Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2011-2012 (archived)

Module BUSI45G15: Management into Action

Department: Business School (Business)

BUSI45G15: Management into Action

Type Open Level 4 Credits 15 Availability Available in 2011/12 Module Cap None.
Tied to N1K607

Prerequisites

  • None.

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None.

Aims

  • To develop an understanding of the nature of management and the role of the manager, and how individuals add value in the workplace.
  • To reflect on the relationship between theory and practice and how new ideas and practices are introduced into an organisation to improve performance.
  • To challenge students to develop their self-awareness, criticality and skills of self-reflection.
  • To develop sound foundations for lifelong learning.

Content

  • Perspectives on the role of the manager;
  • Individual and organisational learning;
  • Developing management competences;
  • The management toolkit;
  • Values and ethics;
  • Thinking about careers and employability;
  • The reflective practitioner.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • By the end of the module students should:
  • Be able to critically assess the role and competences of a manager in the workplace;
  • Have a critical understanding of issues affecting the gap between theory and practice and which may act as barriers to performance improvement in an organisation;
  • Have a critical understanding of the concept of the reflective practitioner.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • By the end of the module students should:
  • Be able to reflect critically on their own practice in managing their work as a way of learning and improving.
Key Skills:
    Ability to communicate effectively: listening; communicating complex ideas orally and in writing; using a range of media which are widely used in business, such as business reports;
Key Skills:
    Ability to think critically and creatively and to argue coherently;
Key Skills:
    Skills of self-reflection and criticality including self-awareness, openness and sensitivity to diversity in terms of people, cultures, business and management issues;
Key Skills:
    Skills of ‘learning to learn’ and developing a continuing appetite for learning: reflective, adaptive and collaborative learning.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • The module combines a number of approaches to learning. Firstly, through lectures and seminars, including guest speakers, students are introduced to key ideas. Secondly, two longer ‘block seminars’ are used to give students the opportunity to learn by doing from simulated ‘real world’ activities. Thirdly, a tutorial provides an opportunity to review progress on the Personal Development Plan.
  • The mixed mode of summative assessment fits with the learning design. The reflective paper will draw on the Personal Development Plan and a reflective journal, and will encourage students to engage in a wide range of learning activities. The individual written assignment will require students to link theory and practice, and the group presentation will test skills of communication and working with others.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Lectures 9 Weekly 1 hour 9
Seminars 4 Fortnightly 1 hour 4
Tutorial 1 N/A 2 hours 2
Block seminars 2 N/A 12 hours (2 days) and 18 hours (2 days) 30
Preparation & Reading 105
Total 150

Summative Assessment

Component: Individual written assignment Component Weighting: 30%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Individual written assignment based on a case study 1500 words (maximum) 100%
Component: Group presentation Component Weighting: 20%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Group presentation (resit: individual assignment of 1000 words based on group presentation) 10 minutes 100%
Component: Individual reflective paper Component Weighting: 50%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Individual reflective paper 1500 words (maximum) 100%

Formative Assessment:

Group presentation at first block seminar; individual paper reflecting on lessons learned from first block seminar; peer and tutor feedback on PDP.


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University