Units

---

Sample subject outline - 6 Week Teaching Period - 6 2013

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

Rationale

The problems and opportunities business leaders and managers face on a daily basis are complex. These problems and opportunities require sophisticated solutions derived through precise problem or opportunity identification, conducting research, examining issues from multiple perspectives and drawing upon their multi-disciplinary knowledge and skills.

This unit has been included in the program to help students to conduct effective research and analysis a real workplace situation and to draw upon the learnings from the MBA program using a multi-disciplinary approach to solving problems and or seeking new opportunities.


This unit has been included at the end of the program to enable students to draw upon the knowledge and skills developed over the program. GSN570: Integrated Workplace Project Part 1: Business Research Methods will lay the foundation for application to the Integrated Workplace Project Part 2: Organisational Opportunities and Ventures.

Aims

The mission of the MBA and associated programs is to provide world class, graduate business education and stimulating real world learning opportunities to develop current and future business leaders and managers to confidently lead in complex environments.

The aim of this particular unit is to enable students to apply the learnings from the program in an integrated manner to address a complex work-based problem or a new or emerging business opportunity of interest to the student, their employer or a sponsoring organisation.

Objectives

Course Learning Goals (Postgraduate)

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:

Have knowledge and skills pertinent to a particular discipline (KS)

1.1 Well-researched knowledge and critical understanding applied to issues at the forefront of a specialised discipline area
1.2 Ability to select and use effectively a range of tools and technologies to locate and/or generate information appropriate to the disciplinary context

Be critical thinkers and effective problem solvers (CTA)

2.1 Apply logical, critical and creative thinking and judgement to generate appropriate solutions to problems in the disciplinary context

Be professional communicators in an intercultural context (PC)

3.1 Ability to create and present professional documents and/or reports using high levels of analysis/synthesis/evaluation for a range of contexts and audiences
3.2 Ability to orally communicate and justify ideas and information, at a professional level, for a variety of contexts and audiences, including peers and discipline specialists

Be able to work effectively in a Team Environment (TW)

4.1 Operate effectively and with flexibility to achieve common goals in collaborative settings, using a range of skills, including leadership, negotiation, reflection, proactivity and support for team members

Have a Social and Ethical Understanding (SEU)

5.1 Apply knowledge of the ethical, social and cultural dimensions relevant to business situations, including appropriate standards or codes of practice, to provide courses of action

Unit Objectives

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

1. Define and scope the problem or opportunity for a nominated project. KS 1.1 (MBA 1), CTA 2.1 (MBA 4), PC 3.1 (MBA3)
2. Develop an appropriate research methodology for a nominated project. KS 1.1 (MBA 1, 8), CTA 2.1 (MBA 4)
3. Conduct preliminary research to further understand the details of the problem or opportunity.
4. Write a proposed action Plan for a nominated project. KS 1.1 (MBA 1), KS 1.2 (MBA 1), CTA 2.1 (MBA 4)
5. Advocate for support through effectively delivering an executive-level presentation for the project. PC 3.1 (MBA 3), PC 3.2 (MBA 3)

Content

This unit will enable students to undertake a work-based project being either a business plan for a proposed new business venture or a consulting project within either of the core of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Leadership and Strategy or within a nominated business discipline area.

This unit will establish the foundations for the student to effectively undertake a work-based project and shall include:

· business research methods
· project design and scoping
· Action plans
· advocating for organisational and/or investment support.

Students will be expected to synthesise theory, frameworks and techniques gained from the various units across the program and to apply those skills to the designated work based project.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit adopts a blended learning approach and as such, includes a variety of teaching and learning approaches.

Three hour face-to-face class sessions are supplemented by a textbook and a range of online materials that are designed to support and extend learning prior to, during and after class sessions. Online materials are available in the unit Blackboard site. Given the importance of the unit Blackboard site to the teaching and learning strategy used in this unit, a computer or tablet device with internet access is strongly recommended for all students.

The principal purpose of the lectures and readings is to build upon the key concepts that were introduced through the Preparation for Class activities and readings. Class sessions will be divided between lectures and problem solving individually and in small groups. The purpose of the case study work, experiential learning tasks and all assessment tasks is to help the student develop their understanding of the concepts and enable them to be applied within a range of business contexts.

There is an expectation that the student will participate in class sessions, to take advantage of the opportunity to discuss important issues with their instructor and their peers in an informal environment. These sessions also provide students with an opportunity to hone important generic skills that are in high demand in the business.

It is expected that students have completed all Preparation for Class activities and readings identified in the unit Blackboard site prior to coming to class to be able to maximise the learning opportunities of the class sessions.

A variety of learning activities designed to engage students in their learning will be incorporated into the lectures/workshops. Such learning activities may include short lectures, class discussions, debates, role plays, group work, guest speakers, student presentations, simulations, case study analysis, videos, readings, wikis, media/current events reports, web searches, etc.

There is a commitment to critical inquiry and intellectual debate in regard to the material covered. Students are encouraged to relate the theories and research discussed to situations known to them and will be encouraged to share their experiences in accounting decision making with the class to enrich the overall learning experience of all students.

Expanding the awareness of Australian management policies and practices into intercultural and international perspectives is fostered within this unit. Typically, students enrolling in this unit have extremely varied backgrounds. There is diversity of professional background and socio-cultural background. Students are reminded that this is to their advantage and they have much to learn from one another. To this end, students are strongly encouraged to be sensitive to cultural, gender-related and international issues.

Assessment

A further Guide to the Assessment Items is available from the unit Blackboard Site: http://blackboard.qut.edu.au

At the end of the teaching period the Faculty Academic Board determines students' grades. The Unit Coordinators provide the detailed assessment results to the Board, working through the relevant School. These results are advisory in nature and do not necessarily constitute the final grades awarded by the Board. In its decision the Board compares results both within units and programs, using as a guide a set of standard distribution criteria. These criteria enable the Board to systematically compare student performance, but are not applied in a prescriptive fashion.Students will receive a variety of formative feedback throughout this unit.

Informally, feedback will be given verbally in class through class discussions and during the debriefing of learning activities.

Direct feedback will be available to those students who request a private or group consultation session with the lecturer.

Formal feedback will be received on both formative and summative assessment tasks through a Criterion Reference Assessment sheet which will also include written feedback on the assessment task. The Criterion Reference Assessment Sheet will be available in the GSN570 Blackboard site at the commencement of the unit. Students will receive feedback on their formative assessment task prior to their summative assessment task being submitted.

Assessment name: Report
Description: Project Outline and Methods Report
Students are required to define and scope their proposed work based project and to develop an appropriate research methodology for their nominated project within one of the three themes:

- Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Leadership and Strategy or
- within a nominated business discipline area.

This project must be carefully chosen as it will form the basis of Assessment Task 2 in this unit and the assessment tasks in GSN571: Integrated Workplace Project Part 2: Organisational Opportunities and Ventures

Students are strongly encouraged to ensure the work based project is an actual 'real world' project either previously identified by the student, provided to the student by their employer or alternatively provider by a sponsoring organisation. Students must discuss their proposed project with the unit coordinator prior to submitting this assessment task.
Length/Duration: 1500 words
Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative
Relates to objectives: Unit Objectives: 1
AOL goals: KS 1.1, CTA 2.1, and PC 3.1
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 4

Assessment name: Report and Presentation
Description: This task builds upon assessment task 1. Students are encouraged to incorporate the feedback that they received on assessment task 1 into this task.

This task requires students to:
- undertake preliminary business research using the methodologies identified in Task 1 to further define the project problem or opportunity.
- prepare a proposed Action Plan for the project taking into consideration the information gathered through the preliminary business research.
- deliver an executive-level presentation that seeks to gain support for the project. The presentation should outline the project, research methodologies used and an action plan for taking the project forward in GSN571: Integrated Workplace Project Part 2 - Organisational Opportunities and Ventures.
Length/Duration: 2000 words plus 10 min executive presentation
Formative or Summative: Summative
Weighting: 60% (Report 40% and Presentation 20%)
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 2, 3, 4
AOL goals: KS 1.1, CTA 2.1, PC 3.1, PC 3.2
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 7

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: Nil

Other Resources: GSN570 Blackboard site

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: 28-Mar-2013