BUS1337 Management

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The Management course is designed to equip students with the foundational principles, skills, and strategies necessary to effectively manage people and resources in an organizational setting. This course covers key aspects of management, from leadership and motivation to organizational structure and decision-making.

Through a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical applications, students will learn to navigate complex business environments, resolve conflicts, foster innovation, and drive organizational success. By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze management challenges and apply appropriate solutions in a variety of business contexts.

Key Points

1. Leadership and Management Styles: The course delves into various leadership theories and styles, such as transformational, transactional, autocratic, and democratic leadership. Students will learn how different leadership approaches can influence team dynamics, employee motivation, and organizational outcomes. Understanding these styles helps managers select the most effective approach for different situations, ultimately fostering stronger team performance.
2. Organizational Structure and Design: A critical component of the course is understanding how organizations are structured. Students explore different organizational designs, including functional, divisional, matrix, and flat structures. They will learn how to align organizational structure with business strategies and how effective design can enhance communication, streamline decision-making, and improve operational efficiency.
3. Motivation and Employee Engagement: One of the core focuses is on motivation theories, such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory. Students will learn to apply these concepts to real-world scenarios, fostering an environment where employees are motivated, engaged, and productive. Topics include intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and how managers can use them to boost employee performance.
4. Conflict Management and Team Dynamics: The course addresses the inevitable conflicts that arise in the workplace and equips students with strategies to resolve them. Five conflict management styles—avoiding, accommodating, competing, compromising, and collaborating—are explored, along with techniques for fostering team collaboration. Understanding team dynamics is crucial for managers who need to build high-performing teams and navigate interpersonal and intergroup conflicts.
5. Decision-Making and Problem-Solving: Decision-making is at the heart of management, and this course emphasizes various models, including rational decision-making, bounded rationality, and intuitive approaches. Students will learn to analyze problems, weigh alternatives, and implement effective solutions. The course also covers common biases in decision-making and how managers can mitigate their impact to make better, more informed choices.
6. Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Finally, the course explores the ethical challenges managers face and the role of corporate social responsibility in business today. Students will learn to incorporate ethical principles into their decision-making processes and understand the importance of CSR in building trust with stakeholders, enhancing reputation, and ensuring long-term sustainability for organizations.

Core Learning Outcomes

• Apply Leadership Theories Effectively: Demonstrate an understanding of various leadership styles and theories, applying the most effective approaches to manage diverse teams and drive organizational goals.
• Analyze and Design Organizational Structures: Critically assess and design organizational structures that align with business strategies and support operational efficiency.
• Foster Employee Motivation and Engagement: Utilize motivational theories to create an engaging work environment, enhancing employee productivity and satisfaction.
• Manage Conflict and Enhance Team Dynamics: Apply conflict resolution strategies to foster teamwork and resolve interpersonal and intergroup conflicts in the workplace.
• Make Informed Decisions Using Management Models: Use various decision-making models to address business challenges, mitigate biases, and implement effective solutions.
• Incorporate Ethics and CSR in Decision-Making: Integrate ethical considerations and corporate social responsibility principles into management practices to build trust and promote sustainability.