Theory and Practice of Management

Module description

Summary:

This module introduces students to major contemporary developments in business and management, to the most influential management theories and to seminal debates about management practice.  While you are encouraged to reflect on past developments, the overall focus of the module is on the likely future direction of management practice and on the key explanatory factors.

Additional Information:

Internationalisation
Due to the broad scope of this module, internationalisation is embedded in the content of this module, and globalisation is explored both in lectures and in one of the core case studies.

Sustainability
Sustainability is explored in a lecture and in a case study that focuses on  the WWF campaign regarding the use of palm oil in consumable products. Due to the diversity of the students’ backgrounds and opinions, this topic tends to engage students in lively debates on sustainability.

Employability
In this module, students acquire confidence and skills in presenting, writing business reports, research, working in teams, managing conflicts, and working to deadlines. They also get an understanding and experience of working in informal networks, coaching, peer review, and performance management.

Full module specification

Module aims

The aim of the module is to introduce you to a range of significant issues in today's business and management world. Our major objective is to help you develop a good understanding of key contemporary developments and of their antecedents. In each case you will develop a good understanding of theory and practice.


The module aims to investigate a number of different aspects of management:

• the history of management thinking and its impact on practice
• the evolution of increased competitive intensity and its chief causes and effects
• the factors which account for industrial restructuring and its impact
• major contemporary trends in the political, regulatory economic, social and demographic environments in which organisations compete, their contemporary and likely future significance
•  the role of the individual manager in  contributing to organisational success

ILO: Module-specific skills

• 1. assess the impact of different historical perspectives in management and organisation studies
• 2. evaluate the changing characteristics of organisations and explain the causes of key contemporary developments in management
• 3. explain the role of the manager in different organisational settings
• 4. identify the increasing impact of technology, innovation and sustainability issues on the manager's role

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

• 5. be able to develop and justify arguments, evidence critical thinking, and contrast and evaluate different assumptions and perspectives
• 6. work effectively and be self-motivated, to work effectively in a group, and present an argument in front of an audience
• 7. analyse an organisation's environment and evidence an awareness of strategy
• 8. demonstrate awareness of contemporary issues in management such as those relating to the management of change, ethics etc
• 9. comprehend issues relating to organization studies and the management of people within organisations

ILO: Personal and key skills

• 10. prepare and organise work individually and in groups using a range of available technologies
• 11. work positively and collaboratively in groups, managing any conflict arising
• 12. prepare reports to which everyone in their group contributes and then present it succinctly
• 13. lead a tutorial presentation and discussion session
• 14. work on case study based materials, comparing different personal approaches to research and organisation, whilst developing an effective and convincing team presentation

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Syllabus plan

• Module Introduction and the management process
• History and evolution of management thinking
• Globalisation and its impact on organisations
• The regulatory environment and government policy on business
• The response of managers to social and demographic change
• Individual and organisational performance management and review
• Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility and community
• Technology, enterprise  and innovation
• Decision making and ethics
• Strategic management, leadership and teamworking
• Revision week

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:
Compulsory Text:

Taylor, S (ed) (2013): Theory and practice of management. Custom published text. Harlow, Prentice Hall.


Additional  reading:  
Daft, R. (2010) New Era of Management, 9th edition, Mason, OH: South Western
 
Dicken, P. (2010) Global Shift: Managing the Changing Contours of the World Economy, Sixth Edition, London: Sage
Fundamentals of Management by Mike Smith. Second Edition. London, McGraw Hill. 2011.

Weekly core text compulsory sections reading list will be given, plus additional optional articles on tutorial
and contemporary topics.

Module has an active ELE page?

Yes

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

Students are expected to keep up to date with contemporary issues for Business and Management by accessing current (and historical) news and opinion articles from reputable international sources and referencing these appropriately.  The BBC news websites would be examples of this.  Management journals aimed at practising managers rather than researching academics like Management Today and the Director in the UK may also prove useful but should only be investigated once the core material has been understood.

Origin date

15/09/2010

Last revision date

23/04/2013