This course provides an opportunity for students to establish or advance their understanding of research through critical exploration of research language, ethics, and approaches. The course will prepare students for research thesis I & II that they will undertake later in the program. The course introduces the language of research, ethical principles and challenges, and the elements of the research process within quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches. Participants will use these theoretical underpinnings to begin to critically review the literature relevant to their field or interests and determine how research findings are useful in informing their understanding of their environment (work, social, local, global).

In recent years “quality” and “quality management systems” have been leading buzzwords in the business world. Management systems define quality levels in the manufacturing of goods and production of services. However, there is seldom comment on the commercial viability of the output itself. This course develops student understanding of the management principles, disciplines and techniques involved in quality management systems within, and their impact external to an organization. The environmental relationships between the various elements in an organization must also be clearly understood to allow managers to appropriately assess the impacts of any change, on operations and/or business strategy. The course aims to enhance student awareness of management systems, approaches, and applications in today’s business landscape, whilst also providing an appreciation of the decision making in organizational risk management.

Understanding processes so that they can be improved by means of a systematic approach requires the knowledge of a range of tools or techniques for quality improvement. This course provides students with a critical understanding of a variety of these tools and techniques of quality, encouraging and allowing an exploration of the applicability and effectiveness of different quality tools and techniques within the design, manufacture and use of products and services. The course enables an exploration of the applicability and effectiveness of different quality tools and techniques for all organizational types in a variety of circumstances. The course draws on examples from current research to establish ‘cutting edge’ quality performance techniques.

Managing operations and supply chain is vital to every type of organization, for it is only through effective and efficient utilization of resources that an organization can be successful in the long term. In today’s fast-paced business world, supply chain and operation managers must appreciate the integration of operations and supply chain on the organization, employees, and customers. Priority focus areas include the linkages between supply chain processes and operations design, business strategy, and globalization. This course aims to develop a critical understanding of operations management and supply chain strategy in organizational performance and competitiveness. It will build knowledge of operations and supply chain management principles and concepts and critically appraise how they can be applied across different organizational functions.

This course focuses on management challenges associated with achieving or working towards total quality management (TQM) and Business Excellence. The business world increasingly recognizes that overall quality and organizational excellence require a combination of internal and external enablers – which emphasizes methodological approaches of TQM and business excellence in manufacturing or service organization. Students will be introduced to the main principles of quality and business excellence for implementing total quality management in national and international contexts and creating sustainable business excellence.

This course provides students with a holistic view and understanding of how different types of organizations manage the dynamics of strategy, policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation for responding changes in both internal and external environmental leading to sustainable competitive advantage. The course considers the strategic choice options for managers, concepts of organizational complexity and rapidly evolving technologies within the lens of organizational dynamics. Critical thinkers do not passively accept what they read; rather, they reflect to derive new alternatives. This course supports students in applying concepts and methods to make valuable contributions at work and influence those around them. Strategic analysis requires students to look at the company as a whole rather than in terms of its isolated functions and its place in the wider context of industry and environment rather than as an isolated entity.