This multi-award-winning OU level 1 module will develop your language and communication skills for effective business and management communication. You will learn to write successful business assignments and a range of workplace documents, develop strategies for reading complex texts on business topics, give effective presentations, take part in business negotiations and academic discussions and use generative artificial intelligence responsibly. The module materials use a blend of texts, audio, videos and interactive online activities to help you develop both your written and spoken business communication skills.
What you will study
This module enhances your language and communication skills for the world of business and management by applying key business concepts and frameworks to real business case studies from various organisations. The activities you carry out will also raise awareness of your own use of language in business communication.
The module has three blocks as described below:
In Block 1: Analysing, you will develop your communication skills through reading, analysing, writing and speaking about business case studies. You will learn to summarise business cases, and you will learn to use frameworks such as SWOT and STEEPLE to analyse cases and make recommendations. You will develop your formal business language to write reports which propose solutions to business problems, and you will learn how to search for information and support your ideas with evidence.
In Block 2: Influencing, you will develop your communication skills for the purposes of persuasion, negotiation and discussion in business contexts. You will have the opportunity to listen to and engage in spoken interactions such as meetings and discussions. You will also develop the skills and language to write persuasive and influential workplace documents. You will develop your critical thinking skills for the purposes of discussion, business presentations and defending your viewpoint.
In Block 3: Collaborating, you will use case studies and workplace scenarios to develop your team working skills and consolidate the learning from the previous blocks. You will focus on the language of human resource management, marketing and finance, and you will work as a team to create a presentation. You will develop the skills to present yourself effectively for a job interview and an understanding of the recruitment process. You will learn about training and professional development needs in the workplace and reflect on your own experience in a systematic way.
Throughout the module you will develop your skills of reflection through writing or speaking about your learning process. All learning materials are available online and can be downloaded to your computer.
Entry requirements
This is an OU level 1 module aimed at those who want to enhance business communication skills for study and workplace. It is not suitable if you just want to improve your English language skills.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
marking your assignments and offering detailed feedback to help you improve
providing individual guidance, whether that’s for general study skills or specific module content
guiding you to additional learning resources
facilitating online discussions between your fellow students in the dedicated forums.
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Assessment
Course work includes:
4 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
What's included
You'll have access to a module website, which includes:
a week-by-week study planner
course-specific module materials
audio and video content
assessment details and submission section
online tutorial access
Computing requirements
Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer with at least 8 GB of RAM and a quad-core processor (2.4 GHz minimum speed). It’s possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
Operating systems – Windows 11 or the latest supported macOS.
Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended; Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.
Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
Software – Any additional software will be provided or is generally available for free.
If you have a disability
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying LB170 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.
Future availability
Communication skills for business and management starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2027.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2039.