Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2012-2013 (archived)

Module BUSI45G15: Management into Action

Department: Business School (Business)

BUSI45G15: Management into Action

Type Tied Level 4 Credits 15 Availability Available in 2012/13 Module Cap None.
Tied to N2P109 MSc Management

Prerequisites

  • None.

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • BUSI45J15 Consulting

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;
  • Ability to think critically and creatively and to argue coherently;
  • Skills of self-reflection and criticality including self-awareness, openness and sensitivity to diversity in terms of people, cultures, business and management issues;
  • 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 input from 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.
    • The summative assessment fits with the learning design. The 2,500-word reflective paper will draw on the student's Personal Development Plan and include a reflective journal, tracking their efforts to address a perceived area for improvement in their management skills and to link theory with both practice and their individual development over the course of the module.

    Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

    Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
    Lectures 8 Weekly 2 hour 16
    Seminars 3 1 hour 3
    Block seminars 2 N/A 3 hour 6
    Preparation & Reading 125
    Total 150

    Summative Assessment

    Component: Individual written assignment Component Weighting: 100%
    Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
    Learning log/personal development plan addressing areas for improvement in their own management capability 2500 words (maximum) 100% same

    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