
 The student:

  • has good marketing, business analysis, reporting and project management skills.
  • knows well the basic marketing theories, concepts, planning and analysing methods.
  • has a good attitude towards learning through participation in teamwork and conducting assignments.
 The student:

  • has below average marketing, business analysis, reporting and project management skills.
  • has a below average knowledge about the basic marketing theories and concepts.
  • has a below average attitude towards learning through participation in teamwork and conducting assignments.

Assessment criteria/Organisations and Leadership, scale 5-1.

5 excellent
 3 good
 1 satisfactory
The student:

  • has excellent business analysis, reporting and project management skills.
  • has an excellent knowledge about the business administration, management concepts and business analysis methods.
  • has an excellent attitude towards learning through continuous, supportive and initiative participation in teamwork and conducting assignments.
 The student:

  • has good business analysis, reporting and project management skills.
  • knows well the basic business administration, management concepts and business analysis methods.
  • has a good attitude towards learning through participation in teamwork and conducting assignments.
 The student:

  • has below average business analysis, reporting and project management skills.
  • has a below average knowledge about the basic business administration and management concepts.
  • has a below average attitude towards learning through participation in teamwork and conducting assignments.

Assessment criteria/Introduction to Information Retrieval, scale 5-1.

5 excellent
 3 good
 1 satisfactory
The student:

  • has an excellent command of key concepts of information retrieval and understands the value of reliable information.
  • gathers very actively new knowledge and shares it with others. Gives constructive comments to other presentations.
  • participates very actively in lessons, discussions and group works.
The student:

  • has a command of most concepts of information retrieval and realizes that information should be trustworthy.
  • produces a good presentation, shares it with others and comments other presentations.
  • participates in lessons but is not very active.
 The student('s):

  • can complete basic tasks of information retrieval and knows the basic concepts.
  • gathers new information and presents it to others.
  • participation is inadequate but fulfills the minimum criteria.

Assessment criteria/Office Applications, scale 5-1.

5 excellent 3 good 1 satisfactory

The student:

  • has a command of key concepts,
    has a solid grasp of software
    functionalities and knows how to
    apply them in practice.
  • has strong skills and can
    independently use the applications
    to find new solutions.
  • has good time management skills
    and completes assignments on time.

The student:

  • has a command of key concepts and
    makes use of basic functionalities
    with purpose.
  • has good time management skills and
    completes assignments on time.

 

 

 

The student:

  • has a command of some concepts but
    lacks a full understanding of how
    the applications work.
  • can satisfactorily complete basic
    tasks but is not able to solve more
    demanding tasks independently.
 

The self-assessment of learning assignment does not impact your grade. The assignment is the same for all courses/modules and your answers will be used also for course/module development. The assignment is completed online in WinhaOpaali.

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