Current Trends and a Minor in Management D, 30 Credits

Contents

The course highlights key issues for understanding and dealing with the challenges facing contemporary organizations in a globalized world. It integrates profound theoretical insights with practical applications in a learning environment characterized by active student participation, both individually and in groups
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Module 1.  Research Methodology, 7.5 ECTS.
Module 2. People – the human side of organizing , 7.5 ECTS.
Module 3. Project management, 7.5 ECTS.
Module 4. Current Trends in Business Administration, 7.5 ECTS.

The core course consists of four modules, which will be further described below:

Module 1.  Research Methodology, 7.5 ECTS

Expected learning outcomes:

Focus of instruction:

Examination modes

Module 2.   People – the human side of organizing (7,5 ECTS)
In the second module, focus is turned to the human side of organizations, with the objective to show the importance of considering individual perceptions and identity construction, as well as group interaction, in order to effectively manage and lead an organization. Furthermore, the module addresses the complexities created by issues of diversity, gender, ethics and emotions in organisational processes. Students will perform a group assignment in order to scrutinize and evaluate one of these dimensions.

Expected learning outcomes
After completing this module, the student should be able to:

1. appreciate leadership as a matter of mutual interaction through a social identity theory perspective, including the following sub goals:

• understand how human interaction in organizational contexts emerge from social identification processes,
• critically reflect upon issues of commitment, collaboration, group dynamics, leadership etc from the social identity point of view,
• utilize the social identity framework to analyze and solve human problems in organizational contexts,

      2. scrutinize and evaluate dimensions of diversity, ethics, emotions and gender in organizational processes, including:

• critically reflect upon and apply one of these perspectives on a real-life organizational practice

Examination modes
The examination consists of active participation in seminars and successful completion of group and individual assignments. A passing grade is required for each part of the module.

Module 3. Project management (7,5 ECTS)
The third module attends to the present trend towards “projectification” in both business and public organizations, which calls for in-depth knowledge on the nature of projects and how to manage particular projects as well as a portfolio of projects in an organization. Students will deal with established planning and organizing techniques, examine the relationship between projects and between the project and the surrounding organisation, and critically reflect upon the role of projects in wider society.

Expected learning outcomes
After completing this module, the student should be able to:

1. understand the nature of projects in an organizational and industrial context,

• explain theories, models and concepts for management of projects, programs, and portfolios of projects in organisational contexts
• understand the need for governance of multi-project settings

       2. collaborate in and manage project work,

• show, in writing and practically, a deeper understanding in a subject area related to project management.
• assume responsibility for own and group learning
• work hands-on with project management tools , both in groups and individually
• plan for, analyse and control project progress and changes.
• reflect upon one’s own learning on the course’s subjects

Examination modes
The examination consists of active participation in seminars and successful completion of group and individual assignments. There will also be a written comprehensive individual exam. A passing grade is required for each part of the module.

Module 4. Current Trends in Business Administration, 7,5 ECTS

Expected learning outcomes

Focus of instruction

Examination

A passing grade is required for each part of the module.

Expected learning outcomes

Generic learning outcome
The course has a number of generic skills. After completing the course, the student should also be able to:

• work effectively in multicultural teams and as team leaders
• appreciate diversity and multiculturality
• integrate managerial expertise from different knowledge areas in order to identify, analyze and solve organizational problems
• plan, conduct, and present managerial investigations, both orally and in writing, for an academic as well as a business practitioners audience.

Required Knowledge

University: Admitted to one of the following Master programs in Business Administration (Accounting, Finance, Marketing or Business Development and internationalization) at Umeå School of Business and Economics.

Form of instruction

ut the entire course.

Examination modes

Academic credit transfer
Academic credit transfers are according to the University credit transfer regulations.

Other regulations

This is a course at D-level (Advanced level) in the Masters program in Business and Administration at Umeå School of Business and Economics