Business Law and Governance

In the complex and integrated environments in which organisations operate, it is crucial that managers have a solid understanding of the legal system and laws that impact on and regulate their actions. Managers must have a well-developed knowledge of the links between various functions, commercial transactions, risks and the legal obligations of organisations and their officers. Moreover, organisations must not only operate within narrow confines of the legal system but do so in an ethical and socially responsible manner as stakeholders increasingly demand higher standards of commercial morality, including making the directors of organisation responsible for the actions of the organisation. 

The aim of this subject is to provide students with an understanding of business law and corporate governance in the Australian legal system, especially in relation to the roles and responsibilities of directors in an organisation to whom they might be accountable, and the way in which laws govern the actions of corporations. This subject examines corporate social responsibility within organisational governance framework, and students will analyse and apply relevant legal concepts to organisations through a range of learning activities and assessment tasks. This subject also examines key areas of civil law which are critical to organisational management including debt recovery, employment law, consumer law, tort law and contract law. Laws related to cybersecurity and data breaches play a crucial role in contemporary businesses and this subject is also designed to familiarise students with these essential legal aspects.