Umist trials business skills talks for undergraduates

The three lectures were conducted last month by Professor Nizar Hirji, senior optometric business management specialist, who was previously a director of professional services with Boots Opticians. Designed to cover the retail business with regards to the economic and political environment, the lecture subjects included demographics, technology, social/cultural behaviour and shopping sites. Professor Hirji also discussed the workings of the optical industry and the anatomies of different types of business, such as the basic differences between retail and manufacturing enterprises. Students were given the opportunity of discussing the business environment in which optometry operates and learnt about operational gearing and profitability of an optometric practice. Professor Hirji said: 'Optometry undergraduates need to cultivate a greater understanding of the business world within which optometry has to operate. They need to have a basic foundation in practice economics, marketing management, personnel management and operational aspects of running an optometric practice.' Professor Hirji is now looking to extend the programme to discuss finance, marketing, personnel and operational aspects, supply and demand and the patient/customer continuum. Professor Neil Charman, head of department at Umist, stressed that the revised business studies course was an important element of modern optometric training.