Please note: you are viewing unit and programme information
for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.
| Unit name |
Strategic Business Management for Engineers |
| Unit code |
MENGM0041 |
| Credit points |
20 |
| Level of study |
M/7
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
|
| Unit director |
Dr. Hadi Abulrub |
| Open unit status |
Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None
|
| Co-requisites |
None
|
| School/department |
School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Engineering |
Description including Unit Aims
The unit main aim is to ensure students are capable to articulate strategic management concepts and formulate critical view/opinion of business practices to formulate a strategic response to major challenges faced by engineering/technology organisations.
This is achieved through the following aims:
- Describe theories, frameworks and concepts of strategic management and its association with business practices
- Develop knowledge to compare/contrast various strategies and recognise vital aspects of an effective business strategy
- Identify and analyse a diverse range of issues that affect strategic management thinking and decision-making
- Develop skills to articulate knowledge, construct thoughts and transfer them into practice through application of real-world case studies
- Advance students’ skills to recognise, interpret and formulate a strategy for an engineering / technology organisation in response to an up-to-date technological / engineering related challenge.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to:
- Discuss key models, concepts and frameworks of strategic business management (A1)
- Determine the important aspects of a successful strategy and relate them to business practices within engineering / technology firms. (A1 & A2)
- Establish critical view of the industry forces and value creation with technological options to maintain competitiveness within the sector/industry (A2&A3).
- Systematically evaluate in-depth associated operational tactics in terms of its human resource, supply chain, as well as, business model (A3 & A4).
- Apply critical thinking, problem solving skills and analyse to evaluate real-world engineering / technology scenario and propose practical strategic recommendations (A3 – A5).
Teaching Information
Lectures will be the main channels to transfer theoretical knowledge. It allows complex concepts, models and frameworks to be established, exchanged and developed using academic discussion and debates. External industrial speakers will be invited to enrich the learning environment, construct practical insights and provide constructive critique to the theoretical knowledge.
Students will be presented with real-world case studies that signify strategic challenge for engineering / technology organisation(s). Case method teaching immerses students into realistic business situations helping them to appreciate the challenge of implementing strategic decisions / directions.
Interactive discussions sessions allow students to exercise their critical thinking skills, personal decisions and communication skills. It also provides an opportunity for students to develop perspective of the concepts within the field of strategic business management.
A transparent published method is in place for identifying students’ contribution to group work. This peer assessed process is moderated by the unit director.
Assessment Information
- Individual assignment (70%): execute an assessment of an up-to-date technological challenge faced by an industry of the student choice. They should justify why they have selected them. Using the concepts taught in the unit, they are required to make strategic recommendations to assist firms to respond to the opportunity/threat of the identified challenge, and, to provide a direction to improve / sustain their market attractiveness (LO1 – LO5)
- The Global Challenge Project (30%): Group report, viva and individual reflective log exploring real-world multidisciplinary engineering project and applying tools/techniques of strategic business management (LO2, LO3 & LO5)
Reading and References
- “Fundamentals of strategy” (2015) by Gerry Johnson; Richard Whittington; Kevan Scholes; Duncan Angwin; Patrick Regnér.
- “Contemporary Strategy Analysis” (2015) by Robert M. Grant
- “Strategic operations management” (2013) by Steve Brown; John Bessant; Richard Lamming
- “The five competitive forces that shape strategy” (2008) by Michael E. Porter.
- “What is strategy?” (1996) by Michael E. Porter.
