Academic management

This Business course is part of the Basic Module and shares its name with the generic topic section of Business. It is taught during the first semester of the first year for all engineering students. The contents are directly connected with many other topics covered by the degree and particularly with the courses offered by the Business Organization area.

The main goal of the course is to provide students with a broad understanding of managerial and business administration issues in industrial or ICT environments. Therefore it will cover basic concepts of Economics, the functioning of markets and the role of firms in economic activity. The course will also focus on the different criteria for classifying firms, paying particular attention to the legal perspective and discussing the implications of distinctive legal forms. Both strategic management and functional area decisions (operations, marketing and finance) will be examined, emphasizing the aspects that could be of more value for future engineers.

Given that it is a first year subject, there are no particular prerequisites for attending this course. However, the Degree general entry requirements apply.

These are the general and specific competencies that will be trained in this course:

• CG3. Knowledge of basic and technological areas that allow the students to learn new methods and theories and give them the appropriate flexibility for adapting to new degrees.
• CG4. Problem solving and decision making capabilities, initiative, creativity and critical reasoning.
• CG5. Capability to communicate and to transmit –both, spoken and written- engineering knowledge, abilities and skills to all kind of audiences.
• CG6. Capability to use compulsory specifications, regulations and norms.
• CG10. Organizational and planning capabilities applied to businesses and other entities.
• CG14. Honesty, trustworthiness, ethic commitment and solidarity.
• CG15. Team work capability.
• CB6. Adequate knowledge of the concept of firm and the institutional and legal framework of businesses. Business organization and management.

Expected learning outcomes are as follows:

• REM1. Understanding the concept of firm, types of firms and the environment in which they operate.
• REM2. Understanding the different subsystems that shape a firm.
• REM3. Understanding the principles of business organization and management.

These learning outcomes will be evaluated by means of theoretical/practical exams, exercises, assignments and presentations. 

Unit 1. The organization of economic activity

1.1. Economic activity and markets

1.2. Analysis of economic variables

Unit 2. The firm

            2.1. Concept of firm and firm goals

            2.2. Types of firms: economic, organizational and legal criteria

Unit 3. Environment and firm strategy

            3.1. Business environment analysis

            3.2. Strategic management

Unit 4. Finance

            4.1. Financial analysis

            4.2. Financial resources

            4.3. Investments appraisal

Unit 5. Operations

            5.1. The production function

            5.2. Production decisions

            5.3. Production systems

Unit 6. Marketing

            6.1. Market research

            6.2. Marketing-mix

Unit 7. Management

            7.1. Management levels and functions

            7.2. Organization

            7.3. Human resource management

Lectures will be used for presenting the main ideas and concepts of each lesson. They will focus on key and complex issues. They involve a presentation by the lecturer who will use audio–visual support tools. At the beginning of each lesson, students will be asked to participate in a group discussion, in order to establish possible links between the topic and the professional activity of an engineer. There will be also some time –either at beginning or at the end of the session- for taking stock, drawing conclusions and solving questions. Practical sessions involve a higher degree of interaction between the lecturer and the students. These practical sessions may expand some topics of the course under a seminar format. Students will be provided in advance with the appropriate materials. Beyond studying the contents of the course, individual work time includes preparing in advance the necessary materials for attending these practical sessions. Practical sessions and group tutorials will also be used for student individual/group presentations, as well as for video-based learning.

Exceptionally, in the event of adverse public health conditions, teaching activities not requiring attendance may be used. If that would be that case, students will be informed of the changes.

The assessment of student learning will be as follows.

Ordinary evaluation period:

• Theoretical and practical exam. The maximum score for this test will be 6.5 points and a minimum of 40% is required to pass the course (2.6 points).
• Exercises/assignments and participation during the semester will count 3.5 points. A minimum of 40% is required to pass the course (1.4 points).
• Overall, the student must obtain 5 points to get a pass.

Extraordinary evaluation periods:

• Theoretical and practical exam. The maximum score for this test will be 6.5 points and a minimum of 40% is required to pass the course (2.6 points).
• A substitute practical exam for students who were unable to achieve the minimum 40% (1.4 points) during the semester handling exercises/assignments and participating in the classes. The maximum score for this test will be 3.5 points. A minimum of 40% is required to pass the course (1.4 points).
• Overall, the student must obtain 5 points to get a pass.

Differentiated evaluation:

• Theoretical and practical exam (on the official exam day on the ordinary and extraordinary evaluation periods). The maximum score for this test will be 6.5 points and a minimum of 40% is required to pass the course (2.6 points).
• A practical exam (on the official exam day on the ordinary and extraordinary evaluation periods). The maximum score for this test will be 3.5 points. A minimum of 40% is required to pass the course (1.4 points).
• Overall, the student must obtain 5 points to get a pass.

Exceptionally, in the event of adverse public health conditions, assessment methods not requiring attendance may be used. If that would be that case, students will be informed of the changes.

Please, note that the use of proper grammar and spelling will be assessed in the tests and assignments.

RESOURCES

The student will have access to specific articles and teaching materials (cases, readings...) for each lesson.

TEXTBOOKS IN ENGLISH

General textbooks

Jones, G.R. (2007): Introduction to Business: How Companies Create Value for People, McGraw Hill, New York, NY.

Kelly, M. & Williams, C. (2019): BUSN, 11th ed., Cengage Learning, Boston, MA.

Madura, J. (2010): Introduction to Business, 5th ed., Paradigm Publishing, Saint Paul, MN.

Pride, W.; Hughes, R. & Kapoor, J. (2019): Foundations of Business, 6th ed., Cengage Learning, Mason, OH.

Other textbooks

Gómez-Mejía, L.; Balkin, D. & Cardy, R. (2016): Managing Human Resources, 8th ed., Pearson, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Grant, R.M. (2019): Contemporary Strategy Analysis, 10th ed., John Wiley & Sons, Chichester.

Jones, G. R. & George J. M. (2014): Contemporary Management, 8th ed., McGraw Hill, New York, NY.

Kotler, P.; Armstrong, G.; Harris, L. C. & He, H. (2020): Principles of Marketing, 8th ed., Pearson, Harlow.

Mintzberg, H. (2000): The Structuring of Organizations, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Pindyck, R. & Rubinfeld, D. (2018): Microeconomics, 9th ed., Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

TEXTBOOKS IN SPANISH

General textbooks

Cuervo, A. (director) (2008): Introducción a la Administración de Empresas, Ed. Cívitas, Madrid.

Fernández, E.; Junquera, B. y del Brío, J. (2008): Iniciación a los Negocios para Ingenieros. Aspectos Funcionales, Ed. Paraninfo, Madrid.

Pérez Gorostegi, E. (2014): Fundamentos de Economía de la Empresa, Editorial Universitaria Ramón Areces.

Pérez Gorostegi, E. (2014): Prácticas de Fundamentos de Economía de la Empresa, Editorial Universitaria Ramón Areces.

Other textbooks

Aguirreamalloa, J., y Larios, P. (2015): Finanzas de la Empresa, Editorial Asertos.

Calvo A., Parejo J.A., Rodriguez L. y Cuervo, A. (2014): Manual del Sistema Financiero Español, Ariel Economía y Empresa. 

Chiavenato, I. (2015): Introducción a la teoría general de la administración, 8ª edición, McGraw-Hill, Madrid.

García Echevarría, S. (2014): Introducción a la economía de la empresa, Editorial Díaz de Santos.

Gómez-Mejía, L. R., Balkin, D. y Cardy, R. (2016): Gestión de Recursos Humanos, 8ª ed., Ed. Pearson-Prentice Hall, Madrid.

Gutiérrez Aragón, O. (2013): Fundamentos de Administración de Empresas, Editorial Pirámide.

Fernández, E., Avella, L. y Fernández, M. (2006): Estrategia de Producción, Ed. Mc Graw Hill, Madrid.

Hernández y Rodríguez, S. (2014): Introducción a la administración: teoría general administrativa. Origen, evolución y vanguardia, 5ª edición, McGraw-Hill, Madrid.

Jones, G. R. y J. M. George (2014): Administración Contemporánea, 8ª edición, Ed. Mc Graw Hill, Madrid.

Koontz, D. (2014): Elementos de administración, 8ª edición, McGraw-Hill, Madrid.

Ventura, J. (2008): Análisis Estratégico de la Empresa. Ed. Paraninfo, Madrid.

OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Websites of international, European, national, regional or local organizations and agencies.

Press and other media websites.