2021/22 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

OENG5101M Business Strategy for Engineers

15 creditsClass Size: 250

Module manager: Dr Miljan Mikic
Email: m.mikic@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: 1 May to 30 Jun (2mth)(adv yr), 1 May to 30 June, 1 Nov to 31 Dec, 1 Nov to 31 Dec (2mth)(adv yr) View Timetable

Year running 2021/22

Pre-requisite qualifications

Students will have met the entry criteria for the Online MSc in Engineering Management

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module provides an introduction to strategic thinking and business strategy in Engineering businesses and organisations. Students will learn how Engineering organisations interpret and engage with their stakeholders and environments, develop unique capabilities, implement strategic change and set up and maintain strategic alliances in order to achieve competitive advantage.

Objectives

This module introduces students to the key concepts, analytical frameworks and models used for strategic planning in the Engineering sector. It helps them to develop a critical understanding of the strategy formulation and implementation process. It highlights the central importance of developing organisations’ resources and unique capabilities, and provides students with an insight into the issues arising from handling strategic change. It also helps to promote students’ awareness of the ethical aspects pertinent to the subject area. Case studies from the Engineering sector will be presented.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students should be able to:

1 Critically appraise the differing and often conflicting theories, approaches and views reflecting the richness of debate within the field of business strategy;
2 Develop a critical evaluation of the process of developing and implementing strategy in an Engineering business or organisation;
3 Apply key concepts, analytical tools and theories, appreciating the integrative role of strategic planning in the Engineering sector;
4 Critically examine the ethical considerations relevant to various aspects of business strategy.

Skills outcomes
Students will be able to:

Analyse the external business environment in a representative range of Engineering sectors and the challenges facing businesses and organisations;

Evaluate the resources and capabilities that Engineering businesses and organisations need to develop to achieve competitive advantage;

Critically examine the relevant issues related to strategic change in the Engineering sector;

Apply strategic concepts and models to a specific Engineering context, guided by an ethical perspective.

Transferable skills:

Work effectively in collaborative settings, evaluating one’s own progress and that of others;

Demonstrate the ability to analyse problems, drawing on relevant techniques and methodologies to make effective judgements on the strengths, weaknesses and risks of different solutions;

Demonstrate an appreciation of ethical business practices;

Syllabus

1 Strategy, strategic theory and the strategy process for Engineers;
2 Strategic analysis tools and concepts;
3 Strategy formulation including business level strategies;
4 Stakeholders and governance;
5 Resources and capabilities;
6 Cooperative strategies in the Engineering sector: mergers, acquisitions, partnerships and alliances;
7 Implementation of strategic change in Engineering.

Case studies will be used, where appropriate, to illustrate these principles in a representative range of Engineering sectors

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
On-line Learning	7	1.00	7.00
Discussion forum	6	1.00	6.00
Independent online learning hours			28.00
Private study hours			109.00
Total Contact hours			13.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Private study

Private study will include directed reading and self-directed research in support of learning activities and discussions, as well as in preparation for assessments.

Independent online learning involves non-facilitated directed learning. Students will work through bespoke interactive learning resources and reflective activities in the VLE.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Online learning materials will provide regular opportunity for students to check their understanding (for example through formative MCQs with automated feedback). Regular group activity embedded into learning will allow self and peer assessment providing opportunities for formative feedback from peers and tutors. These activities are part of the teaching and learning methods and are not to be considered as formative assessments.
Apart from that, the asynchronous discussion forum participation due in week 4 (on Strategic position analysis) is a formal formative assessment. Students are required to submit a discussion forum post and a reply to one of their peers’ submissions. Both the post and the reply are then also uploaded as a single submission via Turnitin and feedback will be provided based on criteria relevant for students to build the feedback into the main final summative assessment preparation (The individual report).

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2000 words end of module assignment	90.00
Reflective log	500 word summary of weekly progress log	10.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Resit: 100% individual assignment

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 12/04/2022

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