Business Administration

This course examines communication in the business environment. There is a strong focus on the understanding the theory of communication in the business context and it's application to effective business writing at a high level, persuasive and appropriate verbal and non verbal communication, and interpersonal skills across teams and cultures.

The course examines strategic brand management in competitive and global markets, focusing on brand identity, positioning, differentiation, digital branding, and audience engagement. Students also explore personal and place branding, brand purpose, sustainability, and emerging trends such as artificial intelligence. 

This course examines the design and execution of market research projects and the presentation of these results in a form useful for decision makers. Specific attention is paid to: planning a research project; use of experiments; identification of the research problem, selection of sample frame, and data collection methods; design of data collection instruments; data analysis and presentation.

The marketing concept, the marketing environment, consumer markets and industrial markets, buyer behavior, marketing research, the use and importance of differentiation, market segmentation and target marketing, the marketing mix, product policy, pricing policy, distribution policy, promotion policy, marketing strategy, marketing organization and implementation, measurement and control of marketing effectiveness including the marketing audit. DP requirements: 40% class mark and the completion of all required assignments. Assessment: Essays, case studies, project and test 50%; June / October examinations (2 hours) 50%.

This course is to provide a deep understanding of Organizational Behavior (OB) and its role in fostering effective work environments. Explore how human behavior in organizations is shaped by individual capabilities and workplace relationships, gaining insights into the psychological foundations that distinguish OB from human resource management. The course focuses on applying OB theory to workplace behavior, with particular attention to the South African context, and encourages students to critically reflect on their own professional interactions. This course is restricted to students in their second academic year of study (AYOS). The course is intended for students majoring in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, but students from other streams/faculties may choose this course as an elective. Assessment: Coursework 60% (assignments, tests). Final examination 40%.

This course introduces basic concepts and fundamental methods of corporate financial accounting and reporting, as well as their applications in practice.  It focuses on three main types of financial statements, including the balance sheet, the income statement, and the cash flow statement. The course discusses the preparation of the financial statements, information conveyed, and implications of items presented in these financial statements. Students perform economics-based analysis and application of accounting information from the viewpoint of the users of accounting information (especially senior managers) rather than the preparer (the accountant).

This course focuses on the training requirements for top-notch innovative talents in the new era and under the new circumstances. It integrates college students' innovation and entrepreneurship theories with professional knowledge, academic competitions, as well as internships and practical training. Leveraging the advantageous resources of the industry, it deeply connects cross-border resources, invites industry leaders to deliver lectures, and organizes students to conduct on-site visits to frontline institutions and enterprises.

The course examines the market research process and its role in organizational decision-making. Students learn to define research problems, design qualitative and quantitative studies, collect and analyze data, and apply market research and consumer behavior insights to marketing decisions. 

The course examines predictive and prescriptive analytics through mathematical modeling and machine learning. Students develop models to forecast outcomes, optimize resource allocation, and support data-driven decision-making, using techniques such as linear regression, decision trees, and Python programming.

The course examines how European Union law shapes business organizations and market activity within the EU internal market. Topics include company law, freedom of establishment, corporate governance, ESG regulation, consumer protection, competition law, digital markets, and the legal frameworks governing fair and sustainable business practices.