A concise and engaging introduction to modern business and business education. Business and administrative studies courses account for 12% of UK university undergraduate programmes, and this guide offers an essential overview for students Your hands-on introduction to modern business and business education Whether you're deciding on a course of study, headed to university, or settling down to your first year, Business Studies For Dummies provides you with a thorough overview of the subjects that form the foundation of a business studies degree. Introduction  1 Part I: What Is Business?  5 Chapter 1: Understanding Business and Business Studies 7 Chapter 2: Identifying the Internal and External Influences on Business 21 Chapter 3: Using Business Analyses 37 Chapter 4: Making Decisions 61 Part II: How Business Works 75 Chapter 5: Structuring and Evolving Organisations 77 Chapter 6: Meeting Stakeholder Demands 91 Chapter 7: Organising for Success 103 Part III: How to Be a Business and Do Business  119 Chapter 8: Understanding Business Strategy 121 Chapter 9: Creating Great Products and Services 137 Chapter 10: Marketing Your Products or Services 151 Part IV: Money, Money, Money  171 Chapter 11: Understanding Finance 173 Chapter 12: Structuring Accounts 193 Chapter 13: Investing in the Present and in the Future 211 Chapter 14: Using Numbers in Business 231 Part V: The Awkward Bit: The People! 245 Chapter 15: Knowing People 247 Chapter 16: Managing Human Resources 269 Chapter 17: Handling Employee Relations 289 Part VI: Putting It All Together  307 Chapter 18: Examining Operations 309 Chapter 19: Delivering Great Projects 327 Chapter 20: Using Technology to Your Best Advantage 341 Part VII: The Part of Tens 357 Chapter 21: Ten Tips for Succeeding at Business School 359 Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Put Your Knowledge to Work Outside the Classroom 367 Index 375