University of Tasmania, Australia

Business Management Major

Organisations transform inputs (raw resources, information, equipment, facilitates, money and people) into outputs (goods and services). Successful transformation rests on effective and efficient management of people, assets, time and finances within a regulatory framework. Without this, organisations, from sole operators to transnational corporations, cannot operate - leave aside adjust to increasingly complex changes in the local or global environment.

Managers operate across many tiers and aspects of organisations in a coordinated chain of command designed around the goals and form of business. General Managers - also called “Chief Officers” (CEO’s, CFO’s , COO’s)or Managing Directors/Partners have responsibility for the entire oversight of an organisation including its functions (e.g. marketing, accounts, sales, operations) ensuring smooth running of the entire organisation.

Senior managers can have responsibility for an entire business unit (a partially or wholly independent business inside a corporation) – they set and coordinate budgets and make sure annual plans are met within these parameters.

Functional managers (e.g. Marketing, Human Resources, Finance, Operations etc), focus on specialised areas; creating annual plans aligned to organisational goals and estimating resourcing requirements to meet organisational targets; taking care of tactical issues and troubleshooting to ensure smooth operation. Managers are even present at the coalface (e.g. first line managers) monitoring and supervising workers.

A major in Management is the first step to understanding how the dynamics of business work and how to address the challenges of transforming inputs to outputs. Students are exposed to different management models, theories and thinking including experimentation to develop rounded knowledge, management thinking and skills.

Entrepreneurship Major

Increasingly, the Higher Education sector is being called upon to ensure the development of graduates with an enterprising mindset, skills and sense of how they can manage their career. The entrepreneur major at UTAS has since 2002 sought to address this call. Led by Dr Colin Jones, the curriculum uses a range of problem-based learning techniques through which students are encouraged to be reflective. Unlike traditional university education that is convergent, driving students to one desired end point, what we do is divergent education; assessing the process of learning rather than merely the outcome. What we are ultimately trying to develop is for our students to be the Reasonable Adventurer; a graduated student capable of creating their own opportunities for satisfaction, in aspects of the current and future life. Entrepreneurship is about learning to manage risks and what our course develops first and foremost is a ‘life’ rather than ‘business’ orientation. Our units are designed to be taken cumulatively as well as individual stand-alone electives.

Human Resource Management Major

Human Resource Management (HRM) is the strategic approach to attracting, selecting, developing rewarding and retaining an organisation’s employees from the perspectives of both human resource specialists and people managers. In an increasingly complex world, HRM is a key partner in an organisation’s strategic approach to achieving its objectives. It incorporates factors such as knowledge management, talent identification and innovation. Consequently, senior HRM specialists are increasing included in organisations’ senior management teams.

The HRM major provides graduates with a broad range of technical knowledge across areas such as: strategic HRM, individual/group behaviour, organisational culture, selection and recruitment, individual and organisational development, managing staff in multinational enterprise, industrial relations/employment arrangements and rewarding/recognising performance.

Students will develop skills in oral and written communication, to persuasively explain the content and implementation of strategy, the ability to integrate theoretical concepts and apply them to complex workplace problems, research & analysis, and teamwork. Attributes of social responsibility and a global perspective are highlighted.

Careers

Graduates with a HRM major are well equipped to work in the HRM departments, in policy and line management positions. The HRM major combines theory and practical application that is integrated to provide students who have ‘work ready’ capabilities.

Career opportunities for those who graduate with a HRM major, involve in a diverse range of occupations across private, public and community sectors, and include:

• Human Resource Manager
• Learning and Development Specialist
• Recruitment Consultant
• HR Business Partner
• Employment Relations Adviser
• Remuneration & Benefits Officer
• OH&S Coordinator

International Business Major

The International Business major introduces students to the exciting world of international business through a multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural approach. Students will gain the knowledge and skills required to meet the challenges of conducting and managing business in the globalised market place and will develop a strong understanding of business cultures and activity in Europe as well as the Asian Pacific region. In particular, students will develop a knowledge of international trade and investment, international human resource management, international marketing and the management of firms engaged in international business, finance and strategy.

Marketing Major

At the heart of marketing is the idea that a successful communication process between a buyer and a seller occurs, such that a mutually satisfactory exchange takes place. However, modern marketers realise that the marketing process involves building customer relationships by creating and delivering superior customer value. How firms go about that is what marketing is all about. Marketers need to understand customer needs and wants, really ‘know’ their customer, to be able to communicate with them in a way that resonates, and that causes them to act—to buy, visit, stay longer, purchase two instead of one, or whatever the objective of the marketing strategy might be. A knowledge of marketing is important for both marketing professionals and generalist managers who need to make decisions about marketing strategy in their organisations. It is an essential part of all public, commercial and not-for-profit organisations.

The Marketing major provides students with a thorough knowledge of the principles and concepts underlying marketing strategies and practices, and their relationship to effective business management. It provides students with a sound knowledge of such marketing systems as: consumer, industrial, non-profit, public sector and services marketing, and covers areas such as product development and planning, pricing strategies, distribution channel management, integrated marketing communications, and market research and analysis. Through theoretical activities and practical experience, graduates will be competent in administering the fundamental concepts of marketing. Graduates will be able to understand the constraints, under which marketing operates, analyse case studies, conduct marketing audits of organisations, and develop integrated marketing plans.

Tourism Major

The Tourism Major examines tourism from the broad perspective of tourism as a system and the more practical viewpoint of tourism as an industry. Graduates will gain an understanding of the development and operation of the tourism product otherwise known as the tourism experience. The major encourages students to gain skills and attributes favoured by employers. Assessment in the units has been formulated to promote real world skills including research, presentation and strategic writing. Units within the Major will ask students to prepare business cases and development proposals. Tourism will be examined from the basis of mass tourism to special interest tourism such as ecotourism, sex tourism and dark tourism. Destination marketing and branding and events management will be assessed as part of destination management. The impacts of tourism both good and bad will be evaluated from a local, regional, national and international viewpoint. The management of tourism impacts forms the basis of an understanding of sustainable tourism favoured by the Commonwealth and State governments. The Tourism Major as part of the Bachelor of Business will fit perfectly with other management majors such as marketing, human resource management, business management, entrepreneurship and international business. The Major can also be taken as part of other degree offerings in the University such as Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science. This program aims to equip graduates with a dynamic and employment ready set of knowledge and skills that will be attractive to employers at home and around the world.