Business & Society

Block 1 and 2

• Business & Consumer Behavior (5 ECTS)

  Business & Consumer Behavior (5 ECTS)

  Topics

  During this project you will get introduced to a local company. In this creative marketing assignment you focus on personas of the businesses and the customer journey.

  In this module you will work in teams of 5 to 6 students. We will assign you to 1 of the local businesses. With your assigned team you will describe in a factsheet at least 2 personas (1 male, 1 female) of the business. Besides that, you will describe in a factsheet the Customer Journey of that local business. You will present your outcomes to the class.

  Learning materials

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  Learning outcomes

  After participating in this project you will know how to:

  • Describe "Personas" of a business
  • Describe a "Customer journey" of a business
  • Write recommendations for a business how to improve, linked to the "Personas" and the "Customer journey"
  • Convincingly present your recommendations for the assigned business

  Type of assessment

  This is a group project which consists of two parts: a report and a presentation.

  Module code

  RBSBAS01   

• Cultural Diversity & Leadership (6 ECTS)

  Cultural Diversity & Leadership (6 ECTS)

  Topics

  The main purpose of this module is to introduce the concepts of Diversity & Leadership within the business environment, as well as to enable you to apply these concepts in your daily practices and study. The module is going to be 50 % theory and 50% practice driven. 

  Learning materials

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  Learning outcomes
  

  At the end of this module you will:

  • Have developed an awareness about commonalities and differences regarding the way business practices are done in the Netherlands, and in your own countries.
  • Be aware of different layers of diversity within organisations, and their influence/impact on current/ global business practices.
  • Have developed yourself as an effective learner, leader and group member when being part of an international environment.
  • Be able to conduct and evaluate professional interviews.
  • Be able to evaluate your own intercultural proficiency level, intelligence type and emotional intelligence in a well-founded report.

  Type of assessment

  Interview, assignment and report

  Module code

  RBSBAS03 

• Society & Business Communication (6 ECTS)

  Society & Business Communication (6 ECTS)

  Topics

  Business and society are inextricably linked. In this part of the course, students explore global societal issues from a glocal Rotterdam perspective. The course discusses several social problems related to business, such as:

  • Inclusivity and diversity
  • Sustainability
  • Healthcare
  • Public education
  • Fair trade

  You will select a topic related to social issues and business in Rotterdam, and research how different businesses, activists, institutions, and organisations try to think of possible solutions for these social problems. You are also asked and encouraged to present in the lecturers how societal issues, business and activism are intertwined in your home countries to exchange ideas and alternatives of enterprising with a societal impact.

  People active in this field are often very passionate and feel great social involvement, and are constantly in dialogue with, for example, specific interest groups, government institutions, and other possible partners. Therefore, its key to communicate on these societal messages as clearly as possible, which is where the Business Communication part of the course comes in with support on integrated Academic Writing and Presentation skills.

  Furthermore, will the module leadership and diversity provide you with the right tools to develop yourself in becoming a competent leader in the 21^st century.

   

  Learning materials

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  Learning outcomes

  • Business Communication: construct an argumentative or persuasive essay by using academic writing skills and business language.
  • Society: to construct an argumentative or persuasive essay based on credible and academic sources analysis

  Type of assessment

  Presentation

  Module code

  RBSBAS04 

• Sustainable Business Innovation (8 ECTS)

  Sustainable Business Innovation (8 ECTS)

  Topics

  In this competitive project you work in teams on an assignment for the Municipality of Rotterdam. Rotterdam faces many urban challenges: climate change, energy transition, urbanization, biodiversity loss, new forms of mobility, circularity. Due to its history, Rotterdam has a unique roof landscape consisting of 18.5 km² of flat roofs ranging from low rise buildings in the harbor to high rise buildings in the city center. In a busy city with a high population density, the roof landscape provides space for multifunctional use - a potential that waits to be further explored and developed in sustainable ways. During this module you will also receive your FREE GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) training and certification. GRI is an international standards organization that helps business, governments and other organizations understand and communicate their impact  on issues such as climate change, human rights and corruption.  

  You are going to learn more about how the municipality of Rotterdam became a front runner on green roofs and what their policy on sustainability and multifunctional roofs is.

  You will be introduced to a variety of district topologies and their various functionalities organised across seven different colors. Finally, you will also learn more about the challenges that the city of Rotterdam has when it comes to developing a business case that attracts stakeholders (e.g. entrepreneurs, private citizens) who invest in sustainable multifunctional roofs.

  Learning materials

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  Learning outcomes

  At the end of this module you are:

  • Able to calculate social, economic and sustainable impact for rooftop owners.
  • Aware of the pains and gains of policy makers and rooftop owners.
  • Able to come up with creative solutions.

  Type of assessment

  Presentation and report

  Module code

  RBSBAS05 

• Business Strategy & Skills (5 ECTS)

  Business Strategy & Skills (5 ECTS)

  Topics

  Under the umbrella of the Rotterdam International Case Academy and the Heckathon event Let's change the face of food waste, we proudly present a programme which will train you in case cracking skills. In a fast moving business environment these skills are extremely valuable should you want to peruse an ambitious career.

  The Rotterdam International Case Academy is part of the international network of business schools who is responsible for the oldest and most famous case competitions among undergraduates in the world. The case competition is“ a test of problem-solving ability, business acumen, cultural insight, communication skills, and teamwork. Teams of undergraduate students compete on behalf of their respective universities. They receive written case studies focused on international business issues, and have a limited time to assess the challenges facing the organization and recommend a specific course of action to panels of senior managers, policymakers and academics.” 

  Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences is ranked highly and received already many awards within the case competition tournaments, so you are in the hand of experts.

  You will receive several cases which you try to solve with your team. The competition case is based on a real business challenge. You will receive a unique challenge of a company (your client) which is based in the Rotterdam area.

  Learning materials

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  Learning outcomes

  At the end of this course you are able to:

  • Determine stakeholders
  • Develop a business strategy
  • Convince an audience 

  Type of assessment

  Presentation

  Module code

  RBSBAS02