PG Diploma Business and Management Module Specification Booklet Page 1 of 30
Contents Level 7 Modules... 3 Management: Principles and Practices... 4 Leadership in Practice... 6 Economics for Managers... 9 Financial Decision Making... 12 Marketing Principals and Practices... 14 Level 7 Module Options... 16 Quantitative Methods for Business... 17 Project Management... 19 Management Across Cultures... 22 Human Resource Management... 24 Business Strategy... 26 Creativity and Organisation... 28 Page 2 of 30
Level 7 Modules The following are compulsory modules Page 3 of 30
Management: Principles and Practices Module Code BE464-7- AU-CO New or revised Revised NQF Level 7 Credit Value 20 Date of Introduction Duration (weeks) 16 Pre-requisites (modules which must be taken before this module) Co-requisites (modules which must be taken in the same year) Module Description This module provides a critical introduction to some of the main principles and practices of contemporary management and organizational behaviour. The module combines lectures and small group work to provide students with an overview of the main currents in contemporary management thinking and to explore these through case studies of management in action. At the end of the module, students should have a good grasp of the main functions of management, understand how these are located in wider political and economic context, and have an appreciation of some of the key issues and challenges facing management today. Aims 1. To provide an introduction to the main topics and issues in contemporary management and organization theory. 2. To connect management thinking to broader currents in contemporary social science and theory. 3. To provide an analytical framework to assist students to be think reflexively about management and organisational processes Learning Outcomes On completion of this module students will be able to: 1. To understand the nature of organizations and the process of management 2. To be able to explain, and critically analyse, a range of contemporary managerial concerns 3. To be able to explain and evaluate different approaches to the practice and analysis of management 4. To be able to analyse a case study Page 4 of 30
Syllabus Managing Individuals Managing Teams and Groups Managing and Leading Managing Cultures Management, Power, Politics and Decision Making Managing and Structure Re-Thinking Management Organizational Design After Bureaucracy Learning and Teaching Methods The Learning and Teaching Methods for the Module follow the intended online delivery Strategy for the Programme as a whole. The module will be delivered by reading materials available on the VLE supported by discussion forums and online lectures using the Adobe Connect synchronous communication and application sharing facility. Students will be encouraged to identify and share relevant web-based resources. Live lectures will focus on case studies drawn from the reading materials and the results of the web-based field trips. Selfmanaged learning will supplement lectures and students are given weekly direction on required readings. Assessment 100% Coursework: Description of unit of assessment Length / Duration Submission Date Weighting Learning Outcome(s) Met 4 Assessed Discussion Activities Two weeks Every four weeks 20% 1, 2, 3, 4 Mid-module assignment 2,500 words Mid-term 35% 1, 2 End of module project 2,500 words End of term 35% 3, 4 Reflective Report 1,500 words End of term 10% All Page 5 of 30
Leadership in Practice Module Code New or revised Revised NQF Level 7 Credit Value 20 Date of Introduction Duration (weeks) 16 Module Supervisor Catherine Brown Teaching Staff Liz Kirrane Elouise Leonard Cross Pre-requisites (modules which must be taken before this module) Co-requisites (modules which must be taken in the same year) Module Description The module equips students with a range of practical leadership skills underpinned by a critical appreciation of leadership theory. Students will develop a reflexive interpretation of the character of leadership in practice within organisations and their own personal development. Aims 1. Critically assess alternative theories of leadership 2. Analyse critical incidents to judge organisational leadership performance 3. Examine the impact of the role and nature of the organisation on the skills and behaviour needed by leaders 4. Develop autonomy and self-direction in learning Page 6 of 30
Learning Outcomes On completion of this module students will be able to: 1. Review different theories of leadership and critically assess their relevance to leadership practice 2. Analyse critical incidents to judge organisational leadership performance 3. Understand how the role and nature of the organisation affects the leadership knowledge, skills and behaviour needed by senior managers 4. Formulate personal development objectives based on the outcomes of assessment and diagnostic tools 5. Design and implement a plan to develop leadership behaviour Syllabus Traditional and contemporary models of leadership, their research methodologies and critical assessments Critical incidents relevant to the organisational sector Organisation type, purpose, values and culture their interaction and their impact on the leadership role The criteria used to judge effective leadership and associated behaviours in different types of organisation Skills and techniques for: o evaluation of personal behaviour and performance o seeking and objectively evaluating feedback Models and techniques of reflective learning Concepts of capability and competence, learning and cognition, personality and motivation Psychometric, intelligence, skills and other test types; validity of tests, and test methodologies Personal development planning Learning and Teaching Methods The Learning and Teaching Methods for the Module follow the intended online delivery Strategy for the Programme as a whole. The module will be delivered by reading materials available on the VLE supported by discussion forums and online lectures using the Adobe Connect synchronous communication and application sharing facility. Students will be encouraged to identify and share relevant web-based resources. Live lectures will focus on case studies drawn from the reading materials and the results of the web-based field trips. Selfmanaged learning will supplement lectures and students are given weekly direction on required readings. Page 7 of 30
Assessment 100% Coursework: Description of unit of assessment Length / Duration Submission Date Weighting Learning Outcome(s) Met 4 Assessed Discussion Activities Two weeks Every four weeks 20% All Report on organisational response to a critical incident 5,000 words Mid-term 50% 1, 2, 3 Self-appraisal and personal development plan 3,000 words End of term 30% 3, 4, 5 Page 8 of 30
Economics for Managers Module Code New or revised New NQF Level 7 Credit Value 20 Date of Introduction Duration (weeks) 16 Pre-requisites (modules which must be taken before this module) Co-requisites (modules which must be taken in the same year) Module Description The aim of this module is to equip students with the knowledge of fundamental principles of micro- and macro-economics and their relevance to managerial decision-making. Aims The module will: 1. Enable students to appreciate the impact of economic forces on strategic and operational managerial decisions in an ever changing economic environment 2. Encourage students to apply economic tools in their subject studies and in their professional life 3. Help students think critically about public policies from a personal and business perspective Learning Outcomes On completion of this module students will be able to: 1. Apply advanced theoretical economic concepts to improve decision-making processes in actual business environments 2. Use economic models to identify business risks and opportunities in complex economic environments 3. Have a thorough understanding of and critically reflect on contemporary literature of business economics 4. Apply basic techniques and fundamental ideas of micro and macro-economics and integrate them from a managerial perspective Page 9 of 30
Syllabus 1. Principles and Key Concepts of Economics (Markets, Competition, Efficiency, Demand and Supply, Price, Oligopoly, Monopoly, Market Failure and Externalities). Recommended core reading: Mankiw and Taylor (2011), chapters 1, 2 & 4 2. The Market 1 - Principles of Supply and Demand. Recommended core reading: Mankiw and Taylor (2011), chapters 4 & 5. 3. The Market 2 - Principles of Supply and Demand. Recommended core reading: Mankiw and Taylor (2011), chapters 6 & 7. 4. The role of Government in the economy. Recommended core reading: Mankiw and Taylor (2011), chapters 10, 11 & 12. 5. The behaviour of firms 1. Recommended core reading: Mankiw and Taylor (2011), chapters 13 & 14 6. The behaviour of firms 2. Recommended core reading: Mankiw and Taylor (2011), chapters 15 & 16 7. New development in economics. Recommended core reading: Mankiw and Taylor (2011), chapter 22 Learning and Teaching Methods The Learning and Teaching Methods for the Module follow the intended online delivery Strategy for the Programme as a whole. The module will be delivered by reading materials available on the VLE supported by discussion forums and online lectures using the Adobe Connect synchronous communication and application sharing facility. Students will be encouraged to identify and share relevant web-based resources. Live lectures will focus on case studies drawn from the reading materials and the results of the web-based field trips. Selfmanaged learning will supplement lectures and students are given weekly direction on required readings. Assessment 100% Coursework: Description of unit of assessment Length / Duration Submission Date Weighting Learning Outcome(s) Met 4 Assessed Discussion Activities Two weeks Every four weeks 20% 1, 2, 3, 4 Mid-module Assignment 2,500 words Mid term 40% 1, 2 End of Module Project 2,500 words End of term 40% 3, 4 Page 10 of 30
Other Information Example Assessment details: Mid-module Assignment Write a report about a business you are familiar with using fundamental principles of micro- and macro-economics and their relevance to their managerial decision-making processes. Using a case study regarding economic concepts/models discuss how business decisions and business decision-making processes were undertaken and how these could have been improved. End-of-Module Project Choose a business you are familiar with and apply basic techniques (e.g., Benefit/Cost Analysis) and fundamental ideas of micro and macro-economics to integrate them from a managerial perspective in order to improve the profitability (ROI) of the business. Should obtain information from the published accounts of the business to support your analysis. Page 11 of 30
Financial Decision Making Module Code New or revised New NQF Level 7 Credit Value 20 Date of Introduction Duration (weeks) 16 Pre-requisites (modules which must be taken before this module) Co-requisites (modules which must be taken in the same year) Module Description The aim of this module is to provide a grounding in management accounting and management control principles, investment appraisal and financial control principles for students without a first degree in accounting or accounting related subject. Aims The module will: 1. Examine a range of issues relating to financial and management decision-making including: o costing o cost volume profit analysis o budgeting o decisions relating to capital structure and long term financing o capital investment appraisal and financial analysis of commercial projects 2. Encourage students to critically evaluate the issues outlined above and to engage actively in discussions Learning Outcomes On completion of this module students will be able to: 1. Develop a critical understanding on short term decision making principles and techniques, including incremental costing and cost volume profit analysis 2. Critically evaluate the role of budgeting, management control and the conflicting implications of budgeting decisions 3. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the implications of maximising organisational profitability and owners wealth 4. Reflect a critical understanding of the various financial and managerial decision making models Page 12 of 30
Syllabus Introduction to financial decision making Incremental costing and short term decision making Cost volume profit analysis and financial decision making Budgeting and management control decisions: techniques and behavioural issues Activity-based costing and financial decisions Capital structures and long term financing decisions Capital investment appraisal: theory and techniques Investment decision making under uncertain and risk environment Financial analysis and interpretation of commercial projects Global Issues in accounting and managerial decision making Learning and Teaching Methods The Learning and Teaching Methods for the Module follow the intended online delivery Strategy for the Programme as a whole. The module will be delivered by reading materials available on the VLE supported by discussion forums and online lectures using the Adobe Connect synchronous communication and application sharing facility. Students will be encouraged to identify and share relevant web-based resources. Live lectures will focus on case studies drawn from the reading materials and the results of the web-based field trips. Selfmanaged learning will supplement lectures and students are given weekly direction on required readings. Assessment 100% Coursework: Description of unit of assessment Length / Duration Submission Date Weighting Learning Outcome(s) Met 4 Assessed Discussion Activities Two weeks Every four weeks 20% 1, 2, 3, 4 Mid-module Assignment 2,500 words Mid term 40% 1, 2 End of Module Project 2,500 words End of term 40% 3, 4 Page 13 of 30
Marketing Principals and Practices Module Code BE556 New or revised New NQF Level 7 Credit Value 20 Date of Introduction Duration (weeks) 16 Pre-requisites (modules which must be taken before this module) Co-requisites (modules which must be taken in the same year) Aims The module will: 1. To introduce students to key principles of marketing 2. To provide a range of critical perspectives on marketing from a number of different standpoints 3. To demonstrate how marketing concepts influence contemporary business, and wider cultural practices 4. To address the role of marketing in society Learning Outcomes On completion of this module students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of key principles, perspectives, theories and concepts that inform the understanding of marketing 2. Analyse the historical emergence of marketing, and locate marketing within a wider social, economic and political context 3. Critically evaluate the role of marketing in contemporary society Page 14 of 30
Syllabus Business to Consumer Marketing Business to Business Marketing Not-For-Profit Marketing Product and Service Marketing Transactional and Relationship Marketing Mass Marketing and 1-2-1 Technology Driven Marketing Postmodern Marketing The Future of Marketing Learning and Teaching Methods The Learning and Teaching Methods for the Module follow the intended online delivery Strategy for the Programme as a whole. The module will be delivered by reading materials available on the VLE supported by discussion forums and online lectures using the Adobe Connect synchronous communication and application sharing facility. Students will be encouraged to identify and share relevant web-based resources. Live lectures will focus on case studies drawn from the reading materials and the results of the web-based field trips. Selfmanaged learning will supplement lectures and students are given weekly direction on required readings. Assessment 100% Coursework: Description of unit of assessment Length / Duration Submission Date Weighting Learning Outcome(s) Met 4 Assessed Discussion Activities Two weeks Every four weeks 20% 1, 2, 3, 4 Mid-module Assignment 2,500 words Mid term 35% 1, 2 End of Module Project 2,500 words End of term 35% 3, 4 Reflective Report 1,500 words End of term 10% All Page 15 of 30
Level 7 Module Options Choose two of the following six modules Page 16 of 30
Quantitative Methods for Business Module Code New or revised New NQF Level 7 Credit Value 10 Date of Introduction Duration (weeks) 8 Pre-requisites (modules which must be taken before this module) Co-requisites (modules which must be taken in the same year) Module Description This module provides an introduction to the statistical and econometric techniques that are used in business and finance. The emphasis is on basic theory and application which would enable a manager to understand, apply, and critically evaluate the uses of quantitative data in an applied business context. Aims 1. Introduce students to statistical and data analysis techniques which can be used to assist in organisational decision-making 2. Provide students with an opportunity to develop and apply their financial and business modelling skills 3. Allow students to utilise appropriate software for analysis of business problems Learning Outcomes On completion of this module students will be able to: 1. Critically evaluate the various sources of data which will assist decision-making in private & publicsector organisations 2. Summarise and critically interpret quantitative data 3. Build appropriate quantitative models and apply them to solve problems in organisations 4. Utilise appropriate software for analysis of business problems Page 17 of 30
Syllabus Data collection, presentation and description Application of Linear Equations to financial relationships Data analysis - Time Series, Correlation Simple and Multiple Regression Probability theory, the theory of sampling & the central limit theorem Statistical Inference: Estimation & Hypothesis Testing Decision Analysis Linear Programming Learning and Teaching Strategies and Methods The Learning and Teaching Methods for the Module follow the intended online delivery Strategy for the Programme as a whole. The module will be delivered by reading materials available on the VLE supported by discussion forums and online lectures using the Adobe Connect synchronous communication and application sharing facility. Students will be encouraged to identify and share relevant web-based resources. Live lectures will focus on case studies drawn from the reading materials and the results of the web-based field trips. Selfmanaged learning will supplement lectures and students are given weekly direction on required readings. Assessment 100% Coursework: Description of unit of assessment Length / Duration Submission Date Weighting Learning Outcome(s) Met 4 Assessed Discussion Activities Two weeks Every two weeks 20% 1, 2, 3, 4 End of module project 3,000 words End of term 80% All Page 18 of 30
Project Management Module Code New or revised New NQF Level 7 Credit Value 10 Date of Introduction Duration (weeks) 8 Pre-requisites (modules which must be taken before this module) Co-requisites (modules which must be taken in the same year) Module Description Project management is a key management tool which enables organisations to efficiently achieve their goals in a constantly changing business environment complicated by risks, uncertainties and competitor pressures. In this multi-disciplinary module students will be introduced to the role project management plays in the modern business world in addition to the more traditional planning and control aspects of project management. Aims 1. Introduce students to current project management methodology and alternative project environments 2. Demonstrate the commercial and behavioural issues in the management of projects 3. Encourage students to develop a reflective approach to their own experiences Learning Outcomes On completion of this module students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of current Project Management approaches, including: An awareness of traditional project management methodologies (PMBOK and Prince 2) An appreciation of the project manager as a disturbance handler and problem solver Ensuring project process acts as a balance between managing risk and providing a vehicle of opportunity 2. Reflect on and critique their own experience in organisations 3. Compare and contrast the requirements of different project environments 4. Appreciate the commercial and behavioural issues in the management of projects Page 19 of 30
Syllabus Traditional and innovative Project Life Cycles Introducing project and stakeholder management The importance of Emotional intelligence within the project management function Risk and Quality management (positive and negative) Project tools, techniques, and software Monitoring and controlling project performance Project negotiation and problem solving Critical Chain theory and the Theory of Constraints as tools for managing uncertainty Project strategy and programme management Learning and Teaching Strategies and Methods The Learning and Teaching Methods for the Module follow the intended online delivery Strategy for the Programme as a whole. The module will be delivered by reading materials available on the VLE supported by discussion forums and online lectures using the Adobe Connect synchronous communication and application sharing facility. Students will be encouraged to identify and share relevant web-based resources. Live lectures will focus on case studies drawn from the reading materials and the results of the web-based field trips. Selfmanaged learning will supplement lectures and students are given weekly direction on required readings. Assessment 100% Coursework: Description of unit of assessment Length / Duration Submission Date Weighting Learning Outcome(s) Met 4 Assessed Discussion Activities Two weeks Every two weeks 20% All End of module report 3,000 words End of term 80% All Other Information Summary description of assessment strategy: The assessment will be through one end of module report. The report topics will cover a range of key project management issues representative of the complexity of current day project management scenarios. Student groups will be provided with a choice between TWO topics. The topics offered to students will change on a cyclic basis with new topics added to ensure the list keeps current. Students will be required to conduct an in-depth investigation and research on a given topic. Students will be expected to draw on the module learning to support their analysis and evaluation of their findings. Key to success will be the ability to interpret their findings and fully justify their conclusions. Page 20 of 30
Exemplar topics: The growth of Agile project management: a worldwide perspective The role of Emotional Intelligence in project management in the creative industry sector Comparing and contrasting the use of the theory of constraints and the critical chain theory in managing uncertainty with in projects Project leadership and control in multinational, virtual project teams Project and stakeholder communication, in a high risk, crashed timescale environments Page 21 of 30
Management Across Cultures Module Code BE469 New or revised Revised NQF Level 7 Credit Value 10 Date of Introduction Duration (weeks) 8 Pre-requisites (modules which must be taken before this module) Co-requisites (modules which must be taken in the same year) Module Description The overarching objective of this module is to enable students to enhance their understanding of the way in which globalisation and international business activities affect management and management practices across cultures. Managers increasingly find themselves working across borders calling for a thorough understanding of issues that relate to cross cultural management. This course offers an intensive and interactive engagement with the meso-level of international business related areas by considering several different phenomena that are affected by or affect successful management across cultures. Through the combination of lectures, group discussion and student led presentations students will be invited to engage in an in depth discussion about issues concerning management across cultures. Aims 1. To provide students with a critical understanding of different aspects of management across cultures 2. To introduce students to key concepts and theoretical lenses on management across cultures 3. To enable students to independently and critically analyse the considerations needed for successful management across culture Page 22 of 30
Learning Outcomes On completion of this module students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of key perspectives, theories and concepts that inform management across cultures, especially with regard to: The cultural context of management across cultures The practices of managers in international contexts The management of cross-cultural conflicts, problems and challenges Syllabus The challenges of management across cultures (includes international HRM) Culture, values and worldviews, managers mindset and communication across cultures Strategies and decision-making in management across cultures Organisation and management frameworks across cultures Problem solving in cross-cultural conflict Learning and Teaching Strategies and Methods The Learning and Teaching Methods for the Module follow the intended online delivery Strategy for the Programme as a whole. The module will be delivered by reading materials available on the VLE supported by discussion forums and online lectures using the Adobe Connect synchronous communication and application sharing facility. Students will be encouraged to identify and share relevant web-based resources. Live lectures will focus on case studies drawn from the reading materials and the results of the web-based field trips. Selfmanaged learning will supplement lectures and students are given weekly direction on required readings. Assessment 100% Coursework: Description of unit of assessment Length / Duration Submission Date Weighting Learning Outcome(s) Met 4 Assessed Discussion Activities Two weeks Every two weeks 20% All End of module report 3,000 words End of term 70% All Reflective Report 1,500 words End of term 10% All Page 23 of 30
Human Resource Management Module Code BE470 New or revised Revised NQF Level 7 Credit Value 10 Date of Introduction Duration (weeks) 8 Pre-requisites (modules which must be taken before this module) Co-requisites (modules which must be taken in the same year) Module Description Over recent decades, social and political shifts have culminated in the emergence of Human Resource Management (HRM) as an organizational practice distinct from more traditional personnel approaches to managing people at work. An HRM approach takes a strategic view of the organizations employees as drivers of competitive advantage and HRM functions resourcing, performance and reward management, employment relations, and learning and development are correspondingly aligned with this aim. However, the roots of HRM in the neo-liberalism of the 1980 s in the USA and UK in particular mean that the employee advocacy role of the traditional personnel manager has been eclipsed in favour of activities that further managerialist ends, making a critical interrogation of HRM rhetoric and practice an essential part of any socially responsible management education. This module is an essential part of the MSc Management suite of programmes and on successful completion, students will have a critical understanding of the theory and practice of HRM in domestic and international contexts, as well as an awareness of how HR practices impact both on the individual and wider social structures. Aims 1. To introduce students to the theory and practice of HRM 2. To provide critical approaches to understanding the impact of HRM on a range of stakeholders 3. To consider the strategic influence of HRM on business performance 4. To review contemporary HRM developments and debates Page 24 of 30
Learning Outcomes On completion of this module students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of key perspectives, theories and concepts that inform historical and contemporary understandings of HRM 2. Analyse the effects of HRM practices and ideologies within a wider social, economic and political context 3. Critically evaluate the significance of HRM for firms performance 4. Show awareness of current debates and challenges facing HRM in a contemporary context Syllabus HRM in a business context Resourcing and developing the organization Managing performance: reward and wellbeing Social responsibility and HRM: ethics, equality and diversity HRM in a global context Learning and Teaching Strategies and Methods The Learning and Teaching Methods for the Module follow the intended online delivery Strategy for the Programme as a whole. The module will be delivered by reading materials available on the VLE supported by discussion forums and online lectures using the Adobe Connect synchronous communication and application sharing facility. Students will be encouraged to identify and share relevant web-based resources. Live lectures will focus on case studies drawn from the reading materials and the results of the web-based field trips. Selfmanaged learning will supplement lectures and students are given weekly direction on required readings. Assessment 100% Coursework: Description of unit of assessment Length / Duration Submission Date Weighting Learning Outcome(s) Met 4 Assessed Discussion Activities Two weeks Every two weeks 20% All End of module report 3,000 words End of term 70% All Reflective Report 1,500 words End of term 10% All Page 25 of 30
Business Strategy Module Code BE962 New or revised Revised NQF Level 7 Credit Value 40 Date of Introduction Duration (weeks) 20 Pre-requisites (modules which must be taken before this module) BE466 Researching Organizational Dynamics Co-requisites (modules which must be taken in the same year) Module Description The overarching objective of this module is to introduce students to the concepts of business strategy and strategic management. Strategic management, both as an academic discipline and in the eyes of practitioners, has undergone many different periods each shaped by certain schools of thought. This course offers students a comprehensive and engaging introduction to the strategic management arena, introducing five different schools of thought and critically appraising each of them. Through a variety of teaching styles incorporating lectures, group work and group discussions students will be engaged in deep and critical analysis of business strategy and strategic management and its application to business today. Aims 1. To provide students with a critical understanding of business strategy and strategic management 2. To introduce students to different schools of thought within the strategic management area, critically appraising each of them 3. To enable students to independently and critically analyse strategic management practices in organisations Learning Outcomes On completion of this module students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of key approaches, theories and concepts that inform business strategy and strategic management 2. Critically appraise different schools of thought on the topic, understanding their benefits and limitations 3. Apply the different schools of thought to business practice Page 26 of 30
Syllabus Images of Strategy Strategy as Organising Strategy as process, power and change Strategy as Orchestrating Knowledge Strategy as Creativity Learning and Teaching Methods The Learning and Teaching Methods for the Module follow the intended online delivery Strategy for the Programme as a whole. The module will be delivered by reading materials available on the VLE supported by discussion forums and online lectures using the Adobe Connect synchronous communication and application sharing facility. Students will be encouraged to identify and share relevant web-based resources. Live lectures will focus on case studies drawn from the reading materials and the results of the web-based field trips. Selfmanaged learning will supplement lectures and students are given weekly direction on required readings. Assessment 100% Coursework: Description of unit of assessment Length / Duration Submission Date Weighting Learning Outcome(s) Met 4 Assessed Discussion Activities Two weeks Every two weeks 20% All End of module report 3,000 words End of term 70% All Reflective Report 1,500 words End of term 10% All Page 27 of 30
Creativity and Organisation Module Code BE465 New or revised Revised NQF Level 7 Credit Value 10 Date of Introduction Duration (weeks) 8 Pre-requisites (modules which must be taken before this module) Co-requisites (modules which must be taken in the same year) Module Description The overarching objective of the module is to engage the students with state of the art knowledge production in the field of creativity management. By offering an intensive course where both practical methods and in-depth theoretical analysis are presented, the module will help students develop their own understanding of the field and supply them with conceptual and practical tools. Particular attention will be paid to the development of transferable skills students will apply various creativity tools and techniques and critically reflect on these, thus enabling them to work effectively in creative problem solving teams. The concept of Creativity has very much re-established itself on the corporate radar since its heyday of the 1950s and 1960s. In fact, the discourse of creativity is rife within society at large (Thrift, 2002), with the necessity for creativity now seemingly elevated above many other aspects of traditional management discourse. Not only is the discourse of creativity familiar, it is instantly recognisable: we know the language of creativity; we know how to identify and classify creativity; we are told how to be creative; and sometimes we are even asked what do you want to create? Creativity has become normalised ; our understanding has become framed by the language of creativity, our being creative prescribed both substantively and instrumentally. The literature (and language) of creativity is, of course, evolving. We are re-classifying, finding new methods, working on our understanding of the essence of creativity. Creativity has become the modern mantra. We have creative industries, creative partnerships and creative approaches of which individuals, businesses and even governments are trying to harness the potential. Creativity is seen as essential for our survival, economically and socially. Hence the need to challenge clichéd representations of creativity, the typical creativity is wonderful and we need a lot more of it... type arguments, and assist students to become more creative (or at least more reflective) in their own practice. Page 28 of 30
Aims 1. To provide students with a critical understanding of historical developments and trends in the field of creativity, both as an academic discipline and as a practice in organizations. 2. To familiarise students with key creativity concepts, perspectives and techniques, including popular concepts such as brainstorming and lateral thinking. 3. To enable students to independently and critically analyse the concept of creativity in theory and practice. Learning Outcomes On completion of this module students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of key perspectives, theories and concepts that inform contemporary notions of creativity. 2. Analyse the historical emergence of creativity as a crucial organisational phenomenon and understand the social, economic and political embeddedness of creativity. 3. Critically evaluate the wider implications of utilising creativity techniques in an organisational context. Syllabus Creativity and multiple organisational realities Creativity in Context Enhancing Creativity in the Workplace Creative Problem Solving: the MPIA Model (I) Creative Problem Solving: the MPIA Model (II) Learning and Teaching Methods The Learning and Teaching Methods for the Module follow the intended online delivery Strategy for the Programme as a whole. The module will be delivered by reading materials available on the VLE supported by discussion forums and online lectures using the Adobe Connect synchronous communication and application sharing facility. Students will be encouraged to identify and share relevant web-based resources. Live lectures will focus on case studies drawn from the reading materials and the results of the web-based field trips. Selfmanaged learning will supplement lectures and students are given weekly direction on required readings. Page 29 of 30
Assessment 100% Coursework: Description of unit of assessment Length / Duration Submission Date Weighting Learning Outcome(s) Met 4 Assessed Discussion Activities Two weeks Every two weeks 20% All End of module report 3,000 words End of term 70% All Reflective Report 1,500 words End of term 10% All Page 30 of 30