4 top resources to help prepare for your Business and Management degree

University is a great time to explore new and exciting opportunities, build friendships and expand your knowledge. 

This summer why not get prepared with this selection of resources so that you can start university feeling confident and familiar with some of the concepts that you will be taught. 

1. Blogs and Books 

Blogs are a great way to stay up to date with current affairs. They are easily accessible and can be read at any time from your laptop or even your phone. So if you are on a train or sat at home with a cuppa, why not use the time to read our list of blogs? These books are a great source of information and are very interesting reads!

Top picks: 

• Entrepreneur – This blog is filled with articles and interviews. You'll find great book recommendations and news about the latest events and webinars.
• Copyblogger – The Copyblogger is a great resource. You will learn how to improve your writing and gain ideas for creating content. 
• Anthro-vision: How Anthropology Can Explain Business and Life by Gillian Tett –This book offers different perspectives which reflect the importance of understanding 'how people behave' in order to make better decisions. It not only helps to deepen our awareness of the complexity and contradictions of human behaviour but also enables us to expand our vision of both business and life. 
• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman – This important and fascinating book offers multiple psychological insights into human behaviour which are supported by evidence and of immense value to Business and Management students.
   

2. News websites

Here is where you can learn current and up to date information all revolving around the business world, so get stuck in and see what you can discover.

Our favourites:

• Bloomberg – Bloomberg is the global leader in business, financial data, news and insight. Using the power of technology they connect the world's decision makers to accurate information on the financial markets – and help them make faster, smarter decisions.
• Financial Times –The Financial Times is a printed broadsheet and digital newspaper that focuses on business and economic current affairs.
• CNBC – CNBC provides real-time financial market coverage and business content. 

3. Podcasts 

Podcasts are brilliant if you want to listen to the latest news and events on the go. You can multitask while listening to our recommended podcasts, just pop in your headphones, press play and then go about your day. 

Just press play: 

• The Tim Ferriss show –  His podcast looks at things through a unique lens, upending business myths and offering practical tips on how to exceed in an increasingly cutthroat business environment. 
• TED Talks Business – This podcast brings the same touch to the world of business, covering everything, from starting a business to growing a multinational conglomerate. 
• How I Built this with Guy Raz – Hear the stories behind some of the worlds best-known companies and get inspired to get your ideas off the ground.
• The $100 MBA Show – This podcast will help you understand B2B Better with quick business lessons built on real-world applications. 

4. TV Shows 

You might have heard of some of these Tv shows but you might not have thought that they would help you to prepare for your degree, but you might be wrong! If you're thinking about starting a new series why not try something enjoyable but also educational!

Why not try:

•  The Office – A mockumentary on a group of typical office workers, where the workday consists of ego clashes, inappropriate behaviour, and tedium.
• Better Call Saul – The trials and tribulations of criminal lawyer Jimmy McGill in the time before he established his strip-mall law office in Albuquerque, New Mexico as Saul Goodman.
• Dragons Den – Budding entrepreneurs, inventors, and small businessmen (and -women) pitch their ideas to the five "dragons" – real-life business leaders and millionaires, with real cash to invest in the companies they feel will make it. Each 'contestant' must convince the 'dragons' to part with thousands of pounds to make their dreams a reality.
• That Start Up Show – They find out what it takes to make a great start-up as they inspire, engage, and entertain the next generation of tech entrepreneurs and creators.

5. Films 

It's summer which means movie nights are beginning! Why not choose a film from our list of recommendations that will give you an insight into Business and Management. 

Try watching:  

• The Social Network – As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea, and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.
• The Wolf of Wall Street – Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.
• Moneyball – Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players. 
• Boiler Room – A college dropout, attempting to live up to his father's high standards, gets a job as a broker for a suburban investment firm which puts him on the fast track to success. But the job might not be as legitimate as it first appeared to be.
• Citizen Kane – Following the death of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane, reporters scramble to uncover the meaning of his final utterance: 'Rosebud.'
• Draft Day – At theNFL Draft, General Manager Sonny Weaver has the opportunity to rebuild his team when he trades for the number one pick. He must decide what he's willing to sacrifice on a life-changing day for a few hundred young men with NFL dreams.

If you’re starting at the University of Portsmouth this autumn and you have any questions or concerns, then please get in touch with Martin.Brock@port.ac.uk