BUSACT 701 : Commercial and Corporate Law

Business and Economics

2025 Quarter Three (1256) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Examines the impact of the law on decision making and management of an organisation. Develops the ability to identify legal requirements, issues and mechanisms critical to managing the risk/reward profile of the firm and achieving its strategic objectives.

Course Overview

BUSACT 701, Commercial and Corporate Law, is part of the Business Master’s programme. You will complete this paper in your fifth quarter, the Advanced Specialisation in Accounting if you pursue the pathway of a Master of Professional Accounting. In a market economy, businesses are usually limited liability companies which conduct their business mostly through contracts. This course is designed to teach the fundamental legal principles and rules in contract law and company law. Those principles and rules have been the legal foundation for the market economy in the last one and half centuries, and will continue to be so well into the future. Therefore, a sound knowledge and understanding of them will be relevant and useful for decades to come.  

Legal rules are made of abstract concepts. To understand them and decide how they can be used to solve a real business problem requires the recognition of the broader social and economic context of the rules, the analysis of both the legal concepts and the facts of the problem, and the examination of the pros and cons regarding different conclusions. To learn law is thus inherently an exercise in developing and honing analytical, logical and other reasoning skills. 

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: BUSACT 731, BUSMGT 709, or BUSMGT 731–733, 735

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Evaluate the key features of the New Zealand legal system and the relationship between business ethics and law (Capability 4 and 8)
  2. Analyse and apply both legislation and case law for the purposes of complying with regulations, including data privacy and protection. (Capability 3 and 5)
  3. Compare and contrast laws on legal obligations and property rights and how they apply in business contexts (Capability 3 and 4)
  4. Explain and apply the legal rules on how to make and manage contracts, how to comply with consumer protection and fair trading legislation, and what the consequences are for breach of contract and of the law (Capability 3, 5 and 6.2)
  5. Examine the range of structures (particularly limited liability companies) through which business can be conducted, and the legal and practical implications for stakeholders from different structures (Capability 3)
  6. Explain civil, criminal, statutory and ethical duties and obligations relevant to the conduct of business, including information privacy rights. (Capability 3 and 5)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Quizzes 10% Individual Coursework
Assignment 20% Individual Coursework
Tests 60% Individual Test
TBL participation 10% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6
Quizzes
Assignment
Tests
TBL participation

Workload Expectations

For this course, you can expect 40 hours of workshops and 110 hours of self-study. The self-study activities include required readings, videos, case studies, problem-solving and assessment preparation. Students are strongly encouraged to seek assistance from the Business Communications Team (BCT) 60 hours before the submission date

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including plenaries, workshops  to complete components of the course. 

The course may include live online events including group discussions.

Attendance on campus is required for the tests. Participation on workshop will be assessed.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

This course covers a variety of laws and topics. Weekly lecture outlines will be provided, and reading materials will be put up or noted on Canvas as the lectures progress.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student feedback is important for improving course delivery and also sometimes for improving course content. The effect may not be apparent to the cohort providing the feedback, but will be shown in the course to be delivered next time. For example, the assignment will be due earlier in the quarter because of previous student feedback.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 09/07/2025 07:38 a.m.