Example syllabus

This example syllabus is a reflection of the basis on which the foundations of management courses are structured and delivered by staff at the Management Studies Centre, University College London. The purpose is to show how the course and textbook can be effectively integrated. The courses at UCL are based on a twenty session syllabus delivery.

This is not prescriptive, however. Especially, it is both very easy and also highly effective to structure introductory units and modules on CMS, DMS and professional management education scheme foundation courses around weekly sessions together with directed readings from the chapters.

Management Principles – an introduction

Aims

• To introduce the students to the reality of management principles and practice
• To introduce the students to the body of knowledge and expertise that is becoming apparent in the increasing professionalisation of management
• To bring to the students an awareness of what managers do and why their activities are critical to the success or otherwise of any venture, project, business, not-for-profit or public service organisation

Objectives

The emphasis is on the content and coverage of the realm of activities that is included in the word 'management'. This includes the consideration the processes of management, skills and qualities, and the range of activities and distinctive expertise that managers are increasingly required to have.

The range of topics is deliberately broad. The intention is to give the students a substantial yet wide-ranging introduction to the whole field. This then acts as a general basis and foundation on which more focussed and concentrated studies can be developed. Topics are therefore not treated in depth, but rather introduced in terms of their relationships with each other, in preparation for later development. Throughout, the presentation of the course is informed by the key management priority of coping with change and uncertainty.

Issues of equality and discrimination are addressed through using appropriate choice of language and range of examples.

Learning outcomes

After studying this half unit, you should be able to:

• use your awareness, overview and understanding of the basic principles of management to evaluate concrete organisational scenarios, management dilemmas and decisions
• think, reason and argue in a managerial way
• apply the knowledge and understanding gained to a range of examples and situations.

Timetable and Schedule

The course is taught via two x one hour lecture sessions per week, over a period of twenty weeks. There are also five seminar sessions, details of which are given below. Seminar sessions follow straight on after the main lecture.

Course Delivery

This course is conducted on the following basis and assumptions:

• you have access to the textbook and have read the relevant chapters before the lecture
• you have access to the business and management press, journals and main websites, and are familiar with their contents; and that you additionally have selectively accessed and used material from a sample of books from the reading list
• you have attended lectures and seminars and are familiar with the content, coverage and examples and cases used.

Attendance at lectures and seminars is compulsory. Guidance on studying this course and on how to complete assignments and the examination successfully is given at seminars and cannot be caught up with by other means. It is therefore your own responsibility if you do not attend lectures or seminars. A register is always taken, and absences notified.

Assessment

Assessment is designed

• to consolidate your learning by requiring you to bring your learning to bear on questions and tasks that focus knowledge skills and understanding; and
• b) to provide a clear measure of the progress of your learning, both for your own development and also to demonstrate that you have reached a quantifiable standard.

There are two components to the assessment of this course:

Examination

A three hour examination is held during term 3 which comprises: short questions designed to test out your basic knowledge; and longer questions designed to give you the opportunity to demonstrate a deeper understanding and analytical ability. You must sit the examination in order to gain a grade for this course. 

The exam comprises 60% of the marks available for this course. 

Coursework

There are two pieces of coursework for this course. Each contributes 20% towards your final mark for this course. You must attempt and submit both pieces of coursework in order to obtain a grade for this course. Details of the coursework are to be found later in this outline, and you will receive a more detailed briefing note from your tutors during the progress of the course.

The coursework requirements and outlines are attached. Word limits are specified for each of the two pieces of coursework. You will be penalised for going over these limits. You must therefore stick to the word limits. You must hand in two copies of the coursework by noon on the date given.

You will also be liable to penalties if there is inadequate referencing and/or no bibliography. In addition, failure to make appropriate acknowledgement of material taken from sources may leave you open to charges of plagiarism, which incur serious penalties.

Both pieces of coursework will be marked and written feedback provided within four university weeks of submission.

Syllabus

The Chapter references given are for the recommended course text. You should read these chapters and be familiar with the material, before the lecture takes place. 

Block One - What is Management ?

This block introduces the roles and importance of management

• 1. Introduction and overview; what management is; management thinking; management practice; the rewards of good management
• The foundations of management; key stages in its development; the professionalisation of management Chapter 1 

Block Two - Innovation and Enterprise

This block introduces the relationship between innovation, energy, commitment and results

• Economic, social and political environment; technological advance Chapter 2, 6 and 7
• Managing risk Chapter 4
• Investment appraisal and product and service creation and development Chapter 9
• Organisational and managerial performance Chapters 3

Block Three - The Whole and The Parts

This block ​introduces the environment in which the organisation operates, and activities conducted within this environment

• Corporate strategy Chapter 8 
• Marketing management Chapter 10
• New product and service development Chapter 14
• Financial management and analysis Chapter 12 and 13

Block Four - Inside the Organisation

This block introduces the behavioural aspects of management related to culture, values, attitudes and conduct

• Global and international cultures; organisation cultures Chapter 16 and 17
• Coping with change and uncertainty Chapter 2 and 18
• Human resource management Chapter 20
• Managing projects and operations Chapter 11 and 15

Block Five - What Do Managers Do ?

This block introduces the key interactions of managers with others.

• Leadership, decision making and responsibility Chapter 21 and 22
• Motivation Chapter 25
• Teams and groups Chapter 24
• Ethics and corporate governance Chapter 23

Block Six - Managing for the present and future

This block summarises the present state of management practice and expertise and indicates likely developments for the future.

• Organisation and management development; the expertise of management; examples from the most successful and enduring organisations
• Managing for the future; course review Chapter 28

Seminars

Seminars are an integral part of this course. You will receive more detailed guidance on study and assignments, as well as having the opportunity in seminars to explore themes and concepts in more detail. Failure to attend seminars is likely to leave you short of key information needed to pass the course.

There will be five seminars for every student, each taking place immediately after a lecture. Seminar groups will not normally exceed 15 in membership.

Each seminar will be run in a similar manner, though each tutor will interpret the material in their own way. In some cases you will be required to prepare seminar material. You are required to be familiar with the Body Shop continuous case study from the course text, in advance of attending any seminar session.

Topics for Seminars

Seminar 1 Introduction to the subject; coursework briefing

Seminar 2 Progress on coursework; reading widely; use and value of different sources

Seminar 3 Reading and writing critically

Seminar 4 Feedback on coursework one; briefing on coursework two; establishing linkages between theories, concepts, applications and practice

Seminar 5 Discussion of progress on coursework two; preparation for the exam

Note: The Body Shop Case Study is used in each seminar, relating each part to the seminar session.

In addition, there are four case studies at which attendance is compulsory. These are:

• 'The World's Worst Managers'
• 'The World Turned Upside Down'
• 'Richard Branson: the Money Programme Lecture'
• 'Maverick: The Story of Semco'

Bibliography and Further Reading

The purpose here is to ensure that you have a good, sound and wide range of sources on which to draw. The list is designed to introduce to the variety of approaches and perspectives available. You should become familiar with as many of these works as possible.

Course Text

• R Pettinger (2006) Introduction to Management (4th Edition) Palgrave

Essential

• P Griseri (1998) Managing Values Macmillan 
• R Pettinger (ed) (2004) The Foundations of Management UCL/Pearson 
• R Semler (1992) Maverick Century

Foundations of Management

• D Carnegie (1990) How to Win Friends and Influence People Vermilion 
• P Drucker (2000) Management Challenges for the 21 st Century HarperCollins 
• P Drucker (1996) The Practice of Management Heinemann 
• P Griseri (2002) Management Knowledge Palgrave 
• C Handy (1996) Understanding Organisations Penguin 
• R Heller (1998) In Search of European Excellence Harper 
• G Hofstede (1980) Cultures Consequences Sage 
• P Kotler (2000 ) Marketing Management Prentice Hall 
• RM Kanter (1990) The Change Masters Warner 
• V Packard (1957) The Hidden Persuaders Penguin 
• R Pascale & A Athos (1990) The Art of Japanese Management Warner 
• T Peters & R Waterman (1982 ) In Search of Excellence Harper and Row 
• R Pettinger (2001) Mastering Management Skills Palgrave 
• M Porter (1980) Competitive Strategy Free Press 
• M Porter (1985) Competitive Advantage Free Press 
• P Senge (1992) The Fifth Discipline Century

Other Sources

• R Cartwright (2000) Mastering Customer Relations Palgrave 
• S Covey (2002) The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People Harper 
• B Cruver (2003) Enron: Anatomy of Greed Arrow 
• L Gratton (2002) Living Strategy FTPitman 
• J Grocutt & P Griseri (2004) Mastering e-Business Palgrave 
• C Handy (1996) The Age of Unreason Penguin 
• R Heller (1990) The New Naked Manager Coronet 
• N Herz (2002) The Silent Takeover Arrow 
• W Hutton (2002) The World We're In Little, Brown 
• C Kennedy (1999) The Merchant Princes Orion 
• F Luthans (1990) Organisational Behaviour McGraw Hill 
• J Moore (2003) Writers on Strategy and Strategic Management Penguin 
• A Morita (1986) Made in Japan: the Sony Story Fontana 
• T Peters & N Austin (1985) A Passion for Excellence HarperCollins 
• R Pettinger (1998) Investment Appraisal: A Managerial Approach Macmillan 
• S Tzu (2002) The Art of War Shambala 
• R Whittington (2002) What is Strategy - and Does it Matter? Thomson 

Journals and periodicals

You should regularly read a ‘quality’ newspaper such as the Independent or the Telegraph. Look at the business section but also scan the other news stories for organisationally related stories. You should do this at least once a week.

You should scan a weekly such as the Economist or Newsweek, even if only briefly, each week.

You should regularly set aside some time to scan academic journals such as the Harvard Business Review, Academy of Management Review, British Journal of Management etc. even if only briefly. You should spend at least an hour on this each week.

Assessment

2 x 3,000 word term papers 20% each

1 x 3 hour unseen written examination 60%

Work must be submitted for each of these three examined elements; failure to do so will result in the student being declared as NOT COMPLETE for the course

Hours

20 x 2 hour lectures = 40 hours

10 x 2 hours preparatory reading and self study = 20 hours

Term papers take 15 hours each = 30 hours

Revision and examination = 40 hours

Total student hours = 130 hours