Business with Cloud Computing

The Online Postgraduate Diploma in Business with Cloud Computing will provide comprehensive grounding in business disciplines and cloud computing.

Developed by skilled and experienced business professionals, this Online Postgraduate Diploma in Business with Cloud Computing features case studies and real life business and cloud computing briefs, to hone industry’s best skills and practice. Our practical skills approach model provides you with hands-on experience from key business industry figures, to help you achieve your career goals.

Introduction to Business Management
The nature of business; Business plans and start-ups; Legalities – sole traders and partnerships; Limited companies, non-profit organisations, public sector organisations;

Strategic Management
Vision and mission; Objectives; Planning and strategy; Contingency planning, implementation, change control;

Operations Management
Production methods, cost, revenue and break-even analysis; Quality assurance; Production planning; Project management;

The External Environment
The nature of business; Economic systems; Structure of the industry; Sources of finance; Share capital, stock exchange, institutions providing finance;

Marketing
Marketing concepts; Market research: Market segmentation, positioning and targeting; New product development and the product life cycle; Brand awareness; The Marketing Mix (product, price, place, promotion); Competitor analysis; Marketing strategies; E-commerce;

Doing Business on the Internet
The Benefits of Digital Marketing; Doing Business on the Internet; Online Marketing Planning; Key Concepts in Internet Technology; Online Market Research;

Doing Business on a Global Scale
International management; Globalisation and multinational companies; Exportation; International marketing;

Mathematics and Statistics for Business
Financial Mathematics; Calculus and Profit Maximisation; Descriptive Statistics; Measure of Association; Probability; Statistical Inference;

Financial Accounting
Introduction to financial accounting; Users of financial information; Key accounting models; Terminology; Need for financial statements; The balance sheet; Balance sheet layouts, ratio and the balance sheet; Income statement and layout; Ratios, revenues and trade receivables; Owners equity; Cash flow measurement and documentation; Inventories and cost of sales; Tangible and intangible assets; Liabilities; Financial statements and recording transactions; Preparing financial statements; Analysing and interpreting financial statements; Analysis tools; Auditing;

Macroeconomics
Introduction to macroeconomics; Understanding macroeconomics; Principles of economics; How the market works; Gross domestic product; International trade; Open economy; Labour market; Income, expenditure and the circular flow; The consumer price index; Cost of taxation, employment, cost of living; The Philips Curve; National income, supply and demand for goods and services; Money and inflation; the Quantity theory of money; Interest rates; Social costs of inflation; Hyperinflation; Exchange rates; Economic fluctuations; Economic growth; Economy in the long run; Accumulation of capital; Population growth; Policies to promote growth; The Solow model; The business cycle; Aggregate demand and supply; The IS-LM model; The money market; How fiscal and monetary policies shift the LM curve; Floating and fixed exchange rates; The Mundell-Fleming model; Policy debates; Investment; Government policies;

Microeconomics
Introduction to microeconomics; Trade, trade-offs and government policy; Production and supply; Elasticities; Individual choice in supply and demand; Production and cost analysis; Competitive markets; Oligopoly and monopolistic competition and strategic pricing; Uncertainty;

Business Administration
Objectives; The office – planning and organisation; Equipping the office; The future of office administration;

Business Information Systems
Human aspects of computer interaction; Security, data protection and auditing; Electronic Data Interchange;

Leadership and Communication in the Workplace
Effective communication skills; Leadership styles; Information gathering and interpretation; Problem solving; Decision making; Workforce planning; Conflict resolution; Time management; Delegation;

Effective Performance in the Workplace
Company organisational culture and structures; Building an effective workforce – recruitment, team selection; Appointment and termination; Training and appraisal; Motivational strategies; Competition in the workplace; Wage and salary administration; Job restructuring;

Employee Relations and the Law
Human resources management; Employee representation; Industrial democracy including bargaining, consultation and participation; Industrial relations - action and disputes; Government policy (including EU and other industrial blocs); Consumer protection, workforce protection, equal opportunities legislation, pressure groups; Taxation;

Business Ethics
Business ethics; Business and the environment; Corporate social responsibility; Commercial Law; Company Law; Contract Law; Employment Law; Law of Tort;

Entrepreneurial Skills
Innovation, research and new product development;

Spreadsheets
Introduction to spreadsheets; Step by step instructions on using the features, functions and applications for spreadsheets; Customizing the spreadsheet software; Installing the spreadsheet software; Security; Platforms; Operating system compatibility;

Setting Up & Marketing Your Own Consultancy
The Business Plan; Legalities; Setting Up; The Marketing Strategy; Knowing Your Competitors; Promotional Tools;

Presentation Skills
Preparation and Research; Speech Content; Subject Matter and Objectives; Speech Delivery and Variety; Body Language; Eye Contact; Presentation Aids; Management of locations and audiences; Presentation structure;

CLOUD COMPUTING
Introduction to Cloud Computing
History of Cloud Computing; How Cloud Computing started; The companies behind the creation of Cloud Computing; What is the cloud? Essential Characteristics of a Cloud; Cloud Service Models; Cloud Deployment Models; Community and Hybrid Clouds;

Cloud Computing Architecture
Introduction to Cloud Computing Architecture; Horizontal and Vertical Scaling; Architectural Layers of Cloud Environments; Design Patterns; Assessing Design Patterns;

Virtualization
Introduction to Virtualization; History of Virtualization; Virtualization vs. Abstraction; Resource Virtualization; The need for Virtualization; Benefits of Virtualisation; Limitations of Virtualisation; Virtualization Concepts and Definitions; Traditional and Contemporary Virtualization; Virtualization Uses;

Best Practices and Standards
Practices and Standards; Cloud Checklist; Cloud Contracts; Data Processing and Storage; Example Contract Clauses; Vendor Relationships; Standards Groups; The Distributed Management Task Force;

Cloud Computing Life Cycle
Computer Life Cycles; Cloud Life Cycle differences; Implementing a Cloud Computing Life Cycle; Life Cycle Issues; Lifecycles and Security; Cloud Service Lifecycle; Cloud Lifecycle Management; Adoption Lifecycle; Data Security Lifecycle; Systems Development Lifecycle; Virtualization Lifecycle; Application Lifecycle;

Developing a Cloud Strategy
Strategic Analysis; Questioning Your Strategy; Maturity Models; Cloud Maturity Model; 6 Levels of Maturity; External Analysis; PEST; Porter's Five Forces; Porter's Diamond; Internal Analysis; Growth Share Matrix; Strategic Re-Alignment; SWOT Analysis;

Cloud Hardware & Software
Introduction to Cloud Hardware; Main Architecture; Typical Cloud Hardware; Memory; Disk and RAID; Network Cards; Cloud Data Centres; Example of Cloud Hardware Providers; VMWare; Cisco Unified Computing System; Reasons for Cloud Software; Mobile Collaboration; Software Brittleness; Software Development Lifecycle; Software Security Experts; Software Based Encryption;

IaaS – Infrastructure as a Service
Introduction to Infrastructure as a Service; SPI Model; The Value of IaaS; Building Blocks of IaaS; Enabling Technology for IaaS; Infrastructure Stack; Colocation; IaaS Hardware; Ecological Impact; IaaS Competitive Landscape; Data Protection and SLAs; Company Considerations for IaaS; Infrastructure Services; Elastic and Mobile Cloud;

SaaS – Software as a Service
Introduction to Software as a Service; What is SaaS? History; Pricing; Architecture; Characteristics; Configuration and Customization; Collaborative Functionality; Adoption Drivers; Adoption Challenges; SaaS Agreements; Customization; Data Ownership; Security; SaaS Litigation; Service Level Agreements and SaaS; Uptime Guarantee; SaaS Case Studies; SaaS Vendors.

Criteria for eligibility must be met in full prior to commencing the programme. For successful enrollment on the Postgraduate Diploma course, the minimum entry requirement is a prior Degree level qualification.

Enrolment intake is strictly limited on this course. Early application is advised. Places are allocated on a first come first served basis.

You will have full access to online resources and subject expert support for two calendar years. However, you can complete the course in as little as 1 year, by dedicating 6-8 hours of study per week.

Enrolment Date: 6th October 2023.

For Future Dates, please contact Fitzwilliam Institute for next available start date.