Opetussuunnitelma 2008 – HBA08SN (suomeksi)

LAUREA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

Degree Programme in Business Management, in English (Laurea Leppävaara, liko), HBA08SN

CURRICULUMS AT LAUREA

Learning Concept at Laurea

Universities of applied sciences have three tasks set by law: research and development, regional development, and
pedagogy. The integration of these tasks has led Laurea to seek solutions that optimise our ability to respond to
challenges. The aim is to produce graduates and who are investigative developers of their work and of the
workplace. We also hope to produce research-based development initiatives for the competence required at work,
with visible effects in our operating environments.
As members of an information society, we are caught in a flood of information. Information no longer has to be
provided; the most important thing is to learn to process and filter it to obtain important data to use and apply to
one’s own learning and development projects. Laurea also places importance on ensuring that students grow into
skilled experts. Participation in development projects allows students to handle real work processes and to learn to
use tools as concepts and skills. The work-oriented development projects provide learning for individuals and for the
target community. They also generate new knowledge for developing and reforming the labour market.


As members of an information society, we are caught in a flood of information. Information no longer has to be
provided; the most important thing is to learn to process and filter it to obtain important data to use and apply to
one’s own learning and development projects. Laurea also places importance on ensuring that students grow into
skilled experts. Participation in development projects allows students to handle real work processes and to learn to
use tools as concepts and skills. The work-oriented development projects provide learning for individuals and for the
target community. They also generate new knowledge for developing and reforming the labour market.

Learning environment

Laurea’s learning environment facilitates competence development for learners, organizations, region and partners.
The learning environment is a physical and psychological space that expresses the current culture, nature, time,
community and practices of development work. Thus, it forms a comprehensive operating environment for
competence development. The aim of the learning environment is to facilitate the achievement of learning results
while supporting the generation of new know-how and interaction within the operating environment. The learning
environment is an implementation of Laurea’s target-oriented development.
The learning environment utilizes internal and external networks and is in constant interaction with the world of work.
New knowledge and skills are acquired in authentic problem-solving and development tasks, which make the
complexity of the real world an object for competence development. Regional influence increases through enriching
communities and the networks that they form. Students use projects to learn the basics of networking, social skills
and communication with experts in the field. The meeting points between the industry and the study units are
significant in terms of the growth of expertise and competence development. Students grow into developers by
carrying out development tasks and by interacting in competence networks.


Students make use of diverse information sources and tools in their studies. Interactive learning environments are
used to create a framework for structuring learning so that it offers situations, challenges and tools that help learners
to utilize their own thought resources. The learning process becomes a continuous problem-solving process, with a
focus on research, development and generating new competence. Conscious and systematic development work is
used to formulate ideas and practices that boost development, and to generate new know-how. The result is a
creation, a new operating method, a model or a product.

The creation of innovative processes is easier in structures that allow space for informal creativity, innovation and
the promotion of things that motivate different participants internally. This work is characterised by communality and
a socio-cultural environment for learning. It is important to create a spirit of development.
Development work takes place in projects that combine competences from various fields of study. Project teams
consist of students, trainees, lecturers and workplace experts whose competences interact at the practical level.
Students use projects to complete study units, job placements or theses. Lecturers do not organize and set targets
for the project teams’ activities in advance; instead, the team members take joint responsibility for this. Students
receive experience of the culture of expertise and of working as equal experts. They increase their self-management
and set their own targets. Thus projects facilitate an unlimited learning process, where no glass ceilings are set by
curricula, textbooks or instruction. Learning by Developing enables individuality in learning.
Practical applications of innovative learning environments include initiatives and projects carried out as innovative
environments in networks, as well as various operating spaces designed for learning and development, skill hubs
and development labs. Work consists of collaboration based on shared expertise, which is supported by methods of
sharing competence, such as tutoring, lecturing sessions, demonstrations, team meetings, feedback events and
seminars.


Students

In Laurea’s work-oriented research and development projects, the concept of partnership implies cooperation
between lecturers, experts from the labour market and students. The cooperation is based on responsible
commitment to the project. All participants are seen as learners, because the development projects aim to produce
change and generate new things. Partnership also means mutual respect and appreciation for diverse skills. The
progress of the development project depends on sharing competence and building new competence out of different
areas of expertise. Students participate as partners who increase their competence by learning how to use new
tools and by taking part in various research and development initiatives. Competence is founded on research-based
knowledge, understanding the professional context, handling the necessary tasks and managing various workplace
situations, to the extent that these skills are needed for each student’s degree. In the development projects,
students learn as individuals while also participating in shared learning and in producing new know-how.

Lecturers

The role of lecturers in development projects can be described as that of an expert, a participant and a pedagogical
leader, who facilitates the students’ growth and development into experts in their fields. Laurea’s lecturers are in
other words researchers and developers, influential players in regional development and teachers.

Published reports by those teachers that work as researchers demonstrate the effectiveness of development
projects as reformers and developers of competence in the labour market. Some teacher act as developer and are
responsible for identifying and refining the processes of development projects. The third role of lecturers is in
workshops, which transmit and share cultural knowledge, and provide students with tools. Lecturership also involves
partnerships with the labour market. The industry experts participating in development projects contribute the
knowledge contained in workplace competence, while lecturers ensure that evidence-based data are available for
explaining this competence. They join forces to produce new know-how for developing and reforming the labour
market.

Competence evaluation

The evaluation of competence in Learning by Developing directs future choices and demonstrates how well targets
have been met. Competence is seen on the one hand as knowledge of information, skills and values, and on the
other hand as experiential competence, which includes individuals’ and their community’s know-how. Evaluation in a
development project looks at individuals’ and the project community’s learning, the progress and significance of
different processes, and the results achieved.
Evaluation is based on the objectives provided in the competence-based curriculum. These objectives define the
requirements that students have to meet to achieve their degrees. The generic competences describe the
competences shared by all Laurea students as meta-competence placed in a professional context. Themes, on the
other hand, define the substance of subject-specific competence, which is deepened by the generic competences.
The generic competences build a level of education needed at a higher education institution and at work;
meanwhile, the themes build competence needed for employment. The generic competences are defined on three
levels. Students choose the level they wish to achieve in each generic competence together with their tutors, and
these desired levels are used as a basis for the study plan. Progress in the generic competences is measured
qualitatively through portfolios. The study units are graded on a scale of 1 to 5. These grades are shown on the
students’ degree certificates.


LAUREA´S GENERIC COMPETENCES
Laurea´s generic competences

In addition to core competence in the field, five general areas have been defined at Laurea which are important for
professionals in all areas to master. These are called generic competences. The generic competences are
developed during the studies, and the level of competence is also evaluated. The curriculum’s generic competences
have been determined by analysing shared competences needed in different employment sectors in the future.
The shared generic competences for all degree programmes are:
· ethical competence
· globalisation competence
· innovative competence
· reflective competence
· network competence


Generic competences are closely linked to the contents of the study units.

The generic competences are structured through levels. Each competence has been categorized further, comprising
the personal competence level, organisational competence level and social reform level. The targeted generic
competence levels have been defined in the curriculum for each degree programme. All Laurea BA students must
reach at least the personal competence level in all generic competences. In the case of many generic competences,
the social reform level cannot be achieved until in connection with a Master’s degree.

Ethical competence

Morals refers to an individual’s conception of right and wrong, whereas ethics refers to moral choices to which the
individual is consciously committed. Ethics is a systematic attempt to understand moral conceptions. It consists of
ethical rules and principles, virtues and values. In the generic competence of ethical competence, morals and ethics
are fundamentally linked together, because students’ moral competence forms a basis for their ethical competence.
Ethical competence consists of four components: (1) ethical sensitivity; (2) ethical motivation; (3) moral-ethical
problem-solving; and (4) ethical implementation skills.

In order for student activities to be ethical, they must be sensitive to ethical problems contained in different
situations. Ethical sensitivity refers to the ability to recognise the special characteristics, needs, rights and
responsibilities of each party. It includes awareness of how one’s own actions affect other people’s well-being, and
involves envisaging and anticipating various action plans and their consequences for each party. Empathy and the
ability to put oneself in another’s position form the core of ethical sensitivity. Students also need knowledge of the
special characteristics of major customer groups and ethical problems in the sector. Ethical sensitivity is
characterised by professional interaction skills, which are a target for active development throughout each degree.

Ethical motivation refers to committing to moral-ethical values and taking responsibility for one’s own actions. The
students’ responsibility grows from the personal level to the communal and social levels. In order to develop their
ethical motivation, they must also know the value bases of their fields and participate in discussions on values.

Moral-ethical problem-solving refers to the ability to solve ethical problems through critical argumentation. It requires
consideration of various possible solutions, as well as knowledge and application of the ethical norms and
approaches of the field. Continuously developing competence includes the skill to solve problems in interpersonal
relationships, work communities, communities and the global environment, and the ability to justify these solutions.

Moral implementation skills refer to the ability to take target-oriented action to solve ethical problems (negotiation
and conflict-solving skills), as well as the courage to act in accordance with ethical values, even in complex
situations. In order for professional activities to be ethically sustainable, competence must be developed in all these
areas of ethical competence..

Levels of ethical competence

At the personal competence level, students are able to:
•    reflect on their own values and the consequences of their actions on other people’s well-being
•    work with a basis in the profession’s values, following ethical principles
•    apply the field’s ethical norms to problem-solving
•   examine situations from different parties’ perspectives
•   work in a tolerant and understanding way in multicultural networks
•   apply ethical principles to R&D projects


At the organisational development level, students are able to:
•    take into account the special characteristics, needs and rights of major customer groups in their work
•    build customer-oriented interactions and work dialogically
•    assume responsibility for the welfare of the community and the ethics of the work done
•    examine ethical issues from the point of view of the organisation and the community
•    develop fair methods of proceeding in their work


At the social reform level, students are able to:
•    critically reflect on their own attitudes and prejudices
•    actively participate in social debates on values
•    assume responsibility at social and global levels
•    make arguments in favour of fair social and global changes
•    solve conflicts and influence issues


Globalisation competence

Globalisation refers to series of events and processes that cause the world to merge into a single, all-encompassing
social system. In other words, globalisation refers to the processes by which things acquire worldwide scope.
‘Globalised’ refers to worldwide phenomena and the results of the globalisation process: a fully integrated world.
Sustainable development in relation to globalisation is a globalised political programme, whose aim is to increase
welfare with environmental responsibility, within the limits of environmental capacity.

Global interaction can be classified as financial, cultural, political or social interaction. The science of
globalisation also includes questions of ecology and biology. Sustainable development brings all these dimensions
together, with the aim of observing economic growth, cultural diversity, social welfare and ecology in politics and
practice.

Levels of globalisation competence:

At the personal competence level, students are able to:
•    make use of international sources of information in the field
•    take into account the effects and opportunities of multiculturalism and internationalisation on their fields
•    recognise the significance of their professional actions in relation to global interactions and sustainable
     development
•    evaluate their own value bases from the point of view of sustainable development and globalisation, and apply
     them to their work


At the organisational development level, students are able to:
•    take into account the effects of their own sector and its organisations on sustainable development, responsibility
     and international connections
•    promote the values of environmental and social responsibility in organisations in the sector, taking into account
     global interactions
•    apply responsibility for sustainable development to an organisation in the sector
•    work in international networks


At the social reform level, students are able to:
•    recognise the global nature of social issues and the characteristics of sustainable development
•    critically evaluate social values and practices from the point of view of sustainable development, taking into
     account global interactions
•   make arguments at social level, applying the principles of sustainable development and taking into account
    global effects


Innovative competence

All of the processes of our modern society are undergoing constant changes. Laurea has followed the examples of
the EU and Finland in choosing a positive attitude towards change as one of its strategic operating methods. The
aim is not just to cope with change but also to see it as an opportunity, which requires constant innovation in order
to be embraced. According to these strategies, future professionals must have abilities in innovation, so it is
essential to include innovative competence in Laurea’s generic competences.

Innovation refers to a novelty that is implemented to generate added value productively. There are three separate
elements to this definition: 1) novelty; 2) implementation; and 3) added value. In other words, an idea by itself is not
an innovation, nor does a wealth of ideas make a person an innovator.

The innovation process can be divided into three stages: continuous evaluation of the situation; generating
innovative ideas; and carrying out an implementation project. Innovation can take place on five levels: individual,
team, organisation, network and societal level.

At the personal innovation competence level, students learn to be innovative reformers at individual and
professional group levels. In addition, they should be able to participate in the implementation of change initiatives in
their immediate work environments.

At the organisational innovator level, students can start up innovation work in their own teams and use all the
innovation tools that exist in the organisation’s framework. In the increasingly network-oriented operating models of
the future, organisational innovators should also support active reforms as part of an informal network.

At the social innovator level, students can complete the tasks of the previous levels as well as continuously monitor
and analyse the operation of networks and the society. They can take larger frameworks into account in all change
processes and motivate people to work towards shared goals.

Levels of innovative competence:

At the personal competence level, students are able to:
•    analyse their own thought processes, knowledge and actions
•    plan, organise and develop their own work
•    set targets and turn them into appropriate, concrete actions
•    come up with new ideas, working creatively, expressing their thoughts and convincing others to participate in
     developing them
•    use various ideation methods
•    manage themselves, work during change and in diverse projects
•    conduct intermediate and final evaluations of a project


At the organisational development level, students are able to:
•    monitor and analyse an organisation’s work processes and results
•    use benchmarking in developing their work
•    use diverse teamwork methods
•    lead projects, processes and networks or participate in leading them in ways that inspire commitment in others
•    link innovation to an organisation’s strategic targets
•    take into account the nature and demands of innovation work


At the social reform level, students are able to:
•    gather ideas from a network, convince others of them and link them to the social framework
•    ensure that participants in innovation work are sufficiently committed (guidance, encouragement)
•    create and commercialise innovations
•    participate productively in innovation networks, and identify and investigate innovation mechanisms
Reflective competence




Reflection constitutes critical analysis of the principles, starting points and consequences of one’s actions.
Reflection can target the present moment or the past.

In the reflection of earlier experiences, an individual gives meaning to events. A new meaning makes development
possible. As cognitive skills and concepts develop, an individual is able to deal with broader entities, differentiate
phenomena and observe new ones more clearly.

In reflection of the present moment, simple, previously unconscious routine actions become conscious activity. In
critical reflection, an individual’s whole meaning-producing perspective changes as tacit knowledge becomes visible,
transforming learned matters into action. Critical reflection implies a relationship with communities, concepts and
theories.

Thus reflection is a thought process. Reflection is dialogue and problem-solving based on proven arguments. In
open dialogue between people, different perspectives provide new challenges. Learners participating in dialogue
can look at different perspectives in order to create shared meanings. Deep thought gives time and space for
solving encountered problems by examining and investigating them using research methods.

In order to extend their understanding of themselves in relation to other students, customers, work communities or
writers, students need skills in self-examination, critical peer evaluation and analysis of their own resources. Self-
management emphasises communality and shared participation. Critical awareness helps students to identify their
own learning opportunities and the factors that affect them. Shared reflection on their own activities allows students
to test their thoughts and share them with others. Reflection means professional growth and competence led by
human metacognitive abilities. In the process of becoming an expert, reflection forms part of an investigative and
developmental approach towards work.

Levels of reflective competence:

At the personal competence level, students are able to:
•    evaluate their own learning and competence and formulate a personal development plan
•    identify development challenges and understand problems
•    develop their competence independently and with others, and share what they have learnt in a work community
•    assume a role in a group/team
•    acquire and analyse information systematically


At the organisational development level, students are able to:
•    work dialogically, collaboratively and with self-evaluation
•    evaluate their self-management and professional competence as part of a community
•    evaluate their own work as part of a group, community or professional field
•    work during change, identifying and making use of various opportunities for learning and action
•    critically justify the principles of their work
•    apply the concepts of development challenges appropriately


At the social reform level, students are able to:
•    analyse their own actions in relation to social and historical backgrounds
•    evaluate and develop the functionality of regional operating methods and models
•    evaluate systematic information that has been structured, produced and written, and develop social activities on
     the basis of it


Network competence
The generic competence of network competence encompasses a broad range of competences, from individual
communication skills to organisation networking and strategic network leadership. Communication is essential to
communality and a functioning society. Only with communication can we create shared meanings. Networking and
the development of network processes are fuelled by interpersonal and interorganisational communication. In order
for social and economic structures to become networked, new kinds of skills and attitudes are needed in the
network’s participants. Dialogue and interaction are essential resources of a networked society. Laurea’s aim is to
promote and develop its students’ network competence in diverse ways, creating innovative network competence
models.

Network competence refers to time-based management of internal and external efficiency in order to significantly
increase the efficiency of common practices. Network competence can include networking and network leadership.
Network competence and strategic networks are often synonymous. Networking, on the other hand, is a
cooperation model for companies and organisations, and may involve operators from various fields. Network
leadership is the model used to manage a network.

Network competence is largely based on the communication skills of the people participating in the networks in
question. Without communication and interaction, there can be no functioning networks. Organisations must be able
to operate flexibly in a changing operating environment and also to influence the development of the environment. A
learning organisation has communication and interaction skills as a central tool for creating functioning networks and
developing network competence.

The generic competence examines network competence on three levels. The personal competence level (basic
level) focuses on developing communication skills and participation in networks. This is the basic level of network
competence, which must be mastered by all Laurea students. It is important for students to obtain good
communication skills in order to communicate effectively in various situations. Students must also be able to take on
active, target-oriented roles in networks.

The organisational developer level (intermediate level) centres on understanding the strategic significance of
network competence and partnerships, as well as on analysing and reflecting on his or her own actions from the
point of view of the company. Graduates must be able to identify strategic partnerships, promote the organisation’s
networking with their actions and create new network relationships. The most important thing is a proactive,
developmental approach towards network operations.

The social reformer level (advanced level) requires the ability to analyse the operation of entire strategic networks
in relation to their environment. This level is achieved by top experts in network competence. Graduates have the
ability to lead strategic networks (orchestration) and to anticipate complex social development trends (visioning).

Levels of network competence:

At the personal competence level, students are able to:
•    present things in writing, verbally and visually using various communication styles
•    act in situations requiring professional communication and interaction
•    identify various team work models and work in teams
•    participate collaboratively and actively in a network
•    take into account cultural differences and work with people with different cultural backgrounds


At the organisational development level, students are able to:
•    participate in and manage negotiations
•    participate in group communications
•    communicate on topics related to their specialist fields to a lay audience
•    develop the networked operations of a professional organisation
•    take initiatives in developing a network


At the social reform level, students are able to:
•    work as experts in communication situations
•    plan communications from a strategic point of view, and work with the media
•   initiate networked operations and lead a strategic network
•   adopt a developmental and predictive approach to work, and influence the work environment
•   monitor and analyse networks’ operating models


European higher education area

LAUREA´S COMPETENCE-BASED CURRICULUM FORMS PART OF THE EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION
AREA

Finnish higher education institutions have reformed their curricula in accordance with the Bologna Process, i.e., the
creation of the European Higher Education Area. The EU’s strategic targets for education also apply to Finnish
education. Each country has its own education system; this diversity is still taken into account, but cooperation and
mobility are also needed to allow the citizens of different countries to benefit from the diversity, rather than turning it
into a restriction. The Bologna Process started in 1999 at a conference of ministers responsible for higher education.
After that, Ministerial Conferences have been arranged regularly, with the latest one in Leuven in 2009. Currently
the process involves 46 countries, some from outside the EU. The aim of the Bologna Process is to establish a
consistent, compatible and attractive Higher Education Area in Europe by 2010.

The objectives of the process are:
• adoption of easily readable degree structures
• adoption of comparable degree structures
• establishment of a system of credits
• promotion of European cooperation in quality assurance
• increasing mobility
• participation of higher education and students
• lifelong learning
• promotion of European dimensions in higher education
• cooperation between higher education and research


To promote the adoption of easily readable, comparable degrees, the process has created a system based on two
main cycles: undergraduate (Bachelor level) and graduate (Master level). Finland has adapted its degree structure
to align it with this European objective. In universities of applied sciences, the two-cycle degree is implemented in a
way that students obtain a Bachelor’s degree, after which they have the opportunity of obtaining a Master’s degree.
The requirement for Master’s degrees is an undergraduate degree plus three years’ work experience. The long-term
objective is that approximately 20 per cent of Bachelor’s-degree graduates will take a Master’s degree.

The establishment of a system of credits refers to the ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System).
Most European countries are adopting this credit system based on the amount of work in each academic year. In
the ECTS, one year of study produces 60 credits. The ECTS was adopted more than ten years ago; initially it
applied primarily to student exchanges, but now all credit accumulation (previously transfer) measurements are
made according to the system. Finnish universities of applied sciences adopted ECTS credits in 2005.

The ECTS is a student-centric system, based on the student workload needed to achieve the targets set for each
degree. The students’ learning process is intended to be the focal point of curricula, which define learning outcomes
and competences. Curricula should move away from a focus on individual subjects and the starting points of
teaching towards a model that observes the holistic development of students and supports professional growth. This
model is referred to as the competence-based curriculum.

From the point of view of promoting mobility, curricula must be internationally understandable. The aim of
standardising the structures and learning targets of degrees is to improve the conditions for mobility within and
between higher education institutions during the studies, and also in the workplace, after graduation. In terms of the
recognition and comparability of degrees taken in different countries, it is important to link learning outcomes to
concrete competence requirements and definitions in the labour market. These are the objectives of the “Tuning
Educational Structures in Europe” project. It has defined a number of shared generic competences that are
independent of subjects and fields of study, as well as subject-specific (professional) competences for certain
degrees.
Laurea’s competence-based curriculum takes into account the demands of the Common European Framework.
Studies are accumulated in the form of credits, while study units are larger entities. Competence is defined in terms
of the students’ learning outcomes. The generic competences defined at Laurea correspond with the national and
European learning outcomes considering the generic competencies and the objectives set for Bachelor-level
degrees in the “Joint Quality Initiative” -network. Comparisons have shown globalisation and innovative competence
in particular to be unique, so they are well suited to describing the competence produced at Laurea from the point of
view of an international university of applied sciences specialising in service innovations. Laurea’s innovative efforts
in relation to the competence-based core curriculum are a proactive response to the challenges of international
competitiveness in the Helsinki metropolitan area. Currently resources are being directed towards further enhancing
the quality of the curriculum’s implementations in generating new competence and innovations for Laura’s operating
environment.

Bologna Process
http://www.minedu.fi/OPM/Koulutus/artikkelit/bologna/index.html

Tuning Educational Structures in Europe
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/educ/tuning/tuning_en.html

Operating environment

Globalisation and information technology change existing business models and require not only strong basic
business knowledge but also new skills.

A changing business environment requires innovativeness, the ability to anticipate changes and change
management skills. The ability to analyse and develop business operations is essential. Working in a dynamic and
networked business environment requires versatile communication skills, ethical management and the ability to
utilise the potential offered by information technology. Services will be an essential part of all business operations
as, in the future, immaterial goods will account for the major part of economic growth. The role of knowledge-
intensive business services will increase in Finland as in the other OECD countries. Success in a multicultural
market requires customer and consumer-oriented business processes.

The features of the new phase of social development – late Modernism – are loosely knit organisations and
consortia, a decrease in the significance of time and place, and a shift in focus from manufacture to service
production. Economic growth is to a greater extent based on immaterial goods and human capital, while human
resources become essential factors of production. Companies invest more than before in research and
development, training, organisational development, marketing and software. The shift from manufacturing to
services changes the relationship between industry and services, also emphasising the role that services play in
competitiveness.

Globalisation, the use of information and communication technology and innovation will continue to be features of
the economic environment. High-quality research, active international cooperation and a focus of operations on core
competences will be the bases for competitiveness.

Companies respond to changes in their operating environment by adjusting the business models. The most
important ways are focusing on core operations, networking and the utilisation of information technology. Changes
in business models lead to changes in the skills required. Knowledge and knowledge management are emphasised
more than before. The operations, processes and information systems of networked companies will allow the
information needed for managing and monitoring business operations to be available in the whole network in real
time. The combination of new business models and information technology creates innovation potential, which
requires diverse intercultural skills.

Expertise

The expertise of graduates in Business Management is based on varied business theories. The recent great
paradigms of business theory development can be divided into the periods of industrial and transitional economies
and the period of information economy. The periods of industrial and transitional economies are characterised by
contingency theory thinking, according to which a company or organisation must adjust its activities to respond to
outside influences.
During the period of information economy, capability theory thinking has taken ground. According to the capability
theory, companies and organisations can influence their own surroundings by utilising their capabilities. Capability
theories began being widely accepted in the 2000’s and form the basis for the professional and knowledge-based
competence of graduates in Business Management.

A changing business environment requires innovation, the ability to anticipate changes and change management
skills. The ability to analyse and develop business operations is essential. Business Management graduates have
the required professional knowledge and skills to act as innovators in their fields. Working in a dynamic and
networked business environment requires versatile communication skills, ethical management and the ability to
utilise the potential offered by information technology.

Competence development process

Professional growth is based on recognising and reflecting on students’ own performance, and on students’
willingness to develop into an investigative and development-oriented professional in the field.

During the programme, students develop competences in recognising areas of development in the workplace,
turning them into development projects and carrying out these projects. They learn to adopt these skills in the
context of Learning by Developing.

Attention is paid in the curriculum to the systematic progress of students from the basic level to the advanced level.
Professional growth starts with familiarisation with networked business operations, business operating environments
and clusters, business operations and processes, rules and regulations. Professional growth and the talent to
produce new knowledge are supplemented by the information management, communication and interaction skills
required in a multicultural business environment. From studying the basics of business operations, students move
on to setting up business operations and to questions relating to the commercialisation of new products and service
innovations.

Professional knowledge- and skill-based competences are strengthened by ethical, globalisation, innovation and
network competences. Students systematically reflect on the development of acquired competences within the
professional growth process.

Having successfully completed the compulsory themes, students deepen their competences in accordance with
their personal study plans. Optional studies and the thesis give further depth to the personal study plan and help
students to obtain roles as innovators in their selected fields. Business Management graduates understand the
opportunities for continuous updating of their competences and see the Bachelor of Business Administration studies
as part of a lifelong learning process.

Description of the Degree Programme

The programme is based on Compulsory Studies, focusing on skills relating to business operations (150 ECTS
credits). This includes the themes Company and Business Operating Environments, Innovative Business Models
and Strategies and Practices in a Network Economy, which are combined with job placements and the thesis.

Optional themes (30 ECTS credits) give further depth to business skills. Students can select from two optional
themes: Managing a Business in the Global Marketplace and Global Approach to Service Marketing.

The degree contains 30 ECTS credits in elective studies, which can be selected within the programme,other fields of
study, common studies at Laurea or from other higher education institutions.
                                                         1. year       2. year       3. year    4. year
OP      STUDIES                                                60            60            60         30
101     COMPANY AND BUSINESS OPERATING
        ENVIRONMENTS
00302   Industries and Business Operating Environments         10
00303   Business Operations and Processes                      10
00304   Professional Skills to Support Business                15
        Operations
00463   Business Communication Skills                              5
00305   Basic Finnish                                              5
00636   Written skills in Finnish                                  0
00637   Oral skills in Finnish                                     0
00792   Företaget i fokus                                          5
00634   Oral skills in Swedish                                     0
00635   Written skills in Swedish                                  0
102     INNOVATIVE BUSINESS MODELS
00307   Business Opportunities and Setting Up a                              10
        Business
00308   Commercialisation of Products and Services             15
00309   Job Placement 1, Degree Programme in                   15
        Business Management
00310   Intermediate Finnish                                                     5
00793   Nordiskt och internationellt                                             5
103     STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES IN A
        NETWORK ECONOMY
00312   From Strategy to Practice                                            20
00313   Leadership in a Network Economy                                      10
00316   Highlighting a Target Market                                             5
00472   Organisational Learning                                                  5
00478   Global Operating Environment                                         10
104     MANAGING A BUSINESS IN THE GLOBAL
        MARKETPLACE
00314   Strategic B-to-B Marketing Management in a                                         20
        Global Context
00742   International Sales and Key Account                                                10
        Management
00315   Job Placement 2, Degree Programme in                                               15
        Business Management
00317   Customer Relationship Management from the
        Perspective of Supply Chain Management
00318   Managing International Risks (excluding
        Financial Risks)
00319   Design and Brand Management
00019   Service Innovations in Business Development
00320   Developing Service Innovations
00321   Financial Management                                                 10
00878   Service Innovations in Business Development
106          GLOBAL APPROACH TO SERVICE
             MARKETING
00322        Developing and Managing Services in an                                20
             International Context
00323        Business Research in Services Context                                             10
00327        Business -to-Business Marketing
00324        Personal Selling and Key Account Management
00325        Selling Fun, Feeling and Fantasies - Marketing
             Services to Consumers
00326        Service Business Development - Running a
             Business
107          THESIS
00488        Maturity test (in English)                                                         0
00489        Maturity test (in Finnish)                                                         0
00490        Maturity test (in Swedish)                                                         0
00344        Thesis                                                                            15
127          LAUREA'S COMMON STUDIES
154          ELECTIVE STUDIES
00352        Advanced Finnish                                                                   5
00436        Preparatory Studies in English                                3
00204        Working Spanish 1
00506        Initial Test in Swedish                                       0
00507        Preparatory Studies in Swedish                                3
00388        Preparatory Studies in Finnish (as Mother tongue)
00570        Preperatory Studies in Swedish                                3
00718        Professional Finnish
                                                                          60       60          60            30

Annual themes and competences
Study                                                            Extent        Competences
00302              Industries and Business Operating             10            Globalisaatio-osaamisen
                   Environments                                                kuvaus (H)
00303              Business Operations and Processes             10            Eettisen osaamisen kuvaus (H)
00304              Professional Skills to Support Business       15            Reflektio-osaamisen kuvaus
                   Operations                                                  (H), Verkosto-osaamisen
                                                                               kuvaus (H)
00307              Business Opportunities and Setting Up a       10            Verkosto-osaamisen kuvaus (O)
                   Business
00308              Commercialisation of Products and Services    15            Innovaatio-osaamisen kuvaus
                                                                               (H)
00312              From Strategy to Practice                     20            Globalisaatio-osaamisen
                                                                               kuvaus (O), Reflektio-
                                                                               osaamisen kuvaus (O)
00313              Leadership in a Network Economy               10            Eettisen osaamisen kuvaus
                                                                               (O), Innovaatio-osaamisen
                                                                               kuvaus (O)
H - Personal competence level
O - Organisational development level
Y - Social reform level
101 COMPANY AND BUSINESS OPERATING ENVIRONMENTS, 45 cr

Description:
Students will be able to acquire information on business operating environments, business operations and
processes. They will understand the principles influencing business models and operations.


00302 Industries and Business Operating Environments, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• recognise the most essential industries and clusters in the operating environment
• describe business networks in the operating environment
• observe the structures and processes in the operating environment
• recognise different types of business models and earnings logic
• compare factors influencing profit and assets of different types of companies
• follow and analyse economic phenomena in relation to an organisation
• use mathematics in practical business situations

Contents of the study unit:
• actors and clusters in the operating environment
• structure of national economy and global economy
• stakeholder groups
• business models and earnings logic
• principles in business mathematics

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is to understand different types of organisations, differences in their
business operations and the relationship between an organisation and its operating environment. Student will learn
how different types of organisations form clusters, and adopt the principles of global responsibility and sustainable
development as part of their professional identities.


00303 Business Operations and Processes, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• model core and support business processes
• understand order-delivery process
• adapt the rules and regulations governing business in the workplace
• carry out accounting for a small company
• understand the relationship between business operations and processes and their role in creating added value for
customers
• recognise the role of values in business operations
• understand the significance of information systems

Contents of the study unit:
• basic business operations
• process thinking in business (core and support processes)
• process modelling
• responsibility in business operations
• legal thinking in business
• financial accounting
• logistics
• information systems supporting business operations and processes

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is to describe business operations holistically, and to see the significance
of different parts and their interrelations as part of a customer-driven business.
Competence is based on analysing operations and the processes of a company. Students will master the basic
principles of accounting, law and logistics. Students will recognise the role of ethical values, confidence and
responsibility in business operations.


00304 Professional Skills to Support Business Operations, 15 cr

The student is able to:
• retrieve information from internal and external sources
• rewrite and analyse information from the angle of the problem under research
• draw conclusions on the basis of the information
• work in projects
• work in multicultural teams and environments
• master basic computer skills
• recognise ethical principles in research and development
• assess his/her competences, define the needs for development and recognise his/her learning style
• implement a personal study plan

Contents of the study unit:
• information sourcing skills
• principles of research and development
• personal computing and use of computer networks
• principles of teamwork
• principles of project work
• cultural features and working in multicultural teams
• personal study plan

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is the ability to apply an investigative and development-oriented approach
to work when considering business operations and the operating environment. Students will be able to solve
problems in their own field and work in projects in a multicultural environment. Students will acquire information
technology skills and will be able to use them in different professional situations.


00463 Business Communication Skills, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• understand basic terminology used in business English, and be able to use this terminology in free discussion
• produce the key written documents belonging to the ordering process
• produce a formal written report based on external source material and using house style
• give an effective oral presentation on business topics

Contents of the study unit:
• articles, exercises, cases related to business topics
• business letters (inquiry, request for quotation, quotation, order, job application, C.V.)
• structural, linguistic, source and layout requirements of a formal written report, with special regard to Laurea’s in-
house standards
• factors of language, metacommunication and visual aids required in oral presentation work

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is the ability to apply English to business situations requiring written and
oral communications skill.


00305 Basic Finnish, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• learn the main principles of the Finnish language
• understand and use the most common expressions in Finnish in everyday situations

Contents of the study unit:
• everyday situations (e.g. requesting and giving information, travelling by public transport, using a post office)
• discussions about everyday subjects (oneself, family, living conditions, etc.)
• basic grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation

Study unit description:
The course provides an introduction to the Finnish language. Students will reach level A1 in accordance with the
Common European Framework.


00636 Written skills in Finnish, 0 cr


00637 Oral skills in Finnish, 0 cr


00792 Företaget i fokus, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• communicate orally and in writing in Swedish in the business world
• read and discuss articles on business and economy
• describe their education and worktasks

Contents of the study unit:
• company's functions and organisation
• internal and external communication
• business terminology
• current issues in the business world

Study unit description:
Students attain at least skill level B1.2 as defined in the Common European Framework.


00634 Oral skills in Swedish, 0 cr

Study unit description:
This study unit is for evaluating oral skills in Swedish.


00635 Written skills in Swedish, 0 cr

Study unit description:
This study unit is for evaluating written skills in Swedish.


102 INNOVATIVE BUSINESS MODELS, 45 cr

Description:
Students will recognise business opportunities in a business operating environment. They will be able to create a
business model suitable for the business idea and to set up a business. They can design innovative products and/or
services and commercialise them.

The student will be able to:
• compare and assess different business and service models
• create and concretise business opportunities
• design and commercialise products and services
• create and develop partnerships and networks
• sell and market products and services in B-to-B and B-to-C markets
• understand the cultural impact in marketing
• assess their own possibilities to become an entrepreneur
• analyse the opportunities in the business operating environment
• set up a business
Content:
Students will build confidence in taking initiatives and adopting a development-oriented approach to work. They will
be capable of solving problems in the field. The competence gained in the theme is the skill to look for and analyse
business opportunities, to create a suitable business model and business plan for a business idea, and the to set up
a business. Students will learn to develop a product or service for a company and to commercialise it.


00307 Business Opportunities and Setting Up a Business, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• recognise their entrepreneurial skills
• analyse customer needs and look for competitive advantages
• find and assess business opportunities
• make business models and earnings logic in line with a business idea
• create a realistic and customer-driven business plan
• create partnerships and networks and recognise strategic partnerships
• use research methods to analyse business operations
• set up a business
• use research methods to analyse business operations

Contents of the study unit:
• value nets and partnerships
• business and service models
• internal and external company analyses
• research methods used in analysis
• business idea, business model and business plan
• planning the financing of a start-up company
• managing risk in a start-up company
• forms of enterprise
• business law

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is the skill to look for and assess business opportunities, to create a
realistic business model and to plan and compile the necessary documents to set up a company. Students will learn
to recognise their entrepreneurial skills and become familiar with economic, legal and social responsibilities related
to business operations. Competence is the ability to recognise customers and how added value can be produced for
them.


00308 Commercialisation of Products and Services, 15 cr

The student is able to:
• research and analyse customers and markets
• develop financially profitable, innovative and customer-driven products and services
• master cost accounting and pricing
• market and sell products and services
• understand the cultural impact of marketing
• establish and develop customer relationships
• protect the product against competitors

Contents of the study unit:
• innovation process and innovation systems
• product/service development process
• marketing products and services in B-to-B and B-to-C markets
• cultural factors affecting marketing
• establishing and developing customer relationships
• design and commercialisation
• distribution channels
• cost accounting and pricing
• market law, product safety and product liability
• intellectual property rights (IPR)

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is the ability to develop and design profitable products and services and to
market and sell the innovations. Competence is based on researching customer needs and market situations and on
understanding the importance of the customer and the market.


00309 Job Placement 1, Degree Programme in Business Management, 15 cr

The student is able to:
• apply the acquired knowledge and skill-based competences
• look for well-grounded development ideas for work procedures

Contents of the study unit:
• job placement

Study unit description:
Students will develop their competences in business operations.


00310 Intermediate Finnish, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• communicate in simple situations and routine tasks
• write simple texts
• understand the main points in messages and Finnish speech at normal speed about familiar subjects.

Contents of the study unit:
• everyday life, work, studying, daily and weekly routines
• everyday situations (shopping for food & clothes, going to a restaurant, etc.)
• grammar (e.g. past tense, local cases, question words, words describing time)

Study unit description:
Students will deepen their knowledge of the basics of the Finnish language and culture in order to reach level A2 in
accordance with the Common European Framework.


00793 Nordiskt och internationellt, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• klara sig i exportverksamhet förekommande kontakter
• genomföra och dokumentera möten och förhandlingar
• beakta kulturskillnader i nordiska sammanhang

Contents of the study unit:
• förhandlingar och kundkontakter
• nordisk arbetskultur
• olika kontaktnät

Study unit description:
Studeranden når nivå B1.2. enligt den europeiska referensramen för språk (CEF).


103 STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES IN A NETWORK ECONOMY, 30 cr

Description:
Overall objective:
Students will understand that companies, as well as other types of organisations, can influence their operating
environment and achieve productivity and profitability benefits by forming specific types of strategic networks.

The student will be able to:
• understand strategic thinking
• manage an organisation in line with strategy
• manage and develop competences in an organisation
• develop organisational structures
• act as a member of a networked organisation
• create partnerships and act as a partner in a local and global/international environment
• promote creativity
• manage and develop human resources in a work community
• manage and develop an organisation
• identify and control local and global strategic risks

Content:
The theme provides competence that enables students to lead and manage a project, team, community or
organisation, and to influence issues in a network of experts. Students will understand that networked organisations
operate with a basis in expertise and competence instead of the management of hierarchies.


00312 From Strategy to Practice, 20 cr

The student is able to:
• create plans ranging from a vision to the evaluation of operations
• master the concepts and functions of strategic planning
• define the major factors of global/international operations
• recognise the opportunities and principles of internationalisation
• use the decision-making tools and methods of strategic planning
• analyse financial statements and calculate key figures of business operations
• create action plans for an organisation
• discuss budgeting and its role in planning, control and decision making
• embed IT in operations, organisation and management

Contents of the study unit:
• strategic thinking and dimensions:competence as competitive factor, capability-based strategies, network
economy, globalisation, strategic perspective of information technology, strategic planning process
• analysis as a basis for a strategy: analysis of the operating environment, financial statement analysis, forecasting
• preparing the strategic plan:vision and objectives, strategy, international business plans
• management and control: implementation of strategy, budgeting, planning and control, balanced scorecard,
management decision making, business intelligence, information management, managing risks

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is an understanding of strategic management in business operations, and
of the principles of strategic positioning. Students will learn how to use the basic tools of strategic analysis and to
formulate strategic objectives and relate them through strategy implementation and action plans.


00313 Leadership in a Network Economy, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• understand the difference between management and leadership
• create partnerships and partnership networks in a global/international environment
• manage knowledge and innovations in networks
• create and sustain an entrepreneurial atmosphere in an organisation

Contents of the study unit:
• leadership in an expert organisation
• leadership in networked organisations
• enhancement of innovations, innovation networks
• creation of partnership networks
• career planning
• knowledge management in networked organisations
• human resources management and networked organisations
• employment law
• organizational ethics
• internal communication

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is an understanding of the role of management and leadership as a key
issue in creating organisational competences and managing strategic networks.


00316 Highlighting a Target Market, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• master a specific business operating environment
• carry out market research
• make innovative use of the business potential offered by a market
• operate in a specific business culture

Contents of the study unit:
• economic operating environment
• market research
• history, culture, business culture
• suitability and use of different international operation modes
• business potential in the market

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is knowledge of a market area. Students will understand the opportunities
offered by the market learn to use them for business potential and to build an international career.


00472 Organisational Learning, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• apply various learning disciplines for an organisation and describe, employ and evaluate techniques in achieving
the learning organisations
• understand how to increase the learner's capacity to learn while also developing strategies to increase their
organisation's capacity to learn
• analyse competencies related to developing a learning organsation through activity in organisations

Contents of the study unit:
• tradition and concepts of organisational learning
• individual and team learning
• learning disciplines: systems thinking, personal mastery, mental models, team learning and shared vision effect
learning
• organisational memory
• supporting operations of a learning organisation with different information systems

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is the ability to understand the possibilities of building high performing
learning organisations. The focus is on the processes through which the organisation as a system learns and and on
the processes that allow the organisation to take in, use, develop, and retain knowledge.


00478 Global Operating Environment, 10 cr

The student is able to:
•acquire and analyse global economic information
•assess the economic performance of different countries
•recognise different regional economic areas, their features and the different forms of international co-operation
•interpret phenomena in the global economy from a business perspective
•compare different exchange rate policies
•become familiar with the European Union as an institution
•be aware of the legal risks concerning international co-operation

Contents of the study unit:
•theories of international trade and investment
•patterns of world trade
•protectionism
•regional economic integration and international economic organizations
•balance of payments
•exchange rate systems
•international money and currency markets
•powers and responsibilities of EU institutions
•competition policy in European Union
•main legal orders in the world

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is the ability to acquire, analyse and use information on global economic
phenomena from a business perspective. Also understanding of the significance of legal orders and the European
law to successful business, will grow stronger

Previous studies:
Core professional competences.


104 MANAGING A BUSINESS IN THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE, 45 cr

Description:
Students will be able to work professionally in various positions in the field of international sales and marketing and
understand the strategic and operational issues enterprises face when looking for new international opportunities.
Students can analyse market information, processes and other data, and are able to plan and implement various
practical solutions in order to maintain the company’s competitive advantage. Students will also acquire skills to
create and maintain long-lasting, profitable networks and partnerships.

The student will be able to:
• identify real market expectations and demand opportunities in the global marketplace
• recognise the key economic drivers of global sales growth
• understand the financial concerns of global supply chains
• determine the profitability of a global enterprise and true global value enhancements
• create the framework to transform sales, distribution and logistics functions for success in the global marketplace
• reorganise functions to support global business objectives
• examine the financial and operational characteristics of a global enterprise
• understand the financial requirements of operating globally
• identify key issues and risks in international operations

Content:
The importance of business networks has increased significantly in recent years, and is expected to increase
further. The theme is intended to give students insight into how to deal with the challenges that companies face in
today’s global economy. Students will understand that the changing, dynamic business environment requires
innovativeness, the ability to anticipate changes and skills in managing networks to the company’s advantage.

The competence gained in the theme is the ability to analyse, develop and execute strategically sound business
operations in global networked markets. Particular attention will be devoted to issues of international B-to-B
marketing management and running business operations in a global environment.


00314 Strategic B-to-B Marketing Management in a Global Context, 20 cr
The student is able to:
• plan and execute B-to-B marketing in various business areas and cultural environments
• seek and analyse information on different market areas
• develop customer relations and understand the relationships throughout the supply chain
• understand the role of network knowledge in business development
• understand the significance of integrated marketing communication and the impact of culture on communication

Contents of the study unit:
• managing global business in complex B-to-B environments
• international market entry modes
• implementing research projects in B-to-B markets
• integrated B-to-B marketing communications
• managing business processes
• planning and managing business processes

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is the ability to develop and manage complicated B-to-B operations in
global networks. Students will understand value creation and service concepts in the business process. Specific
skills are provided in the study unit to manage integrated marketing communications. Students will be able to
conduct market research to develop new customer relationships.


00742 International Sales and Key Account Management, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• determine and implement key account management strategies
• communicate and negotiate in a demanding business environment
• manage sales organizations
• manage bids, sales negotiations, closing of deals and assessment of customer profitability
• use consistent and analytical customer information

Contents of the study unit:
• key account management
• developing customer relationships
• managing sales organisations
• sales techniques
• negotiation skills

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is the ability to plan and manage international negotiation and sales
processes. Specific skills are provided in the study unit to negotiate the creation of added value with demanding key
accounts.


00315 Job Placement 2, Degree Programme in Business Management, 15 cr

The student is able to:
• assess professional competences gained and competence requirements in the workplace
• participate in an expert organisation and develop organisational operations
• reflect together with others on own values and the values of industry
• reflect on own feelings and thoughts

Contents of the study unit:
• job placement

Study unit description:
Students will develop competences in business operations and in the work environment.


00317 Customer Relationship Management from the Perspective of Supply Chain Management, 10 cr
The student is able to:
• master the basics of customer relation management (CRM)
• master the basics of supply chain management (SCM)
• master the basics of efficient consumer response (ECR)
• master the basics of e-commerce
• retrieve information from internal and external sources
• analyse a case from CRM, SCM, ECR and/or e-commerce perspectives
• draw conclusions on the basis of the information
• find new innovative ways to combine CRM, SCM, ECR and/or e-commerce in practice

Contents of the study unit:
• Strategic networks
• CRM (= customer relationship management)
• SCM (= supply chain management)
• ECR (= efficient consumer response)
• e-commerce

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is the ability to adopt a development-oriented and investigative approach
towards work through mastering CRM, SCM, ECR and e-commerce.


00318 Managing International Risks (excluding Financial Risks), 10 cr

The student is able to:
• understand risk as part of business strategy and international business operations
• know different risk definitions and categories
• identify and assess loss exposures
• use risk management tools
• use existing research in risk assessment
• make suggestions on how to manage risks

Contents of the study unit:
• risk categories
• risks in an international operating environment
• risks in international marketing
• risks in international human resource management
• risks related to business networks
• risks in international projects
• risk management process

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is the ability to adapt risk management processes to international business
operations.


00319 Design and Brand Management, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• recognise the demands of an innovative advertising environment
• develop successful advertising projects with partners and associates
• recognise the difference between national and international advertising
• identify the essential elements in building corporate image and brands
• embed the idea of design management within a company

Contents of the study unit:
• advertising and brands as part of business strategies
• managing advertising value chains in the advertising industry
• developing and managing brands and media
• design management and corporate image
• research and analysis in international advertising

Study unit description:
The study unit provides competence in analysing, developing and implementing international advertising strategies
and operations. Students will understand the steps of advertising hierarchy linked to corporate image and sub-
brands, and can manage the working relationship between advertisers and media owners.


00019 Service Innovations in Business Development, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• analyse the competence of the region and of organisations and set suitable development objectives
• carry out an objective-oriented development project
• generate new solutions, services and service systems
• assess their usefulness in terms of the profitability of either a start-up company or an existing business
• understand the effects of their own actions in an open network for the sector
• promote creativity with their actions

Contents of the study unit:
• familiarisation with major regional and national development strategies
• creating a context and knowledge base
• planning, implementing and evaluating the development process
• working in a shared expertise group as part of an innovation network
• analysing development and information needs
• evaluating the usefulness of generated solutions, services, products or systems
• copyright issues

Study unit description:
The competence gained in this study unit forms the basis of target-oriented developmental competence in promoting
business operations. The framework is the promotion of innovations and related entrepreneurship. A development
project is carried out to produce new competence for cluster interfaces and evaluate the added value generated by
the competence for a network. Multidisciplinary teams are formed on the basis of the competence needs of each
development project.

Previous studies:
Developing Service Innovations or equivalent knowledge.


00320 Developing Service Innovations, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• specify development objectives based on the development needs of businesses and of the region
• participate in partnership networks
• work efficiently in a team and act in an influential way in an expert organisation
• assess capabilities, work and results against development objectives
• use the tools and methods of applied research and development
• implement and report a target-oriented development project

Contents of the study unit:
• defining need for development
• creating a context and knowledge base
• planning, implementing and assessing a development process
• working in professional teams with multiple expertise

Study unit description:
Students will implement a target-oriented development project, in which the competence consists of development
skills using investigative work methods. The project will be defined in accordance with Laurea’s Research and
Development clusters.
00321 Financial Management, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• make financial decisions for organisations
• plan the finances of an organisation including capital structure decisions
• make investment decisions
• prepare and interpret a financial statement analysis of an organisation
• describe ways to evaluate risk

Contents of the study unit:
• corporate finance
• investment decisions
• financial statement analysis
• risk management and instruments

Study unit description:
The study unit will provide an overview of the managerial decision-making process in the area of finance. Various
tools of financial analysis and planning are introduced.


00878 Service Innovations in Business Development, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• analyse the competence of the region and of organisations and set suitable development objectives
• carry out an objective-oriented development project
• generate new solutions, services and service systems
• assess their usefulness in terms of the profitability of either a start-up company or an existing business
• understand the effects of their own actions in an open network for the sector
• promote creativity with their actions

Contents of the study unit:
• familiarisation with major regional and national development strategies
• creating a context and knowledge base
• planning, implementing and evaluating the development process
• working in a shared expertise group as part of an innovation network
• analysing development and information needs
• evaluating the usefulness of generated solutions, services, products or systems
• copyright issues

Study unit description:
The competence gained in this study unit forms the basis of target-oriented developmental competence in promoting
business operations. The framework is the promotion of innovations and related entrepreneurship. A development
project is carried out to produce new competence for cluster interfaces and evaluate the added value generated by
the competence for a network. Multidisciplinary teams are formed on the basis of the competence needs of each
development project.


106 GLOBAL APPROACH TO SERVICE MARKETING, 45 cr

Description:
Students will be able to work professionally in various service businesses and understands contemporary service
business requirements. Students can analyse market information, processes and other data, and can implement
different practical solutions in order to maintain a company’s competitive advantage. Students will also acquire skills
to create and maintain long-lasting, profitable relationships.

The student will be able to:
• develop and manage customer-driven service concepts in different kinds of contexts
• emphasise the global aspect and cultural differences in service design
• use different research methods in designing service business concepts
• use different marketing variables in building and maintaining profitable customer relationships
• work as a sales manager, key account manager or marketing manager
• start or run a service business

Content:
The service sector is one of the most rapidly growing sectors, and has a need for development of business skills.
Students will obtain competence in developing profitable customer-oriented solutions in order to maintain
competitiveness in the international market place. Practical decision-making skills in a changing environment are
emphasised.

The theme consists of 30 credits of compulsory studies, 30 credits of elective studies and a job placement. The
compulsory studies reflect the contemporary theoretical and methodological aspects
of service development and management in an international business context.

After completing the 30 compulsory credits, students can obtain more in-depth knowledge of specific areas by
selecting 30 credits of elective studies. These studies emphasise different applications in a service environment and
give students the knowledge and skills to work in specific positions.

It is advisable that the second job placement and the thesis concentrate on the same area of specialisation, to
provide further insight into the area.


00322 Developing and Managing Services in an International Context, 20 cr

The student is able to:
• identify different kinds of services
• design customer-oriented service concepts
• design and develop services processes
• plan and implement marketing actions
• develop, maintain and end customer relationships

Contents of the study unit:
• different kinds of services (consumer, B-to-B, professional, e-business)
• designing service concepts
• service cost accounting
• service marketing mix
• international context
• quality management
• service business productivity
• relationship marketing
• human resources in services
• designing and developing service processes

Study unit description:
Students will acquire skills to develop and manage service businesses in an international context. They will learn
how to develop services based on customer needs, and how to create profitable service concepts and market them.
They will acquire skills in managing human resources in services. All this is discussed in an international context.


00323 Business Research in Services Context, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• identify typical research problems within service environments
• implement qualitative and quantitative research methods
• analyse collected quantitative and qualitative data
• use appropriate statistical programs
• manage a research project
• develop and implement new ideas and concepts based on research
• write an analytical and logical research report and give a presentation of the results
Contents of the study unit:
• role of research in business development
• customer research
• process development
• employee development
• research methods (qualitative, quantitative, constructive)
• analysing qualitative and quantitative data (spss)
• international research projects
• research reporting (written and verbal)

Study unit description:
Students will understand the role of research in the development of service business and will have the skills to carry
out business research and development projects. The study unit is carried out with emphasis on the Learning by
Developing (LbD) method and regional development by solving real-life practical research problems.


00327 Business -to-Business Marketing, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• understand business networks and business in networks
• analyse service business opportunities
• identify competitive advantages in a global business environment
• understand end-customer roles in value networks
• analyse and further develop different stages of B-to-B customer relationships
• utilise modern tools in developing services
• understand the role of personnel in managing services
• measure the success of a customer relationship in international procurement
• form an efficient sales team and manage its activities

Contents of the study unit:
• business of industrial services
• development of services
• service business adaptation in the customer relationship life cycle
• international marketing
• service business in networks
• customer relationship management
• customer service management
• service segmentation in a B-to-B environment
• customer-driven procurement

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is to understand complicated B-to-B markets in global business networks.
The role of the customer is emphasised in value proposals and service concept design. Students will be able to
analyse, start and develop various kinds of customer relationships.


00324 Personal Selling and Key Account Management, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• utilise different facets of services in enhancing customer value
• utilise adaptation as a critical part of offered services
• use consistent and analytical customer information
• prepare a competitive offer
• negotiate and close a deal

Contents of the study unit:
• value-added proposal
• presentation skills
• strategic accounts
• managing sales organisations
• selling techniques
• negotiation skills (business argumentation)

Study unit description:
Students will understand the role of different customers as a guiding element in business management and acquire
an understanding of the sales process. Students will be able to develop a customer-specific service offering and to
present and close a business deal.


00325 Selling Fun, Feeling and Fantasies - Marketing Services to Consumers, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• analyse consumers in a service context
• analyse brands and create strong service brand identity
• use design management tools in creating strong services environments
• analyse customer-perceived value in services process
• build relationships with consumer groups
• run a development project

Contents of the study unit:
• trends in consumer behaviour
• understanding consumer motivation and learning
• researching consumers using contemporary methods
• design management and its use in services
• creating strong service identities and positioning services
• designing effective and affective service environments
• quality and customer-oriented process development
• international perspective

Study unit description:
The competence gained in the study unit is to understand the role of emotions in contemporary consumer
marketing. Students will be able to apply this knowledge to developing services and marketing abstract entities such
as images and brands, aiming at building lasting relationships with consumers. The competence gained in the study
unit lies in marketing services, events, images and other abstract entities to consumers.


00326 Service Business Development - Running a Business, 10 cr

The student is able to:
• understand the wide variety of and logic behind service businesses
• start or run a service company
• exercise analytical and decision-making skills
• discover the essentials of different service business environments
• apply various analysing techniques and make business decisions concerning a specific business area

Contents of the study unit:
Practical real-life cases from companies organised together with Application Innovation Laboratory, offering close
contacts with different service marketing companies.

Study unit description:
Students will be able to understand the context of running and developing a service business in various business
situations, and to evaluate different business opportunities. Students can apply the acquired knowledge to different
problems. The study unit provides skills in working as a business developer, manager of a service organisation or
entrepreneur.


107 THESIS, 15 cr

Description:
• present justified proposals for developing business operations
• conceptualise business phenomena on the basis of existing research
• use suitable research and development methods to produce new knowledge
• work in an interactive and responsible manner in development projects with businesses and other partners
• critically analyse their own performance and solutions
• master larger entities
• present things in a logical and justified manner

The student will be able to:
In professional growth the theme forms part of deepening professional competences.

Content:
At a University of Applied Sciences, the thesis is part of research and development serving students’ professional
growth, businesses and regional development. Theses develop business practices and may produce significant
innovations.

The basis for theses is a need for development. Writing a thesis means interaction with a workplace and adopting
an investigative and development-oriented approach to work. The emphasis in the theses is on describing and
analysing target-oriented performance and its results. Theses contain information describing businesses, existing
research findings and new result data.

The theme includes a maturity test, in which students demonstrate that they have mastered the topic and the
language.
Content

• getting acquainted with the thesis process and development project, topic selection
• research plan describing the background and objectives, essential research information on the topic, research and
development methods used and implementation plan
• thesis implementation
• reporting and presentation
• maturity test


00488 Maturity test (in English), 0 cr

The student is able to:
Students must complete maturity tests in accordance with legal requirements. Maturity tests are based on the thesis
and are intended for students
to demonstrate their knowledge of the field and their skills in Finnish or Swedish. Students taking degree
programmes in English may take the maturity test in English, if they have received their schooling outside of Finland
or in a language other than Finnish or Swedish.


00489 Maturity test (in Finnish), 0 cr

The student is able to:
Students must complete maturity tests in accordance with legal requirements. Maturity tests are based on the thesis
and are intended for students
to demonstrate their knowledge of the field and their skills in Finnish or Swedish. Students taking degree
programmes in English may take the maturity test in English, if they have received their schooling outside of Finland
or in a language other than Finnish or Swedish.


00490 Maturity test (in Swedish), 0 cr

The student is able to:
Students must complete maturity tests in accordance with legal requirements. Maturity tests are based on the thesis
and are intended for students
to demonstrate their knowledge of the field and their skills in Finnish or Swedish. Students taking degree
programmes in English may take the maturity test in English, if they have received their schooling outside of Finland
or in a language other than Finnish or Swedish.
00344 Thesis, 15 cr

The student is able to:
• describe development objectives from the perspectives of the labour market and regional development
• participate in development projects, applying the methods of Learning by Development and R&D, as well as
producing new competence and innovations
• develop work in the field and his/her own competence through critical evaluation and by generating new
information as a welfare expert
• participate in a partnership network
• work effectively in a team and act as an opinion leader in a community of experts
• evaluate his/her own and others’ competence, work and results in accordance with development objectives
• use the tools and methods of applied R&D in development work
• carry out and report on an objective-oriented development project
• complete the maturity test

Contents of the study unit:
• determining development needs
• creating a context and knowledge base
• planning, implementing and evaluating the development process
• designing a thesis
• thesis plan
• applying methods to projects
• working in a shared expertise group
• network leadership and development
• generating new data and sharing results
• publishing a thesis
• maturity test

Study unit description:
The study unit concentrates on the students’ activities in work development projects, where they investigate,
develop and generate new data. They also learn to recognise and evaluate achieved competence. The study unit
starts by the student joining a development project where he/she can progress according to the thesis plan and fulfil
his/her personal study plan.
The study unit forms an objective-oriented development project, where the competence gained is that of a developer
using investigative research methods. The object of competence development is determined for each cluster by
Laurea’s research and development policy. The study unit results in the student publishing a thesis and completing
a maturity test.


127 LAUREA'S COMMON STUDIES, 0 cr


154 ELECTIVE STUDIES, 0 cr

Description:
Students use elective studies to deepen and broaden their competence in various themes and generic
competences. Students should choose study units to align the content of their studies with their own personal
interests and career objectives.
Students learn to analyse and develop their leadership competence and to work as experts. Also students learn to
manage work groups and networks in line with a strategy. They can build and develop competences and skills with
a basis in applied research and development. They will recognise business opportunities in a business operating
environment. They will be able to create a business model suitable for the business idea and to set up a business.
They can design innovative products and/or services and commercialise them.

The student will be able to:
 ethically and productively manage work communities and networks
 manage and develop competence
 evaluate, lead and develop teamwork
 promote creativity in a work community
 manage and develop multicultural work-related communication
 act as developers in data network implementation, processes and management
 responsibly develop their data network competence in diverse operating environments
 determine the performance and service level requirements for a data network
 describe the operation and network structures of a system
 understand the cultural impact in marketing
 assess their own possibilities to become an entrepreneur
 analyse the opportunities in the business operating environment

Content:
The electives are common course pool offered in the degree programme. Students are free to choose any offered
courses to compensate their elective credits required during degree programme. Students use elective studies to
deepen and broaden their competence in professional and generic competences. Students should choose study
units to align the content of their studies with their own personal interests and career objectives.

Learning process:
The learning process is based on Laurea's learning model - Learning by Developing(LbD), action and applied
reseach methods. Laurea's common elective course pool have variety of offering to align the content of students'
studies.


00352 Advanced Finnish, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• communicate in more formal situations
• develop her/his Finnish skills for work-related purposes

Contents of the study unit:
• vocabulary relating to studying and working life
• grammar (all tenses, adjective comparison etc.)

Study unit description:
The course will develop the students’ Finnish language skills for professional purposes in order to reach level B1
according to the Common European Framework.

Previous studies:
The course mainly concentrates on developing communication skills (speaking and understanding Finnish). Grading
is based on an oral exam, a written exam, and attendance and activeness during teaching.



00436 Preparatory Studies in English, 3 cr

The student is able to:
•learn and practice the English grammar
•learn and practice business English vocabulary
•learn and practice various methods in language learning to improve the language skills

Contents of the study unit:
• revision of basic grammar rules
• building up business vocabulary
• text analyses
• reports and summaries
• interpretation of data
• graphic presentations
• presentation skills
• arguing for and against
• acting as an opponent
Study unit description:
The student will practice the communication skills, both oral and written, needed during the studies. The student will
be able to participate efficiently in tuition from the very beginning of the studies.


00204 Working Spanish 1, 5 cr

The student is able to:
• communicate in common workplace situations
• write clear general texts using tools
• recognise typical cultural characteristics of the areas where the language is spoken
• know the main professional vocabulary related to their fields
• use and deepen basic language skills acquired earlier

Contents of the study unit:
• workplace communication events, service events
• small talk
• strengthening and deepening basic grammar skills
• cultural differences

Study unit description:
Students attain skill level B1 as defined in the Common European Framework.

Previous studies:
Basic language study unit (10 cr) or upper secondary school courses.


00506 Initial Test in Swedish, 0 cr

The student is able to:
At the beginning of their studies, all students who have English and/or Swedish qualifications on prior certificates
required for studies at Laurea, or who have received previous instruction in English and/or Swedish take initial tests
in these languages. The initial tests are the same for all fields of study and may only be taken once. Students who
transfer between degrees within Laurea do not have to retake the test. The test is used to check the students’
starting level before language studies begin. Students who fail the test must take preparatory studies in the
language at the start of their studies. Having passed the preparatory studies, students obtain credits for inclusion in
elective studies.

Study unit description:
At the beginning of their studies, all students who have Swedish qualifications on prior certificates required for
studies at Laurea take initial test in Swedish, with the exception of those whose mother tongue or language of
education is Swedish.


00507 Preparatory Studies in Swedish, 3 cr

The student is able to:
• master basic Swedish vocabulary and grammar
• use various methods for improving their language skills


00388 Preparatory Studies in Finnish (as Mother tongue), 3 cr

The student is able to:
• compose varied factual and functional texts
• make use of different writer's tools and grammar aid
• take on the communicative responses of team work

Contents of the study unit:
• creating a personal communicative profile
• using dictionaries and other tools for language aid
• providing the student for oral and written challenges of study time

Study unit description:
Students improve their skills in speech communication and writing in order to be able to succesfully complete their
studies in Laurea.


00570 Preperatory Studies in Swedish, 3 cr

The student is able to:
• master basic Swedish vocabulary and grammar
• use various methods for improving their language skills

Contents of the study unit:
• main structures of the Swedish language
• basic Swedish vocabulary

Study unit description:
Students improve their skills in communicating in Swedish as preparation for completing actual studies in the
language.


00718 Professional Finnish, 3 cr

The student is able to:
• communicate in professional Finnish in their work community
• participate in a community of experts using effectively acquired communication skills
• communicate in Finnish on the topics of their field of expertise using various channels

Contents of the study unit:
• oral and written professional communication
• professional terminology of the field of expertise

Study unit description:
The students who have Finnish as their language of school education are guaranteed a functional ability in
professional Finnish, which will later be assessed in the maturity exam.

The students who have Swedish (Finland) as their language of school education are provided with the verbal and
written skills in the second native language required of civil servants working in bilingual offices by the Act on the
Knowledge of Languages Required of Personnel in Public Bodies (424/2003, Section 6).

The study unit is integrated into Job Placement 2, Degree Programme in Business Management.

Previous studies:
Finnish or Swedish (Finland) school education. Suits also students whose language of school education is not
Finnish nor Swedish but whose home language is Finnish.