Units

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Sample subject outline - 5 Week Teaching Period - 6 2012

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Managers of Strategic Projects need to consider the capability and maturity of industry to provide solutions and how strategic projects can be used as a catalyst for long term industry development. This module explores how to identify critical industry sectors and strategic suppliers; select and performance manage long term strategic partners throughout the project lifecycle; and how industry development strategies shape supplier management.

Aims

The aim of this unit is for students to develop an understanding of the issues and constraints associated with developing and sustaining strategic suppliers.

Objectives

Course Learning Goals (Corporate Programs)

The QUT Business School has established the Assurance of Learning (AOL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools. Students will develop the following capabilities relevant to a contemporary global and sustainable business environment:

Program Goal 1: Understand Self and Lead Others in an International Environment (ULO)

1.1 Develop the personal attributes of action and outcome orientation, ability to influence and self-knowledge that distinguish the manager of complex projects.
1.2 Develop and demonstrate the leadership and communication skills to manage the staff involved in complex projects
1.3 Work effectively in managing people and a wide range of stakeholders through understanding of culture cognition, personality and human lifecycle.

Program Goal 2: Lead Strategic Planning, Design and Implementation (SPDI)

2.1 Understand the context of complex projects and the design and implementation of appropriate project strategy and systems to match emergent requirements
2.2 Demonstrate the capacity to design, establish and manage the organisational architecture for complex projects
2.3 Develop the understanding and skill to deliver probity and governance requirements for complex projects
2.4 Develop the capacity to design and implement innovative business planning, reporting and performance measurement systems.

Program Goal 3: Think Holistically: Innovate and Creatively Problem Solve (TH)

3.1 Develop the insights to manage people and systems subject to on-going change and constantly adapt to emergent conditions
3.2 Demonstrate the capacity to envision novel, critical and creative responses to complex and emerging problems

Program Goal 4: Develop the understanding of and skill to design, manage and lead strategic procurement practices that respond to the challenges of the complex organisational and project management environment. (SP)

4.1 Develop, plan and implement a comprehensive and effective acquisition strategy to deliver complex strategic capabilities.
4.2 Assess and implement the contractual requirements of a complex acquisition taking into account the implications of international law and conventions, intellectual property rights, and ensuring the appropriate allocation and mitigation of contractual risks.
4.3 Develop, plan and implement strategic sourcing arrangements covering the capability life-cycle.

Unit Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Identify how to select and manage strategic suppliers
2. Develop contingency plans to deal with environmental changes
3. Articulate the importance of developing and sustaining industry to support strategic projects

The specific course learning goals and unit objectives that apply to this unit are shown in the assessment section of this unit outline.

Content

Module 1 Identification of strategic industry sectors and suppliers
This module explores the identification of critical industry sectors and/or strategic suppliers, and the associated issues which may arise across the lifecycle of a project.

Module 2 Building and Sustaining Industry Capacity and Capability
This module examines how identified critical industry sectors and/or strategic suppliers can be developed and why this is an important requirement of any long term strategic project.

Module 3 Critical SME Considerations
This module highlights special considerations necessary to develop local SME's through strategic projects.

Module 4 Managing the Performance of Strategic Suppliers
This module provides students with an economic framework to understand the special circumstances in relation to managing strategic suppliers. The module will review the issues of asymmetric information, agency cost and delegation, all important in bilateral monopoly situations that characterize interactions with strategic suppliers.

Module 5 Contingency Planning
Long term strategic relationships need to anticipate and address environmental changes, including increased/reduced competition and changes in financial viability, ownership, technology, access to factors of production and the risk appetite of customers and suppliers.

Module 6 Case Study
This module explores a significant case study of a long term strategic relationship.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

A blended learning approach is taken with this unit. Students will engage with the material through a blend of:

• Guided instruction, learning activities, readings and cases presented in a comprehensive study guide. Students are expected to engage with the readings and learning activities in the study guide prior to the face to face session


• A comprehensive set of readings, cases, workplace documents and other authentic materials that will be provided in advance with the study guide. Set texts for units will be provided in advance to students.


• Intensive face-to-face sessions for each of the modules of the unit, where students will actively engage in exploring the concepts, issues and cases provided in the study guide. A focus on facilitated group learning and collaboration is a feature of the face-to-face sessions rather than
  content input by the lecturer.


• A Blackboard learning site where additional materials and computer simulations can be shared through the life of the unit. Collaboration tools for students such as blogs, wikis, discussion forums, and group tools will be a feature of the Blackboard site.

Assessment

Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:

• Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation


• Formal: in writing, such as checklists (e.g. criteria sheets), written commentary


• Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation


• Indirect: to the whole class

Assessment name: Critical Analysis
Description: Critical Analysis of Defence Industry Policy: Students will analyse Defence Industry Policy in relation to sustaining Australian industry.

Length: 1,000 words
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 3 and AOL goals: TBA
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Module 3

Assessment name: Contingency Plan
Description: Development of a Contingency Plan for a Procurement Project: Students will develop a contingency plan and an exit plan for the procurement project.

Length: 2,000 words
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 2, 3 and AOL goals: TBA
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Module 6

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Prescribed Text
Markowski, S., Hall, P. and Wylie, R., (2010) Defence Procurement and Industry Policy London: Routledge Studies in Defence and Peace Economics

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to
view the Emergency video.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 30-Apr-2012