MSc Strategic Organisational Learning

This unit develops a critical understanding of individual learning theories and practices. The unit covers several Individual Learning Mechanisms such as coaching, mentoring, reflection, cross-training and self-directed learning. The unit constructs a critical review of the group and team learning theories, methods and techniques. It helps set up the ethos and pillars of learning at the team and group levels in the workplace context.

The unit explains how team/group learning can be optimised as a vehicle for organisational development, and it enables the candidates to assess selected mechanisms and techniques such as after-action reviews, action learning sets, and problem-solving teams. Besides, the unit examines teamwork and team spirit dynamics and proposes a Belbin approach for team roles and supports candidates to self-assess and learn the three roles they can best fit in while working in teams.

The unit develops a critical understanding of organisation-wide learning concepts and practices. It examines how learning occurs at the organisation level using overarching mechanisms such as benchmarking, feedback loops, suggestions systems and mystery shopping.

The unit develops the links between organisation-wide learning and other levels such as individual, team/group to propose a holistic organisational learning system. Finally, it establishes the relationships between business excellence and organisational learning.

The unit develops a critical understanding of the origin and evolution, concepts and aims of Learning, lifelong learning and workplace learning. It also examines the domains, types, and theories of Learning. The unit is essential for students to understand Learning and its axioms, which define the frame, methodology, and anatomy of Learning.

The units cover a number of themes, including an overview of the foundation of learning theories, classification of Learning, culture and measurement of learning in all sectors and size of organisations.

This unit provides an opportunity for students to develop further as independent learners through the completion of a supervised study, which can include some elements of research carried out in a fieldwork context. The first part of the unit covers the research approaches in business studies. It aims to prepare students to produce a project proposal.

The unit also examines strategies, design, ethics, and methodologies with particular reference to both qualitative and quantitative methods. The unit explores various methods appropriate to a range of disciplines, including organisational learning, business excellence, future foresight, innovation management, and sustainable development. It aims to develop students’ analytic skills, essential for conducting an independent research project that leads to a dissertation or consultancy report.

Students are expected to submit a dissertation of 15,000 words long. The dissertation carries 60 credits. This is usually submitted after all the modules have been completed.

The dissertation could be research-based or industry-based. In the first route, students are expected to conduct a research project in one of the three areas of specialism, i.e. Business Excellence, Innovation Management or Future Foresight, or other topics focused on Organisational learning. In the second route, students are expected to carry out a consulting project at one of the organisations guided by the body of knowledge they mastered in the taught units.

Organisational performance excellence is critical for organisational competitiveness. In pursuing performance excellence, leaders and organisations must be particularly mindful of the resources, systems, processes and factors which contribute to, or hinder, excellent performance. This unit focuses on implementing business excellence in all business contexts, sectors and sizes. It caters for sustainable business results in a sustainable global environment.

Students will develop a critical appreciation of the importance of sustainable organisational performance through three interrelated components; strategy, best, good and promising practice policies and tools; techniques and frameworks for self-assessment and performance management. Subject matter experts’ talks are contributing to this unit, and it will engage students with professional bodies such as European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), British Quality Foundation (BQF) and Chartered Quality Institute (CQI.

This unit provides a context and introduction to innovation, what it is and how it links to creativity and other business models such as business excellence and organisational learning. The unit introduces why organisations innovate and how innovation can be managed, especially in the service and public sectors. The course is taught through lectures, case studies and industry visits.

The lectures cover a range of topics concerning the management of innovation, including motivations for innovating, how organisations can protect their innovations using intellectual property rights, the nature and organisation and management of “research and development” (R&D), the management of creative people, processes and teams, the management of product, service and experience innovations, the adoption and use of “open innovation”, and the adoption and use of frugal innovation (Jugaad).  These discussions and industry visit closely complement the topics covered in the lectures to reinforce the ideas and give them a practical application.

This practice and the theory-led unit provide students with the technical knowledge required to understand the consultancy process and client-consulting relationships. Tutorials and group work will allow students to practise skills of analysis and evaluation concerning consulting interventions based on real-world examples. This unit aids reflection, evaluation of client context and critical skills for research, analysis and effective project delivery. As part of directed studies, students will be guided to appropriate primary and secondary sources to further enhance their knowledge of the consulting process.

This will include research on specific issues as assigned in class and feedback on knowledge and understanding will be gained through presentations in class. In-class presentations will provide formative peer and tutor feedback against unit learning outcomes for group learning situations.

Digital Transformation is the currency in this era; we increasingly use smartphones and other devices to communicate with friends, do business, read the news or book a hotel or a meal s via apps. But what does this mean for our work life? Digital Transformation poses many challenges, but it also creates many new opportunities for your job and your company. This unit helps students to learn how to deal with change and take advantage of its benefits. In this module, students will receive an introduction to Digital Transformation. Subject matter experts will explain the key terms, concepts and technologies in simple and understandable terms. No previous knowledge of the topic is required.

This unit will help develop an understanding of Digital Transformation and how students and their organisations can benefit from it. By the end of the module, you will have developed an understanding of key concepts of digital transformation, key digital transformation frameworks, new approaches to product and service development, internal collaboration and communication and key emerging technologies.

As social responsibility is a central value in every business and an important concept in sustainable development, this unit provides a critical understanding of the debates around sustainable development and social responsibility (and corporate social responsibility). In particular, the unit examines the implications of environmental, social and governance (ESG) dimensions of sustainability for responsible organisation/business, including responsible financial investment and accounting. It provides a conceptual foundation for exploring the role of responsible organisations/businesses in tackling the challenges of sustainability.

This unit critically evaluates the influence of ESG issues on shaping responsible organisation/business operations (particularly SRF – socially responsible finance – and SRI – socially responsible investment). In addition, it examines how ESG issues can be employed with financial metrics to assess the risks and opportunities of responsible investment decisions.

This unit provides an overview of the developments and changes that have taken place in management science and practice leading to the management models we have in the world now.

The unit will also introduce and explore authentic governance approaches to motivation within a business or workplace setting. Leadership will be explored as one of the main principles and functions of management. Existing conventional leadership theories will be outlined concerning the implications for management practice. Various theoretical frameworks for corporate governance will be discussed to present and rationalise corporate governance models. After discussing the CSR models and practices around us, the recent debate on developing CSR about the moral economy and the resultant models will be presented. This module draws upon the ‘normative’ and ‘positive’ discussion on management.