Programme Outline
Module 4 - Integrative Management Practice
Links between content and the practical world of management
The Trinity MBA is characterised by practical application of theory to the active exploration and resolution of strategic issues facing senior management. This practical application also serves as an important mechanism for reinforcing the curriculum among participants. Throughout the programme there is an emphasis on teamwork that is characteristic of management teams. The building blocks of the programme include:
- Concepts and theories relevant to describing and explaining the world of organizations and their management
- Case studies and exercises which portray real issues facing managers in business
- Live situations which challenge participants to produce credible analysis and workable solutions for the Senior Management teams of the organisations participating in a range of projects
To further deepen and integrate the material covered in coursework and practiced in case-based teaching and learning, a number of important projects provide the core means by which the activity-based learning philosophy of the MBA programme is implemented. Three central projects serve this purpose: the Social Entrepreneurship Project, the High Potential Business Growth Project, and finally the Company Project.
The Aims of the Social Entrepreneurship Project are:
- To expose the students to a form of entrepreneurship, that deals specifically with innovative business processes harnessed to meet social needs identified within society
- To allow the students to apply their MBA skills to a specific business issue currently being faced by the Social Entrepreneur
- To engage in a reciprocal learning relationship with the Social Entrepreneur – whereby students have the opportunity to assist them in addressing an organisational issue, whilst at the same time giving you the opportunity to learn, through firsthand experience, more about entrepreneurship for social purpose
It is a common theme across these projects that the Social Entrepreneurs have little or no financial resources to pour into finding solutions to issues. This provides a very useful discipline before the students move on to their next project - the High Potential Business Growth Projects.
The High Potential Business Growth Project is designed to closely resemble a commercial consulting project in that group consulting teams will be challenged to deliver a value adding solution to client companies in a restricted period of time. Key elements of the project include managing client relations and expectations, both direct (the companies) and indirect (Enterprise Ireland) as well as honing time and project management skills in a high pressure environment.
The final deliverable consists of the following:
- A presentation made to client companies prior to handing over written report
- A Consultancy Report, of approximately 3,000 to 5,000 words
International Residency Week
The key part of this week is a Negotiations Skills Development programme over 4 days.
Having successfully completed this programme, students should be able to:
- Complete a comprehensive negotiation planning template
- Define the deal parameters
- Prepare systematically for the 4 Phases of Negotiation
- Establish a negotiating climate
- Debate Constructively
- Differentiate between interest & position
- Listen attentively and question skilfully
- Deal with emotion and conflict
- Understand the importance of Culture in negotiations
- Build Trust & Collaboration
- Make Proposals Attractive to others
- Bargain with Minimum Concessions
- Use Tactics that work
- Counter Key Tactics
- Deploy and Counter Power
- Recognise & Seize on Signals from the other party
- Use a range of strategies for breaking deadlock and know which one is likely to be most appropriate in each given situation
- Develop appropriate strategies for building coalitions with various sub-groups
- Nurture Relationships
- Close Conclusively
Other activities in this week include visits to the European Parliament, local companies and a conducted tour of the the battle fields of World War 1.
The International Masterclass Series provides a further link to the practical world of management. The series has been designed with the purpose of giving the MBA class an opportunity to meet with top managers in Irish and Global businesses and “thought leaders” working in relevant areas of importance. The speakers may vary from year to year depending on ‘hot’ topics in the year and special requests from students. However there is a core of speakers who feature every year.
The Masterclasses provide opportunities for the students to question practitioners on their business strategies, organizational change agendas and experiences, and personal leadership challenges. In the case of other areas of excellence the speakers share their views on their particular expertise.
The Masterclass Series serves to introduce the class to an influential group of opinion formers in Irish and global corporations. It is a key means of establishing the value of the Trinity MBA in the eyes of the global business community, and provides the class with an outstanding opportunity to test the theories and models they have learned during the year against the practices of these top practitioners. Both students and speakers can learn from this process. Each team is required to do an essay with a paragraph on each speaker stating what they learned from the encounter.
Major Company Projects
This is the main mechanism used to integrate the individual subjects taught on the programme. It is a highly valued hallmark feature of the Trinity MBA. It involves working with blue chip corporates and exciting Irish companies of a serious scale. These projects integrate the theoretical coursework with action learning around critical issues in live organizations. This is achieved through direct interaction with senior executives who are wrestling with strategic issues within those organizations. The process grounds in reality the practical application of the knowledge acquired during the programme. This means that although they have taken a year out to study for their MBA our students remain immersed in the real world of business during that year. We expect that their recommendations to the companies will be affordable, highly practical and actionable. We would also expect that the companies will want to implement the recommendations.
Module 1 – Leadership & Teamwork
Module 2 - Understanding The Environment
Module 3 - Managing The Functions