Business Studies

About Business Studies

The Institute of Commercial Management’s (ICM) Diploma in Business Studies introduces students to the academic disciplines that underlie effective business management.

The subjects covered in the Diploma have a wide application and the programme attracts students interested in careers in both the private and public sectors. It offers instruction in both core business competencies and in specific business functions, allowing students to gain a solid understanding of the principles and practices that govern contemporary business life and to specialise in a specific stream. 

Learning takes place on a number of levels through lectures, class discussion including problem review and analysis.

Formal lectures provide a foundation of information on which the student builds through directed learning and self-managed learning outside of the class.

The students are actively encouraged to form study groups to discuss course material which fosters a greater depth learning experience.

This is a two-year programme. Each year students are required to attend 15 hours of lecture hours per week for 25 weeks to support their studies and will receive guidance to complete the learning hours.

Entry requirements for Business Studies

The minimum entry requirements are KCSE C- (minus) and above

Objectives of Business Studies

The aim of the business studies course is to provide prospective business and management learners with a body of knowledge which will enhance their core business competencies.

This business studies programme will benefit students by:

• Increasing their employment opportunities
• Preparing them for eventual supervisory and management careers in industry and commerce
• Providing them with a qualification which will enable them to progress to higher-level general management or specialised business programmes at a later stage in their business or academic careers.

The programme is also suitable for working supervisors and managers who require business qualifications for career advancement or promotion purposes.

Business Studies - Programme

Part One: Four Compulsory Units:

International Business Communications
The aim of this unit is to prepare students to address business communication situations encountered in their careers through the writing of memoranda, letters, reports, resumes, electronic messages; manuals with terms, mechanisms and instructions; process analysis; proposals; web portfolios; delivering oral presentations, in order to develop interpersonal skills and to foster critical thinking and problem solving skills through the writing of effective communication for assigned business scenarios / situations.

Business Management & Administration
The unit introduces the student to a range of studies that are useful in understanding people in the workplace. It examines the concept of management within the global business environment and through the appraisal of business cases, a variety of approaches are considered.
The unit prepares students for their likely future roles as managers in organisations. It encourages them to synthesize knowledge and experience gained in other units by considering competing perspectives on the nature of management. It encourages them to reflect upon the contribution that they might make as individuals to the management process, and explore their own skills as potential managers, within the context of their peer group. The unit touches practical, moral and ethical dimensions of the management role and examines the key problems and dilemmas that may emerge for stakeholders in contemporary organisations.

Interpreting & Analyzing Information (Numeracy & Statistics)
The aims of this unit are to equip students with the necessary skills to interpret information, carry out the calculation and interpret the results of that information and later, to equip students with some of the analytical skills that are relevant to the study of Business Studies as a whole.

Marketing Principals
To provide students with a foundation for the analysis of marketing within organizations including decision-making processes, segmentation, the role of information and the marketing information system, the marketing mix, internal and external influences affecting strategy, competitor analysis, and positioning.

Part Two: Four Compulsory Units:

Accounting Techniques.
This unit introduces the fundamentals of accounting theory and practice and develops the accounting techniques and skills necessary to provide a foundation for further study and practical experience.
Economics for Business
Introduction to Business Law
This unit aims to introduce the student to a study of the law in the business environment. It introduces sources of law and legal method, business organisations and legal relationships, contracts including the supply of goods and services, agency agreements and civil wrongs in the business environment including negligence and nuisance.
Analysing and Improving Organisational Behaviour
This unit will contribute towards students’ analysis of, and effectiveness within, a range of work organisations. The unit examines approaches to enhancing personal and organisational effectiveness through focusing on the internal nature of organisations, identifying alternative structures and common patterns of behaviour. The involvement of the host organisations in the work of the unit provides an important commercial background to the overall programme, and the extensive research element provides an opportunity for students to develop their research, planning and organisational skills.