MSc/PGDip/PGCert Humanitarian Practice

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Critical Approaches to Management of Humanitarian Operations

Course unit fact file
Unit code HCRI70040
Credit rating 15
Unit level FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree
Teaching period(s) Full year
Offered by Humanitarian Conflict Response Institute
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

This module aims to explore the making of operational decisions in an uncertain environment. This may be because the situation is evolving, the data is unclear, the operational dynamics are changing, or the mission terms of engagement need to adapt. It will explore the operational dilemmas and challenges faced by those involved in leading an organisation providing a humanitarian response to a crisis.

It will outline a conceptual framework for leadership and management in this environment and explore related academic concepts, ideas and debates. It will require students to develop the ability to critically review the literature, apply context, constructively engage with operational processes and consider how to adapt these to their own operational environment.

The module will use an individual’s own prior experiences to reflect on alternate individual or team approaches and practices that might be used in potentially complex, quickly evolving and challenging situations.

Central to this unit will be understanding the fixed and the flexible principles to be applied in a humanitarian situation and help develop a structured, logical and defendable approach to leadership and decision making within a complex and multifaceted but information poor environment. The module will consist of two themes, Concepts and Operational Design, that will flow through three phases of learning.

Aims

• To sharpen diagnostic skills to identify key operational dilemmas and problematics in the cycles of humanitarian operations

• To acquire methodological tools and technique for situation analysis, operational decision, and evidence-based practice in humanitarian context

• To develop action-oriented leadership and management capacity for strategy formulation in diverse humanitarian challenges and operational dilemmas.

• To enhance collaborative decision-making process and negotiate skills with humanitarian peers having diverse backgrounds

• To consulate, communicate, advocate and critically revisit the lesson learned within and beyond the learning network.

Teaching and learning methods

 

Knowledge and understanding

Demonstrate a critical understanding of the strategic principles and approaches to management of humanitarian operations.

Understand some of the contemporary humanitarian issues, including inequality, displacement, accountability and advocacy and apply an operational design framework to managing these challenges.

Understand approaches to evaluating, monitoring and reporting of a humanitarian operation in an information poor environment.

Appreciate the standards of care that apply in an emergency and how these may need to be adapted in differing contexts.

Understand the challenge but also importance of balancing risk against output and reputation in mounting an operation in a changing and evolving situation.

Recognise the ethical and reputational challenges, and have an understanding of the approach to managing them, in a complex environment

Intellectual skills

Critically analyse data and information available to inform decision-making in information poor and changing environments.

Describe the monitoring and evaluation process in an operation, considering the range of methodologies available.

Understand organisational challenges and policy-making in a dynamic and evolving complex environment.

Appreciate the importance of team dynamics and different leadership styles for credibility and legitimacy in operational leadership

Practical skills

Ability to reflect upon personal humanitarian experience and place this in the context of a contemporary professional environment.

Ability to engage in critical discussion with peers around challenge management, appropriately using academic knowledge, personal experience and reflection.

Appreciate a series of leadership and management development models and how to apply them to support teambuilding, using knowledge, personal values, behaviours, style and inter-personal skills to help create and improve an operational team.

Transferable skills and personal qualities

Greater appreciation of the challenge of operational leadership and increased ability to support, facilitate and constructively critique an organisation in the field.

Increased readiness to take responsibility for and take the initiative to improve team-working in a complex environment.

Assessment methods

Personal Reflection on Practice - Formative

Personal Reflection Following Feedback - 10%

Contribution to Discussion Board - 10%

Group Exercise - 30%

Final Essay - 50%

Feedback methods

Written feedback following submission

Recommended reading

This module requires a flexible, interactive and responsive reading list, although background readings are recommended as below:

FARMER, P., KIM, J. Y., KLEINMAN, A., & BASILICO, M. (2013). Reimagining global health: an introduction. Berkeley, University of California Press.

MAGONE, C., NEUMAN, M., WEISSMAN, F. (2011) Humanitarian Negotiations Revealed: the MSF experience https://www.msf-crash.org/index.php/en/publications/humanitarian-negotiations-revealed-msf-experience

TOWNES, D. (Ed.). (2018). Health in Humanitarian Emergencies: Principles and Practice for Public Health and Healthcare Practitioners. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

FASSIN D, PANDOLFI M (2010), Contemporary States of Emergency: The Politics of Military and Humanitarian Interventions Zone Books – MIT press.

REDFIELD, P (2013). Life in Crisis: The Ethical Journey of Doctors Without Borders Berkeley, University of California Press.

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
eAssessment 6
Lectures 7
Project supervision 5
Seminars 7
Independent study hours
Independent study 125

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