The flexible Associate degree with business employability built-in

This subject provides students with the opportunity to develop the essential written and verbal communication, and interpersonal skills required by all business professionals. Students consolidate their skills in the basic functions of office software including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint before moving onto the application of manual and automatic advanced features. How to efficiently and professionally plan and produce a range of documents for work and Australian universities is also addressed. With a particular focus on professional practices, this subject is designed to develop research, critical thinking, planning, communication and interpersonal skills, engaging students in thinking about professional practices in business and academic work.

In this subject, students are introduced to developing and implementing a workplace sustainability policy in line with a current theoretical framework and modifying it to suit the interconnections between the economy, society and the environment. Students identify, analyse and evaluate information to develop, monitor and modify organisational policies in accordance with legislative and organisational goals and changing business circumstances. During this process, they are required to communicate and consult with internal and external stakeholders. The subject also introduces students to planning, sequencing and using systematic and analytical processes to research and gather data and to evaluate outcomes of decision-making to identify improvement. This subject addresses La Trobe’s Sustainability Thinking Essential. Sustainability Thinking entails deep appreciation of how the choices we make affects the natural, economic, social, political and cultural systems - now and in the future.

In this subject students examine how businesses operate in a local, regional and global environment and how this might change in the future. Students actively engage with current business issues and establish a broad foundation of business knowledge essential to everyone in the business world. With a particular focus on management and human resource practices, this subject is designed to develop critical thinking, creative problem-solving, planning and personal time management skills. This subject also facilitates working closely with fellow students to enhance communication skills and engage in thinking about and discussing big ideas shaping the world of work, into which students will graduate. This subject addresses La Trobe’s Global Citizenship Essential. A study of Global Citizenship will enable you to develop an awareness the external context in which many businesses operate involving activities across international cultural, political and institutional boundaries, and the internal context which operates in many businesses involving communication and engagement with a diverse, multicultural group of stakeholders.

In this subject, students study the foundation elements of finance and its relationship to organisational goals and performance. Through a range of business case studies, students learn about budgets and financial cycles, transaction processing and financial record keeping. Students have the opportunity to apply the skills they've learned through a range of practical exercises that involve creating and analysing financial data and budgets, and developing spreadsheets. Students also consolidate essential numerical concepts by developing formulas used in spreadsheets and performing calculations required to analyse and create financial documentation.

Marketing: Stand and Deliver is an introductory unit to marketing principles and practice as applied to mainly fast-moving consumer goods. The subject is designed to give you a broad understanding of the formal discipline of marketing and of the key marketing activities in business. Topics cover the marketing concept, the marketing environment, buying behaviour in consumer and organisational markets, customer segmentation, targeting and positioning, developing the marketing mix, and the implementation and control of marketing programs. As a prerequisite to further study in marketing, this subject provides a sound foundation for future marketing subjects, advanced skill development and your career.

Flawed or not, teams show no signs of going away. The complexity of today’s world, shaped by accelerating technological, economic and cultural trends, demands that organisations of all kinds seek out the synergistic potential of teams innovate, adapt and resolution problems. In this subject, you will develop the capabilities to form teams, work effectively in teams and lead teams to achieve their goals. In so doing, you will develop the practice of reflecting on your own intrapersonal skills to identify self-diagnosed strategies where improvement is desired. You will also examine how individual characteristics, interpersonal relationships and group processes relate to individual behaviour and outcomes in organisations. You will apply and critically evaluate organisational behaviour theory and concepts to help address current organisational problems relating to motivation, decision-making, teamwork, leadership, and diversity which will help you become a more effective employee, team member and manager.

This subject provides a general and practical introduction to information technology. Areas taught include: fundamental principles of computer operation, the main hardware components of the computer, data storage and retrieval, introduction to system software, introduction to data communications, computer networks, the internet; operating systems, file management systems, security, introduction to information systems; application software modules: spreadsheets, database packages, the World Wide Web.

It doesn't matter what sort of business you're in, there’s always a customer. Providing the consistent delivery of quality services and products is the cornerstone of every business. In this subject you will acquire the skills and knowledge to develop strategies to manage organisational systems to ensure products and services are delivered and maintained to standards agreed by the business. You will research quality frameworks, systems, standards, procedures and customer needs, applying our findings to the development of plans to achieve quality improvements. You will also examine ways to establish monitoring systems and adjust and review customer service delivery, according to key performance indicators. With a particular focus on professional practices in customer service, this subject is designed to develop research, critical thinking, planning, communication and interpersonal skills, while developing the appreciation of the importance of customer service in business.

This subject develops the essential skills required to plan, develop and execute a project within an allocated budget and timeline. Students develop an understanding of the different types of projects that exist across a range of industries and job roles. They will learn how to define the parameters of a project, including the project scope, relevant stakeholders, resources and reporting requirements. The subject incorporates project management methodology and provides students with the opportunity to use project management tools to develop and implement a project plan.

In this subject, you will explore advertising theory and practice in the context of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). You will learn how to integrate and critically analyse the elements of the IMC mix. You will learn about advertising, direct marketing, personal selling, publicity and PR. You will develop communication messages that have meaning and impact for consumers in today’s digital age. You will analyse case studies designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to communicate effectively with consumers.

This subject provides an introduction to the management of organisations. It provides an understanding of the fundamental concepts and relevant issues relating to the management of firms operating in the modern Australian and global business environment. The relationship between management theory, practice and organisational performance will be explored within the context of both individual effect and organisational outcomes.

Organisations operate in a global economy. As a manager and leader, it is your responsibility to get the best out of your employees and respond to customer needs. In this subject you will develop the practical skills for the next generation leading in a diverse workforce. Managing diversity isn't just about abiding by legal obligations, it’s about recognising and valuing human differences and being able to create an inclusive environment, where employees have the opportunity to achieve their full potential. This subject will help you to develop a deep understanding of diversity. You'll reflect on your own attitudes and bias, as well as researching strategies, policies and practices that develop and promote a diverse, inclusive workforce.

In a world where organisations are confronted with a vast amount of information, there is an ever-increasing demand for graduates who can make effective use of data. This subject will help students to become more competent users of information and will develop their understanding of decision-making processes. The subject will assist students to attain an introductory level of statistical literacy as they apply statistical concepts to critical business problems and major social issues.

Innovation is a hot topic in business today, but what does it really mean, how is it different to creativity and how do companies successfully innovate? This subject addresses these questions and more, while providing you with practical strategies to enhance your creativity and develop an innovation mindset. You will study the principles of innovation across strategy, systems, processes and culture. You will apply your research and critical thinking skills to identify, evaluate and assess opportunities to innovate. You will also develop skills to plan, implement and evaluate innovation strategies that make a positive difference to a customer’s perceived value. This subject uses a case-based approach, where you will investigate various innovation case studies from a range of companies around the world to examine how they innovate.

In this subject, students are introduced to some of the core principles of contract and consumer protection law, the law of negligence and property law. In addition, students are exposed to ethical standards that apply to business activities, such as contractual relationships and special legal protections against unethical business practices. The subject also adopts a skills-based learning approach. It does this through teaching the basic techniques of legal problem-solving and promoting an understanding of the dynamic nature of the law. These skills prepare students for more advanced law subjects as well as their professional careers.

Economics is the study of incentives and human behaviour and in particular the choices that individuals, businesses and governments make to deal with scarcity. In Investigating Economic Issues you will undertake research into current economic issues and apply economic concepts and frameworks to critically analyse economic problems and suggest solutions. You will learn how the forces of demand and supply coordinate the behaviour of individuals and businesses in the market and how government policy affects market outcomes. You will study the decisions that businesses make in determining how much to produce and at what cost, and analyse how market structures affect firm choices. From an economy-wide perspective, you will investigate how to measure economic activity, inflation and unemployment, and you will examine the factors that influence these variables and their impacts on individuals, businesses and governments.

In this subject, you will gain an appreciation of how changes to the international business environment impact on the conduct of businesses in the domestic and international arena. We begin the term by examining the main drivers of globalisation and the development of multi-national enterprises. We explore how businesses internationalise, with a specific focus on strategies for internationalisation, and how business structures and processes can support these strategies. Within this discussion, we focus specifically on issues of cross-cultural management and knowledge transfer. We conclude our examination of international management by discussing the ethical, social and environmental responsibilities of multi-national enterprises.

Organisations operate in a global economy. As a manager and leader, it is your responsibility to get the best out of your employees and respond to customer needs. In this subject you will develop the practical skills for the next generation leading in a diverse workforce. Managing diversity isn't just about abiding by legal obligations, it’s about recognising and valuing human differences and being able to create an inclusive environment, where employees have the opportunity to achieve their full potential. This subject will help you to develop a deep understanding of diversity. You'll reflect on your own attitudes and bias, as well as researching strategies, policies and practices that develop and promote a diverse, inclusive workforce.

It doesn't matter what sort of business you're in, there’s always a customer. Providing the consistent delivery of quality services and products is the cornerstone of every business. In this subject you will acquire the skills and knowledge to develop strategies to manage organisational systems to ensure products and services are delivered and maintained to standards agreed by the business. You will research quality frameworks, systems, standards, procedures and customer needs, applying our findings to the development of plans to achieve quality improvements. You will also examine ways to establish monitoring systems and adjust and review customer service delivery, according to key performance indicators. With a particular focus on professional practices in customer service, this subject is designed to develop research, critical thinking, planning, communication and interpersonal skills, while developing the appreciation of the importance of customer service in business.

This subject develops the essential skills required to plan, develop and execute a project within an allocated budget and timeline. Students develop an understanding of the different types of projects that exist across a range of industries and job roles. They will learn how to define the parameters of a project, including the project scope, relevant stakeholders, resources and reporting requirements. The subject incorporates project management methodology and provides students with the opportunity to use project management tools to develop and implement a project plan.

Business managers request, purchase, assess and use market research to make a wide number of informed decisions. To be able to do this competently, they need to know what market research can provide, what research methods are appropriate for different types of problems, and how results should be interpreted. The aim of this subject is to give you the knowledge and skills, as either a future business manager or a market research practitioner, to make intelligent decisions in your specification, evaluation and application of marketing research.

In this subject, you will develop the concepts of a product and a brand within the context of an increasingly digital environment. Digital Branding and Retailing includes the process of organising marketing activities around the introduction, promotion and optimisation of brands and brand portfolios. Since brands are intangible assets, creating and nurturing a strong brand can be a challenge. By applying the customer based brand equity (CBBE) model, analysing brand positioning and values and choosing and leveraging brand elements, marketers can design marketing strategies. Within a retailing environment this means designing, creating and strengthening brands and brand extensions, and managing these brands over time, geographic boundaries and market segments. You will learn to manage a portfolio of brand equities, including the ability to conduct a brand audit, focusing particularly on the management task. Working in small groups and individually assisted by Learning Portal content, you will develop the relevant skills and abilities needed to gain a competitive advantage within a highly complex modern world.

This subject provides an understanding of the role of consumer behaviour in development of the total marketing mix. You will evaluate the contribution of psychological and social knowledge to both consumer and organisational marketing. This subject has an emphasis on the development of practical analytical skills, and you will gain experience in the writing of effective positioning statements.

In this subject you will explore the strategic and operational issues involved in managing staff in the workplace. You will examine the challenges facing human resource managers in contemporary Australian organisations and develop an understanding of human resource management practices in our continually changing social, economic, industrial relations and organisational environments. You will explore the reasons underpinning the increasing recognition of human resource management (HRM) within organisations as well as the field’s underlying purposes. Throughout this subject an emphasis is placed on a strategic approach to HRM in addition to the functional and operational aspects.

In this subject you will be introduced to a number of moral frameworks that you will use to analyse ethical issues for management. You will participate in innovative and challenging learning experiences/processes via the completion of online tasks. You will adopt relevant roles to participate in a high-level, ethics and rights discussion and debate to consider issues relating to organisations, global trade, advertising, the environment, politics, corruption and governance and the person as an individual. Working individually and in teams, within a collaborative learning environment, you will explore and analyse relevant literatures to develop moral reasoning in order to present an ethically based case to their peers and/or external parties.