Module Information

Module Identifier
RD11400
Module Title
Business, Economics and Land Use
Academic Year
2020/2021
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 1 (Taught over 2 semesters)
Other Staff

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Due to Covid-19 students should refer to the module Blackboard pages for assessment details

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Financial statements and enterprise economics assignment.  Financial statements and enterprise economics assignment.  60%
Semester Exam 1.5 Hours   40%
Supplementary Assessment Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module.  60%
Supplementary Exam 1.5 Hours   Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module  Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module.  40%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Identify the factors that influence land use patterns;

2. Describe the legal status of land and the controls placed on land use;

3. Describe and apply basic principles of economics to rural issues and the framework of rural policy in the United Kingdom and Western Europe;

4. Explain linkages between the overall economy and prospects for agriculture and other rural industries;

5. Identify the components of an accounting environment;

6. Construct detailed business budget that assimilates macro and microeconomic factors with the physical and financial attributes of a farming system.

Brief description

This module is designed to provide students with an understanding of the primary resources required to operate a rural business and to provide an understanding of the business and economic environment in which those resources operate. Students will identify current land use patterns in the UK and examine physical, legal, historic and economic factors that influence land use. This module will also consider the economic principles that underlie government intervention in agricultural, rural and regional policy. The development of an understanding of the fundamental economic relationships will enable opportunities and problems for rural areas to be discussed and appropriate policy responses to be identified. This module will also provide students with business management skills. It is essential that prospective managers of small businesses are able to construct a series of financial statements based on historical data that will give a measure of financial performance.

Content

The accounting environment;
The use of primary and secondary financial statements to measure business and enterprise success;
Constructing a set of financial statements;
The requirements when budgeting for businesses and identifying the different techniques and resources available for budgeting;
Nature and methods of economics and its application to agriculture and other rural sectors;
The demand for food and characteristics of consumer behaviour, including price, income elasticity of demand for food, market failure and exernalities;
Introduction to the major macroeconomic variables; economic growth, employment, inflation, balance of payments and linkages between the macro economy and the rural industries;
International agricultural trade; Economics of the CAP and its reform;
Land use patterns in the UK and Europe;
Forms of land occupation and transfer;
Land use controls.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number Preparation of farm budgets Analysis of commodity markets
Communication Written communication and oral questioning skills developed on farm visit. Feedback will be provided.
Improving own Learning and Performance Financial statements and enterprise economics assignment requires the selection and analysis of appropriate information, within a specified timescale, to allow for the development of a budget. The volume of information encountered will not see the assignment submitted within set deadlines if self management is not practised.
Information Technology Case study submission is word processed. Extensive use of spreadsheets for accounts/budget construction and commodity analysis Extensive data analysis using spreadsheets
Personal Development and Career planning Case study is based on a real life scenario which a student could be expected to encounter
Problem solving Financial statements and enterprise economics assignment allows students to develop own ideas on the future direction of case study farm. This will be based on own collection of data and own analysis.
Research skills
Subject Specific Skills Students will learn the principles of the accounting environment.
Team work

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 4