MBA MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

The aim of this module is to provide you with strategic insight into the critical role operations management plays in delivering the competitive advantage of the organisation – and especially where operations is the source of that advantage. The module views this through the contemporary lens of digital systems and processes. The key theme is how managers can improve the performance of operations to provide appropriate products and services for customers. You will reflect on the strategic importance of Operations as a Division of the firm and the close interaction it has with overall organisational strategy and other functions. This pragmatic approach is shown in the extensive discussions of your own organisations and the challenges you face.

This module examines the strategic value of people (i.e. human resources (HR) in delivering organisational performance and how organisations lead and manage this important resource effectively through nurturing people and engaging talent. The knowledge base and scientific foundations of managing people comes principally from the field of Organisational Behaviour (OB), which investigates the impact that individuals and groups have on behaviour within organisations. Understanding OB can also help managers’ increase their own personal effectiveness, career progress and the effectiveness of those they manage. You will take part in academic debates and consider the practical application of models concerned with the management of people and tackle key themes that define the challenges facing contemporary organisations (such as Well-being, Diversity and Engagement) in leading and managing people through change. The module covers four main themes: The Organisational context. Strategic HRM and Strategic Human Resourcing and Talent Management. Leading and nurturing people and their development. Managing Change.

Strategy is the most important subject for it is about future. And this module is about winning in the future. Strategy comes first. All other aspects of business follow strategy. Clearly it is critical that you – as an organisational leader – understand strategy and the ability to craft and implement good strategy, whether you work in a business, in the government, or in a non-governmental organisation. Strategy is about reality and we fill focus on the future economy and how to understand it. The economics part is split into two sections. The first microeconomic half focuses on the immediate economic environment and examines the functioning of markets, how individuals and businesses respond to incentives, and how decisions are made to make best use of scarce resources. The second macroeconomic half focuses on the broader economic environment and examines the functioning of the economy, fiscal and monetary policies and the global economy as a whole. Throughout, economic theory will be strongly related to past and current economic events. Our aim is to help managers understand and influence the economic environment in which they operate. Most specifically, we aim to develop managers as critical consumers of economic news, research, and policy. This module recognises that successful progression of organisations in a changing and complex competitive environment requires energy, conscious decisions and the ability to think strategically. It provides a real world appreciation of strategy, strategic analysis, strategy formulation, strategic management (including strategic risk) and insight into developing and implementing good strategy in the future, unpredictable world. Critically, it will give you an understanding of competition and competitive forces and, most fundamentally of all, of achieving sustainable competitive advantage. You'll use theoretical frameworks and investigation of the real world to gain a clearer perspective of what strategy really is and why it is critical to your leadership and success. Many real businesses do not understand strategy. Successful ones do. As will you. As experienced managers / leaders you can share your experiences and insights in our collective understanding of strategic management within current debates and contemporary issues as they influence leadership and management in the global economy. One of the many joys of studying strategy is that examples of good and bad strategy are all around us, making for our richer learning experience. In the 21st century we take strategy beyond planning into agility, so creating organisational success in an unpredictable world. Importantly at this point in time, we debate the critical role of purpose in strategy and the role of society in shaping your strategy reflecting society’s expectations for organisational success in responsible ways. Strategy is about how you think and the goal of this module is to help you think differently; to think in a more strategic way and for your winning in your future.

The objective of this module is to provide an overview of strategic marketing and advances the understanding of the customer. Throughout this module, you will discover how marketing is both a functional area of management and an overall business philosophy that is integral to providing strategic direction for the organisation. Both Digital and service marketing are covered. Knowledge of the market environment is required to provide market intelligence and insight so that appropriate marketing strategy can be formulated so that it supports the organisation's strategic objectives. There will be an appreciation of the importance of long and medium-term planning to the sales success of particular products and services, as well as the identification of the opportunities and demand for new products/services based upon customer insights, and the development of new marketing strategies. While strategic marketing often focuses on planning, developing and continuously creating the firm’s future to ensure sustainable competitive advantage, today’s firm must learn to adapt its marketing activities and ground its understanding in the reality of its chosen markets. That usually begins with understanding the customer. This module draws on traditional and digital marketing theories by highlighting different models, case studies and industry experience. It proposes to develop strategic thinking for marketers in a highly challenging technological world, and to help lead firms in facing future challenges.

Management Consultancy Skills aims to offer a practical approach to a set of concepts and skills relevant to, but not exclusive to, management consultancy When used in management consultancy this knowledge and kitbag of tools and techniques has application both in external consultancy (for those intending to seek positions in management consultancy practices) or internal consultancy (for those interested in managing teams and projects within their employing organisations). Thus although the core context is management consultancy this module is essentially about the ability to address high level problems whether as a consultant or an employee. To achieve this aim the module draws upon the knowledge base in the other MBA modules to undertake two consultancy projects, with associated assessments, within a taught framework of management consultancy skills. This module acts as an integrating activity as the year progress both for tools and techniques (offering opportunities to apply previously taught tools and techniques) and as a personal development reflection (on activity within teams and the associated learning from positive and negative experiences). Students undertake two real live consultancy projects - one group and one individual project that build to a significant piece of work over a substantial part of their MBA.

The aim of this module is to raise self-awareness, understanding, and knowledge to inform professional practice of students behavioural and communication competencies in relation to effectively performing in a leadership and management role at executive level. Its design encompasses three distinct learning blocks. Block one - (looking backwards) uses peer analysis and self-reflection to form the foundation of learning and self-development through the module. Block two – (looking outwards) focusses on the knowledge development of a suite of contemporary academic research themes relevant to the module. Block three - (looking forwards) uses an experiential learning pathway structured within a leadership development centre architecture to fuse the modules learning with realistic experiences to affect deeper learning for participants to carry forwards in their own understanding of self and their impact on others, and their professional practice and future careers.