Think carefully before you tweet: it could be bad for your career.

Once again social media precipitates a clash of cultures as demonstrated by this week’s BBC news of the resignation of UK’s first youth police and crime commissioner following the discovery of her controversial twitter activity. Dr Chris Evans, Senior Lecturer in Brunel Business School specialising in Web 2.0, comments:

“Our research in Brunel Business School helps understand how Paris Brown is victim to the effects of social media as a disruptive innovation. Previous generations have been accustomed to a clear boundary between their public and private lives. Articulating prejudices could be confined to the privacy of a teenager’s bedroom. But social media now require us to rethink both what we say and how quickly we judge what others have said.”

Dr Chris Evans is a member of the Information Systems Evaluation and Integration (ISEing) research group in Brunel Business School and a lecturer on the MSc Business Intelligence and Social Media programme commencing in September 2013.

 

Brunel Business School Blog: 2012 in review

Take a look at the 2012 annual report for the Brunel Business School blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 21,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 5 Film Festivals

Click here to see the complete report.

BBS graduates share stories of their university experience

Successful graduates from Brunel Business School look back at their time at Brunel University and share their memories and the experiences they gained while studying for a Bachelor Degree with BBS.

It’s been an amazing journey

Waleed Ahmed Marketing and Admissions Team Brunel Business School

After visiting Brunel, my final decision about my future university was very clear. The first thing that caught my interest was its campus. It has everything: restaurants, a bank, bars, coffee shops, a massive library, an incredible sports and athletics centre all in an easy reach for its students. This really appealed to me. It was clear to me that this would be where I would like to live and study and it wasn’t long before I became a student here. Read more….

Graduated from BSc (Hons) Business and Management (eBusiness Systems), 2012

The support to help me gain my placement was beyond my expectations

Angel Chen Business Analyst, Morgan Stanley

I did a year’s placement in Morgan Stanley. The experience was invaluable as I had first-hand experience in the Operations department.

During my placement year, my performance was monitored by the placement tutor and there were regular contacts from the university. I felt supported in my personal and professional development by the academic staff. Soon afterwards, I was offered a graduate job by Morgan Stanley based on my performance during my placement year. Read more…

Graduated from BSc Business and Management (Accounting), 2010

The opportunities available to me have been outstanding

Siobhan Feeney  Volunteered for Global Vision International

Throughout my time at Brunel, the academic standard of lecturing was exceedingly high. The Business Life programme in BBS gave me the opportunity to develop many skills such as team work, and leadership. It increased my confidence in communication and presenting. I was provided with endless amounts of development and networking opportunities. It lead me to meet and work with some really amazing people! Read more….

Graduated from BSc Business and Management, 2012

 

Brunel Business School has supportive academic staff

Phillip Hughes IM Project Manager & EMEA Sales IT Ops Leader GE Aviation

I wanted to study in a campus university where there are lots of student activities happening on campus hence I chose Brunel. I made the right choice. Brunel Business School has supportive academic staff and the curriculum was designed to help students to gain graduate employment. Many of the modules were tailored to develop students’ work skills that are sought after by employers

such as analysing financial data, preparing a marketing plan etc.

There are many business schools to choose from – but I am glad that I chose Brunel. Read more…

Graduated from BSc Business and Management, 2010

Read more of these and other stories on our website. For more information about our Undergraduate Courses visit our Course pages.

MBA vs Specialist Masters – a choice that will decide on your future career.

Prof Francesco Moscone from Brunel Business School gives his view on the choices faced by candidates wishing to pursue Postgraduate Study in the area of Business and Management.

MBAs and specialist Masters have many strengths and similarities, and they differ in several aspects, including contents, students’ experience, and projected career paths.

Essentially, an MBA is a ‘post-experience’ qualification in general management, although some business schools may offer specialist MBA programmes in areas such as aviation and health care. The aim of an MBA is to offer students a holistic overview of how a business works, covering all major functions and practices of a business. As a result, MBA graduates will acquire theoretical and applied knowledge of several core subjects including marketing, international business, entrepreneurship and human resources.  One of the strengths of an MBA is fostering organisation, persuasion, leadership ad team-building skills as well as skills for innovation which are needed to expand career prospects, and tackle the most difficult issues facing businesses and societies. The plurality of students’ professional backgrounds is another key benefit as they may profit from networking with their peers. 

Specialist Master programmes are designed for people in the early stages of their career; immediately after their undergraduate degree or after one/two years on the job. These courses focus more on the theoretical side of the management field than the MBA, equipping students with more specialist knowledge.  A student may opt for a specialised Master if she is more interested in acquiring specific skills required by the industry.

From a pedagogical point of view, although some Masters cover the similar material as the MBA, they have a different teaching style which is more lecture-based. MBAs, in contrast, tend to focus on teamwork, business case studies, and the exchange of individual experience.

In this period of economic downturn investing in a post graduate management course is worthwhile, as the need for well-educated and internationally-oriented graduates will not cease or decrease in the long-term.

As people leave jobs in industries as a result of the economic crisis, an MBA is a unique opportunity for ambitious leaders to secure a better management position. A specialist Master is a worthwhile investment in order to stand out in a demanding and competitive job market.

Professor Francesco Moscone is the Director of the Brunel MBA programme and the former head of the Centre of Research into Entrepreneurship, International Business in Emerging Markets. He has previously worked at the University of Leicester, University of Cambridge, and London School of Economics (LSE). He has held visiting scholar positions at University of California-Berkeley, University Pompeu Fabra, and LSE. He has worked as health economist for the National Collaborating Centre for Women and Children’s Health, and the National Agency for Regional Health Services (Rome, Italy). He is principal investigator on an ESRC (UK government funding) first research grant entitled “Statistical Modelling of Interdependence in Economics”. Additionally he is co-investigator for the grant “Economic Performance and Quality of Life in European Cities” awarded by the Economics Education and Research Consortium. Francesco is also a co-investigator for the grant “Development of new indicators to assess research within scientific areas” awarded by the European Social Fund. Additionally Francesco co investigates a major EU grant entitled “Biopool- Services associated to digitalise contents of tissues in Biobanks across Europe”.

He is associate editor of the journal Economic Modelling and a Member of ESRC Peer Review College.

Who inspires our academics?

Professor Ruth Simpson, Director of Research and Deputy Head of School in Brunel Business School, talks of her role model – Betty Friedan:

For me one person stands out who was inspirational and that was Betty Friedan who published a feminist book: The Feminine Mystique in 1963 – and which I didn’t actually read until much later when I was a mother with young children. The book spoke to me about my experiences up til that time – at university especially where I encountered a level of sexism that had not been present at my (all girls’) school and which I had found shocking and difficult to manage. The book looked at the ‘mystique’ of femininity, contrasting this with the reality of many women’s lives (she interviewed housewives – a largely invisible group). Many women (including myself) felt that as a result of the book they had a language on which to hang their discontent and their experiences of sexism. She is credited with helping to ‘kick-start’ the feminist movement at the time. As some of you may know, I have been a feminist ever since.

 

Prof Ruth Simpson is Professor of Management at Brunel Business School. She has a background in Economics and Organization Studies and for several years specialised in teaching economics to MBA students. She has taught Economics and Social Science at the Open University and has external examining experience in Human Resource Management. She is currently teaching Management and Gender and Organization. She has published widely in her research area of Management Education and Gender and Organizations, including the Academy of Management (Learning and Education) Journal, Human Relations and Work Employment and Society. She is a member of the Centre for Research in Emotion Work and Employment Studies (CREWES) and is co-founder and co-editor of the International Journal of Work Organization and Emotion.

Prof Simpson is a member of the Work and Organisation Research Centre. Members of WORC undertake applied research into all aspects of performance in the workplace, individual well-being and performance, and Human Resources Management in its broadest sense. Using a wide range of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, our work investigates current and pressing issues in performance at three levels of analysis – the individual, the workteam, and the wider organisation. We publish in top-tier outlets internationally, advise organisations in partnership, and seek to generate innovative scientific understanding and professional practice in a diverse set of areas of work performance.

WORC has four main areas of research:

• HRM
• Performance at Work
• Social Identity
• Organisational Processes

 

Who inspires our academics?

Dr Grahame Fallon, Course Leader MSc Management, Brunel Business School writes of his role model- Mikhail Gorbachev: 

Mihail Gorbachev became leader of the former Soviet Union in 1985. This country suffered from an outdated and inefficient economy, no free speech and the widespread repression of dissidents. He attempted far-reaching political and economic reforms through glasnost and perestroika. These programmes failed, but Gobachev’s actions led to the break up of the Soviet Union, the end of the Cold War and the spread of capitalism and democracy throughout Eastern Europe. These events inspired my enduring teaching and research interests in Russia, Eastern Europe and the postcommunist world.

 Dr Grahame Fallon has recently been appointed as a Senior Lecturer in International Business in Brunel Business School. His duties will include that of being MSc in Management Course Director.  He has been working in an academic capacity in higher education since 1984, having held lecturing posts in international business and related subjects at Glamorgan, UWIC and Northampton universities, as well as a range of external examiner roles .  Dr Fallon’s most recent post before joining Brunel was that of Principal Lecturer in International Business at the University of Northampton, where he carried out an extensive range of managerial (as well as teaching and research) duties, including the management of taught postgraduate programmes across the School and the coordination of work-related, extra-curricular activities for postgraduate students.

Dr Fallon is involved in academic research in the international business field, where his main focus is on the causes and economic effects of inward and outward foreign direct investment in the EU, Eastern Europe, Russia and China. He is also actively involved in research into the links between business activity and peace building in Europe and East Asia. He has submitted and had accepted a range of academic papers to international scholarly journals including Regional Studies and the European Business Review. He is also active in a range of academic networks, including the UK and Irish Academy of International Business and the Managing Economic Transition network (based at University College London). He has carried out research work with colleagues at a university in Moscow with whom he has published joint papers focusing on economic transition and inward investment in Russia.

What I really wanted was to work for myself – says Brunel MBA graduate from China

I graduated as an English major from Tangshan College in China in 1997. I first worked for about one year in the Human Resources and Corporate Marketing Department at the Haier Group, the largest appliance maker in China. Then I moved to the Bank of China in Tangshan. For around 14 years I have been responsible for accounting, credit card and business development and climbed from a Clerk position to be the President of a branch. 

Mengru Han meets her former lecturer Dr Des Doran on a recent BBS visit to China

As time passed by, I realized that the most important thing in life for me is to pursue new goals. I did not like the regular working day, I wanted a change to these hours and daily schedules, and I wanted to change something fast. I realized that I needed to study the most advanced management knowledge and expertise in order to climb the career ladder faster and change my life. Brunel University MBA provided a 12 month study programme and this was quite suitable for me.

There are three main reasons why I choose Brunel MBA in Brunel Business School, Brunel University:

1. The MBA could be finished in 1 year. As we know “time is money”. I could not spent two or more years studying, even though I knew this would benefit me a lot. I needed much more time to work so from my side, a year out to study was perfect.
2. Brunel University is located in London, which meant I could place myself in the financial center of the world. What I experienced and practiced was more than I could learn from the text books alone. Financial information and trends were fresh and advanced here. All the models and theories top of the game in the finance industry. I could also experience the different cultures in London more than any other city in the world.
3. Compared with other famous universities, Brunel University is young but vital. Things are very dynamic and modern here.

Based on these reasons I chose Brunel University as my MBA destination. And when I arrived at London, I felt I was very lucky to have chosen this prestigious university.

How did I benefit from Brunel University?

Brunel University provided me with a programme which offered very advanced management concepts and case studies. In the class, I could share my experiences with colleagues from other countries all over the world.

I think that MBA’s are seen as an asset. The right mix of disciplines and electives in an MBA programme ensures that all graduates are equipped with sound reasoning skills, analytical rigor and sharp contextual insights needed to tackle assignments, issues, problems and scenarios at the workplace.

MBA students are trained to develop decision-making skills, which often makes them very effective managers in organizations and businesses.

I think my MBA has definitely opened doors for me and it is reputable. With a few months of studying diligently, the MBA was an excellent qualification. You will learn valuable models that will benefit your management career in very practical terms.

What I changed after my MBA in Brunel University?

Before studying overseas at Brunel University, I wanted to find a good job in the international branches of the Bank of China in the UK or USA. But when I finished studying, I changed my mind and realised that I do not want to work for the Bank of China anymore, or any other company for that matter.

What I actually wanted was to work for myself. I wanted to run a business with nation-wide operations in China and I do that now, with a chain of exclusive kindergradens. In fact, I have a new great plan already! I want to invest in kids entertainment in all major cities in China, using the advanced learning and play techniques and equipment and manage the company expansion from a local business operation format to IPO in Hong Kong or USA stock market in about eight or ten years.

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Mengru Han, Beijing, China

MBA Graduate 2011

To find out more about Business and Management programmes in the Brunel Business School click here.

Brunel Business School Lecturer published Business Accounting book

Jill Collis from Brunel Business School recently completed a second edition of her publication “Business Accounting“.

Business Accounting is an accessible, non-technical introduction to financial and management accounting primarily intended for non-specialist undergraduate and postgraduate students. The active-learning approach helps students gain an understanding of the subjectivity inherent in accounting and the ability to evaluate financial information for a range of business purposes.

The second edition features comprehensive revisions, including new chapters on the regulatory and conceptual frameworks, and the preparation of single entity and consolidated financial statements under IFRS. For more advanced students, ethics, corporate governance and corporate social responsibility are all covered. The chapters on management accounting have been updated and a new chapter discusses current issues, such as strategic management accounting, the balanced score care, accounting for quality and environmental accounting. Many of the case studies are set in an international context.

The book is supported by a wealth of teaching and learning resources, including exam-style practice questions, PowerPoint slides, interactive progress tests and additional chapters and other material on the website.

Jill’s research primarily focuses on national and international developments in financial reporting requirements for unlisted small and medium-sized companies.

Latest Guardian rankings show our dramatic climb towards the top

Professor Zahir Irani, Head of the Brunel Business School, explains his delight with the results announced in today’s Guardian Tables that show the Brunel Business School (BBS) has jumped some 52 places in the last 12 months to 45th out of 116 universities in the UK .

This meteoric rise has happened by way of a clear strategy that is underpinned by a focus on a relevant curriculum that supports student employability, positive student experience and engaged academic staff. The future represents a challenge for the Higher Education sector, with BBS committed to maximizing students’ employability through its Business Life programme, by providing an intensive programme of professional events that run in parallel with academic studies. We will continue to work with all our stakeholders to help produce job ready graduates.

Here are the headlines:

2011 Brunel University @ 75th out of 120
2012 Brunel University @ 82nd out of 120
2013 Brunel University @ 44th out of 120

Now, for the Business School:

2011 Business and Management @ 101st out of 112
2012 Business and Management @ 97th out of 116
2013 Business and Management @ 45th out of 116

Excellent result for us all!

Brunel MBA Student Profile

After 6 years of work in the media industry, Flavia decided she wanted to add a stronger theoretical business foundation to her experience. ‘I am looking to gain a critical perspective on business and industry structures, to be equipped with the strategies and tools
necessary to manage organizations competing in global markets.’

Flavia, MBA Ambassador 2011/12

Having worked as Project Manager for Interact, a media firm which ranks as among Italy’s leading developer of solutions for digital media, she joined the BBC in 2006. Here she developed her project management and finance skills working in various roles and departments, including Sales and Distribution, delivering projects and solutions for Motion Gallery’s licensing business, and Repeats Unit, managing the costs for BBC Channels.

Flavia was attracted to Brunel Business School owing to the excellent reputation of the Business School and the high ranking of the MBA programme. She hopes the course will help her to achieve her aspirations for the future. ‘I am thrilled about my MBA studies. Having started the programme in September 2011, I feel my horizons are already broadening and I see there are many new opportunities I can think about for my future. It seems like it will open doors to possibilities that I hadn’t considered before.”

For more information about our MBA students please visit this website: http://www.brunel.ac.uk/bbs/mba/your-fellow-mbas