Leader: Dr Ken Coghill

Offered

Caulfield Second semester 2008 (Off-campus)
Caulfield Second semester 2008 (Evening)

Synopsis

Students are introduced to the complex relationships between business and government in the local, regional (State), national and international spheres, e.g. regulation of corporations and other business entities; national competition policy; other statutory provisions; government business enterprises, privatisation and the regulation of industry sectors; industry policy; political decisions affecting contractual and other matters; business input to policy; informal relationships. It examines various approaches to the issues of ethics, accountability and probity including reconciling transparency and 'commercial in confidence'.

Objectives

The learning goals associated with this unit are to:

• explain the relationship between the public and private sectors and the impact that the decisions and actions of one sector have on the operation of the other
• explain the theoretical basis, range and applications of formal and informal instruments regulating business and affecting self regulation
• examine the approaches open to business organizations and to government to influence or direct the policy decisions of each sector
• critically evaluate alternative structures and future directions that the business/ government interface may take
• design and investigate a research question related to the business and government relationship and report the findings in an assignment, to the expected standard.

Assessment

Within semester assessment: 100%

Contact hours

3-hour class per week

Prerequisites

Must have passed four 9000-level units.