Business Law and IPR (5cr)

Objective

- You are able to explain to the seller and buyer how a binding sales contract is made and what their rights and obligations are in the sale of goods nationally and internationally.
- You understand the importance of protecting your intellectual property and know how to avoid infringing IPR rights.

Content

- How is a binding sales contract made and under what conditions will a contract be invalid?
- What are the rights and obligations of the seller and buyer in the sale of tangible goods?
- How do B-to-B sale and consumer sale differ?
- How can a business protect its rights?
- How should intellectual property rights be taken into account in marketing?
- How is the appearance of products, industrial inventions, computer programs, music, photos, texts and know-how protected and how is exclusive right to their use acquired?

Evaluation

You know how to
- systematically use professional vocabulary
- look for information in the key information sources of the field
- work together with customers, users and target groups
- apply critically the ethical principles of the professional field in different situations.

Course material

Material to be studied for the exam is covered and taught in the lectures and in the course slide deck PDF material during sessions 1.-8. (September 3 - October 1). PDF material is uploaded in Learn on respective lesson tab on the day of the lecture or the next day.

There may me some additional reading material (Internet sites, other documents).
These will be informed during the lecture sessions, and the material or links will be added on Learn pages well in advance before the test day.

Study forms and methods

The course will take place 3.9. – 9.10.2025
The course will consist of lectures(8 times, 3 hours each), group assessment case (2 times, 3 hours each), written exam with paper and pencil in classroom (1 time, 2 hours)

Course has been divided in subject areas:
1. Introduction to Finnish legal system and business entities
2. Finnish business laws, business life and culture, international business and its applicable laws
3. B-to-C – business law and contracts: private persons and consumers in focus
4. B-to-B – business law and contracts: companies in focus, public procurement
5. Contract process in business: from contract need to expiration, contract party evaluation
6. Contracting in business - how to make a good business contract: request for offer(s), offer, drafting a contract, signing a contract, amendments, claims, termination.
7.-8. IPR - Intellectual property rights

Each subject area and lecture is structured on Learn in sub-tabs 1.-8.

During sessions 9.-10. there will be a group assessment with a business case. During the group assessment students will practice to draft:
- reguest for offer
- offer
- evaluate offers
- negotiate and draft a contract.

RDI and work-related cooperation

Not applicable in this course.

Timing of exams and assignments

Accoding to course schedule presented in Learn site.

The group assessment case will be held on two days and participation on both days is needed.
- 2 October 2025
- 8 October 2025

The course exam will be held at Kouvola campus in person in classroom on the last scheduled lecture day. The exam is a pencil-paper exam.
- Exam date: 9 October 2025.

Student workload

8 lectures, 3 hours each = 24 hours
2 group assessment case sessions, 3 hour each = 6 hours.
Lectures and group assessment case sessions total = 33 hours.

Studying to course exam, pre-study for a next lecture and finalizing group assessment work after the group sessions may add additional hours to students workhours.

Evaluation scale

1-5

Assessment methods and criteria

The grading in the exam will be the following:
5 = 89-100 p
4 = 77-88 p
3 = 65-76 p
2 = 53-64 p
1= 40-52 p
0 = 0-39 p = failed exam and course

This result in the exam will mainly deternime the grade for the course.

Active participation and good skills in the case in group assessment case days may add +1 grade in the course evaluation grade. E.g. if you got grade 3 in the exam, and you excelled in the group assessment case, you may receive grade 4 for the course.

Note! If you are absent on the exam day or you have failed the exam, you will have the right to retake the exam according to Xamk internal regulations. The days for the re-exam will be informed at a later day.