Comprehensive Management Theories, Skills & Practices

While we cannot avoid the discussion and analyses of some issues generic to management; we will emphasize Business Management with an eye on strategy, entrepreneurship, management of knowledge, technology, innovation, leadership, and teamwork.

This course differs from other courses in management as it focuses first on the initial stages of Management and connects same to the reality of modern day experience of technology based management practice. While we cannot avoid the discussion and analyses of some issues generic to management; we will emphasize Business Management with an eye on strategy, entrepreneurship, management of knowledge, technology, innovation, leadership, and teamwork.

Arranged is a staged delivery of 3 clear levels; foundation, intermediate 1 and intermediate 2; the course can be taken all at once over a period of three weeks or staggered over a longer period. A different certificate is issued upon the completion of each stage of this multi-level management course, which is designed for the high performance manager who works or plans to work in critical business or management role.

The course uses case studies from all over the world and includes several best practice readings in high tech, strategy, entrepreneurship, management of knowledge, technology, innovation, leadership, and teamwork related to Management. This course is based on two principles for effective learning: (1) action or activity based learning and (2) team based learning. Students in this course are required to actively contribute to discussions and will undertake other activities either as individual and/or as part of a team.

Learning Outcomes

• Define the concept of management and discuss why organizations are needed, why managers are necessary, and why management is a challenge.
• Describe the communications process; discuss barriers to communication and suggest remedies to overcome communications difficulties.
• Explain why planning is needed in organizations and why long-term objectives are necessary for successful planning.
• Identify and differentiate between the various tools and processes used in planning; compare the advantages and disadvantages of the participatory approach to planning.
• Identify the essential characteristics of decision making and indicate the range and types of decisions a manager is asked to make.
• Differentiate between the various types of organizational structures and patterns.
• Explain the importance of delegation in organizations and describe the relationship between authority, responsibility and accountability.
• Describe the characteristics of the informal organization and discuss the role it plays in a company.
• Discuss the relationship between the organizational structure and human resource planning and staffing.
• Discuss the importance of employee training and development and suggest major benefits that can be derived from effective training programs.
• Analyze the leadership function, recognizing leadership as the relationship between a supervisor and subordinates in an organizational environment.
• Recognize the symptoms of organizational conflict, describe its sources, and discuss the manager’s role in conflict management.
• Recognize the link between planning and controlling, and the various means by which managers measure and compare performance to objectives.
• Explain why financial controls are used by organizations as the predominant means of control.
• Discuss the phases of change management and describe the role and limitations of the manager in the change process.
• Discuss the impact of productivity on corporate and managerial success.