An increasingly important sector, the cultural industries are distinctive both in terms of their political economy and their organizational forms, management systems and labour processes. You consider what is distinctive about culture as an economic product, and what this distinctiveness means for the structure of the industries.

This module explores enterprise-based development models within the developing world and examines their impact upon sustainable development and poverty alleviation. Using case studies from across Africa, India, and the UK, you learn about a range of social purpose business models, such as social enterprises, not for profit, green for profit and fair trade. You learn about the role of the informal economy, areas such as social exclusion and debates around social enterprises.

Discover the psychology of organising. You investigate the role of the individual in the organisation, the construction of meaning, bureaucratic and technological consciousness, organisational socialisation and secondary adjustments, and the significance of organising principles such as time, gender and motive. Use film and video material to explore the issues raised and to provide contextual support for the ideas, including feature films such as GI Jane, She Stood Alone and Vertigo.

This module explores the future of management and work in light of contemporary social theory and social, political and economic changes. You look at new organisational forms, such as management consultancy, symbolic analysis and affective labour, as well as new forms of exchange, such as Open Source software. You explore resistance to social-economic change, such as neo-Luddism, culture-jamming, alternative media, anti-globalization and popular movements against precarious labour. By comparison, you also examine more conventional forms of organisation, including sweatshops, fast food, retail, call centres, mining and agriculture.

Explore the fascinating world of brands in our contemporary cultures, and investigate the consequences for contemporary marketing practices and for organisational practices more generally. You examine the notion of brand identity, brand image, the issues of brand development and extension, and the consumption of brands. You are also introduced to managerial and marketing issues central to brand management.

Faced with runaway climate change, mass extinction, and persistent pollution, sustainability is the most pressing concern of the 21st century. With scientists suggesting there is little more than a decade to dramatically transform our economies and societies, innovation and innovation management has never been more crucial. This module will explore the role innovation can play in the transformation of economic activity and organisational design in order to promote sustainable development, including (but not limited to) its importance in mitigating and adapting to climate change. The module is organised around three key themes: analysis of contemporary environmental and sustainability issues; managing sustainable innovation in technology and organisation design; managing sustainable transition and disruption. A number of key ideas will be used to provide a framework for learning. These include past and current theories on sustainability, growth and innovation (with specific reference to the role of technology), understanding and influencing directions of innovation, and the governance of socio-technical transitions.

This exciting module covers the fascinating field of neuromarketing. Many consumption decisions are irrational, emotional, and subconscious. The discipline of neuromarketing strives to measure and make sense of these irrational drives through a range of research approaches and tools. These include behavioural economics, eye-tracking, implicit response measures, and facial coding among others.

Political, economic, and socio-cultural changes have culminated in the emergence of Human Resource Management (HRM) as a distinct function within many organisations. In particular, HRM has taken an increasingly strategic view of the organisations' employees as drivers of competitive advantage with primary HRM functions including recruitment and selection, performance and reward management, and training and development, which are correspondingly aligned with this aim. This is also accompanied by an increasing emphasis being placed on a host of new devolvement's including the use of digitised employee management systems and an emphasis on promoting organisational sustainability. This module will explore existing theories and approaches to contemporary strategic HRM, while also adopting a critical perspective on their impact and implementation. In doing so, it will consider how institutional and cultural contexts shape the ways in which employer-employee relationships are constructed, enforced, and normalised and will seek to highlight and explain the oft-observed gaps between theory and practice. This will enable you to develop a critical appreciation of strategic HRM challenges and an understanding of its potential impact on individuals, organisations, and the wider society.

This module will give you the critical and transferable skills associated with the creation and management of new and entrepreneurial organisations. The module focuses on the development process of new ventures (new small businesses spin-offs from large firms, and social enterprises) and their management. It covers essential processes, including: a) Critical start-up issues and themes that all prospective entrepreneurs have to focus attention on, including, self-assessment, opportunity identification, self-efficacy, ideas generation. b) New and early-stage enterprise functions and processes such as networking, marketing, financial, and behavioural aspects in different environments. c) Work towards the setting up of new ventures through a series of practical workshops organised by the University's Innovation Centre. The module is a mix of theoretical insights and practical application. It is concerned with enabling you to critically examine and organise different forms of learning, develop skills and capabilities for a better understanding and application of the strategic and functional aspects of creating and managing new and entrepreneurial ventures.

This module introduces final-year undergraduate students from across the social sciences to the fundamental theories and analytical methods that underpin effective communication within various professional environments. The course aims to demonstrate how language can be strategically employed to achieve diverse objectives and will likely be of particular interest to students interested in going into careers in management and marketing. Key concepts such as discourse, influence, authority, emotion, and cross-cultural communication will be explored to provide insights into the factors that impact professional interactions and the tactics that can be utilised to enhance communication effectiveness. Throughout the module, you will not only develop a solid understanding of these theoretical concepts but will also have numerous opportunities to refine their own professional communication skills and techniques. Practical application of these skills will be encouraged across a variety of scenarios and settings, ensuring that you are well-equipped to excel in your future careers in management and marketing.