Semester 1997 : (3rd February 1997 to 4rd April 1997). This module will start on Monday 3rd February 1997, and conclude on Friday 4th April when the assignment is due.
This short course has been adapted from a Part Time MA degree in I.T. Management. It consists of 4 units and requires at least 5 hours study time per unit. Some of this time will be spent on-line communicating with course participants and tutors, finding resources on the Web etc. Other time will be spent reading and preparing course assignments off-line.
University of Sheffield UK, Division of Adult Continuing Education.
This short course will begin with a general overview of the principles involved in Cross Cultural Management, followed by a review of some of the cultural issues in organisations. The next unit will look at organisational theory, leading onto a unit covering strategic management issues.
The aim of this short course is to provide a basic understanding of the principles of management as they apply to the development of organisational strategy. It will provide the opportunity to investigate the some of cultural and structural factors that shape organisations, to develop a sound theoretical knowledge base in organisational theory and management of change, with an opportunity to apply what is learnt to some European case studies.
On completion of the course students should be able to:
A range of concerns affecting organisations will be addressed in this unit. It will investigate different approaches to dealing with problems arising through variations in working conditions in other member states, and investigate advantages as well as difficulties of cross cultural co-operation.
In this unit the factors that contribute to the success or failure of innovation in an organisation will be examined by outlining a number of perspectives on the management of change. It will pay particular attention to the concept of organisational culture as a factor that contributes to the change process, and consider ways of describing different cultures and the related areas of organisational policy, philosophy and structure.
This unit will introduce organisational theory, examine how organisations function in response to internal and external constraints, and present topics to be explored in more detail in the subsequent units.
Participants on this course will be required to produce a written assignment which explains how the various aspects of management covered in the theory impact on an organisation. It is assumed that course participants will communicate with one another in a ìlearning communityî, although each should prepare their own work for submission.
Assessment :
This course will be assessed by the course tutor. A certificate of course participation will be given on completion of the course.
Participants collaborate on their learning throughout the module, and work in a learning set of about 10 plus a tutor. The tutor will work as part of this community and be available on-line throughout the semester.
Joan Keogh/Maggie McPherson (currently tutors on the ITM Course at Sheffield University, UK).
Core reading material will be distributed to each participant. Other learning resources will be referred to in the course materials.
No fees applicable for MECPOL partner students. (Should any face-to-face meetings be held in Sheffield, travel and accommodation costs, etc. will have to be met by course participants).
Participants are expected to take part in on-line discussions with tutors and other group members throughout the Semester.
Before starting this course, participants will need to have a basic knowledge of study techniques, as considerable self management is required of participants on this course.
A good command of English is required. Much of the work on the course will require on-line discussion and group work.
Each unit will provide a full bibliography, but all course participants should acquire their own copy of the following publication:
Handy, Charles (1993) Understanding Organisations,
Penguin, Harmondsworth. ISBN: 0140156038
Maggie McPherson