Combining business and psychology expertise

Set to start in mid-September, a new degree programme will be the first of its kind in Hong Kong. The BA in business management with applied psychology offered by Scotland’s Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) in conjunction with HKUSPACE (Hong Kong University School of Professional and Continuing Education) will break new ground and cater to changing needs.

“We recognised the demand for a part-time course that covers these two important areas,” says Dr Josephine Jim, programme leader at HKUSPACE. Students will learn about global business and gain an awareness of psychological factors influencing individual behaviour and what happens in the workplace. For instance, to attract and retain the younger generation of tech-savvy employees, managers need to understand and empathise with their career aspirations, attitudes to work, and affinity with new technologies.

Designed for students as well as business and HR professionals, the programme will help participants forge new local and international connections. They will also gain insights relevant to issues like staff well-being and work-life balance.

“In Hong Kong, employers increasingly value executives who understand management and operations, but can also relate to people from different cultural, academic and work backgrounds,” Jim says.

This applies to all sectors and disciplines. Therefore, the psychology aspect of the programme will show how to analyse differences in the way people think, feel and behave. Students will cover dominant theories of personality and how these theories can be used to predict human behaviour. Jim notes that such expertise is important for managers working in anything from HR, sales and marketing, or consultancy to government departments and NGOs.

“This is an excellent opportunity to develop both business know-how and people management skills,” Jim says. “People are at the heart of every organisation; through them the process of organisational improvement and sustainability is achieved.”