6606 Government-Business Relations

The relationships which link government and business, the two primary institutions in society, are inherently complex. Analysing these relationships is an essential element in understanding how society is organised. This unit considers a number of Australian policy choices and major international issues from a government-business relations perspective, taking into account both domestic and international contexts. Such a combination of insights will provide a strong understanding of complex interactions between government and business at the local, national, and international levels.

This unit provides students with an awareness of the relationship between political, economic, social and policy aspects of interaction between government and business in Australia and a selection of other countries. It investigates the extent of government influence, how power is distributed throughout society, the impact of interest groups on policy, and how government and business are organised in a global context. Students will also be provided with a historical insight into, and a thorough understanding of, the interplay of economics and politics in international capitalism and the changing global environment. The unit is designed to stimulate critical thinking and informed analysis, but there are no neat and easy answers to key themes and arguments. In many, if not most, cases there is no single „right‟ answer, but students should be able to support their positions with reference to generally accepted facts, an understanding of the readings and sound reasoning.