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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2014/2015
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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Business School : Common Courses (Management School)

Postgraduate Course: Organising for Effectiveness (MBA) (CMSE11253)

Course Outline
SchoolBusiness School CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryThis course explores a wide range of organisational issues from the micro-level (e.g. individuals at work) to the macro-level (e.g. organisational structure and culture). The course is based on a philosophy that organisational behaviour concepts represent an ¿intellectual tool kit. The ideas and concepts can be used to gain insight into a variety of organisational issues ¿ for example, how people can be energised and directed, how decisions are made, how organisations can be configured to combine effective operation with a capacity for change and innovation. The emphasis is on providing concepts that will help in understanding and managing within complex organisational settings. There is an emphasis on the development of analytical skills, the transition of theory into practice and experiential learning. The course aims to introduce ideas and concepts useful in the analysis of organisational processes; encourage reflection and critical thought about organisations and the activities that occur within them; develop an appreciation as to how theory can be translated into practical application; and develop skills in interpreting different organisational contexts and acting effectively within these.
Course description Motivation and commitment; group dynamics and high performance teams; the nature of leadership and different approaches to leadership; significance of leadership to other aspects of organisational behaviour such as culture, change and power; decision-making and sense-making; making appropriate choices under difficult and uncertain conditions; culture, power and conflict; configuration and control; change and learning.

The course offers a varied learning experience via an integrated mix of lectures, group work and class discussion, visiting speakers and practical exercises. There will be opportunities for discussion and debate amongst participants, and participants are encouraged to apply the ideas to their own experience. The culmination of the course is ¿The Production Game¿ in which the class are divided into companies of 6-8 participants that compete to physically manufacture simple products. The emphasis in the course is on blending theory and practice by putting ideas and concepts to work. This will be achieved by analysing cases, by discussing real world problems from visiting practitioners and by practical exercises that provide first-hand illustration of the ideas in action. Course assessment will offer participants a choice of topics: a reflection on the Production Game; an organisational analysis of Ryan Air or RBS; or analysis of an organisation where they currently or have recently worked.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements For Business School PG students only, or by special permission of the School. Please contact the course secretary.
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2014/15, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 1
Course Start Date 15/09/2014
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 32, Summative Assessment Hours 18, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 48 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Individual Assignment 20%
Individual Assignment 80%
Feedback Not entered
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding:
¿ Fluency with key concepts from the field of Organisational Behaviour.
¿ Appreciation of the importance of problem-solving to problem-resolution.
¿ Understanding of a range of models of motivation, team dynamics and effectiveness, decision-making, organisational configuration and control, culture, change and learning.

Cognitive and Subject-Specific Skills:
¿ Understanding of how different models and assumptions may be used to gain insight into particular situations, and the ability to use competing models to generate such insight in order to take appropriate action.
¿ The ability to stand back and view complex situations in perspective.
¿ The ability to recognise the key shapers of organisational structures, routines and processes.

Transferable Skills:
¿ An ability to work in teams and to use the skills of team members to best advantage.
¿ The ability to apply models of decision-making to a variety of choices.
¿ The ability to see the strengths, weaknesses and trade-offs in different organisational structures and processes.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsOfE
Contacts
Course organiserProf Nick Oliver
Tel: (0131 6)50 3811
Email: nick.oliver@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Kate Ainsworth
Tel: (0131 6)51 3854
Email: Kate.Ainsworth@ed.ac.uk
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