Commercial Skills

*Note that this module requires a minumum GPA of 3.00

Theory - Portfolio not required.

This module has been provided to give the student insight into the commercial aspects of retailing from “start-up” strategy through planning and to trading. At the core of this module is the business game. This is an interactive simulation that looks at the risks and opportunities attached to business operations. It is a team exercise and each team must make a number of decisions concerning the set-up, management and eventual profitability of “their company”. These decisions will be effected by the P.E.S.T.L.E. factors. These factors may change whilst the game is running. The final result of the game is relatively unimportant to the learning from the module, the essential point of running the game is to allow the student to begin to make the link between their individual input to the team, the team decisions and the impact on their “business”. So far as possible the game has been designed to replicate the real business and trading environment of a retail unit and to include the factors and decisions that have to be made on a daily basis when trading a product in the retail environment. In order to support the business game lectures and activities will examine the key skills associated with the making of commercial decisions

Assessment: Presentation Group (60%), Coursework (40%)