ATS2244 - A history of American business - 2018

The unit will examine the evolution of the American economy over the past three hundred years as well as the ways in which business has responded to these changes. Starting with the colonial period, the unit will pair developments in the history of American business with moments of business crisis. The unit will train students to both think historically about the transnational nature of business development and economic crisis, as well as hone their ability to think in terms of the challenges and opportunities past business leaders faced in changing global contexts. This will provide students with a combination of specific knowledge and broad context for the rise and evolution of the American economy.

Students will develop analytical skills by examining how different actors navigated contemporary business developments. Students will also learn to synthesize and analyze a diverse range of business sourcesmanagers' letters, shareholder reports, and business journals.

Upon successful completion of the unit students will be able to:

1. identify and explain key developments in US business history;
2. compare and evaluate US business developments in a global context;
3. analyse how business leaders engaged contemporary challenges over time;
4. utilise and evaluate various business sources;
5. develop effective oral and written communication skills;
6. develop independent research and argumentation skills.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

History