None. Prior acquisition of competencies in economics-related subjects facilitates the understanding and application of the content of this course, but they are by no means essential.
The ultimate goal of this course is to enable students to understand the purpose of a business, comprehend the role it plays in society, and gain a global vision of a business as a system composed of interrelated parts or elements that interact with each other and with the environment. Throughout the course, students will develop the ability to analyze the key functions and processes of a business to ensure their coherent deployment in line with the company?s strategic purpose and to define business objectives at different levels.
UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE COMPANY
Topic 1: THE COMPANY
1.1. The company: concept, elements, and functions
1.2. Types of companies
1.3. The entrepreneur: concept and functions
1.4. The company?s subsystems
1.5. The strategic process of a company and its strategic goals
Topic 2: BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
2.1. Concept of objective
2.2. Monist theories
2.3. Galbraith?s theory
2.4. Ansoff?s theory
2.5. Our opinion
2.6. Operational concepts
Topic 3: THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
3.1. The environment: concept and types
3.2. The general environment of the company and its factors
3.3. The specific environment of the company
UNIT 2: BUSINESS FUNCTIONS
Topic 4: THE PRODUCTION FUNCTION
4.1. Objectives and functions of production
4.2. Production costs
Topic 5: THE PROCUREMENT FUNCTION
5.1. Procurement functions
5.2. Stages in purchasing a product
5.3. Key aspects to consider for each supplier
5.4. Stock management
Topic 6: THE MARKETING FUNCTION
6.1. What is marketing?
6.2. Marketing strategies and actions: The Marketing Mix
6.3. Business market orientations
Topic 7: THE INNOVATION FUNCTION
7.1. Definition
7.2. Innovation taxonomies
Topic 8: THE FINANCIAL FUNCTION
8.1. The company?s financial function
8.2. Annual accounts
8.3. An initial approach to economic-financial analysis
Basic and general competencies are developed throughout the entire teaching-learning process and evaluated at the end. Specific competencies are also progressively developed: the first mainly in Unit 1 (topics 1, 2, and 3), and the second through Unit 2 (topics 4, 5, 6, and 7).
The techniques used for developing these competencies are:
Lectures: Presentation of fundamental content and explanation of significant cases.
Individual work: Reading and analysis of bibliography; resolution of practical cases.
Group work: Students, in groups of up to four members, will solve practical cases proposed during the course. This work will be supervised during class time but performed outside of it.
Oral presentation and group discussion: Sharing and discussing the solutions to practical cases.
This is a compulsory course worth 6 ECTS, involving 150 hours of student work distributed as follows:
In-class hours (48 hours):
Lectures: 23 hours
Practical activities: 18 hours
Tutorials and group meetings: 5 hours
Evaluation test: 2 hours
Out-of-class hours (102 hours):
Reading and studying documents: 20 hours
Individual assignments: 15 hours
Information search: 15 hours
Group meetings: 18 hours
Group project development: 34 hours
Use of AI Tools
If AI tools are used in any activity, a paragraph must be included stating what the AI was used for and what prompts or instructions were given to obtain the results. This information must be included in the deliverable for the activity, as an annex. Failure to do so constitutes a violation of academic honesty policies.
Continuous Assessment During the Course (Ordinary Call)
Continuous assessment throughout the delivery of the course requires students to work in groups to solve all the cases proposed by the instructor, successfully complete each of the planned activities and practical cases, and attend and participate in class. Each student will be informed of their academic progress as the course progresses.
Extraordinary Call
The assessment criteria are the same as in the ordinary call. Therefore, students must submit the assessment activities required during the course. With prior consultation with the instructor, the grades from completed activities (including the final written exam) will be retained while pending activities are completed.
In a continuous assessment process such as the one used in this course, the right to an extraordinary call is understood as an opportunity to complete those aspects of the assessment that were not fulfilled during the ordinary call. It must not, under any circumstances, be understood as a comprehensive evaluation of the subject for students who did not participate in the course sessions, attend classes, take the exams, or submit the required activities during the semester in which the course was delivered.
These measures will only apply during the current academic year. If the extraordinary call is not passed, re-enrollment will require repeating the entire course.
For students enrolled in the course as a retake, this will also entail repeating the entire course. In this case, the student must complete each and every activity of the academic year in which they are enrolled.
Final written exam: 45%
Practical work and assignments: 55%
The professor will provide necessary materials either through the platform or during class sessions.
BUENO CAMPOS E. (1993): Curso básico de Economía de la Empresa, Editorial Pirámide, Madrid.
BUENO CAMPOS, E. (1997): Organización de empresas. Estructura, procesos y modelos, Pirámide, Madrid.
BUENO CAMPOS E., CRUZ ROCHE I., DURAN HERRERA J. J. (1990): Economía de la Empresa. Análisis de las Decisiones Empresariales, 13ª edición. Editorial Pirámide, Madrid.
BUJ GARRIDO S., PEREZ GOROSTEGUI E., RODRIGUEZ CARRASCO, J. M. (1987): Economía de la Empresa (Introducción) Dos Tomos. Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid.
GOMEZ BEZARES, F. (1986): Las decisiones financieras en la práctica. Inversión y financiación en la empresa. Editorial Desclée Brouwer, Bilbao.
IBORRA, M.; DASI, A.; DOLZ, C. y FERRER, C. (2006): Fundamentos de Dirección de Empresas. Concepto y habilidades directivas, Thomson, Madrid.
JOHNSON, G y SCHOLES, K (1997): Dirección Estratégica. Análisis de la estrategia de las organizaciones, Prentice Hall, Madrid.
KOONTZ, H.; WEIHRICH, H. Y CANNICE, M. (2008): Administración. Una perspectiva global y empresarial, McGraw-Hill Interamericana, Méjico.
MINTZBERG, H. (1983): El poder en la organización. Díaz de Santos. Madrid.
MINTZBERG, H. (1984): La estructuración de las organizaciones. Ariel. Barcelona.
OLCESE, A.; RODRÍGUEZ, M.A.; ALFARO, J. (2008): Manual de la empresa responsable y sostenible. Conceptos, ejemplos y herramientas de la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa o de la Empresa. Mc Graw Hill, Madrid.
PEREZ GOROSTEGUI E. (1990): Economía de la Empresa (Introducción) Editorial Centro de Estudios Ramón Areces, S.A., Madrid
SAINZ DE VICUÑA, J.M. (2003): El Plan Estratégico en la práctica. 3ª edición. Editorial ESIC, Madrid.
SENGE P (2000): La danza del cambio. Cómo crear organizaciones abiertas al aprendizaje. Ediciones Gestión 2000, S.A, Barcelona.
SUÁREZ SUÁREZ A. (1991): Curso de Introducción a la de Economía de la Empresa, Editorial Pirámide, Madrid.
SUÁREZ SUÁREZ A. (1994): Curso de Economía de la Empresa, Editorial Pirámide, Madrid.
TRÍAS DE BES, F. (2007): El libro negro del emprendedor. No digas que nunca te lo advirtieron. Ediciones Urano, Barcelona.