BSc Fashion Management / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

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Course unit details:
Strategic Management

Course unit fact file
Unit code	MATS34521
Credit rating	40
Unit level	Level 6
Teaching period(s)	Semester 1
Offered by	Department of Materials
Available as a free choice unit?	No

Overview

Strategic management as an academic discipline has a variety of models, approaches and techniques reflecting a diversity of perspectives, many of which prima facie seem contradictory; often this is merely a paradox and the contradictions can be reconciled and often synthesised through critical analysis of the drivers and indicators obtained in the issue under consideration.

Aims

The unit aims to give an advanced treatment of contemporary approaches to the strategic management process, providing the tools to conduct a thorough appraisal of the changing environment and distinctive contexts within which fashion organizations operate. In particular, the unit aims to:

Develop a critical understanding of strategy and strategic thinking at all levels from functional to global and network;
Foster competence in conducting strategic analyses;
Deepen appreciation of the competitive challenges of the contemporary global markets in fashion, textiles and related industries;
Enhance professional, managerial level judgment, risk assessment and results-oriented planning.

Learning outcomes

A greater depth of the learning outcomes will be covered in the following sections:

Knowledge and understanding
Intellectual skills
Practical skills
Transferable skills and personal qualities

Teaching and learning methods

Asynchronous sessions will be used to introduce and review concepts, principles and techniques. Synchronous sessions will include concrete examples of the materials covered in the asynchronous sessions and provide the opportunity for the students to develop competence in the application of these principles to a range of examples. These will provide an opportunity for immediate formative feedback on the understanding and ownership of concepts.

All sessions are supplemented with directed reading and formative “homework” assignments intended to allow ownership of the concepts introduced.

For the in-course assessment, students will develop a portfolio of evidence of application and critical understanding of strategic thinking and its application to fashion, textiles and related industries. The portfolio is split into four parts focusing on business, functional, corporate, and network level strategies. This portfolio will develop a critical review of strategy, strategic thinking and a range of models and approaches relevant to your chosen area. This will form the basis from which to examine contemporary issues and challenges in your chosen area from a strategic perspective. Formative feedback will be given in the dedicated workshops.

The unit is supported through the use of the Blackboard learning environment, which will include formative assessment tasks.

Knowledge and understanding

Systematically expound a range of principles, concepts, techniques and approaches underpinning contemporary strategic thinking

· Distinguish the key elements of contemporary challenges and issues in fashion and textiles and use these to evaluate strategic alternatives

· Formulate, motivate and justify strategic plans, to respond to contemporary functional, business, corporate, network and global challenges in fashion, textiles and related industries

Contributing to developing programme learning outcomes and the assessment of:

· Systematically describe, analyse and appraise the structure of global fashion, textiles and related industries, with focus on the emerging issues of markets, services, consumer expectations within the macro- environment.

· Distinguish the key elements of contemporary challenges and issues in fashion and textiles and use these systematically in strategic planning of operational responses

· Articulate the processes, procedures and practices of fashion retail, marketing, management and buying and merchandising strategies.

· Distinguish the key elements of product requirements, innovation, enterprise and cost issues in relation to textile and garment production.

- Distinguish the key aspects of management theory in relation to management of organisations for example people management and information systems.

Intellectual skills

Systematically evaluate and synthesise information, data and evidence from appropriate sources and use these to make informed independent judgements
Question orthodoxy using balanced, logical and supported argument

Contributing to developing programme learning outcomes and the assessment of:

Identify and conceptualise appropriate theories, applying them to the fashion and textile industry.
Synthesise, assess and evaluate information and data from appropriate sources and use these to make informed, independent judgments and decision making in relation to technical product and/or business contexts.
Exercise original thinking and independent learning to design and execute a project to evaluate and analyse a business concept or a technical aspect of garment or textiles products.
Undertake the development and execution of a major independent project in an appropriate area.

Practical skills

Act Autonomously with limited supervision or direction within negotiated guidelines
Identify and employ appropriate sources of information.

Contributing to developing the programme learning outcomes and the assessment of:

Identify and employ appropriate sources of information.

Transferable skills and personal qualities

Engage effectively in academic discussion and present arguments in a professional manner
Communicate clearly, fluently and effectively in a range of styles appropriate to the context.
Employ a range of tools and frameworks to analyse competitive situations and scenarios

Contributing to developing the programme learning outcomes and assessment of:

Clear and effective communication, using a range of styles and employing various media appropriate to the context.
Effective engagement in problem solving, academic discussion and presentation of arguments in a professional manner to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Assessment methods

Method	Weight
Written exam	30%
Portfolio	70%

Feedback methods

Written and verbal

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures	59

Independent study hours
Independent study	341

Teaching staff

Staff member	Role
Claudia Henninger	Unit coordinator

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