Online MBA with Engineering Leadership

Engineering safety critical systems requires an analytical and critical approach to development of a system of systems, including hazard identification, quantifying risk, incident investigation, quality assurance, change management, human factors, legal factors and communication. This module will take a multi-stranded approach based on case studies within safety critical engineering industries. The systems level approach to assessment will include consideration of the inputs to the assessment, methods of quantitative and qualitative analysis and of the outputs as evidence for the case for a proposed safety regime.

This module introduces the concepts of sustainability, including definitions, modelling, resources and reporting. It considers the theoretical and methodological basis of approaches designed to quantify the impacts associated with choices made at different stages of a business or product life cycle and tools designed to evaluate relative environmental and sustainability performance. The module is centred on analysis and discussions of case studies and/or simulated examples. At the end of the module, students should be able to articulate a high-level plan for addressing sustainability within their job role or for addressing challenges discovered in the analysis of the case studies and examples.

Industry 4.0 is the 4th Industrial Revolution driven by data science and analytics, digital networks, artificial intelligence and machine learning. The opportunities for business include faster and more informed decision making, optimised supply chains, autonomy, removal of the human from mundane tasks and sharing of insight. Challenges include identifying, developing the skills, workforce, reforming organisation and infrastructure. Opportunities include efficiencies in resource and increases in business agility and real-time security of processes and assets. The module is designed to give insight into the capabilities and potential of existing and developing technology and its applications, viewed through technical, managerial and ethical lenses.

This is a reflective and developmental module for students to explore their leadership and career aspirations in relation to their purposive values. The module will include four types of learning engagements:

• An examination of current values-based and purpose-led theories of leadership. Students will be encouraged to critically examine theories they study, and apply them to their own contexts and experiences;
• Critical reflective practice about how they enact and embody purposeful/values-based leading and aspects of their organizational context which impacts on their ability to lead from this orientation;
• Professional skills development activities, including coaching to enhance their capacity to lead effectively that will be coordinated and delivered by the BBS Career team;
• The development of reflective practitioner and associated research skills, culminating in the creation of a plan for undertaking a project to underpin career aspirations.

Students will be expected to keep a portfolio of reflective practice on their purposeful leadership approach throughout the module, and how what they have learned on different modules is influencing this.

This module engages students with ethical principles and approaches underpinning what it means to be a responsible business in theory and practice from a variety of contexts across the Globe; including the promotion of sustainable development. The module will help students: 1) assess their own values and position as responsible managers with regards to principles and approaches, and 2) assess how their values and positions can be integrated into activities depending on contexts (economic, social, cultural, geographical, legal, policy and regulatory) and 3) develop competencies in managing organisations responsibly.

Specifically, the module starts with irresponsible business practices, identifying organisational structures and incentives and external factors that can lead to these. The module moves on to responsible business alternatives taking into account the social, environmental, and economic spheres in local, regional and national contexts. It critically explores the potential of organisations as catalysts for change, how to manage inclusively and responsibly and make significant social and environmental contributions (with sustainability in mind) within organisations in context. Finally, it discusses the opportunities and the challenges and the intended and potential unintended consequences of responsible business for a variety of stakeholders.

The module follows a reflexive experiential learning approach. It uses cases from around the globe that challenge students to scope and identify ways to tackle “wicked problems”, design and implement responsible solutions true to their values, and emergent contextual approaches that fit with their organisations.

This module aims to provide students with a critical awareness, understanding of, and ability to interpret relevant and fundamental issues in the economy. Throughout this module students will explore key theories, concepts, and frameworks, applying them through contemporary case studies and group work to develop a critical understanding of current issues in the global economy.

Starting from the definition of cornerstone concepts in economics, the module will look in more depth at major economic issues shaping businesses’ local and global environment and landscape trends.

In terms of micro-economics, the module will analyse how markets operate and evolve in view of the current green transitions, and what challenges in terms of production, costs, revenue, profit, and social value responsible businesses face within global value chains to address environmental and social impacts.

On the macro-economy, the focus will be on current issues in global trade and globalisation; economic development; and transversally, on the systemic green transition to address the climate crisis. It will also consider green and inclusive growth, unemployment and inflation and the role of governments in managing the economy with monetary, fiscal and industrial policies.

The module introduces students to the concepts, principles and major approaches that contribute to an analytical understanding of the uncertain environment in which strategies are formulated. Through interactive learning approaches based on cases and problem-based learning, you will develop and enhance your practical skills to design and execute purpose-led organisational strategies that meets social, environmental, and financial goals.

This module specifically addresses how organisational purpose can enhance the strategic focus of business, by acknowledging the influence of values and stakeholder expectations on decision making. This approach to strategy formulation encourages systems thinking that seeks ambitious, creative and sustainable solutions beyond the strict boundaries of the organisation as a new path to competitive advantage. The module explicitly incorporates an understanding of the social, environmental and financial impacts of the organisation on stakeholders into corporate and business-level strategy formulation. The module develops critical strategic thinking skills that take a long-term perspective. It encourages students to develop innovative strategies that maintain a congruence between the firm and in the context of the organisation’s particular competitive environment and the ever-changing, uncertain general environment of business.

This module provides an understanding of decision making of corporate policies and how organisations are financed and valued. In doing so, it offers students a foundation on the role, techniques, limits and context surrounding financial decision-making and analysis. 

This module aims to provide students with an understanding of, and ability to apply the tools and methodologies of contemporary finance theories. This module also aims to provide students with the ability to interpret and analyse the information contained in the financial statement and reports of a corporation.  

The module provides students the opportunities to explore the financial decision-making processes of organisations. In so doing the module will look at the role of financial managers, the scope / remit and implications of their decision-making for both profitability and sustainability, and how it affects shareholders, stakeholders and society. Financial decisions are complex, and so the module will explore methods for evaluating and presenting choices in an accessible manner. 

The module takes a practical perspective; it is theoretically robust but rooted in application. 

This core module aims to provide students with fundamental knowledge relating to the function of contemporary marketing and its role in society. Major concepts, theories and frameworks of marketing will be introduced and analysed throughout this module.

Marketing is of great significance to private, public, and third sectors. As a result, there is a need to understand how marketing has to be adapted to meet the demands of these sectors. Moreover, given the importance of marketing in the contemporary world, it becomes necessary to comprehend its societal consequences.

This module will introduce the key foundational concepts relating to marketing. Students will evaluate contemporary challenges that organisations face and critically analyse available solutions. The module will also explore the complex relationship between ethics, markets and the activities of responsible marketing practitioners. Students will develop an understanding of a marketer’s role and responsibilities and how they impact contemporary society.

On completion of this module students will have gained a deep understanding of how marketing contributes to developing organisations’ long-term success, as well as its consequences for society.

The module will help students to develop their people management knowledge, personal skills and values in light of contemporary organisational challenges and international or global contexts. Person-centric (micro and meso-level) management topics may include, for example: employee motivation and engagement; recruitment and selection; equality and diversity; interpersonal communication, teamworking and intercultural awareness. In fast a changing business world, the module also explores macro-level topics and issues associated with people management and organisations more broadly. These may include, for example: the future of work; organisational governance and ethics; leadership, responsible business and human resource management (HRM).

In recent years, companies are interested in managing corporate social responsibility and sustainability as part of their operations management. Whether you are a major manufacturer, a policy maker, a public sector organisation or a small business owner, understanding the principles of operations management is critical to success. These companies also realise their operations management practices must respond to demands to address sustainability. This response is triggered by climate change and environmental concerns, the well-being of employees and communities. This module introduces a range of issues in sustainable operations management for both manufacturing and service industries. In this module, you will learn about the role of operations and how they are connected to other business functions in manufacturing- and service-focused organisations. You will learn and practise the use of decision-making frameworks and techniques applicable at strategic, tactical and operational levels. Different aspects of OM are considered from a sustainability perspective. These aspects encompass product design and eco-design, adoption of environmental and social standards, process improvement and lean operations, purchasing, supply chain management (SCM), logistics including recycling and closed-loop systems, performance measurement and risk management.

This module aims to provide students with a fundamental understanding of how organisational performance and ‘success’ can be measured. To facilitate this, the module examines various visions of organisational accountability and sustainability, and equips students to be able to interpret and analyse accounting information. In doing so, the module offers students a foundation on the role, techniques, limits and context surrounding financial and non-financial decision-making, leadership and analysis. The module takes a practical perspective; it is theoretically robust but rooted in application.

This module will enable students to undertake an in-depth company project on a topical business issue. Students will have the opportunity to work with an academic supervisor who will act as a mentor, guide the student, and offer feedback on the assessment submissions.

Students will produce an executive summary that will offer a summary overview of the project and key findings, as part of a much longer piece of work which will deliver a consultancy-style report including, for example, literature, findings based on organizational data analysis, and recommendations. Such projects will enable students to develop managerial experience, knowledge across organisations, understand the complexities of organisational projects, project management skills, leadership and research skills.

This 40 credits module together with the 20 credits Purposeful Leader module make up 60 credits of independent learning based on student research within the MBA programme.

To take the Entrepreneurial Project, students must have previously taken Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

The Entrepreneurial Project module will enable students to undertake an in-depth entrepreneurial project focused on the student’s aspirations. Students will undertake a project focused on their own organisation, an intrapreneurship project (a novel development in a larger organisation) or an entrepreneurial project collaboratively developed with an organisation or mentor supported by UoB and BBS.

An Entrepreneurial Project provides students with the experience of developing a proposition while reflecting on the responsible business, entrepreneurship and innovation literature, confronting the tensions of theory meeting real world practice.

This 40-credit module together with the Purposeful Leader 20-credits make up the required 60-credits of independent learning based on student research required within the MBA programme.

The aim of this module is to develop students’ knowledge, skills, capability and competency in the development and execution of an individual research project. Students will have the opportunity to design, develop and implement a research methodology appropriate to the research being undertaken, and which draws upon and aims to contribute to a body of knowledge in business management. Students will be expected to draw upon research knowledge and skills developed during their overall programme of studies. Students can choose to develop their project and research with a focus on literature review and analysis combined with data analysis. Both primary data as well as secondary data are appropriate for the dissertation in this programme.

The Purposeful Leadership and the dissertation modules involve student research and, together, make up 60 credits of independent learning based on student research within the MBA programme.