200158 Business, Society & Policy

Week 1 Tutorial Activity Sheet

This week’s tutorial focuses on the understanding of the B-S-G triangle.

The B-S-G triangle

Before each Read the learning guide and view the Unit introduction video in the vUWS
session site for understanding of the unit.
Pre-read your instructor’s lecture notes and view video clips in the vUWS site
for detailed understanding of the topic, including:
1. Lecture slides and notes: Week 1
2. Video Clips – key concepts for Week 1
Pre- answer any given questions or complete any given tasks in tutorial activity
sheet

During each Enthusiastically participate in the “activities” guided by your instructor.

session Contribute to each session with focused questions and discussions.
Attempt any questions and problems shown in your session.
Identify clearly what you know and what you don’t know.
Ask your instructor about any questions or problems from this session.
Students will be divided into small groups to discuss the questions and exchange
views on the topic. Be ready to present your answers to the questions to the class
as a group when asked by your tutor.
After each Attempt any questions and problems advised by your instructor.
session Reflect in action (while doing these questions and problems).
Review the worked solutions to questions and problems.
Reflect on action (after you have done these questions and problems).
Identify clearly what you know and what you don’t know.

1. CLASS DISCUSSION: Understanding what’s this unit about? How might this unit contribute to
your professional development?

This unit focuses on the complex and interwoven relationships and influences among the three
sectors of business, society, and government. This unit can enable me to understand the relationship
between business, society, and policy (government), and the importance of enterprises to society.
And what each department does affects the other two.

2. In your own words, explain your understanding of the following terms.

a) What is business?
A business is defined as an organization or enterprising entity engaged in commercial, industrial, or
professional activities. Businesses can be for-profit entities or they can be non-profit organizations
that operate to fulfill a charitable mission or further a social cause.

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Week 1 Tutorial Activity Sheet
 The term "business" also refers to the organized efforts and activities of individuals to produce and
sell goods and services for profit. Businesses range in scale from a sole proprietorship to an
international corporation. Several lines of theory are engaged with understanding business
administration including organizational behaviour, organization theory, and strategic management.

b) What is Society?
A society, or a human society, is a group of people involved with each other through persistent
relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or social territory, typically subject
to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations.

c) What is Government?
Government is an institution that governs the state and society. The government encourages
business competition to develop the economy. However, when the behaviour of enterprises has a
negative impact on the society, such as environmental problems, the government will protect the
interests of citizens in society through enterprise arbitration or the introduction of some policies.
Therefore, the government often needs to solve the conflicts between enterprises and society, and
balance the interests of enterprises and society.

3. What is the relationship between BUSINESS and SOCIETY?

Business and society are highly interdependent.  Business activities impact other activities and
action by various social actors and government continuously affect business.  To manage these
interdependence managers, need an understanding of their company’s key relationships and how
the social and economic system of which they are a part effects and is affected by, their decisions.

4. What is the relationship between BUSINESS and GOVERNMENT?

The government most often directly influences organizations by establishing regulations,
laws, and rules that dictate what organizations can and cannot do. To implement legislation,
the government generally creates special agencies to monitor and control certain aspects of
business activity.

Government has put in place policies and laws which business must abide by when conducting their
operations. Business also has an obligation to report their activities to the governing tax bodies at the
end of reporting periods as well as abide by the rules set in place by company watch dogs (ACCC for
example)

5. Draw a diagram that represents your impression of the interactions between BUSINESS,
SOCIETY and GOVERNMENT

Policy

Business

Society

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Week 1 Tutorial Activity Sheet
 6. Why are relationships between BUSINESS, SOCIETY and POLICY important?
The nexus between business, society and policy is important. Because our lives are inextricably
connected with these three. Therefore, we must understand the complexity and relationships and
influences among business, society and policy so as to resolve conflicts and balance interests more
effectively.

7. Which of the three sectors do you ‘connect’ with? Explain why?

Since I hope to start my own business in the future, the connection to business may be more.
Through the study of this unit, I can understand how to become a successful manager and an
organization with potential. And to strike a balance between profitability and social responsibility.

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Week 1 Tutorial Activity Sheet