MSc Management Timetable and Modules
Note: Modules offered each academic year are subject to change. Listed below are the modules and timetable for 2023/24.
Michaelmas Term |
Hilary Term |
Trinity Term |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Michaelmas Term (September to December)
- Marketing Management
- Strategic Management
- Global Business and Sustainability
- Human Resource Management
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Operations Management
Hilary Term (January to April)
- Cross Cultural Management
- The Psychology of Management
- Financial Management
- Ethical Business
- Project Management
- Company Consultancy Project
Module Descriptions
Marketing Management (5 ECTS)
This module equips students with the skills to critically evaluate and align marketing solutions with relevant theories, tools, and practices, with an emphasis on digital competencies. It addresses the dynamic marketing technology landscape, focusing on key areas such as AI-assisted marketing and data-driven decision-making. The course covers technology-assisted situational analysis, strategy formation, and tactical specifics, among others.
Having successfully completed this module, the student should be able to:
- Apply a range of theories, frameworks, and digital technology tools in context toward addressing core marketing management challenges within the contemporary digital-centric business environment.
- To develop basic knowledge about the concepts of national culture, cultural differences, sterotyping and cultural sense-making.
- To develop and understanding of a range of international management practices and how culture impacts upon them: work, leadership, cross-cultural communication and decision-making, negotiation and trust, knowledge transfer , ethics.
- Apply your knowledge of comparative management models and their implications for management in different national / regional contexts to evaluate the challenges of development and implementing people management practices in cross cultural contexts.
- To provide the knowledge and tools to enable students to work effectively in cross cultural contexts.
- Effectively present in written and oral format in a means appropriate to a professional audience.
Strategic Management (5 ECTS)
The course explores the role of strategic management in improving organisational performance. It introduces techniques of strategic analysis and exposes participants to the methods of analysing, crafting and implementing strategy. This will enable participants to develop a practical knowledge of strategic management. The course develops an appreciation of the wider business enterprise, its internal and external contexts and the activities and processes it is built on. Students who complete the course will be able to better understand and analyse strategic decisions they are exposed to in their careers. Further, they will also be better equipped to engage in the strategic management process themselves.
Having successfully completed this module, the student should be able to:
- Articulate the role of strategy in the modern organisation;
- Explain the content of strategic decisions, the process of strategic management and the wider context in which they occur;
- Make accurate use of the frameworks and models covered in the course, applying them to a wide range of situations and demonstrating an ability to critically assess them;
- Incorporate learning from other subject areas into the strategy framework;
- Demonstrate how strategic priorities vary across levels and settings;
- Display an awareness of the business - society relationship and the implications for the strategic manager.
Global Business and Sustainability (10 ECTS)
Firstly seeks to develop students’ understanding of the fundamental principles of global business from the firm’s perspective. It provides learners with the necessary knowledge and understanding to gain an appreciation of motivations for why and how firms internationalise. It also highlights the pertinent socio-cultural, economic, legal and political variables that affect their international business decision-making and strategies operating in global markets.
Second, it explores both the challenges and opportunities inherent at the interface of economic, environmental and social goals of the international business in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. A key goal of sustainable business is about reducing the negative environmental of business operations. With particular focus on environmental sustainability, the second part of the course thus aims to enrich the learner’s understanding and appreciation of how international organisations embrace eco-sustainable policies and practices to minimise carbon footprint and transform business for good.
Having successfully completed this module, the student should be able to:
- Identify key concepts, frameworks and theories behind international business practices.
- Gain an understanding of pertinent social cultural economic and policy issues that affect business decisions and marketing strategies of organisations operating in a global context.
- Appraise the various foreign market entry strategies available to firms when internationalising.
- Acquire an awareness and understanding of key sustainability challenges related to climate change facing international organisations and appreciate the environmental impact that organisational activities and their business practices have on relevant stakeholders
- Work effectively in teams to address case study problems relating to sustainable business.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The aim of this module is to provide students with:
- Framework for approaching the creation of a new business opportunity
- Set of core entrepreneurship skills and mind-set.
- Critical perspective of the major trends, dynamics, and opportunities currently marking the field of entrepreneurship and innovation.
Over the past two decades, entrepreneurship has become one of the most relevant disciplines in business and has attracted the interest of scholars, policymakers and practitioners from all over the world. Entrepreneurship is deemed a key driver to innovation and economic development, regional and urban competitiveness, and a critical source of jobs. Yet entrepreneurship has also been criticized for underpinning wealth and income inequality, particularly in “winner takes all” markets. As entrepreneurship progresses and generates opportunities as well as controversies, a multi-disciplinary and international perspective is required.
Having successfully completed this module, the student should be able to:
- Understand the process of entrepreneurship and the major phases undertaken to create a successful innovation driven venture.
- Discover and quantify entrepreneurial opportunities.
- Create, formulate and present a new business idea.
- Display personal skills including creativity, idea generation, initiative, research and reflection.
- Critically evaluate the role of entrepreneurship in an international content.
Cross Cultural Management (5 ECTS)
This module aims to develop the awareness, skills and knowledge required by managers seeking to work abroad as international executives. The module provides a key grounding in the nature of management in the global context by increasing awareness and understanding of the soft skills in international management, particularly those relating to cross-cultural management.
- Develop an understanding of the challenges of working internationally.
- To develop basic knowledge about the concepts of national culture, cultural differences, sterotyping and cultural sense-making.
- To develop and understanding of a range of international management practices and how culture impacts upon them: work, leadership, cross-cultural communication and decision-making, negotiation and trust, knowledge transfer , ethics.
- Apply your knowledge of comparative management models and their implications for management in different national / regional contexts to evaluate the challenges of development and implementing people management practices in cross cultural contexts.
- To provide the knowledge and tools to enable students to work effectivel in cross cultural contexts.
- Effectively present in written and oral format in a means appropriate to a professional audience.
Financial Management (5 ECTS)
The Finance function is a critical aspect of any organisation. The success or failure of a firm may be influenced significantly by how it manages its’ finances. It is therefore important for managers and employees to understand the principals of financial management. An understanding of the concepts of financial management is useful regardless of what position an employee has within an organisation. This course is designed to provide an introductory understanding of financial management. It focuses on analysing and evaluating investments using various techniques. It covers several topics related to financial management such as portfolio theory, dividend policy and how to maximise corporate value. The information provided on this module will also be useful in managing your personal finances. Throughout this module, students will become familiar with the concepts of Financial Management and financial language and terms used within the literature and the media.
Having successfully completed this module, the student should be able to:
- Identify the key financial objectives that influence organisations in the business environment;
- Apply investment appraisal techniques to a range of settings, and make appropriate recommendations;
- Evaluate and cost the various sources of finance, and apply them appropriately to corporate funding scenarios;
- Apply ratios to financial statements, and make business decisions based thereon;
- Exercise judgement and apply appropriate techniques when addressing complex areas such as optimal management of working capital and company valuation;
- Assess and select appropriate dividend policies based on financial and strategic analysis.
Operations Management (5 ECTS)
This module is concerned with the process of creating and delivering products and services and aims to introduce students to the core theories, concepts, models, tools and techniques associated with operations management. The prototype organisation transforms inputs (raw materials, money, information, human resources, knowledge) into outputs (finished goods, services, and waste) – in the module we draw upon examples of organisations across a variety of industries. The module also aims to examine the linkages between operations management and the other business functions (represented by the other modules on the MSc programme). No prior knowledge of business and management is required, we start with the fundamentals of operations management and build from there.
Having successfully completed this module, the student should be able to:
- Understand from the perspective of the general manager the central role of operations and its relationship to the other business functions;
- Appreciate the strategic contribution of operations to value creation and organisation success, and an awareness of the impact of operations decisions and activity beyond profit to the wider economy and society;
- Appreciate the application of the course material in both services and manufacturing contexts;
- Select and apply appropriate theories, concepts, models, tools and techniques to improve the operations function;
- Appreciate the role of trade-offs in operations management and understand that cost reduction and value addition are often not mutually exclusive.
Ethical Business (5 ECTS)
The concept of ethical business should always be investigated in context. While most people would agree that business should be conducted in an ethical manner, there is a more fundamental disagreement about the purpose of business. This is sometimes reduced to the stakeholder versus shareholder debate, but is more complex. The module will start with a more theoretical investigation of ethical theory, and then move rapidly to the application of ethical theory in a business context (ethical business). The following concepts will be discussed in detail: corporate integrity management, corporate responsibility, corporate governance, ESG (environmental, social, governance) and corporate disclosure. The ethical implications of the use of frontier technology (e.g. blockchain and artificial intelligence) will be addressed but not discussed in detail.
Having successfully completed this module, the student should be able to:
- Learn to analise complex business situations and be conscientious of the underlying ethical dilemmas facing businesses and individuals;
- Be conversant with major aspects related to Ethical Business, namely stakeholder logic, corporate governance, and CSR;
- Critically evaluate current debates concerning the purpose of the business, and the social and environmental impact of businesses;
- Distinguish between a range of stakeholders in relation to the functioning of business, identify their various interests and concerns; and appraise the complexity involved in managerial decision making;
- Understand how businesses approach their social and environmental responsibilities and evaluate their potentials and limits;
- Effectively work as an individual and as a member of a dynamic multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural team.
Strategic Management (5 ECTS)
Having successfully completed this module, the student should be able to:
- Articulate the role of strategy in the modern organisation;
- Explain the content of strategic decisions, the process of strategic management and the wider context in which they occur;
- Make accurate use of the frameworks and models covered in the course, applying them to a wide range of situations and demonstrating an ability to critically assess them;
- Incorporate learning from other subject areas into the strategy framework;
- Demonstrate how strategic priorities vary across levels and settings;
- Display an awareness of the business - society relationship and the implications for the strategic manager.
Human Resource Management (5 ECTS)
An organisation’s workforce represents one of its most powerful and valuable resources and is therefore an essential tool for improving and sustaining organisational performance. Human resource management (HRM) includes the firm’s work systems and its employment practices. It embraces both individual and collective aspects of people management and is not restricted to any style or ideology. It engages the energies of both line and specialist managers and typically entails a range of messages for a variety of workforce groups. This module explores how the strategic management of people is essential to the survival and performance of organisations. We will explore the multiple meanings of HRM and evaluate the role of HR professionals and line managers, as these groups are central to the way in which HRM policies and practices are developed and enacted in the workplace. Fundamental HRM practices will be addressed including resourcing and talent management, performance management, learning and development, and reward management. In doing so, we will analyse the ongoing challenges for organisations in attracting, selecting, developing, and retaining employees.
Having successfully completed this module, the student should be able to:
- Explain and apply the key concepts and theories of HRM into practice;
- Critically evaluate the role and responsibilities of the HR function in organisations and the context within-which HR professionals operate;
- Critically evaluate the use of HR practices (e.g. recruitment, selection, training, performance management and reward) in specific organisations in terms of: (1) their alignment with the organisation’s strategy and context, and (2) their contribution to organisational performance;
- Prepare and present a consultancy report which analyses a specific HR-related challenge within their chosen organisation and provides evidence-based recommendations for managers;
- Search for and identify reliable, appropriate and high quality HR research, and evaluate its relevance to real-world HR practice and cases;
- Clearly and professionally communicate in oral and written formats.
The Psychology of Management (5 ECTS)
Psychology is the scientific study of people; their minds and their behaviours. The objective of this module is to equip students with knowledge and understanding of the psychological factors that influence their own and employees’ functioning in the workplace. This module aims to help practitioners to monitor, understand and control their own actions and reactions, drives and inhibitors, motivators and demotivators and to monitor and understand these attributes in other employees.
Having successfully completed this module, the student should be able to:
- Define psychology and explain its role in the context of optimal human functioning at work;
- Critically analyze the literature relating to the psychology of optimal functioning at work;
- Demonstrate an understanding of employees’ mindsets and behaviours, as well as list ways in which to change them, when applicable;
- Apply evidence-based and evidence-informed psychological tools to boost team’s psychological capital, motivation, performance, and well-being at work;
- Describe various techniques for developing leadership for optimal human performance;
- Present methods that can be applied to move employees from average to optimal functioning at work.
Project Management (5 ECTS)
This course explores the role of project management in improving organisational performance and exposes participants to the methods of planning and implementing projects. The course develops an appreciation of the project management context, the process as it occurs, and the key techniques required for successful project delivery. This will enable participants to develop a practical knowledge of project management as well as the tools and techniques commonly used in the discipline. Students who complete the course will be able to better understand the project management environment and any projects they work on in their future careers. Further, they will be equipped to assume the role of project manager themselves.
Having successfully completed this module, students should be able to:
- Articulate the role of project management in the modern organisation
- Understand the project management process and project life-cycle
- Utilise the major methods and approaches to project management, and the specific techniques required to successfully deliver a project
- Appreciate the unique nature of international projects
- Make accurate use of the frameworks and models covered in the course, applying them to a wide range of situations
- Incorporate learning from other subject areas into the project management framework
- Demonstrate how project requirements vary across contexts and the implications for the project manager.
Company Consultancy Project (30 ECTS)
The Consultancy Project (hereafter referred to as the Project) is a core component of the MSc Management degree.
A capstone project for the programme, students work in teams to apply the techniques and knowledge acquired from the taught modules to a managerial problem of real-world social, strategic or economic concern.
This allows students gain experience in areas of genuine organisational consequence, while at the same time acquiring practical work skills, along with the investigative and analytical skills to facilitate the pursuit of a career in international management. While students will be guided through the process with workshops, seminars and the support of a mentor, completion of the Project is centred for the most part on self-directed student-based learning.