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. The course unit seeks to develop presentation skills suitable for a business environment. 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 finalpresentations 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 skills and processes involved in the development and implementation of 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 provide 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, including self-awareness, understanding of team dynamics and organisational change, project management and personal development. The course unit provides the opportunity to work on 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 to meet the needs of a real organisation

• 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 teamwork

• Developed report writing skills appropriate to a business context

• Developed their presentation skills
 

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 a mix of lectures and whole class interactive workshops which include the assessed presentations at the end of each semester. 40 hours contact time.
Private study: both individual and in groups, meeting project clients, data collection, delivery of events 360.

Total study hours: 400 hours split between lectures, workshops, tutorials, project delivery, self-study and preparation for classes and coursework.
Groups will be closely monitored to ensure that they work effectively to deliver work of a very high standard for the client organisations.
 

Semester 1: 
Formative Assessment - 

1000 word group project report on the client organisation and its operating environment.

Summative Assessment - 

First Group Presentation 20 minutes (all students to present - 10%)

Semester 2: 
Formative Assessment -

450 word individual assignment on group working

Summative Assessment -

2000 word individual assignment on the consultancy process (30%)

Final Group Presentation 20 minutes (all students to present - 10%)

Final Group Report 5000 words max. not including appendices (50%)

 

Formative feedback through interim presentation comments and written feedback. Comments on group performance at group meetings. Oral and written feedback on presentations and written feedback on final presentation and reports and on individual written assignment.

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: 2024/25

Updated: March 2024