Units

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Sample subject outline - 5 Week Teaching Period - 5 2012

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

Rationale

Complex projects operate within and across a multitude of legal environments and policy frameworks. Managers of complex projects need to be able to examine and interpret these to comply with their legal obligations and to minimise the potentially large operational and legal risk and financial exposure for their organisation that is inherent in contracts for large and complex projects.

Aims

The aim of this unit is for students to develop skills and expertise in selecting and applying contract mechanisms appropriate for delivery along the project lifecycle; and in interpreting contracts from the perspective of contractual management, risk and governance.

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
At the completion of the unit, students will be able to:
1. Identify the impact of international and domestic legal systems and policy on projects
2. Examine and interpret contracts from the perspective of both the principal and the contractor
3. Examine the business consequences of relevant contract clauses
4. Analyse financial and legal risks of contracts in relation to a project and a chosen contract model
5. Prepare a legal issues plan

Content

1. The Legal and Compliance Environment
2. Principles of Contract Law
3. Tendering and Contract Remedies
4. Procurement Options and Risk Management
5. Intellectual Property
6. Case Studies

Please note the slightly different timetable for GSZ510. The first intensive teaching block addresses the first four modules. The second block commences at the usual time, addressing modules five and six, and also includes the formative assessment session where course participant teams present to a 'contract review board'.

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.

There is a commitment to critical inquiry and intellectual debate in regard to the material covered, and students are encouraged to relate the theories and research discussed to situations known to them.

Assessment name: Presentation
Description: Students will be asked to work in teams to analyse a contract scenario, consider options and make a recommendation to the contract review board. Recommendations should address the specifics of the scenario and also the broader strategic issues of the appropriateness of proposed contract/negotiating options.

Group members will assess the individual contribution of others to the group assignment.

The purpose of this assessment is formative and summative.
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives 1, 2, 3 & 4
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Formative period

Assessment name: Critique (written)
Description: The purpose of this assessment is summative and builds on assessment item 1. Students will be asked to individually prepare a 2,000 word Legal Issues Plan paper, critically evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of two or three different contract approaches as applied to the scenario considered in Assessment item 1.
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Summative period

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty means that you are expected to exhibit honesty and act responsibly when undertaking assessment. Any action or practice on your part which would defeat the purposes of assessment is regarded as academic dishonesty. The penalties for academic dishonesty are provided in the Student Rules. For more information you should consult the QUT Library resources for avoiding plagiarism.

Resource materials

The Study Guide and Readings for this unit contain an overview of the material, as well as the additional readings and the authentic documents to be discussed in the class sessions

There is a companion Blackboard site for the unit where additional relevant materials will be posted by both the lecturers and students

Set Text: Seddon, N. (2009) Government Contracts: Federal, State and Local 4th Ed. Federation Press

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: 23-May-2011