BITM Business Environment
bitmsemester 6
Business Environment
Subject Code: MGT236
Course Title: Business Environment
Course No: MGT236
Nature of Course: Theory & Practical
Full Marks: 60
Pass Marks: 30
Credit Hours: 3
Course Description
The topics include socio-cultural, economic, political-legal, technological, and global business environment incorporating business-government relations, performance of industry and agricultural sectors, business support agencies in Nepal, and financial sector policy reforms. Through a blend of theoretical frameworks, case studies, and practical applications, students will develop the analytical skills necessary to navigate the complex and dynamic landscape in which businesses operate.
Course Objective
This course aims to equip students to examine environmental forces essentially influencing the business activities. The course provides overall concepts of firm-specific and general environmental forces and an understanding of some of the analytical tools that managers apply to understand, scan, and forecast potential influence on business, business problems and techniques to solve business problems.
Course Contents
| Course Contents | Teaching Methodology | Teaching Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1: Introduction and Framework of Business Environment (4 Hrs.) | ||
| Introduction of business environment and its components, classification of business environment, framework of business environment | Lecture | |
| Environmental Scanning: process, techniques, methods and types | ||
| Emerging business environment in Nepal | ||
| Unit 2: Understanding Firm-specific Environment (4 Hrs.) | ||
| Definition and scope of the firm-specific business environment | Lecture | |
| Importance of understanding the internal dynamics of firms | ||
| Organizational structure | ||
| Organizational culture, role of culture in shaping employee behaviour and organizational performance, cultural alignment and strategic fit | ||
| Operations management, operations management principles, production processes and capacity planning, supply chain management and logistics, quality management and continuous improvement | ||
| Human resource management, human competencies and resources | ||
| Unit 3: Understanding Macro Environment (32 Hrs.) | ||
| Macroeconomic Environment (12 LHs): Dimensions of Nepalese economy; employment trends and labour market issues, labour migration on economic imbalance; economic development plans; industry and agricultural sectors-performance; economic policies and reforms- industrial policy, privatization policy, trade policy, tourism policy, and monetary policy; liberalization of the Nepalese economy and capital market reforms, factors contributing to competitive business environment in Nepal; constitutional arrangement for economic environment in Nepal | Lecture | |
| Political-Legal Environment (5 LHs): Political structure in Nepal; political structure of Nepal and business-government relations in different levels of governments; political risks involved with Nepalese political environment; Legal provisions on business start-ups, market regulation, and competitive environment; legislations relating to labour, finance, investment, intellectual property, e-business, and consumer protection | ||
| Socio-cultural Environment (5 LHs): Components of socio-cultural environment: shifting marriage age, female education, changing family structure and size, social organizations, class structure and classification, acculturation and assimilation trends in Nepalese society, socio-cultural changes and their influence on business | ||
| Technology, Energy Management and Natural Environment (4 LHs): Current status of technology in Nepal, technology transfer issues, IT Policy of Nepal, natural environmental issues, energy situation in Nepal, Natural environment: concept and issues; effects of natural environment in business; environment and energy management issues in Nepal; Artificial intelligence and future of business in Nepal | ||
| Global Business Environment and Nepalese Business (6 LHs): Regional grouping of nations, regional trade agreements in South Asia – SAARC, SAPTA, SAFTA and BIMSTEC; Regional grouping related issues of Nepalese business; Concept of globalization and its trends, foreign direct investment trends and causes for low FDI inflow in Nepal, WTO membership and Nepalese business | ||
| Unit 4: Understanding Business Support Agencies in Nepal (8 Hrs.) | ||
| Department of Industry (DoI) | Lecture | |
| Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) | ||
| Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) | ||
| Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC) | ||
| Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) | ||
| Small and Cottage Industry Development Board (SCIDB) | ||
| Nepal Trade Information Portal (NTIP) | ||
| Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security | ||
| Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies |
Text Books
1. Francis Cherunilam. Business Environment: Text and Cases. Himalaya Publishing House.
2. Richard Welford, Richard Starkey. Business and the Environment. Routledge
3. David P. Baron. Business and Its Environment. Pearson
4. Legal documents published by Nepal Government. Nepal Law Commission, https://lawcommission.gov.np/en/