BE422-6-SP-CO:
Business and International Development
2024/25
Essex Business School
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Monday 13 January 2025
Friday 21 March 2025
15
02 September 2024
Requisites for this module
BE400 or BE401
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
This module provides students with an understanding of enterprise-based development models emerging within the developing world, as well as those from within developed nations such as the UK. This module considers and evaluates the role they may play in sustainable development and poverty alleviation in low-income communities.
The aim of this module is:
- To equip students with a nuanced awareness and understanding of enterprise-based initiatives aimed at supporting sustainable development and poverty alleviation within the low income countries of the world.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Explain and critically assess the impact of various types of business models emerging in the developing world to promote sustainable development and poverty alleviation, and to consider possible differences in a developed world context.
- Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the nature of multidimensional poverty.
- Demonstrate an informed understanding of the nature of informal economy in these regions and how formal and informal institutions interact with those located within the poorest segments of society.
- Utilise secondary based data to identify, evaluate and critically analyse one or more examples of such business models and their potential impact on sustainable development and poverty alleviation.
Skills for Your Professional Life (Transferable Skills)
- To develop reflective skills when reflecting on the meaning of poverty.
- To develop a commercial awareness of the role of business in development.
- To develop written skills in the analytical critique of their coursework assignment.
- To develop a nuanced appreciation of what poverty means for those in vulnerable and marginalised communities.
- To have experience of contributing to class discussions and reflections.
This module aims to equip students with an understanding of the different types of social purpose business models that are emerging within such regions including social enterprises, not-for-profits, inclusive business ventures, green for profits (renewable/organic), fair-trade and hybrid organisations.
This module also explores the role the informal economy plays in these business models and within the economies of the poorest parts of the world. It draws upon ideas of social exclusion, stages of progress out of poverty and the debate around the boundary conditions shaping social enterprises.
This module will utilise a series of case studies to frame this module, drawing upon cases in Kenya, Zambia, South Africa, India, Mozambique and the UK, amongst others.
This module will be delivered via:
- A series of 2-hour workshops.
Each session will include a mixture of lectures, discussions, films, and hands-on-exercises. It will require preparation work prior to the workshop each week.
-
Jean-Philippe Thérien and Vincent Pouliot (2006) ‘The Global Compact: Shifting the Politics of International Development?’,
Global Governance, 12(1), pp. 55–75. Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/27800598.
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Newell, P. and Frynas, J.G. (2007) ‘Beyond CSR? Business, poverty and social justice: an introduction’,
Third World Quarterly, 28(4), pp. 669–681. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1080/01436590701336507.
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Mignolo, W.D. (2007) ‘DELINKING’,
Cultural Studies, 21(2–3), pp. 449–514. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1080/09502380601162647.
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Fairclough, N. (2009) ‘Language and globalization’,
Semiotica, 2009(173). Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1515/SEMI.2009.014.
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Lentner, H.H. (2000) ‘Globalization and Power’, in P.S. Aulakh and M.G. Schechter (eds)
Rethinking Globalization(s). London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, pp. 56–72. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5648411.
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Cairns, G. and Sliwa, M. (2008)
A very short, fairly interesting and reasonably cheap book about international business. London: SAGE. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=999023.
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Arora, S. and Romijn, H. (2012) ‘The empty rhetoric of poverty reduction at the base of the pyramid’,
Organization, 19(4), pp. 481–505. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1350508411414294.
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Page, L. and Pande, R. (2018) ‘Ending Global Poverty: Why Money Isn’t Enough’,
Journal of Economic Perspectives, 32(4), pp. 173–200. Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/26513501.
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The fortune at the bottom of the pyramid (no date). Available at:
https://www.strategy-business.com/article/11518?gko=9b3b4.
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Gereffi, G., Humphrey, J. and Sturgeon, T. (2005) ‘The governance of global value chains’,
Review of International Political Economy, 12(1), pp. 78–104. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290500049805.
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‘The impact of global supply chains on employment and production system: A summary. A Franco-Brazilian comparison of the aeronautic and automotive industries’ (no date). Available at:
https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---inst/documents/publication/wcms_648885.pdf.
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Yuqing Xing (no date) ‘How the iPhone Widens the United States Trade Deficit with the People’s Republic of China’, (257). Available at:
https://www.adb.org/publications/how-iphone-widens-united-states-trade-deficit-peoples-republic-china.
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Pinkse, J. and Kolk, A. (2009)
International Business and Global Climate Change. Taylor & Francis Ebooks. Available at:
https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.4324/9780203887103.
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Ndlovu, M. and Makoni, E.N. (2014) ‘The globality of the local? A decolonial perspective on local economic development in South Africa’,
Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, 29(4–5), pp. 503–518. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0269094214537960.
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Escobar, A. (2015) ‘Degrowth, postdevelopment, and transitions: a preliminary conversation’,
Sustainability Science, 10(3), pp. 451–462. Available at:
https://link-springer-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/article/10.1007/s11625-015-0297-5.
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Fournier, V. (2008) ‘Escaping from the economy: the politics of degrowth’,
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 28(11/12), pp. 528–545. Available at:
https://www-emerald-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/insight/content/doi/10.1108/01443330810915233/full/html.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Individual Essay |
03/03/2025 |
100% |
| Exam |
Main exam: Remote, Open Book, 24hr during Summer (Main Period)
|
| Exam |
Reassessment Main exam: Remote, Open Book, 24hr during January
|
| Exam |
Reassessment Main exam: Remote, Open Book, 24hr during September (Reassessment Period)
|
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Aylin Kunter, email: aylin.kunter@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Aylin Kunter & Dr Callum Cant
aylin.kunter@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
Prof Owain Smolovic Jones
Durham University
Professor of Organisational Studies
Available via Moodle
Of 6 hours, 6 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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