Bureaucrats and Bureaucracy: bone in throat or a naturally integral part of business reality? Bribes, bribe takers and givers: risky or common nowadays?

Business: Keys to Success, Risks in Business, Problems and solutions.

Objective:

The objective of the project work is to do the research in a team and to present the results at the mini-conference.

Observation

The topic “Business” is obviously extensive and has numerous aspects (subtopics). This time we talk about business, keys to success, keys to survive in unfavorable circumstances, in crisis for instance, risk in business and risky businesses. We consider outstanding business figures and the top successful companies as well.

You may add your own aspect to consider in the frame of your subtopic (the aspect, relevant to it), as you are the researcher and the observer of the system of your project. For instance, you might decide to talk about outstanding healers who made a notable or great contribution to the sphere you are considering.

You can see your topic from different points (positive and negative), you can attract different opinions to support your ideas with arguments.

You should determine priorities and allocate more time for the most significant points. Consequently, you have to work out a good plan for your presentation.

The procedure of your project work:

- At the beginning of the module (during the first week) you form a team and choose a subtopic (see below);

- You choose the leader of your team to contact with your teacher for organizational matters and inform your teacher about the leader;

- You specify the objectives and the amount of work to cover, make a plan of your research and determine the spheres of responsibility;

- You do the research, prepare the materials for your presentation. The list of materials and the deadlines are given below. If you need a consultation with your teacher, the leader of your team arranges it;

- You have to meet the deadlines as your presentations are to be observed by the audience (your group-mates) for further discussion. Besides, the presentations are going to be the resources for an essay, so meeting the deadlines is significant.

- You make a presentation at the mini-conference in the end of the first module. The presentation should last not more than 7 minutes and it is followed by a discussion. During the discussion (about 3 – 5 minutes) the members of your team are asked questions, so be prepared for them in advance: think about possible questions;

- Your presentation is evaluated according to the criteria given in the introduction of the course.

The subtopics:

1. The top successful companies: the key factors to achieve outstanding results. (Recommended book: Jim Collins “From Good to Great”)

Speakers: 2

The top business leaders of the 21st century: Personality, Achievements, Keys to success.

Speakers: 2-3

Business vs Sport. Sport as business: Similarities of Business and Sport; Peculiarities of Sport as business. Ethics.

Speakers: 2-3

4. Business and War. War as business: Similarities of Business and War; War as profitable enterprise. Ethics. (Recommended resources: Sun Tzu “The Art of War”, “Make flexible use of “Thirty-six Stratagems”)