C1-Business Management

C1-BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

This paper introduces students to the wider concepts of business organisation and governance, environmental influences, leading and managing individuals and teams, recruiting and developing effective employees and information and communication in business management.

Objectives

On completion of this paper, the student should be able to:

1. Explain the structure and nature of business organisations and their governance,
2. Identify the environmental factors and establish how they affect the management of organisations,
3. Apply management theories in the establishment of procedures for leading and managing individuals and groups in organisations,
4. Explain the role of management in recruiting effective employees,
5. Explain the management of the marketing function,
6. Explain the role of information and data in organisations and how it is communicated.

Structure of the examination paper

There shall be a three hour examination consisting of five (5) compulsory questions of twenty (20) marks each. Candidates will be allowed fifteen minutes’ reading and planning time.

Detailed syllabus

• UNIT 1 - BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS AND GOVERNANCE

• Element 1: The business organisation and its structure
• Element 2: The formal and informal business organisation
• Element 3: Organisational culture in business
• Element 4: Stakeholders of business organisations
• Element 5: Committees in the business organisation
• Element 6: Business ethics and ethical behaviour
• Element 7: Governance and social responsibility in business

• UNIT 2 - ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES

• Element 1: Political and legal factors
• Element 2: Macro-economic factors
• Element 3: Social and demographic factors
• Element 4: Technological factors
• Element 5: Competitive factors

• UNIT 3 - LEADING AND MANAGING INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS

• Element 1: Leadership, management and supervision
• Element 2: Individual and group behaviour in business organisations
• Element 3: Team formation, development and management
• Element 4: Motivating individuals and groups

• UNIT 4 - RECRUITING AND DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE EMPLOYEES

• Element 1: Recruitment and selection, managing diversity, and equal opportunity
• Element 2: Techniques for improving personal effectiveness at work
• Element 3: Training in the maintenance and improvement of business performance
• Element 4: Development in the maintenance and improvement of business performance
• Element 5: Learning in the maintenance and improvement of business performance
• Element 6: Review and appraisal of individual performance

• UNIT 5 - MARKETING FUNCTION

• Element 1: Marketing and sales management
• Element 2: Market research and analysis
• Element 3: Marketing plans
• Element 4: Markets and customers
• Element 5: Marketing mix and the product life cycle

• UNIT 6 - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION

• Element 1: Features of effective communication
• Element 2: Oral and Written communication
• Element 3: Information technology and information systems in business
• Element 4: Data and information and their characteristics

Reading material

1.  ZICA, Business Management, ZICA publications, Lusaka, Zambia
2. Cole G. A , Management theory and Practice, Fifth edition, Thompson Press
3. ZICA (2007), Management, ZICA Publications, Lusaka, Zambia.