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2020/21 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

LUBS5862M Live Business Project (Dissertation)

45 creditsClass Size: 200

Module manager: Yvonne Moogan
Email: y.j.moogan@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: 1 Feb to 31 Jul (6mth)(adv yr), 1 Jun to 30 Sep View Timetable

Year running 2020/21

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This Live Business project is like a practical dissertation in that there are management implications based on the research output since the research problem or scenario is real. For example, participants are also asked to identify and highlight research strategy, design, and proposed data collection activities within their companies. Along with a proposed schedule of the tasks (Project Plan) together with a time-line in order to undertake and complete the project, participants are also expected to provide information about the difficulties, limitations and challenges anticipated during the project, together with how they will attempt to minimise the potential impact of these difficulties. At this stage participants are also expected to identify any resources that they may need to complete the project, and provide some description of what they believe the outcome of the project should be and how their part in the project will contribute to the existing bank of knowledge.Hence the module is designed to help participants:- Develop their investigative and analytical skills - Justify any decisions made or recommended - Extend their ability to manage issues arising from internally planned and externally imposed changes- Improve their awareness of how their organisation and its departments/divisions operate - Recognise how the project can impact the well-being of staff, service users and other stakeholders- Examine the impact on the employees

Objectives

On completion of this module participants will be able to undertake a rigorous and critical business project either in the UK or overseas which also embeds ethical and responsible thinking and practice. This will be undertaken via the development of an integrated understanding of theory and practice that is related to the analysis of entrepreneurial and organisational problems, systems thinking, decision making, finance, creativity, strategy, and the management of innovation and change. The government standards of behaviour and organisational performance will be covered in this module via the three components of assessment (business report, oral presentation and reflective report). In addition, corporate social responsibility will be incorporated throughout this module and both theoretical and practical knowledge from the business and management subject areas will be critiqued. Finally prior management experience will be linked to the business/organisational issues so that a solution is found and a strategy created ethically.

Learning outcomes
Knowledge outcomes:

On successful completion the participant will be able to:
1) Select an appropriate method of enquiry and execute a research project that is academically rigorous and embeds ethical and socially responsibility into the organisation’s management practices
2) Develop an in-depth understanding of the concepts and importance of entrepreneurship and enterprising behaviour in the context of providing leadership in organisations (small, large as well as those in the public sector) and the economy
3) Develop a consultancy/research proposal and project plan based on an original research question
4) Synthesise new knowledge drawn from relevant academic and professional literature and their own previous management experience

Academic skills outcomes:

Upon completion of this module participants will be able to:
5) Identify, recognize and prioritize problems and opportunities justifying those that require attention
6) Navigate a range of legal, technological and economic contexts
7) Critically evaluate and address contemporary management issues
8) Critically examine big data, values of leadership and ethical management
9) Plan and implement strategic changes

Workplace skills outcomes:

Participants will be able to draw on this knowledge to:
10) Understand a live business problem which requires a possible solution and or strategic plan
11) Identify the characteristics and challenges that affect outcomes in a live situation
12) Plan, prepare, implement and review changes that will impact these characteristics in a live situation
13) Justify all decisions both operationally and strategically


Interpersonal skill outcomes:

On successful completion of the module participants will recognize the importance of:
14) Communicating a strategic vision
15) Collecting and analysing information
16) Evaluate their leadership style in highlighting problems and finding effective solutions
17) Listening to, asking for and responding to feedback

Skills outcomes
This module is designed to help participants:

Subject Specific skills:
- Use an appropriate research strategy in order to solve a real live problem
- Develop their investigative and diagnostic skills so that they will be more effective in assessing what happening in their organization
- Extend their ability to manage people, systems, issues, information and research data
- Improve their understanding of how a real company actually operates within a socially responsible environment
- Appreciate the well-being of staff, service users and other stakeholders

Transferable Skills:
- Exercise autonomy and personal responsibility in managing time and resources effectively on a self-managed research project
- Collect and analyse research data to address a defined research question using relevant literature sources to inform the empirical project
- Critically analyse and synthesise information to propose creative responses to a contemporary business problem
- Present information orally and written professionally to a high standard
- To deploy and utilise effectively appropriate research and/or problem-solving processes throughout the planning and execution of a live business project


Syllabus

Indicative content:
This is a post-experience programme that enables participants to draw on their management experience and through engagement in advanced scholarship and research, reflect their learning back into their professional and work practice.

- Research philosophy – the collection of secondary and primary data
- Research strategies (surveys, case studies, experimentation, focus groups, observations)
- Methods of data analysis, quantitative and qualitative
- The ethics and CSR strategies within the organisation
- The concept of entrepreneurship from diverse disciplinary perspectives
- Entrepreneurial Process: Personal, Sociological, Organisational and Environmental
- Managing consultancy project and time management project planning
- The role of consultancy
- The selection of methods to understand, analyse and evaluate problems
- The importance of effective presentations to clients – written, oral and visual

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Discussion forum00.0040.00
Fieldwork105.0050.00
Seminar61.509.00
Tutorial22.004.00
Independent online learning hours347.00
Private study hours0.00
Total Contact hours103.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)450.00

Private study

Participants will reflect on their personal experience of managing their research project and prepare a 8,000 words strategic document that will feedback to the organistion. They will be required to collect research information, review and analyse this so that a solution to the problem is justified. Identifying the main challenges and the time with resource constraints will be part of the dissertation project process.

There will be frequent meetings with the supervisor (maximum of six and maximum duration of 1.5 hours each meeting) and extensive independent learning.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

All the draft chapters that participants are required to produce to form the 8,000 words strategic report will be reviewed by their supervisor in a timely manner with feedback being provided at the individual meetings on a regular basis. In addition active class participation during the one-day preparation workshop at the onset is a key element of the module experience. Also other workshops will be held throughout the period by the Programme Director (for example, methodological workshops and study skills writing/presenting).

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
Report8,000 word project report60.00
Oral Presentation15 minutes20.00
Reflective log4,000 words20.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)100.00

All assessment set week 1 of the module and submitted at the end of the module. Reflective module submitted last. Resit by failed element.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 10/08/2020 08:41:52

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