• University of Leeds

Starting a Business 4: Business Processes

Understand how business works and performance can be improved so that you can take your business forward and manage growth.

46,854 enrolled on this course

  • Duration

    2 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours

A successful business relies on processes and information systems; it is important that an entrepreneur pays close attention to how their business works and how performance can be improved so that they are in a position to take it forward and manage growth. Whether you have an idea for a future venture or you already have a side-line business whilst studying, this course cover efficient business processes to improve productivity.

This course is the fourth in a series of six about ‘starting a business’.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 8 seconds This is the fourth course in a series of six, designed to help you on the journey of entrepreneurship. In this course, we concentrate on the importance of understanding the business process. Controlling operations and technologies plays an important part in the growth of a business. This course will help you develop an understanding of how your business works, as well as highlighting some of the challenges you might face as your businesses grow. Through videos, activities, and quizzes, this series of business courses introduce case studies of young entrepreneurs who are already on the journey. They share their business challenges with you and a panel of business advisers.

Skip to 0 minutes and 45 seconds Through discussion and activities, you have plenty of opportunity to define and work on your business plan, as well as helping others.

Skip to 0 minutes and 53 seconds Sign up now to “Starting a Business: Business Processes.”

What topics will you cover?

  • The importance of business processes: controlling operations and technologies
  • Efficient business processes: adapting processes to facilitate business growth
  • How to improve productivity to meet increased demand
  • Information system types within business
  • The business plan: business processes and information systems

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Discuss the importance of both business processes and information systems by contributing to the course comments.
  • Identify the challenges a business faces when managing growth.
  • Evaluate the entrepreneur’s business challenge: How can Sophie increase productivity to meet the demands of sales?
  • Identify the business processes in a business plan.
  • Investigate where your business is going to operate.
  • Assess who is involved in the processes.
  • Using your own business idea or a company of your choice, investigate the information and systems required to track business processes.
  • Record the skills required to design and run the business processes.

Who is the course for?

This course is part of the ‘Going to University’ collection which has been specifically designed for schools and colleges. The course can be used as a teachers’ classroom enrichment resource or can be studied independently by students.

Who will you learn with?

Senior lecturer at the Leeds Enterprise Centre. Research focuses on the adoption of new technology by organisations and the impacts therein. Fascinated by the potential of MOOCs.

Who developed the course?

University of Leeds

As one of the UK’s largest research-based universities, the University of Leeds is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a centre of excellence for teaching.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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