THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2020/2021

Information in the Degree Programme Tables may still be subject to change in response to Covid-19

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Business School : Common Courses (Management School)

Postgraduate Course: Change Management (CMSE11093)

Course Outline
SchoolBusiness School CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits15 ECTS Credits7.5
SummaryOverall, the course aims to introduce students to a range of explanations that can help in the understanding of how organisations and their component membership approach change. In so doing, students will be encouraged to explore a range of practical techniques that can be used in dealing with change. The course requires critical reflection on theory and practice from an ethical and professional standpoint and provides opportunities for applied learning and continuous professional development.
Course description Aims, Nature, Context
Organisations, their workforces, clients and customers face new internal and external contextual issues on a regular basis. This module covers organisational design and development. The course will enable students to develop a critical understanding of organisational change via the theories and conceptual frameworks of organisation design and the principles and practices of organisational development. Both are critical to our understanding of organisations and how they function and both reside within a framework of organisation theory. The course focuses on decisions that have to be made on the most appropriate organisational structure(s) to ensure dynamic delivery of organisational activities.

Organisation design is about shaping an organisation to maximise its effectiveness; aiming for flexibility in delivery of its services. Through breaking down departmental barriers, seeking improved supply efficiencies, teamwork and collaboration and working towards better customer management and retention, organisations can enhance their performance and ensure that organisational goals and targets are achieved. Organisation design activities therefore focus on finding the most appropriate structures, relationships between departments and sections, and allocation of work activities, including definition of duties and role responsibilities. The module also focuses on how an organisation's culture, values and environment support and enhance organisational performance and adaptability.

Organisation development is defined by CIPD as a 'planned and systematic approach to enabling sustained organisation performance through the involvement of its people'. This might include how organisational members acquire new skills, knowledge and behaviours, and do things differently, often as part of the application of continuous improvement strategies. The concept of the 'learning organisation' as one of a number of organisation development strategies that might be adopted as part organisational change activities is also explored.
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.
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2020/21, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 150 ( Lecture Hours 20, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 3, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 127 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 65 %, Practical Exam 35 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Individual essay 65%
Group case study presentation 35% (30% professor assessed, 5% 'audience' assessed)
Feedback All students will be given at least one formative feedback or feed forward event for every course they undertake, provided during the semester in which the course is taken and in time to be useful in the completion of summative work on the course. Such feedback may be at course or programme level, but must include input of relevance to each course in the latter case.
Feedback on formative assessed work will be provided within 15 working days of submission, or in time to be of use in subsequent assessments within the course, whichever is sooner. Summative marks will be returned on a published timetable, which has been made clear to students at the start of the academic year.
Students will gain feedback on their understanding of the material when they discuss their answers to the tutorial questions in the tutorials. Students may also ask questions in Lectures to assess their knowledge
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Identify the historical and theoretical basis of organisation design and development and their context in terms of value and contribution to organisational life.
  2. Outline a range of available design options regarding organisational structures and relationships.
  3. Deploy a critical awareness of processes and systems that need to be in place to maintain such structures and relationships, and evaluation of same.
  4. Identify the methods and procedures of organisation development and the skills and tools used to review their strategic impact.
  5. Express a critical appreciation of the importance of the HR role in advising on these design and development choices and supporting their implementation.
Reading List
Mark Huges(2010) 2nd Edition: Managing Change. A Critical Perspective

Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills By the end of the course students should have developed critical analytical skills, enabling them to identify aspects organisational, some societal, and broader environmental changes, what the interaction of these factors are and how change can be addressed both managerially and politically. The group presentation will help them to develop communication, accountability, and their abilities to work effectively with others. The individual essay assignment will help students develop their ability to work autonomously and to do independent research using IT skills/resources.
KeywordsMGMT-CM
Contacts
Course organiserDr Thomas Calvard
Tel: (0131 6)51 5313
Email: thomas.calvard@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Fionna Ogilvie
Tel: (0131 6)51 3028
Email: Fionna.Ogilvie@ed.ac.uk
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