The department offers a principal subject in Business Technology.
Principal Subject in Business Technology
Technology is at the heart of all modern business. Every time you download a song, technology is at work. The song is downloaded as an MP3 file, and payment is electronic. It would not be possible to shop online without the extensive use of technology. If you ring up your bank to query a transaction, the call centre has all your details even if it is located overseas. And it would not be possible to analyse online buying habits and make recommendations to individual purchasers without the use of technology.
All of these are underpinned by technology. Organisations use technology because it allows them to become more efficient and competitive. Technology allows organisations to expand into foreign markets, and for head offices to control their subsidiaries. However, this calls for organisations to understand the dynamic interaction between how they organise themselves, information systems, technology and the markets they operate in. This is not easy, and many organisations simply lack the skills to do so. Technology is often badly implemented, or not fully exploited.
To meet these needs the Department has an additional principal subject - Business Technology. This course will develop a new type of professional who combines:
- an awareness of the power and potential of business technologies
- an understanding of business processes
Knowledge of business processes and technology trends is combined with a deep practical understanding of how software can be used and the problems that may arise.
The career prospects for Business Technology graduates are very good. The course will develop skills to enable students to anticipate trends as technology evolves and identify opportunities for organisational transformation. Graduates with an understanding of both technology and business can be found in many organisations. Business analysts are to be found in organisations as diverse as Proctor and Gamble, The Royal Bank of Scotland and Tesco. The combination of business and practical software use and modelling skills is also highly attractive to consultancy companies.
Pictured below, Dr Jason Whalley (right) presenting Lorne Stalker (BA Honours Business Technology) with the award for the Best Dissertation in Business Technology 2012.
