BMA790 SPECIAL TOPICS IN MANAGEMENT THE MBA REVIEW

BMA790 SPECIAL TOPICS IN MANAGEMENT THE MBA REVIEW Semester 2, 2012 Teaching Team: Associate Professor Martin Grimmer CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B 1

Contact Details Unit Coordinator: Campus: Associate Professor Martin Grimmer Hobart Room Number: 215 Email: Martin.Grimmer@utas.edu.au Phone: 03 6226 2824 Fax: 03 6226 2170 Consultation Time: By appointment 2

Contents Contact Details. Page 2 Unit Description.. Page 4 Learning Expectations and Teaching Strategies Approach.. Page 5 Intended Learning Outcomes and Generic Graduate Attributes.... Page 6 Details of Teaching Arrangements Page 7 Learning Resources.. Page 7 Assessment.. Page 9 Submission of Coursework Page 13 Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism.. Page 14 3

Unit Description UTAS courses are reviewed on a regular, cyclical basis so as to insure that the content and structure remains relevant, that teaching and learning continues to be of the highest standard, and that the mechanics of the course (e.g. scheduling, etc) suit the needs of students. The MBA was last reviewed in 2007, and is again due for review in the second half of 2012. Since the last review, the MBA has undergone a number of changes, most particularly relating to the roll-out of both full-time and a flexible/distance programs. A review is, therefore, timely. The review will consider such issues as: Course content Modes of delivery (face-to-face, distance, intensive) Connections with the business community Supporting different types of students Different ways of teaching and learning Fee structures The aim of this unit is to involve a small group of current students in the MBA suite in the review process. The unit will provide a unique opportunity for the development of skills in conducting research in a variety of modes, and skills in engaging in a consultancy project. The unit will be considered as a research project, and so may also be useful for those students who are considering going on to postgraduate research study, such as a Masters by Research or PhD. Being involved in the review will lead to the development of a range of skills, including project management, market research, strategic planning, financial analysis, and report writing. Students will work as individuals or pairs under the guidance of the MBA Director. Specific research projects will be negotiated with the MBA Director, but may involve: surveying and/or interviewing current students; surveying and/or interviewing lecturing staff; surveying and/or interviewing industry stakeholders; conducting an analysis of other MBA programs (both nationally or internationally); analysing the international accreditation bodies and their requirements in terms of suitability in the Tasmanian context, or developing a market analysis using prospective, current and former students The project will identify the problem, state the major assumptions, explain the significance of the undertaking, present the sources for and methods of gathering information, analyse the data, and offer conclusions, limitations and recommendations. There are no set classes for the unit; rather, students will be required to attend an initial briefing and then act as consultants to the MBA Director. In this regard, the unit will take a self-directed learning format. Group meetings will be scheduled as needed, although there will be some regular meetings in order for students to report on progress and reflect on their own learning about the process of research and consultancy. There is no set textbook; the literature that students engage with will be determined by the nature of the specific research project they undertake. 4

Pre-Requisite/Co-Requisite Unit(s) None. Enrolment in the Unit Unless there are exceptional circumstances, students should not enrol in BMA units after the end of week two of semester, as the School of Management cannot guarantee that: any extra assistance will be provided by the teaching team in respect of work covered in the period prior to enrolment; and penalties will not be applied for late submission of any piece or pieces of assessment that were due during this period. Learning Expectations and Teaching Strategies/Approach Expectations The University is committed to a high standard of professional conduct in all activities, and holds its commitment and responsibilities to its students as being of paramount importance. Likewise, it holds expectations about the responsibilities students have as they pursue their studies within the special environment the University offers. The University s Code of Conduct for Teaching and Learning states: Students are expected to participate actively and positively in the teaching/learning environment. They must attend classes when and as required, strive to maintain steady progress within the subject or unit framework, comply with workload expectations, and submit required work on time. Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) The University is committed to providing a safe and secure teaching and learning environment. In addition to specific requirements of this unit you should refer to the University s policy at: http://www.admin.utas.edu.au/hr/ohs/pol_proc/ohs.pdf. 5

Intended Learning Outcomes and Generic Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes Design and conduct a research project Develop research skills using knowledge of research processes and methodology Develop in-depth knowledge in a specific business-teaching related area Communicate research findings Assessment Criteria In assessing this learning outcome I will be looking at student ability to: Create project materials for data collection and stakeholder management (e.g. MBA Review Committee) Manage self and time Work collaboratively with fellow students and MBA Director Engage with relevant literature that assists in understanding the research problem Formulate research project objectives and questions and determine a methodology suitable to answer the questions Collect and analyse research data and interpret results Identify concepts related to research objectives and questions and perform a critical analysis to make an argument Determine how results contribute to making recommendations Write a report using the language and lexicon of business Follow academic guidelines for writing a research report Assessment Methods Written report and reflective journal Graduate Attribute Outcomes Knowledge The ability to transfer knowledge to complex and uncertain business situations and transmit that knowledge to for critical discussion. Extensive functioning knowledge in: Functional lifelong learner for professional and personal career aspirations. Communication Skills The ability to engage in persuasive, succinct oral and written discussions to communicate and defend a position held both individually and as part of a group, and to effectively respond to questions. Written communication skills to create clear and detailed analyses and non-biased recommendations for academics and business leaders. Problem-solving Skills The ability to apply logical, critical and creative thinking to complex business related problems. A critical grasp of theoretical frameworks and practices and the ability to integrate and apply them to problem resolution in a business context. The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and effectively use information from a range of media and in a number of different formats. Global Perspective Group and interpersonal skills to sensitively connect, collaborate and negotiate with people from diverse global cultures and backgrounds in a professional context. The ability to use business knowledge and theories to evaluate decision making in the global business environment and consider global influences in work practices and decisions. Social Responsibility Social responsibility through consideration of social group needs when conducting academic research into business practices. The ability to apply ethical values to research. An awareness and consideration of the public interest in research. 6

Details of Teaching Arrangements This unit is designed to allow individual or small group research. There are no set lectures, tutorials or workshops. There will, however, over the course of the unit be opportunities for students to meet both formally and informally. Such opportunities will be established both as scheduled and as ondemand meetings. The MBA Director will advise you on the tasks, processes and standards expected of you in the unit and, more specifically, will help you to formulate and refine your research project, define your objectives, and provide advice and guidance in respect of relevant literature, research design and methodology, analysis and interpretation of your findings, and preparation of your research report. It is essential that you plan to meet with the MBA Director at regular and frequent intervals in order to apprise them of your progress, exchange ideas, ensure that your work is well-focussed and that your work schedule is maintained, and so as to gain the benefit of regular feedback. The amount of supervision required will vary considerably according to the project and the individual student. It is your responsibility to consult with the MBA Director regularly. You should establish a timetable that will be mutually suitable. As a rough guide, you should try to meet once every two weeks (this may be by phone), even if the meeting lasts only five minutes. Learning Resources Recommended Reading There is no prescribed textbook. Students may find a number of the following sources helpful: Babbie, E 2002, The basics of social research, 2nd edn, Wadsworth, Belmont. Bagozzi, R (ed.) 1994, Principles of marketing research, Basil Blackwell, Cambridge. Birnbaum, MH 2004, Human research and data collection via the internet, Annual Review of Psychology, vol. 55, pp. 803-832. Davis, D & Cosenza, RM 1993, Business research for decision making, 3rd edn, Wadsworth, Belmont. Emory, CW & Cooper, DR 1991, Business research methods, 4th edn, Irwin, Boston. Gay, LR & Diehl, PL 1992, Research methods for business and management, Macmillan, New York, Chapter 14 Preparation of a research report. Hair, Jr. JF 1995, Multivariate data analysis with readings, 4th edn, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs. Kazdin, AE 1995, Preparing and evaluating research reports, Psychological Assessment, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 228-237. Kitzinger, J 1995, Introducing focus groups, British Medical Journal, vol. 311, pp. 299-303. Kolb, DA 1984, Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development, Prentice- Hall, New Jersey. 7

Krosnick, JA 1999, Survey research, Annual Review of Psychology, vol. 50, pp. 537-567. Malhotra, NK, Hall, J, Shaw, M & Oppenheim, PP 2004, Essentials of marketing research: an applied orientation, Pearson Education, Frenchs Forest, NSW. Neuman, WL 2003, Social research methods: qualitative and quantitative approaches, 5th edn, Allyn and Bacon, Boston. Raimond, P 1993, Management projects, Chapman & Hall, London. Salkind, NJ 1997, Exploring research, 3rd edn, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Saunders, M, Lewis, P & Thornhill, A 2003, Research methods for business students, 3rd edn, Prentice Hall, Harlow, Essex. Sekaran, U 1992, Research methods for business: a skill building approach, 2nd edn, John Wiley, New York. Tharenou, P, Donohue, R & Cooper, B 2007, Management research methods, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne. Tilly, A 1994, An introduction to psychological research and statistics, Pineapple Press, Brisbane. Tull, DS & Hawkins, DI 1993, Marketing research: measurement and method, 6th edn, Macmillan, New York. Weidenborner, S & Caruso, D 1982, Writing research papers: a guide to the process, St Martin s Press, New York. Whyte, WF 1984, Learning from the field: a guide from experience, Sage, London. Library Resources The library offers a variety of electronic and physical resources that will be helpful for completing the research project. These include journals and books that are kept in the library, as well as journals in electronic format which can be accessed through databases that the library provides access to. As postgraduate coursework student, a very reasonable level of access is given. This includes being able to access the library s intercampus loan service to obtain references that are not contained in the library on your specific campus. Students are encouraged to visit the library website: http://www.utas.edu.au/library/home The library s subject guide for Management can also be found at the following address: http://www.utas.edu.au/library/info/subj/management.html Students may find it helpful to obtain the following electronic publications which are available from the School of Management website: http://www.utas.edu.au/management/student-resources Writing Assignments: A Guide Harvard Reference Style Manual 8

My Learning Online (MyLO) MyLO software has been incorporated into the delivery of this unit to enhance the learning experience by providing access to up to date course materials and by allowing for online discussion through this web based environment. To access MyLO from your own computer you will need the appropriate software, and hardware to run that software. See Learning Online at http://uconnect.utas.edu.au/ for computer software you will need. Note: Older computers may not have the hardware to run some of the required software applications. Contact your local IT support person or the Service Desk on 6226 1818 if you experience difficulties. The School of Management has prepared a MyLO Information Sheet which includes access guidelines and contact information. It is available to download as a word document from the School of Management website at http://www.utas.edu.au/mgmt/student.htm. Privacy Policy and Notice The School of Management takes the utmost care to protect the privacy and security of your personal information and to ensure its accuracy. If you have any concerns about your privacy in MyLO please contact the coordinator of this unit or view the University of Tasmania MyLO Privacy Policy Statement available from the university website at http://www.utas.edu.au/coursesonline/privacy.htm. Assessment Assessment Schedule In order to pass this unit you must achieve an overall mark of at least 50 per cent of the total available marks. Details of each assessment item are outlined below. Assessment Item Value Due Date Length Reflective Journal three submissions 15 marks (3 X 5 marks) Throughout semester: Friday 10 August, Friday 14 September & Friday 500 words each* Research Report 85 marks Friday 26 October, 6,000-10,000 words* 2.00pm * Word Limit: The word count includes such items as headings, in-text references, quotes and executive summaries. It does not include the reference list at the end of the assignment. Assessment Item 1: Reflective Journal 12 October, 2.00pm Task Description: David Kolb (1984) distinguishes between learning that is directed at children (pedagogy) and learning that is directed at adults (andragogy). Kolb argues that adults learn differently from children, that they learn best when confronted with problems that they have to solve. In other words, adults learn on a need to know basis. He points out, however, that a lot of adult learning is invisible, and so to make the 9

learning visible, it is important to take time to reflect. This is the aim of the reflective journal. Students will be expected to submit three short reflective journal entries that demonstrate what they have learned through the process of undertaking the research project. Students will be encouraged to follow the process of Kolb s learning cycle in their journal entries: 1. Describe what activities have been undertaking 2. Reflect on these activities: what do you notice/observe about research, consultancy, etc (that is, whatever the activity is you are talking about) 3. Consider what this might say, in general, about conducting research, consultancy, etc 4. Indicate what you would do in future when undertaking research, consultancy, etc Task Length: Due Dates: Value: 500 words per submission. Submission 1: Week 4 (2.00pm, Friday 10 August) Submission 2: Week 8 (2.00pm, Friday 14 September) Submission 3: Week 12 (2.00pm, Friday 12 October) 15 marks (5 marks per submission) Assessment Item 2: Research Report Task Description: As indicated in the section describing the unit, participation in the MBA review involves undertaking a research project on some issue of relevance to the review. Students will work as individuals or pairs under the guidance of the MBA Director. Specific research projects will be negotiated with the MBA Director, but may involve: surveying and/or interviewing current students; surveying and/or interviewing lecturing staff; surveying and/or interviewing industry stakeholders; conducting an analysis of other MBA programs (both nationally or internationally); analysing the international accreditation bodies and their requirements in terms of suitability in the Tasmanian context, or developing a market analysis using prospective, current and former students. The project will identify the problem, state the major assumptions, explain the significance of the undertaking, present the sources for and methods of gathering information, analyse the data, and offer conclusions, limitations and recommendations. The project must be original in nature (that is, collect information that is not already collated and reported on), and may deal with primary or secondary data, either in qualitative or quantitative form such as may be obtained by survey, interview, case study, archival and so forth. The design of the project should be sound; the specific topic chosen should be such that the project can be easily completed within the time frame available. The project must also be practicable in terms of resource use. You are 10

strongly advised not to undertake projects that are likely to involve long delays. Once a topic for the project has been decided on, and discussed with the MBA Director, a short project proposal will be required of no more than 1,000 words. The project proposal is used to scope, develop and design the overall project. The purpose of the proposal is to protect you from working on an impossible or impractical project and for the project to be approved as one that is relevant and useful for the MBA review. The proposal also provides you with a clear foundation from which to discuss your project with the MBA Director. The proposal will include: a concise statement of the topic to be addressed, its context within the MBA review and its importance; reason for selecting the topic; the scope of the project; the aims and objectives and intended outcomes; details of your proposed project plan and methods to be used, and identification of ethical requirements. Students may be required to submit an ethics application if the proposed research involves or impacts upon human subjects in any way. The ethics application should be developed in association with the MBA Director and is required to be submitted with the MBA Director as the Chief Investigator and signed off by the Head of School before being submitted to the relevant ethics committee. This will be discussed with students. Much of what is included in the proposal could also be used in the project report. The format for the report is as follows. Executive summary; Introduction; Literature and background (as relevant); Methodology; Findings and discussion; identification of ethical requirements; Conclusions and recommendations, and References and appendices. The report must be typed, double spaced on one side of the paper only, using good quality (Bond) white A4 paper, and with wide margins of 2.5 cm. The typeface should be clear and readable. It should conform to the School of Management style guide and referencing format. In broad terms, your report should demonstrate: Your ability to synthesize and apply information and concepts relevant to your research project topic in a critical and evaluative manner; Your ability to formulate project question(s) and propose a methodology suitable to address those question(s); Your ability to assemble, review and effectively integrate the relevant literature; 11

Your method(s) of data collection and analysis; Your interpretation and discussion of findings; Your ability to make recommendations that will provide appropriate information for organisational decision-making regarding the MBA; Originality of thought and strength of argument, and The written standard of the report and its manner of presentation. Task Length: Due Date: Value: 6,000-10,000 words Proposal: Friday 17 August, 2.00pm Final project report: Friday 26 October, 2.00pm 85 marks Special Consideration and Student Difficulties If a student is experiencing difficulties with their studies or assignments, have personal or life planning issues, disability or illness which may affect their course of study, they are advised to raise these with their lecturer in the first instance. Students may also contact the Student Adviser who will be able to help in identifying the issues that need to be addressed, give general advice, assist by liaising with academic staff, as well as referring students to any relevant University-wide support services. The Student Adviser is located in room 318a in the Commerce Building in Hobart and is contactable by phone on 6226 1916. In Launceston the Student Adviser is located in room A168 in Building A and is contactable by phone on 6324 3312. There is also a range of University-wide support services available including Student Services, International Services and Learning Development. Please refer to the Current Students homepage at http://www.utas.edu.au/students/index.html. Should a student require assistance in accessing the Library, visit their website for more information at http://www.utas.edu.au/library/. Students who have completed their examinations and who feel that they have been disadvantaged due to illness or other circumstances affecting their study, may fill out a form to request that their lecturer takes this into consideration when marking the examination. Forms should be submitted directly to the relevant school, accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation, as soon as possible after the completion of the examination. Granting of special consideration is at the discretion of the lecturer and school. The relevant form can be found at the following website: http://www.studentcentre.utas.edu.au/examinations_and_results/forms_files/index.htm#eits. Students with a non-english speaking background may be permitted to take a bilingual dictionary into an exam. This dictionary must not be annotated that is, it must have no notes written in it. Students must request permission from the Student Centre in order to use a bilingual dictionary. 12

Submission of Coursework Lodging Coursework All Coursework must have the School of Management Assignment Cover Sheet, which is available as a blank template from the School of Management website: http://www.utas.edu.au/mgmt/student.htm. All assignments must include the MBA Director s name on the assignment Cover Sheets when they are submitted. If this is not done the assignment will not be accepted and therefore will not be marked. Please remember that you are responsible for lodging your Coursework on or before the due date. We suggest you keep a copy. Even in the most perfect of systems, items sometimes go astray. Assignments must be submitted electronically through the relevant assignment drop box in MyLO. All coursework must be handed in by 2.00pm on the due date. Requests for Extensions Written Coursework: Extensions will only be granted on medical or compassionate grounds and will not be granted because of work or other commitments. Requests for extensions should be made in writing to the unit coordinator prior to the due date. Medical certificates or other evidence must be attached and must contain information which justifies the extension sought. Late assignments which have not been granted an extension will, at the lecturer s discretion, be penalised by deducting ten per cent of total marks for each full day overdue. Assessment submitted more than five days late will normally not be accepted by the unit coordinator. Faculty of Business Late Assessment Policy A full copy of the Faculty of Business late assessment policy is available from the Faculty homepage at http://fcms.its.utas.edu.au/business/business/policies.asp. Academic Referencing and Style Guide Before starting their assignments, students are advised to familiarise themselves with the following electronic resources. The first is the School of Management Guide to Writing Assignment, which can be accessed from the following site - : http://www.utas.edu.au/mgmt/student.htm. The guide provides students with useful information about the structure and style of assignments in the School of Management. The second is the Harvard Referencing System Style Guide, which can be accessed from the UTAS library (http://utas.libguides.com/content.php?pid=27520&sid=199808). The Harvard Referencing System will be used in all School of Management units, and students are expected to use this system in their assignments. 13

Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism Academic misconduct includes cheating, plagiarism, allowing another student to copy work for an assignment or an examination, and any other conduct by which a student: (a) seeks to gain, for themselves or for any other person, any academic advantage or advancement to which they or that other person are not entitled; or (b) improperly disadvantages any other student. Students engaging in any form of academic misconduct may be dealt with under the Ordinance of Student Discipline. This can include imposition of penalties that range from a deduction/cancellation of marks to exclusion from a unit or the University. Details of penalties that can be imposed are available in the Ordinance of Student Discipline Part 3 Academic Misconduct, see http://www.utas.edu.au/universitycouncil/legislation/. Plagiarism is a form of cheating. It is taking and using someone else s thoughts, writings or inventions and representing them as your own, for example: using an author s words without putting them in quotation marks and citing the source; using an author s ideas without proper acknowledgment and citation; or copying another student s work. If you have any doubts about how to refer to the work of others in your assignments, please consult your lecturer or tutor for relevant referencing guidelines, and the academic integrity resources on the web at http://www.utas.edu.au/tl/supporting/academicintegrity/index.html. The intentional copying of someone else s work as one s own is a serious offence punishable by penalties that may range from a fine or deduction/cancellation of marks and, in the most serious of cases, to exclusion from a unit, a course, or the University. The University and any persons authorised by the University may submit your assessable works to a plagiarism checking service, to obtain a report on possible instances of plagiarism. Assessable works may also be included in a reference database. It is a condition of this arrangement that the original author s permission is required before a work within the database can be viewed. For further information on this statement and general referencing guidelines, see http://www.utas.edu.au/plagiarism/ or follow the link under Policy, Procedures and Feedback on the Current Students homepage. 14