1. Critically evaluate, appraise and analyse the management of human resources to aid the development of business strategy within an organisation.

Indicative content:

Critically evaluate approaches to human resource management to aid the development of business strategy;

Critically evaluate and explain the necessity for alignment between an organisation’s corporate strategy and objectives, and its human resource strategy;

Evaluate the processes required in order to assess the effectiveness of a given human resource strategy and its impact on overall corporate strategy;

Design human resource strategies for organisations confronting mergers, acquisitions, strategic alliances and joint ventures

2. Critically evaluate strategies for people recruitment, retention, training, learning and development which maximise the skills and contributions of people.

Indicative content:

Critically explain and evaluate approaches to the search for and selection of employees;

Evaluate strategies for deployment and redeployment, coping with poor performance and employee retention;

Evaluate and explain the creation of the learning organisation through self-managed learning, the promotion of ‘intellectual capital’ and knowledge management;

Appraise the role of performance review and strategies for management development;

3. Critically appraise strategies for positive employee relations, performance management and reward.

Indicative content:

Evaluate alternative approaches to employee relations with a focus on the benefits of ‘partnership’, involvement and engagement;

Appraise the effectiveness of alternative communication approaches with the workforce, including grievance management;

Critically review the purposes and benefits of performance and reward management including the role of performance appraisal as a tool for measuring contribution and recognising achievement;

Design and implement performance management and reward processes to improve organisational performance;

Evaluate the effectiveness of both financial and non-financial rewards and benefits;

4. Understand and critically appraise the importance of marketing within the development of business plans and strategies.

Indicative content:

Critically analyse the contribution of marketing planning to the processes of strategy development;

Examine the core concepts and techniques for operationalising marketing strategy and elements of the marketing mix;

Evaluate the applicability of strategic marketing to a range of business contexts including supply chain and service delivery management;

Apply and implement marketing plans;

Critically evaluate the impact and influence of information technology on marketing;

5. Evaluate and analyse the processes of market development in a dynamic business environment.

Indicative content:

Demonstrate and apply portfolio models to the analysis of markets and competitors;

Define and evaluate the value of market segmentation appropriate to market conditions;

Analyse the nature and structure of competition in markets, distinguishing between undifferentiated, differentiated and monopoly markets;

Evaluate the process for developing and using brand identity;

Evaluate the stages of and influences on the product life cycle and strategies for product life cycle extension or replacement;

6. Evaluate and analyse the linkages between marketing and operations in manufacturing, service and not-for-profit organisations.

Indicative content:

Identify and evaluate approaches to matching operations capacity to demand through manufacturing technology, cost management, quality etc.;

Evaluate the attributes of lean enterprise, total quality management and supply chain architecture;

Identify and evaluate marketing strategies to optimise demand through pricing, promotion, differentiation, product range, distribution etc;

Identify and differentiate appropriate marketing strategies for manufacture, service and not-for-profit organisations;

7. Critically evaluate, appraise and analyse the place of information systems and new technologies in developing business and marketing strategies and planning.

Indicative content:

Evaluate the importance and role of traditional and internet based information systems in today’s competitive business environment;

Critically evaluate the role and function of the information systems supporting the major business operations and assess how these information systems support the activities of managers in the organisation and competitive advantage;

Identify and describe the strategic activities in the system development process and critically evaluate alternative methods for building information systems;

Analyse and evaluate current technologies and their use as a platform for emarketing and e-commerce, and the use of database marketing and data mining in focussing marketing operations;