General provisions

The course is offered within the Bachelor's Programme in Business and Economics and as a single subject course. The course syllabus was approved by the board of the Department of Business Studies on delegation from the Faculty of Social Sciences and takes effects as of 2009-08-31.

Entry requirements

General entry requirements

Learning outcomes

This is an introductory economics course and is intended to give the students insight into key problems and issues regarding the division of labour and the coordination of the economy. The students are trained to independently and critically formulate and analyse economic problems, both verbally and in writing.

Upon completing the course, the student will be able to:

- understand and explain basic connections between the division of labour and the coordination of the economy

- understand, explain and use basic concepts and models pertaining to organisation within and between companies, and within and between industries, regions and countries

- understand, explain and use basic marketing concepts and models

- identify and propose solutions to basic problems pertaining to the division of labour and the coordination of the economy

- identify and propose solutions to companies' marketing problems

- propose and develop business concepts for a given company

- gather relevant information and evaluate various information sources critically

- write basic scientific reports, present ideas verbally, and examine other people's work constructively

- critically and independently reflect on the nature of the science and the knowledge production

Content

The course provides a broad introduction to business economics and other economics subjects, incorporating material from marketing, organisation, and economic history and geography. The course is divided into three sections, and into several parallel tracks:

The first section describes and analyses how the division of labour in terms of economic activities occurs within and between companies, industries, regions and countries, and how they are coordinated.

The second section provides an introduction to marketing and organisation from a corporate and business-owner perspective, and how these elements are synthesised in the business concept. Marketing and the bases for marketing work are addressed, as are the management problems that arise when a production chain is to be organised, including problems pertaining to the insourcing/outsourcing/offshoring of operations.

The third section consists of a PM report project in which the students analyse and develop business concepts for companies in a given industry.

In parallel with this main track, the students will also participate in a methodology track and a training track. The methodology track is concerned mainly with issues regarding searching and gathering information, evaluating various sources, formal requirements for scientific texts, basic issues concerning how to analyse problems and questions, and the writing of scientific reports.

The training track is concerned mainly with problems regarding the nature and significance of the science and of knowledge production, and with issues relating to reading and writing.

Instruction

Instruction takes place in the form of lectures, seminars, discussion groups/oral presentations, group work, advisory activities and library exercises.

Assessment

Course examination includes written and oral assignments as well as a written exam. The course consists of obligatory parts. Examination includes both individual and team work elements. Grading criteria are presented in the study guide provided at the start of the course. Grades will be given in accordance with the Swedish grading system and the ECTS grading system. The following grades will be used: VG (pass with distinction), G (pass) and U (fail). Assignments and exams handed in late will not be graded except in special circumstances. Additional information is also provided in the form of grades on a seven-point grading scale (ECTS). In addition, any outstanding assignments or supplemental work must be completed and handed in by the deadline specified in the study guide. Otherwise the test in question will receive a grade of U. The entire course (including all assignments) will then have to be redone the following semester, provided there is space in the course.

Uppsala University takes cheating and plagiarism seriously, and disciplinary action will be taken against any student suspected of being involved in any sort of cheating and/or plagiarism. The disciplinary action takes the form of warnings and limited suspensions.

NOTE: Only completed courses can count toward a degree.

Transitional provisions

The course substitutes/overlaps among others Business and Enterprise 2FE000, 2FE271, 2FE007,

Business and Markets I 2FE778, Business and Markets I 2FE779, 2FE008, Business and Enterprise I 2FE015, Business and Enterprise II 2FE016, Markets and Organisations 2FE014, Business Enterprise, Networks and Technical Development 1TS010, Management, Organisation and Management Control 2FE820, 2FE824, Market Research 2FE821.