MGT2002 Managing Organisations

Other requisites

Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at <http://www.usq.edu.au/ict/students/standards/default.htm>.

Synopsis

Organisations are central to modern-day society and probably play the key role in delivering the vast range of services and products required by people in their daily lives. Any organisation exists for a purpose and is a deliberate arrangement of human and other resources with the aim of delivering needs-satisfying services and/or products as effectively and efficiently as possible. There are different types/kinds of organisations ranging from public/government institutions such as local authorities and government agencies, to churches, trade unions, banking and financial institutions, to privately and public owned business enterprises. Irrespective of type, any organisation has to be established, developed and maintained to operate as effectively and efficiently as possible amidst an increasingly complex, turbulent and competitive environment characterised by an almost endless list of human needs to be satisfied but with a general scarcity of resources. This course aims to develop an understanding and appreciation of the complex and evolving nature of organisations and their environments, how organisations operate and function, and the challenges related to successfully managing organisations and their resources. This course lays the foundation for a career in management. In this course the student will learn about the nature of organisations, the external environmental dynamics that interplay with organisations, the internal subsystems, structures and processes of organisations and the terrain, role, tasks, functions and required skills of managers. Students are exposed to the challenges related to a career in management in a changing world. A study is made of the evolution of management as field of study and of managerial practices. Students are introduced to the role requirements of modern-day managers and are acquainted with various conceptual, analytical and practical tools and methodologies that are and can be used in managing organisations in complex and ever changing environments. Specific topics include: the shift from the industrial era to the information and knowledge age, the interplay with organisations and management of trends such as globalisation, the information technology revolution and the new workplace, the challenges of entrepreneurship and small business, managerial decision-making, strategic thinking and planning, work and organisational structuring and design, managerial ethics, social responsibility, managing and leading diverse people, managing the value chain, creativity and the management of innovation and change, and continuous quality and performance improvement and control.

Course offers