Management Analysis and Problem-solving
Duration
- One semester or equivalent
Contact hours
- 36
On-campus unit delivery combines face-to-face and digital learning. For Online unit delivery, learning is conducted exclusively online.
2023 teaching periods
| Hawthorn Higher Ed. Semester 1 |
Hawthorn Higher Ed. Semester 2 | |
|---|---|---|
Dates: Results: Last self enrolment: Census: Last withdraw without fail: |
Dates: Results: Last self enrolment: Census: Last withdraw without fail: |
Aims and objectives
Previous unit code: BUS60010
This unit aims to introduce students to a range of ways of exploring the management and organisational issues that confront organisations and businesses. Students will be offered a range of techniques designed to help them work effectively with others in inquiring into opportunities and problems, framing them in useful ways and creating options for tackling them. The unit offers a range of perspectives for doing this, including analysis using metaphor, gap analysis, and systems thinking. It is intended to help students integrate and apply the different discipline perspectives they study in their degrees; think holistically as well as functionally; and develop skills in collaborating with others whose training and perspective may be very different from their own.
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Apply coherent and advanced knowledge of techniques in inquiry and analysis to organisational and business problems and opportunities.
2. Critically evaluate and utilise diagnostic framing for understanding presenting problems and opportunities
3. Critically analyse differences in individuals’ mindsets, experience and background, including their own.
4. Work collaboratively with a diverse range of people and act as a member and a leader of a team and work with others in developing their diagnostic practice.
Unit information in detail
- Teaching methods, assessment, general skills outcomes and content.
Teaching methods
Online Mode: SOL
Student workload:
For all teaching and learning structures (both face to face and online), students are expected to spend an average of 150 hours per unit in total over the duration of the study period
This includes all:
• Scheduled teaching and learning events and activities (contact hours timetabled in a face-to-face teaching space) and scheduled online learning events (contact hours scheduled in an online teaching space), and
To be successful, students should:
• Read all prescribed materials and/or view videos in preparation for each class
• Attend and engage in all scheduled classes (face to face or online)
• Start assessment tasks well ahead of the due date, and submit assessments promptly
• Read / listen to all feedback carefully, and consider it for future assessment
• Engage with fellow students and teaching staff (don’t hesitate to ask questions)
Engaging with online content and discussions
For all teaching and learning structures (both face to face and online), students are expected to spend an average of 150 hours per unit in total over the duration of the study period
This includes all:
• Scheduled teaching and learning events and activities (contact hours timetabled in a face-to-face teaching space) and scheduled online learning events (contact hours scheduled in an online teaching space), and
• Non-scheduled learning events and activities (including directed online learning activities, assessments, independent study, student group meetings, and research)
• Read all prescribed materials and/or view videos in preparation for each class
• Attend and engage in all scheduled classes (face to face or online)
• Start assessment tasks well ahead of the due date, and submit assessments promptly
• Read / listen to all feedback carefully, and consider it for future assessment
• Engage with fellow students and teaching staff (don’t hesitate to ask questions)
Assessment
1. Presentation and report - Group (40-50%)
2. Assignment - Individual (50 - 60%)
General skills outcomes
During this unit students will receive feedback on the following key generic skills:
- Problem solving skills
- Analysis skills
- Communication skills
- Ability to tackle unfamiliar problems, and
- Ability to work independently
Content
- Creating opportunities by understanding problems/issues differently
- Introduction to different ways of framing/re-framing an issue
- Metaphor as a tool for understanding organisational issues
- Taking a 'systems thinking' approach
- Gap analysis
- Developing a range of solutions to a real client problem
- Presenting and justifying an option to a real client
Study resources
- Reading materials.
Reading materials
Students are advised to check the unit outline in the relevant teaching period for appropriate textbooks and further reading.