Contemporary Economic Issues (5 cr)

Objective

Upon completing this course the student will:
- Understand the importance of appropriate social research techniques
- Understand in greater detail the arguments concerning a range of relevant, contemporary economic issues
- Understand the wider social impact of business and government policy
- Understand social accountability and responsibility in theory and practice

Students will be able to:
- Make full use of available information sources
- Apply rigorously the standard academic report-writing conventions
- Conduct analysis of contemporary social and economic problems
- Relate economic theory and ethics to policy and practice

The business ethics related content will be discussed and analyzed during the International Project Week (IPW), 2 ECTS.

Content

Toward new economic thinking
Shared value: a new paradigm?
Money and interest
Financing health care
Future of work

Location and time

Thursdays, 08:00 - 11:00, in Myyrmäki campus, room MMA224

Materials

There is no textbook for this course. Instead, each lecture topic will be accompanied by a set of reading materials that will be made available in advance via the OMA workspace.

Teaching methods

Lectures, video presentations, discussion, assignments

Employer connections

Sufficient flexibility in the choice of project topics allows students to decide the level of work-related content, subject to the guidelines of the course.

Exam schedules

There are no formal exams in this course. Instead, students will be given classroom and virtual assignments that are intended to offer opportunities for demonstration of real learning about topics chosen by students, subject to their relevance in accordance with the course guidelines.

More details will be provided in the first lecture.

International connections

Please note that this course is divided into 2 sections:

1: There is a 3 credit set of lectures and accompanying assignments. This is completed during autumn semester.

Many of the topics covered in the course feature international dimensions and these will be studied in the level of detail corresponding to student interest and assignment topics chosen.

2. There is a 2 credit International Project Week conducted during the spring semester. Participation in this is mandatory.

The project week features guest lecturers and students from Metropolia Business School's international partner network. It is a genuine opportunity to experience internationalisation "at home" in an intensive learning environment.

Student workload

As the autumn semester segment is worth 3 ECTS, students are expected to reserve at least 78 hours, including the 30 hours allocated for class time.

For the International Project Week during spring semester, worth 2 ECTS, students are expected to reserve the full week (equivalent to 40 hours) for attendance, participation and preparation work.

Content scheduling

The lecture programme will be published in advance of the first lecture on 29 August.

Further information

Regular attendance is strongly recommended, as is sufficient reading on those topics of particular interest. Learning is achieved most effectively via active participation in the class and its activities.

Evaluation scale

0-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The student has achieved the course objectives fairly. The student will be able to identify, define and use the course subject area’s concepts and models. The student understands the criteria and principles of the expertise development.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

The student has achieved the course objectives well, even though the knowledge and skills need improvement on some areas. The student is able to define the course concepts and models and are able to justify the analysis. The student is able to apply their knowledge in leisure, study and work situations. The student understands the importance of expertise in the field of business and is able to analyze his/her own expertise.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The student has achieved the objectives of the course with excellent marks. The student masters commendably the course subject area’s concepts and models. The student is able to make justified and fluent analysis and to present concrete development measures. The student is well prepared to apply their knowledge in leisure, study and work situations. The student is able to analyze the business sector expertise and the development of his/her own expertise.

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

The student has achieved the course objectives fairly. The student will be able to identify, define and use the course subject area’s concepts and models. The student understands the criteria and principles of the expertise development.

Assessment methods and criteria

The grading scale employed in the course is the standard Metropolia grading scale:

Grade Percentage/points Explanation

5 90 – 100 Outstanding performance: not only fulfils all standard requirements but demonstrates originality and imagination

4 80 – 89 Excellent performance, fulfilling all tasks in an appropriate manner

3 70 – 79 Strong performance, showing strong understanding of basic concepts and good grasp of techniques, but with certain minor problems still requiring further attention

2 60 – 69 Good performance, demonstrating basic grasp of concepts and techniques but less adept at more advanced application of these

1 50 – 59 Adequate performance, showing just enough understanding of the subject to merit a pass grade but requiring greater effort to achieve a more satisfactory result

0 0 – 49 30 – 49: insufficient to pass but capable of achieving a more satisfactory result if greater effort is made
0 – 29: a result indicating a significant lack of effort on the part of the student, and a clear signal that major improvements are necessary in the organisation of study time

Qualifications

Economics