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BUS/502

The External Factors that Impact Business

3 credits

Total credits

6 weeks

Course length

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Take this course on its own, or as part of a degree or certificate program.

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Please Note: Attendance and participation are mandatory in all University courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.

Course level: Graduate

This course examines the functions and issues that business managers need to address in order to compete in an increasingly global market. Topics include an overview of the global environment of business, doing business ethically, quantitative research, business strategy, and marketing.

Please Note: Attendance and participation are mandatory in all University courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.

What you'll learn

Course skills and outcomes

  • Define the various forms of economic protectionism related to international trade.
  • Identify the various organizations and agreements that govern international trade.
  • Differentiate between global ethics, laws, and corporate social responsibility.

  • Differentiate between secondary and primary research.
  • Identify the various forms of primary data collection.
  • Design a market research study.

  • Apply a SWOT analysis and Porter’s 5 Competitive Forces to analyze the internal and external environment of a business.
  • Define Porter’s three generic strategies, the three Directional or Grand strategies, and the BCG Growth-Share Matrix.
  • Identify various functional strategies that can be used to achieve organizational goals and objectives.

  • List the stages of corporate development and the structure that characterizes each stage.
  • Identify the principles and practices behind process reengineering and Total Quality Management.
  • Design an action plan that meets the strategic direction.
  • Assess performance based on various measurements.

  • Apply a segmentation model to create a target market.
  • Develop a positioning statement for a selected target market.
  • Explain the product life cycle and the objectives and strategies for each stage.
  • Identify the factors that affect a firm’s pricing decisions.

  • Describe the different types of organizations that work together in a supply chain.
  • Compare the different methods of promotion.
  • Analyze how organizations build strong customer relationships and customer value through marketing.

Why UOPX

Why take courses at University of Phoenix

Accreditation that matters

We’ve been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) for more than 40 years.

Real-world instructors

Learn from instructors who bring an average of 25 years of working experience to the classroom.

Affordable and potentially reimbursable

Our tuition and fees are competitive and fixed. Also, check to see if your employer will cover you for this course.

Next Steps

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Transfer Credits

Credit Transfer

Need to transfer credits to another college or university?

Before you enroll in a course, check with your school of choice to make sure they will accept our transfer credits and to understand any requirements or limitations. Then you can complete your course, and request your official transcript be sent to your school. That’s it!

How to request your transcripts

Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice. If you have a question contact us at (866) 354-1800.

The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. Although our continuing teacher education courses are accepted by some state agencies in the United States toward teacher certifications and endorsements, this may not be the case in all states or foreign jurisdictions. If you plan to use courses for certification or endorsement, please check with your own state agency and your school district for applicability. Continuing teacher education courses are not eligible to apply to degree programs at University of Phoenix. These courses are not eligible for federal financial aid. Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative. If you have a question contact us at (866) 354-1800.