Master of Business Administration (MBA) Unit Information

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) commences with a 15 credit Critical Reading, Writing and Literature Research unit, followed by eight 15 credit units, finishing with a 15 credit Methodological Approaches to Research and 30 credit Professional Project.

Please see below for more unit information or download the unit factsheet.

CRITICAL READING, WRITING AND LITERATURE RESEARCH

This unit develops critical thinking, reflective writing and other study skills, including analysis and referencing, to study at masters level and in particular to introduce students to research skills needed to successfully produce a literature review as well as unit essays. You will pick a topic area, perhaps related to the professional project that you might intend to study to further research and apply the tools learned in the sessions.

LEADING, MANAGING AND DEVELOPING PEOPLE

The unit introduces the core theoretical perspectives in the area of people management and development providing a critical evaluation of research studies and debate in the HRM and HRD fields. Central to the unit is an evaluation of motivation, commitment and engagement theory and an exploration of effective leadership as well as learning and training interventions. Major debates on professionalism and ethics are reviewed and the contribution made by HRM and HRD specialists to strategy and management practice in the specific field of change and flexibility and across different organizational contexts is evaluated. Critical reflection on theory and practice is central to the unit, as is the application of learning to the business environment. 

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

The primary aim of the unit is to help students formulate and implement strategy at company and business unit organisational levels. A strategy is a plan of action designed to meet objectives (the ‘game-plan’). ‘Management’ is concerned with the implementation of the ‘game-plan’– there needs to be a seamless fit between strategy and management – but often there is not. ‘Strategy’ and ‘management’ should cascade through and align the entire organisation. The focus of the unit is on two key organisational areas:

1. How should the CEO build their company/ organisation going forward?
2. How should the General Manager build the business?

Three important ‘mindsets’ support: the ‘Industry Analyst’, the ‘Implementer’ who gets the job done and leverage the best of the ‘Academic’ to make better decisions to prosper in the future.

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

The purpose of this unit is to explore world class operations management. The unit will cover top level management issues such as developing a focused operations strategy that is congruent with the company’s business and marketing strategies. To this will be added understanding and practice of key operational techniques to enable delivery of the strategy. The learning process is facilitated through course readings, lectures, videos, worked exercises, and contemporary case studies.

ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

This unit investigates and introduces basic theories, concepts and application of financial accounting, management accounting, finance and financial risk management in a modern organisation. Students are not expected to become proficient in specific aspects of the different financial tools and techniques discussed in the unit. Rather, as aspiring middle to senior managers, they are expected to understand how the financial professional in an organisation can integrate with the other management functions to support and achieve the organisational strategic objectives.

STRATEGIC MARKETING

This unit seeks to introduce students to the fundamentals of the role of strategic marketing within a broad range of organisations. The unit has five core components:

1. Introduction to marketing, an understanding of the external environment and its impact on the organisation through the process of a PESTLE analysis.
2. The concept of the exchange process and its influence on how the varying elements of the marketer’s toolkit are deployed to achieve organisational goals.
3. Understanding how customers differ, the process of segmentation, targeting, and positioning (STP), and consumer decision making.
4. The strategic significance of relationships and networks within the internal and external environment.
5. Drawing up the marketing plan.

GLOBAL ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

The unit will explore selected key issues presented by the globalising world economy. The key drivers of globalisation will be identified and examined. The factors why some countries grow faster than others will be explored. The role of trade and investment within the context of global and regional institutional and financial frameworks and current issues related to the global economy will be considered.

LEADING CHANGE AND CREATIVITY IN ORGANISATIONS

This unit will explore the sources of, and responses to, change in organisations, including the dynamics and complexities of choice, engagement and resistance. It will describe models and methods for defining, promoting and leading a change agenda, which can be judged against strategic aspirations. It will show how creative contributions can be sought from individuals, teams and leaders to increase the likely success of organisational change. Students will critically explore and evaluate models and methods for leading and embedding change in organisations.

FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGIES

Technological advances in recent years have meant that data analysis and computer-processing power are no longer prohibitively expensive to implement in a small business. As a result, many large financial institutions are finding their traditional business models under threat by the disruptive application of technology led by smaller competitors. The unit is intended to give the student a foundation in financial technologies and their most promising applications within the financial sector. As part of this, the student will critically examine the disruptive impact of these technologies as well the potential risks they entail.

METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO RESEARCH

This unit develops critical thinking, reflective writing and other study skills to study at masters level and in particular introduces students to general research methods needed to successfully develop a project proposal or research brief. You will pick a topic area, perhaps related to the professional project that you might intend to study, to further research and apply the tools learned in the sessions.

PROFESSIONAL PROJECT

This unit involves conducting an in-depth research project on a chosen area of study, bringing together and employing all of the skills learned in previous units. Successfully completing this unit will result in clear links drawn between the literature in the field and the development of research objectives and design of a clear conceptual framework. Moreover, the collection, presentation, discussion and appraisal of data is evaluated; and an overall reflection academically and professionally is required.