Business and Society in Spain
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| MLAC3134 | Modern Languages and Cultures | 3 | 20 | Full Year UK |
- Code
- MLAC3134
- School
- Modern Languages and Cultures
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Full Year UK
Summary
Taught in Spanish, this module has been designed to give you a thorough insight into Spanish business including the contexts that have influenced its development and the ways it interacts with wider society.
We'll investigate a range of factors that have shaped the Spanish business landscape since the transition to democracy, such as:
- changes within the global and European regulatory environment
- ideological factors
- entrepreneurship
- government action to attract foreign investors, promote Spanish FDI and boost trade with regions such as Latin America, Europe and China.
You'll not only gain a historical understanding, but a contemporary perspective too by looking at case studies of both companies like Inditex (the owners of Zara and other important fashion brands) and important Spanish industries such as tourism. The module also explores some of the less positive impacts and criticisms of Spanish business practices relating to the environment, debt and corruption.
Target Students
Available for Final Year students taking MLAC3076.
Co-requisites
Modules you must take in the same academic year, or have taken in a previous year, to enrol in this module:
Classes
- One 2-hour seminar each week for 20 weeks
Assessment
- 100% Coursework 1: Contribution to discussion board (3000 - 4000 words) in Spanish over the duration of the module)
- Coursework 2: Spring and Autumn self and peer assessment of discussion board contributions (formative)
- Inclass Exam 1 (Written): Autumn semester in class assessment (formative)
Assessed in both autumn & spring semest
Educational Aims
The module aims to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the range of factors that have shaped the evolution of the Spanish business sector since the transition to democracy. These include changes within the global and European regulatory environment, ideological factors, entrepreneurship and government action to attract foreign investors, promote Spanish FDI and boost trade with regions such as Latin America, Europe and China. It also aims to increase their understanding of the social, economic and political actors and ideas that are emerging to challenge Spanish business’ status in contemporary Spain. In addition to developing students’ knowledge and understanding of aspects of contemporary Spanish business environment, the module aims to enhance their Spanish language comprehension and communication skills as well as their ability to engage critically with relevant issues and debates. This is achieved through exposure to target language in lectures, readings and online learning resources and through their active participation in classroom discussions and debates in which they are required to use their linguistic resources to construct meaning about the range of factors shaping business in contemporary Spain.Learning Outcomes
1. Knowledge and understanding
Students will:
(A1) read and comprehend complex texts in Spanish, follow Spanish spoken at authentic speed;
(A2) acquire an in-depth awareness of the historical, social, economic and political contexts within which the Spanish business sector has evolved,
(A4) handle with assurance a range of critical and analytical stratagems and tools in their approach to these areas.
2. Intellectual skills
Students are given the tools with which to:
(B1) engage in informed discussion of relevant economic and political texts in both Spanish and English;
(B2) demonstrate a critical awareness of the historical, socio-political, ideological and economic contexts shaping Spanish businesses practices;
(B4) deploy effectively a range of critical stratagems and approaches in their analytical work.
3. Professional/practical skills
The training offered during the course of the Hispanic Studies elements of the degree allows students to:
(C3) undertake relevant research and construct a reasoned argument on relevant topics/issues in written Spanish.
4. Transferable/key skills
Students are provided with the training to be able to demonstrate:
(D2) effective comprehension of written Spanish;
(D3) the ability to construct and defend a coherent and well-researched argument in Spanish;
(D4) appropriate preparation skills in relation to written discourse
(D6) general research skills;
(D7) time-management, prioritising and general organisational skills.