Management Concepts

22B0922

Bachelor

English

5.0

winter- and summerterm

1 semester

The course introduces students to essential management concepts for implementing and executing organizational strategies. The knowledge and understanding of state-of-the-art management philosophies complements the analytical competences acquired in the related course ‘Management Tools’. Recognizing elements of management concepts in organizational decisions helps students in understanding the strategy implementation process, enables them to critically reflect strategic positioning and contribute to strategy implementation by own behaviour. The knowledge and skills learned ensure students’ employability in strategy as well as functional areas today and in the future.

Management concepts/philosophies, including but not limited to: - Strategic Organizational Design - Change Management - Project Management - Innovation Management - Process Management - Lean Management - Just-in-time - Quality Management - Benchmarking - Supply Chain Management

The total workload for the module is 150 hours (see also "ECTS credit points and grading").

• Written examination or
• Portfolio exam or
• Portfolio exam

Two alternative portfolio exams (PFP) are possible:  PFP-1 comprises 100 points and consists of a paper/presentation (R) worth 50 points and a 1-hour written exam (K1) worth 50 Punkte. PFP-2 comprises 100 points and consists of a presentation (PR) worth 50 Punkte and a 1-hour written exam (K1) worth 50 Punkte.

The specific requirements will be announced and explained in detail in every course.

Written examination: in accordance with the valid study regulations

Paper/presentation (R): approx. 15-20 minute presentation plus an accompanying paper of approx. 5-10 pages

Presentation (PR): approx. 20-30 minutes.

The specific requirements will be announced and explained in detail in every course.

The course ‘Management Tools’ or a similar introductory course to Strategic Management is strongly recommeded. Furthermore, sound knowledge of the various functions within organizations and of micro- and macroeconomics are desirable.

Students who successfully complete this module are able to put management concepts for implementing strategic choices into practice, thereby ensuring the long-term success of organizations. They are able to relate and contrast the discussed management concepts to other strands of management literature and reflect on the opportunities and pitfalls of management concepts in today’s business world. Students are able to explain the development of and rational for the discussed management concepts and identify constraints for applying them in various business contexts, especially international ones. Finally, they are able to understand the meaning of quality from the Japanese point of view.

Students who successfully complete this module are able to explain the main steps in applying management concepts, like just-in-time (JIT) in organizations. They diagnose problems in change, project, innovation and process management and identify appropriate managerial approaches to address them. They can contrast the key differences between JIT and other traditional approaches to inventory management and can explain the link between JIT and quality. They recognize how value can be added by managing quality. Finally, they differentiate between cost reduction measures and lean management.

Students who successfully complete this module are able to select and apply elements of management concepts to implement strategic choices. Before implementing measures in business reality, however, they analyze the context (i.e. external and internal) in order to diagnose constraints and barriers. By synthesising these insights with their theoretical knowledge regarding management concepts, they are empowered to prepare effective plans and implement them in practice, hence contributing to solving managerial challenges.

Students who successfully complete this module are able to contribute to and manage, incl. analysing, facilitating and initiating operative processes and business projects within organizations that are deeply linked to long-term decisions and an organization's implementation of strategic positioning. This may include and affect change processes that require a thorough understanding of the theoretical concepts but also competences in prioritising measures, handling conflicts and managing resources.

Students who successfully complete this module are able to adapt management concepts and the associated tools to specific contexts, thereby designing meaningful measures that are based on theory but account for the specificities found in particular situations in practice.  

Students who successfully complete this module are able to explain precisely the rationale, functionality and benefits of the discussed management concepts, which allows them to promote the advantages of management concepts to and mitigate the concerns among various stakeholders who might be affected by the measures. Students are able to collate, process and present necessary pieces of information regarding the implementation of management concepts. Finally, they can map complex processes in order to detect areas of improvement and develop recommendations for optimization.

Students who successfully complete this module appreciate the merits of management concepts for managing the long-term prospects of an organization. They are empowered to increase their personal effectiveness by selecting and employing management techniques and tools, like, for example, forcefield analysis in change processes, process mapping and creativity techniques in innovation management.

The contents of the module prepare students for courses in which students are expected to develop managerial recommendations and suggest approaches for implementing them. These courses are: Applied Business Project and Project Management, Internship and Academic Project as well as Bachelor Thesis.

• International Management, B.A.

• Business Administration and Management, B.A.

• Hofmann, Kay Hendrik

• Hofmann, Kay Hendrik