Module BUSI44U15: Leadership

Department: Business School (Business)

BUSI44U15: Leadership

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To enable a deep understanding of the role of leadership, its multiple facets, and its relationship to the role of management.
• To understand the major theories of leadership.
• To critically review research evidence relating to our theoretical understanding of leadership.
• To explore linkages between leadership roles and the tensions and contradictions between them in contemporary workplaces.

Content

• Who are the leaders? A discussion of the nature of leadership and its overlap with ‘management’.
• Major theories which underpin our understanding of leadership which may include:
• Charismatic and Transformational leadership models and related new leadership approaches
• Interactive theories of leadership (leader-member exchange theory)
• Implicit theories of leadership
• Followership
• Problems associated with poor leadership.

Learning Outcomes

• Critical understanding of the linkages between theory and practice of leadership through application to contemporary situations.
• Critical understanding of current challenges for leadership, such as diversity, the role of the follower and (coping with) destructive leadership.

• Ability to identify the underlying assumptions and theoretical differences in contemporary models of leadership.

• Written communication; planning, organising and time management; problem solving and analysis; interpretation of data; computer literacy.

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

• Lecture sessions: theory will be outlined together with the relevant research evidence to enable a critical and evidenced-based approach.
• Seminars will address:
• (i)Issues to do with culture and context will be exposed, thus allowing students to appreciate the role the external environment in shaping leadership behaviour.
• (ii)The complexity for leaders to meet differing (individual/group and organisational) demands.
• (iii)The effect of positive and also poor leadership.
• These themes will be explored through a variety of media including videos, written cases and practical exercises. In this way each student will be challenged to apply the theoretical and evidence-based material from lectures and also gain an appreciation of the tools and techniques commonly used by leaders and followers.
• The summative written assignment (topic or case based) will test students’ theoretical understanding, their knowledge of relevant evidence, and their ability to apply these to contemporary settings.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Feedback will be provided on contributions to seminars and seminar exercises.

■ 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