Overview

This unit aims to develop students’ capability to work collaboratively to diagnose and solve complex organisational problems while building and managing effective stakeholder relationships. Students will learn how to frame problems, analyse stakeholder needs and interests, generate and evaluate solutions, and navigate collaboration challenges in dynamic workplace settings. The unit emphasises negotiation, conflict management, communication, and ethical judgement as applied capabilities for achieving shared outcomes. Through authentic scenarios and team-based activities, students will build practical capability in managing relationships, influencing decision-making, and delivering responsible solutions in organisational and professional contexts.

Requisites

Prerequisites

100 Credit Points

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
01-March-2027
30-May-2027
Last self-enrolment date
14-March-2027
Census date
30-March-2027
Last withdraw without fail date
20-April-2027
Results released date
06-July-2027

Unit learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  1. Evaluate the roles of collaborative problem solving and stakeholder engagement as professional capabilities within organisational contexts.
  2. Analyse organisational problems and stakeholder contexts to generate evidence-based solutions that balance organisational objectives, stakeholder interests, and ethical considerations.
  3. Apply collaboration, negotiation, and conflict management strategies to work effectively with diverse stakeholders and teams in professional contexts.
  4. Recommend stakeholder engagement approaches that build trust, alignment, and constructive working relationships in organisational settings.
  5. Demonstrate certifications and competence in industry best-practice collaboration, problem solving, and relationship management

Teaching methods

All applicable locations

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)

On-campus

Class

2.00  12 weeks 24

Online

Lecture (Asyncronous)

1.00  12 weeks 12

Online 

Learning Activities

0.25  12 weeks 3

Unspecified Activities 

Independent Learning

9.25 12  weeks 111
Total     150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULOs
Assignment 1 Individual  30% 1
Assignment 2 Individual  40% 1,5
Assignment 3 Group  60% 1,2,3,4,5

Content

  • Problem framing and diagnosis in organisational contexts
  • Stakeholder identification, mapping, analysis, and prioritisation
  • Organisational problem solving using analytical and evidence-based approaches
  • Generating and evaluating alternative solutions
  • Team-based collaboration and decision-making in workplace environments
  • Negotiation and conflict management strategies
  • Trust, credibility, and stakeholder relationship development
  • Stakeholder engagement and influence in collaborative settings
  • Power dynamics, competing interests, and ethical judgement in decision-making
  • Evaluating the organisational and stakeholder impacts of proposed solutions
  • Industry best-practice tools and approaches for collaboration, problem solving, and stakeholder engagement

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.