UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, JAMAICA

SYLLABUS OUTLINE

FACULTY: FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

SCHOOL: SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

YEAR: TWO (2)

MODULE TITLE: BUSINESS LAW

MODULE CODE: LAW 2001

DURATION: 45 HOURS

CREDIT VALUE: THREE (3)

PREREQUISITE: ACADEMIC WRITING 1

1.0 MODULE DESCRIPTION

This module is designed to provide an overview of fundamental legal principles

relevant to business administration and expose students to common law and
statutes governing various areas of the law relevant to operating in a business
environment. The module focuses on contract law, the law pertaining to agency
relationships, consumer protection and business organizations.

2.0 MODULE OBJECTIVES/ LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this unit students should be able to:

Understand the Jamaica Legal System

Evaluate contracts
Evaluate business relationships
Analyze sale of goods and credit transactions
Evaluate business organizations
Evaluate consumer protection in Jamaica.
3.0 MODULE CONTENT AND CONTEXT

UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO JAMAICA LEGAL SYSTEM 3 HOURS

Specific Objectives
At the end of this unit students should be able to:

i. Differentiate between primary and secondary sources of law

ii. Differentiate between civil and criminal actions
iii. Identify courts of competent jurisdiction
iv. Identify the roles judges, mediators and arbitrators

CONTENT

Primary and secondary sources of law

Definition and types of civil actions
Definition and types of offences
Examples of business crimes
Hierarchy of courts in Jamaica
Civil jurisdiction of courts in Jamaica
Role of judges, mediators and arbitrators

UNIT II NATURE AND FORMATION OF CONTRACT 12 HOURS

Specific Objectives
At the end of this unit students should be able to:

i. Differentiate between simple and specialty contracts

ii. Distinguish between valid and invalid contracts
iii. Evaluate defects in contracts
iv. Categorize terms in contracts
v. Justify discharge of contracts

CONTENT

Definition and types of contract (simple and specialty contracts)

Methods of entering into contracts (verbal, writing, conduct)
Essentials elements of valid contracts (offer acceptance, consideration,
intention to create legal relations)
Defects in contracts (incapacity, vitiating factors, illegality and public
policy)
Terms of contracts ( express and implied terms; conditions, warranties and
innominate terms; exemption/ exclusion clauses)
Unfair contract terms
 Discharge of contract (performance, agreement, frustration, and breach)
Remedies of breach of contract
Privity of contract

UNIT III BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS 6 HOURS

Specific Objectives
At the end of this unit students should be able to:
i. Illustrate how agency relationships are created
ii. Analyze authority of agents
iii. Determine liability of principals, agents and third parties
iv. Identify breach of duties by principals and agents
v. Justify termination of agency relationships
vi. Identify duties and liabilities of employers and employees
vii. Identify common law and statutory duties of banks and customers in a
bank/customer relationship

CONTENT

Definition and types of agency

Creation of agency
Authority of agents and liability of principals
Duties of agents and principals
Remedies for breach of duty
Termination of agency
Employee vs. independent contractor(contract of service and contract for
service)
Duties of employer and employee
Primary and vicarious liability
Common law duties of banks and customers
Statutory duties and role of banks under the Proceeds of Crime Act

UNIT IV SALE OF GOODS AND CREDIT TRANSACTIONS 9 HOURS

Specific Objectives
At the end of this unit students should be able to:

i. Identify sale of goods transactions

ii. Assess types of goods
iii. Recommend rules on passing of ownership
iv. Evaluate hire- purchase, conditional sale and credit transactions
 v. Justify breach of implied conditions in sale of goods and credit
transactions
vi. Justify manufacturers liability for defective goods
vii. Identify rights and duties of the seller and buyer in credit transactions

CONTENT

Definition of sale of goods

Types of goods ( existing, future, specific and ascertained)
Rules on transfer of ownership ( Section 19, Rules 1-5 Sale of Goods Act)
Remedies against goods, buyer and seller
Definition of hire- purchase, credit sale and conditional sale
Rights and duties of buyers and sellers
Termination and recovery of possession in credit transactions
Implied conditions ( title, description, fitness for purpose, merchantable
quality, bulk corresponding with sample)
Manufacturers liability for defective goods

UNIT V BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS 6 HOURS

Specific Objectives
At the end of this unit students should be able to:

i. Identify different types of business organizations

ii. Recommend terms to be included in partnership agreements.

CONTENT

Characteristics of different business organizations (sole proprietorship,

partnership, registered companies, credit unions and friendly societies)
Types of partnerships
Types of partners
Formation of general partnership
Provisions of the Business Names Registration Act
Content on Partnership Agreement
Authority and liability of partners

UNIT VI CONSUMER PROTECTION AND UTILITY REGULATOR

IN JAMAICA 6 HOURS

Specific Objectives
At the end of this unit students should be able to:
 i. Differentiate between roles of the Fair Trading Commission and
the Consumer Affairs Commission
ii. Examine the functions of the Bureau of Standards and the Office
of Utility Regulation
iii. Identify offences under the Fair Competition Act, and the
Consumer Protection Act

MODULE CONTENT AND CONTEXT

Role and functions of the Fair Trading Commission

Role and functions of the Consumer Affairs Commission
Role and functions of the Bureau of Standards
Role and functions of the Office of Utility Regulations
Offences against consumers under the Fair Competition Act
Offences against consumers under the Consumer Protection Act
Rights of consumers and duties of sellers

4.0 INSTRUCTIONAL/ LEARNING APPROACHES

Lectures
Tutorials
In class quizzes
In class discussions
Case studies
Class presentations

5.0 ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES

Five tutorial quizzes 15%

In course closed book test 25%
Group research project 20%
Final Examination 40%

6.0 BREAKDOWN OF HOURS

Classroom - 41 hours
Assessment - 4 hours

7.0 TEXTBOOK AND REFERENCES

Required Text:
 i. Abbott, K., Pendlebury, N., & Wardman, K. (2007). Business Law.
(8th ed.). Thompson Learning.

Recommended Text

i. Chaudhary, R.L. (1995). West Indian Law of Contract. Heroco

International Limited.
ii. Dobson, P. (1997). Charlesworths Business Law. (16th ed.).
London Sweet and Maxwell.
iii. Keenan, D. (2003). Smith & Keenans Law of Business. (12th ed.).
Pearson Education Limited.
iv. Keenan, D. (2000). Smith & Keenans English Law. (12th ed.).
Pitman Publishing.
v. Lawson, R., & Smith, D. (1997). Business Law for Business and
Marketing Students. Butterworth Heinemann.
vi. Kelly, D., & Holmes, A. (2001). Principles of Business Law. (3rd ed.).
Cavendish Publishing Limited.

Legislation and Useful Links

i. Sale of Goods Act; www.moj.gov.jm

ii. Fair Competition Act; www.moj.gov.jm; www.jftc.com
iii. Hire- purchase Act; www.moj.gov.jm;
www.jis.gov.jm/justice/index.asp
iv. Consumer Protection Act; www.moj.gov.jm;
www.consumeraffairsjamaica.gov.jm
v. Business Names Registration Act; www.moj.gov.jm;
www.orcjamaica.com
vi. Standards Act; www.moj.gov.jm
vii. www.lawteacher.net

NAME OF SYLLABUS WRITER/DEVELOPER

Olubusola H. Akinladejo

9.0 DATE OF REVISION

July 2012

10.0 REVISED BY

Patricia Roberts-Brown

11.0 DATE OF ACCEPTANCE