Unit information: Leadership, Strategy and Change in 2021/22

Unit name	Leadership, Strategy and Change
Unit code	EFIMM0150
Credit points	30
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2D (weeks 19 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Sam Davies
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	none
Co-requisites	none
School/department	School of Management - Business School
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

Pathway unit for MSc Management

The aim of this unit is to enhance students’ understanding of leading change in the contemporary organisational context. The unit will examine the pervasive organisational context of complexity and change in the last few decades and the application of contemporary theories of leadership and change in the 21^st century. The unit will cover the role and purpose of leadership and diverse perspectives, frameworks and key debates concerning How different types of change (incremental to discontinuous) can be led and managed deploying a systems thinking approach.

There will be a review of classical, modern and critical leadership theories, philosophies and styles, and associated research in leadership and change management.

Students will study structural, systemic and cultural influences to understand the complex dynamics of leadership and change. They will critically evaluate various topic areas such as the politics of leading change, diversity, authority and power; leading change in teams; leadership challenges; authentic and ethical leadership, corporate social responsibility (CSR & sustainability); leading large scale change, strategy, creativity and enterprise.

The unit will provide the opportunity for reflective enquiry and developing oneself as a responsible leader and global citizen.

The unit will draw on a range of literature sources, including management and organisational theory, sociology and philosophy amongst others.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the unit students will be able to demonstrate:

1. Knowledge and understanding of leadership, strategy and change management in the contemporary organisational context of complexity, that is critically reflective, analytical and evidence informed.
2. Ability to work independently and in teams in order to analyse and debate change leadership problems, and to develop, present, and argue potential solutions to an audience.
3. Diagnosis of organisational situations and apply theoretical ideas and empirical evidence to reach firm conclusions on desirable courses of appropriate action related to leading change in organisations
4. Development of the key leadership skills and other interpersonal skills needed by modern organisations to manage change in complex settings.

Teaching Information

Blended learning which will include a mix of lectures and seminars supported by Blackboard e-learning

Contact hours 45 hours (indicatively 30 hours lectures; 15 hours tutorials)

Assessment Information

The unit will be assessed through continuous formative assessment and two summative forms of assessment.

Formative Assessment:

Formative assessment will include analytical seminar group work, followed by small group (4-5 students) presentations (ILOs 1,2,3,4). Formative feedback will be provided by a seminar leader on a regular basis. Students will also offer and receive constructive feedback from their peers.

Summative Assessment:

Students will have two pieces of assessed work on this unit:

1) In Class Group Presentation, Questions, and Supporting Written Proposal Documents (Summative Group Assessment – 30% of the total unit mark). This work will require group analysis of an organisational change event and/or experience. The objective of this form of assessment is to be able to relate empirical evidence and/or working practice to the concepts and experiences discussed within the unit (ILOs 1,2,3,4).

2) Reflective Essay of 4,000 words (Summative Individual Assessment – 70% of the total unit mark) which will assess students’ critical understanding of the literature and their ability to apply the concepts and theories explored in academic literature, or their own professional practice (ILOs 1,2,3,4).

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EFIMM0150).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.