BSc Management (Accounting & Finance) with Industrial/Professional Experience

An introductory session explains the course aims, the way of working with live projects and the expectations the lecturers have from the students.  Further sessions with the lecturers expand on performing and delivering management consultancy, using the organisation development cycle as a framework. The sessions address skills of problem definition, ethical practice, qualitative and quantitative methods and report writing for consultancy. Project definition, project management and SMART objectives are covered. Students examine such topics as values, personal style, Meyers Briggs Type Indicator, leadership styles, team working, team roles, reflective writing, emotional intelligence and resilience. Presentation skills are developed to a very high level. Around half way through semester 2 students submit a longer self reflective piece which develops their reflective learning further. The projects are introduced before reading week in Semester 1 when students meet their clients. Semester 1 is the time for shaping and defining the projects with client feedback. After an interim presentation and report at the end of Semester 1, project work continues until the final poster presentations with the clients and the client reports at the end of Semester 2.
Blackboard will be the central resource for lecture materials and further readings.

 

Option for BSc Mgt/Mgt specialism, IM & IMABS.

Pre-requisites: none, but for students taking it as an option, we normally expect a performance at 2.1 level or above and a strong application. Places are allocated by the lecturers (see additional notes below)
Co-requisites: Cannot be taken with:-

BMAN31500 Dissertation

BMAN30190 Empirical Finance

BMAN31000 Financial Analysis of Corporate Performance
 

 

The course unit aims to develop an awareness of the issues in developing and implementing a consultancy project in an organisational context and an appreciation of how business and management knowledge taught in other parts of the degree programme can be applied to practical situations. It aims to give deep practical experience of working in a team and delivering a live project to a third sector or not-for-profit organisation. Through this experience the course unit aims to develop employability skills to a high level, including self-awareness, understanding of team dynamics and organisational change and personal development. The course unit provides the opportunity to learn essential skills and work with a live project under the close guidance of AMBS academics.

After successful completion of this course unit students will have:

• Understood the organisational development cycle and how consultancy projects are designed, implemented and adopted

• Applied academic knowledge and literature to problem formulation and analysis

• Designed and delivered a project solution for the organisational need

• Developed critical appraisal skills concerning evidence and argument
• Developed the ability to critically assess the organisational implications of project development and implementation
• Developed experience of self-managed learning and managing team work
• Developed report writing skills to a high standard
• Developed a very good awareness of their skill sets and work environment attributes
• Developed their presentation skills to a very high standard.

• Developed deep reflective skills and a high level of self-awareness
 

Methods of delivery - lectures and interactive sessions, group work, visits to the client organisations. Guest speakers from the world of consultancy. The course is delivered through whole class interactive 2 hour lectures incorporating group work. 42 hours contact time.
Private study: both individual and in groups, meeting project clients, data collection, delivery of events 358.

Total study hours: 400 hours split between lectures, project delivery, self-study and preparation for classes and coursework.
The two lecturers work together closely to monitor the groups so that they work effectively to deliver work of a very high standard for the client organisations.
 

Coursework only. There is no examination for this course unit.

End of semester 1: First group presentation 20 minutes 10% (all students to present)
Individual reflection 600 words 10%
Semester 2: Final group report 8,000 words maximum not including appendices 50%. 20% of the mark for the final report to be allocated by student led assessment. This requires students to submit a form for peer assessment of the effort and contribution of each team member and a brief statement of their own effort and contribution. Each group to submit also a brief diary report summarising the implementation of the project by the team members of up to 2 pages.

Final group poster with presentation 15 minutes 10%

Individual essay (a reflective piece) 2000 words maximum 20%
 

 

Formative feedback through interim presentation comments and written feedback.
Interim report submitted at the end of semester 1 is for feedback only. Comments on group performance at group meetings. Oral and written feedback on presentations and written feedback on final poster presentations and reports and on individual written assignments.

 

See reading lists online for this unit

Core text is Evidence-Based Management -  how to use evidence to make better organisational decisions by Barends and Rousseau 2018 Kogan Page (available as an e-book)

Core readings from: Strategic Management in the Third Sector Roger Courtney ISBN 2013 978-230-33693-3

 

Other staff involved: other academics from the IMP division, guest speakers from the world of practice, Directorate for the Student Experience (Student Development and Community Engagement Division) for project liaison.

Programme Restrictions: Available to final year Management, IM and IMABS students. However, the maximum number on this course is 40. 8 projects normally run.

To apply for a place on this course you must complete the application form here: https://ughandbook.portals.mbs.ac.uk/Myprogramme/Coursechoicesprogrammestructures/Optionalcourses.aspx

Your application may set out any previous experience in project groups, consultancy or the not-for-profit sector, but the main criteria for selection are a strong academic performance in second year and the students’ motivations to work in a group delivering a live project for a not-for-profit client organisation (experience is not necessary).

For Academic Year 2022/23

Updated: March 2022

Approved by: March UG Committee