# AERD40040

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**Parent**: https://hub.ucd.ie/usis/!W_HU_MENU.P_PUBLISH?p_tag=COURSE&MAJR=DBS1&AUDIENCE=

Academic Year 2025/2026

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#### Food and Agribusiness Strategy (AERD40040)

Subject:
:   Agribus Extension & Rural Dev

College:
:   Health & Agricultural Sciences

School:
:   Agriculture & Food Science

Level:
:   4 (Masters)

Credits:
:   5

Module Coordinator:
:   Dr Edel Kelly

Trimester:
:   Spring

Mode of Delivery:
:   Blended

Internship Module:
:   No

How will I be graded?
:   Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module is concerned with the study of the economic principles of business firm growth and development and their application with special reference to food and agribusiness firms. It includes the use of the principles of economies of scale, scope and experience as explanatory bases for horizontal expansion of existing activities. It also considers the principles of vertical integration and the determinants of the vertical boundaries of firms: including transaction costs and property rights approaches. Alternative vertical co-ordination strategies are also considered ranging from spot market to vertical ownership including co-operatives. Concepts of competitive advantage, value creation and of sustaining competitive advantage are also considered. Throughout the course practical examples are drawn from Irish and international agribusinesses.

## About this Module

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### What will I learn?

###### Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:\
Discuss the main economic principles of firm growth and development\
Apply theories of economies of scale, scope and experience to explain the horizontal expansion strategies of firms in the Irish and international food system\
Cite supporting examples from readings and cases relating to firms and industry sectors studied\
Describe the continuum of vertical co-ordination strategies encountered in the international food chain\
Discuss the merits of alternative vertical integration structures in the food supply chain, including the important role of co-operatives.\
Cite examples of alternative food industry vertical coordination strategies and structures\
Critically discuss issues and strategies in building and sustaining competitive advantage and the application of these in the food supply industry.

### How will I learn?

###### Student Effort Hours:

| Student Effort Type | Hours |
| --- | --- |
| Specified Learning Activities | 20 |
| Autonomous Student Learning | 60 |
| Lectures | 30 |
|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| Total | 110 |

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###### Approaches to Teaching and Learning:

The approach to teaching is a mixture of active/task-based learning; peer and group work; lectures and online pre-recorded lectures; critical writing/readings; reflective learning, problem-based learning; case-based learning; student presentations.

### Am I eligible to take this module?

###### Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

**Learning Recommendations:**\

This is a level 4 module and it is recommended for students who have achieved a good standard in business management modules up to at least level 2

\

###### Module Requisites and Incompatibles

Not applicable to this module.
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### How will I be assessed?

###### Assessment Strategy

| Description | Timing | Component Scale | Must Pass Component | % of Final Grade | In Module Component Repeat Offered |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Exam (In-person): Written exam - one essay-type question | End of trimester  Duration:  1 hr(s) | Graded | No | 40 | No |
| Group Work Assignment: Group-based Case study assignment on business strategy | Week 1, Week 4, Week 7 | Graded | No | 40 | No |
| Quizzes/Short Exercises: MCQ test | Week 11 | Standard conversion grade scale 40% | No | 20 | No |

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###### Carry forward of passed components

Yes

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### What happens if I fail?

| Remediation Type | Remediation Timing |
| --- | --- |
| In-Module Resit | Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board |

*Please see [Student Jargon Buster](https://www.ucd.ie/students/services/ucdstudentjargonbuster/) for more information about remediation types and timing.* \

### Assessment feedback

###### Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment\
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment\

###### How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Within 20 days of completion
Feedback on final exam will be provided by appointment with lecturer.

### Associated Staff

| Name | Role |
| --- | --- |
| Dr Edel Kelly | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |

### When is this module offered?

**Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.**

|  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Spring | Lecture | Offering 1 | Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 | Thurs 11:00 - 12:50 |
| Spring | Lecture | Offering 1 | Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 | Tues 11:00 - 11:50 |

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