Resources

Essential Information

Offered:

  • SP1, 2008
  • SP2, 2008
  • SP3, 2008

Core Unit for:

Elective Unit for:

  • N/A

Assessment:

  • Assignment 25%
  • Examination 75%

Pre-Requisites:

  • None

UNIT 102: MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVES


Overview

This unit introduces you to the art and science of management. It provides an overview of the principal skills and activities of management and the challenges which face managers today. It aims to be a practical unit, providing you with theories, ideas and techniques which can be applied to your day-to-day work in your organisation. This course covers different aspects of management, including:

  • management skills and capabilities such as communicating, leading and motivating
  • management functions such as managing change, planning and making decisions
  • areas of management activity including managing teams, developing strategy and ethics.

Aims

After studying this unit you should be able to:

  • describe the roles and functions that managers perform and identify the skills and knowledge required to do this effectively
  • identify the challenges, risks and problems which managers have to address in contemporary organisations
  • describe the nature of organisational change and evaluate the effectiveness of different change management processes
  • outline factors in the external environment which managers should monitor, analyse and react to
  • assess and adapt to different organisational and national cultures
  • adopt an ethical response to management situations
  • explain how strategic and operational planning can enhance organisational performance
  • identify how the structure and characteristics of organisations can influence and constrain managers and management decision making
  • identify the range of organisational stakeholders and explain how managers can productively manage relationships with them
  • evaluate the different methods used to motivate, manage and lead others in a range of organisational contexts
  • evaluate the different techniques and strategies managers can use to improve communication in contemporary organisations
  • outline the processes for acquiring and developing an effective workforce.

Topics

  • An introduction to management
  • Managing change and innovation
  • Understanding the organisational environment and culture
  • Managerial ethics and social responsibility
  • Strategic management and organisational structure
  • Plans, decisions and measures
  • Leadership
  • Motivation and teams
  • Communication
  • Human resources management (HRM)

Unit Chair

Mark Johnson
MBA, B. Bus. Mgmt, AIMM

With over 22 years experience in HR Management and Organisational Development, Mark has worked with all levels of management from frontline/new supervisors to middle management and executive leaders. His personal style and skills have allowed him to achieve success in a broad cross section of industries including Finance & Insurance, Aerospace, Energy, Agribusiness and Construction Supply as well as Federal, State and Local Government, In more recent years Mark's work has focused on organisational development, change management and coaching leaders in highly competitive and demanding environments. Mark has worked with and consulted to some of Australia's premier organisations including Suncorp, Wesfarmers Ltd and Price Waterhouse Coopers.

Study Guide Author

Neil Hardie
Ph.D., M.Sc(Econ), M.Sc. (Eng), A.C.G.I., Th.C.

Neil Hardie managed technical departments in multinational electronics companies for twenty years in Britain and Australia and was responsible in many of these organisations for establishing quality systems and best practice initiatives. He has also worked as an academic in New Guinea and Libya. His Ph.D. in quality management led to a book on quality management and several papers in leading journals. He has taught MBA programs in various universities in Australia, Malaysia and Pakistan. His research interests include knowledge management and management of non-profit organisations.

Neil is also the Study Guide author of the APESMA/La Trobe MBA Unit 402 Contemporary People Management and Unit 404 Pathways to Organisational Best Practice.