You'll explore the principles of contemporary operations and project management in this module. In doing so, you'll evaluate the inherent tension between managing ‘business as usual’ and change. You'll also examine how these systems of management can contribute to the strategic success of their organisation.

Learning objectives

• deploy operations management principles and techniques to support the strategy of the organisation
• use project management principles and techniques to support the strategy of the organisation
• explain how project management and operations management can be effectively integrated within organisations
• evaluate how the implementation of these systems of management might vary between new value creation and support of ongoing operational activity
• generate strategy from both operational and project perspectives

This module will examine the entrepreneurial mindset and ways to bring creativity to bear in pursuit of new sources of value creation. You'll compare attitudes and practices across national and organisational cultures. 

Entrepreneurial Thinking and Practice is delivered online.

Learning objectives

• differentiate between traits and mindsets and recognise the role of growth mindsets in entrepreneurial thinking and action
• consider ambiguity and uncertainty in the entrepreneurial journey and examine your personal responses to these conditions
• identify your personal frames of reference and appraise the impact of these on your creative thinking and action
• assess your ability to communicate with empathy and consider how to foster trust and psychological safety to support entrepreneurial thinking and practice for yourself and those around you
• reflect on your entrepreneurial skills, competencies and linked behaviours and how these have developed over the course of the class

Marketing plays a central role in creating, managing, and delivering value across the supply chain within every organisation. In this module, we examine the concept of marketing and how it operates within consumer, business-to-business, service, and public organisations. You will examine the underlying concepts and frameworks that help organisations to design appropriate strategies.

Over the past decade or so, we have witnessed significant changes in the way in which customers interact with organisations. Developments in technology and data management have led to a re-appraisal of how organisations interact with customers and design relevant marketing strategies. You will address relevant strategies in key decision areas to reflect this necessary change.

In this module, you will also learn how product, pricing, distribution, and promotion strategies add value.

Learning objectives:

• understand the principles, practice, and strategic value of marketing management in different contexts: consumer, business-to-business, services, public and private sector
• discuss the central concepts, issues, and strategic value of branding across organisational settings, markets, and territories
• evaluate the value-creating potential, options, risks, and issues for marketing practitioners
• identify the macro trends in digital, sustainability, globalisation, and demographic change
• describe trends and developments in marketing & brand management practice and evaluate the implications for product development, customer buying behaviour, organisational performance & strategy
• appraise the marketing and brand management approach of an organisation and identify strategic marketing and branding initiatives to improve performance

Analytics is a key management tool to drive effective strategies in innovation, adaptability, resilience and sustainability. Analytics is also a key management technique pertinent to effective and efficient day-to-day management and strategic change.

This module will introduce you to managing value-driven analytics from the perspective of a general manager as tools that can be used to drive evidence-based operational and strategic decision-making in a modern workplace.

Learning objectives:

• critique the potential value and practical challenges to managers regarding data and analytics, including around increasing volumes of data, increasing availability of related technology, and increasing expectations from both internal and external customers/end users
• identify and appraise analytical approaches to support evidence-based decision-making in a variety of organisational situations
• use and critique visualisations of analysis to deliver business intelligence insights
• create business intelligence insights via a transparent and reliable application of analytical methods for decisions facing uncertainty
• create business intelligence insights via a transparent and reliable application of analytical methods for decisions facing trade-offs

Many MBA students wish to move into consulting careers, but the requirement for a consulting skill set transcends a particular job role. This module will support you to develop inter-personal, critical thinking, engagement and influencing skills, which will be useful in a variety of roles. This module will help you develop those skills and is assessed at the capstone stage by the Consulting Impact Challenge, where small teams will work on a live client problem in consulting mode.

This module will teach you the language and methods of managerial and financial accounting. You will learn about the key processes and criteria of financial decision making.

Learning objectives:

• demonstrate an ability to discuss, interpret and react to information in financial statements and reports
• explain key accounting and financial management concepts and how they can be applied in the evaluation of organisational financial performance
• appraise the strategic and operational value of accounting and finance functions to organisational leadership teams and performance
• critique the challenges of matching actual practice to ideal standards of ethics, audit activity, regulation and compliance in organisational governance, managerial behaviours and decision-making
• apply accounting and financial management, principles, concepts and methods in conducting a review of financial strategy, performance and governance for an organisation

This module will explore the nature of organisations from multiple perspectives and how to nurture a high-performance organisation by addressing structure and design, culture, politics and processes, organisational behaviour and the role of the workforce.

Organisational studies, organisational behaviour and human resource management will be examined through the perspective of sustainability. You will consider the role of the leader in setting the vision, shaping the environment and supporting change. You will also explore how to create sustainable workplaces that attract and retain talent and ensure the health and wellbeing of employees.

Learning objectives:

• discuss the challenges in leading organisations that nurture employee health, wellbeing, commitment and high performance
• demonstrate awareness of key concepts, considerations and methods of managing organisations through understanding and application of theory in organisational studies organisational behaviour and human resource
• critique contemporary perspectives on organisational design, culture, politics and processes, and the workforce
• examine theories and practical considerations relating to planned organisational change and what these mean across the four perspectives of organisational design, culture, politics and processes, and the workforce
• understand where sustainable practice sits in relation to organisational design, culture, politics and processes, and the workforce

This module will provide you with a range of learning contexts, theories, knowledge and practical tools to critically reflect on, enhance and adapt their strategic leadership practice. You will be introduced to a range of situational learning and action based approaches to help you engage with and find solutions to strategic leadership problems in the world. As a result of the module, you will develop a life-long mindset of reflection and personal and professional development.

As part of the module you will take part in a Leadership Challenge group assignment and you will also maintain a reflective diary for the duration of the class that captures your leadership learning and practice.

Learning objectives:

• communicate an understanding of contemporary concepts and thinking in strategic leadership when applied to different organisational, cultural and international contexts.
• analyse, appraise and create ethical solutions to contemporary issues of relevance to leadership.
• exhibit improved leadership skill capability through the adaptive application of leadership concepts, styles and practices to real life settings.
• demonstrate an increased self-awareness and understanding of how one’s behaviour is perceived by and impacts on others.
• formulate enhanced interpersonal and communication skills within a developing process of continuous personal and organisational development.
• demonstrate a capacity to act ethically and with integrity in a leadership role

Responsible management practice is integral to leadership. By using case study and practice-informed teaching, students will engage with examples, outcomes, and limits of responsible management practice.

Being able to navigate this in the context of a boardroom is a particular challenge, and the module leads to the assessed Boardroom Challenge at the capstone stage of the programme.

In this module you will examine the role of digital disruption, digital maturity and digital initiatives in shaping organisational outcomes. You will also learn how technological innovation can create value through digital transformation.

Learning objectives:

• develop an understanding of the organisational and institutional implications of digital disruption and digital technological innovation trends
• analyse an organisation’s digital maturity and organisational readiness to engage in digital transformation and technological innovation
• demonstrate a capacity to innovate business processes, business models and operational approaches through the application of digital technologies and organisational change methods
• build a personal capacity in communicating with – and educating – others about digital transformation at strategic and operational levels, and with a variety of stakeholder groups
• demonstrate strategic decision-making, business planning and influencing skills in relation to identifying, appraising and recommending digital transformation and technological options

This module aims to introduce the major strategic management concepts and theories and help students appreciate the journey undertaken for the development of strategy as well as the content of strategy at different organisational levels. This module will prepare you to transition to higher managerial roles, the responsibilities of which go beyond contributing to strategy and leading strategy and strategic change.

Learning objectives:

• critically evaluate and interrogate strategic aspects for a range of organisations, from new ventures to those with an international agenda and portfolio of businesses.
• utilise strategy theory to identify strategic issues that need be addressed within organisations.
• generate and evaluate a range of options to determine recommendations for an organisation’s strategic issues.
• justify and defend a specific outcome that a strategic analysis generates and the recommendations that are being made.
• reflect and evaluate learning from the engagement with the practice of strategy and the importance of adopting a human-centred, inclusive approach to the effectiveness of strategy activities.
• design an engaged strategy planning process to suit the needs of a specific organisational situation.

This module will examine various long-term and important drivers of the international business environment including developments in the macroeconomy. You will develop a strong grounding in the fundamental aspects of the macroeconomy before exploring how economic shocks affect different features of the global economy, and how economic policy can appropriately respond to developments in the macroeconomy.

You will be equipped with new knowledge and a framework that you can use to assimilate developments in the external business environment and inform your current and future decision-making.

Learning objectives:

• understand the fundamentals of the operation of the macroeconomy
• understand the key drivers of growth in an economy (both developed and developing) and how they can shape business decisions and outcomes
• understand key concepts of macroeconomics, such as inflation, exchange rates, etc
• have knowledge of the different tools and objectives of macroeconomic policy including monetary policy (interest rate and exchange rate policy) and fiscal policy (government spending and taxation) and how they might impact upon individual businesses
• understand the relevance of macroeconomics to the external business environment, and be able to develop macroeconomic scenarios which characterise the economy
• apply methods to analyse the external business environment to understand the key drivers and their relevance and impact in an organisational context, and develop effective strategies to best respond to such trends

Markets can often be highly complex and judgement can be clouded by this complexity. By taking an approach based on Microeconomic analysis, you will learn to undertake a rigorous and ‘emotionless’ approach to analysing opportunities in existing and new markets, and the potential these hold.

This provides an alternative but complementary perspective on the assessment of business activity, looking externally rather than internally, at the consequences which are influenced by the nature of demand and the behaviour of competitors.

Learning objectives:

• understand the key influences of profit in a business: production conditions on the supply side; and the nature of demand
• learn about a range of decisions businesses face in a market environment
• understand the impact of market structure and competition on profitability
• gain command of the issues associated with entering foreign markets
• appreciate the impact of competition policy on business activity
• develop an ability to apply this thinking to contemporary business issues

Building on Consulting Skills - and relying on active learning – you will work in small groups under time pressure to react to a client brief. Using relevant ideas, tools, and techniques from across the MBA journey, you will aim to produce insights that can generate impact.

The problems faced by clients are often messy and complex, and you will need to use teamwork effectively to move to a successful outcome. This learning journey is completed by engaging in reflective practice to cement learning.

Learning objectives:

• understand and critique the idea of consultancy and a consultancy process
• demonstrate mastery of methods in uncovering and analysing issues in a specific organisational setting
• evaluate, select and apply relevant MBA models, tools and techniques to illustrate options and demonstrate potential outcomes and value-add
• design options for improvement and make recommendations for action which address the needs of clients' organisations
• identify and assess the impact of those recommendations for relevant stakeholders

Building on the work done on management practice in the Responsible Organisation, the Boardroom Challenge is an opportunity for students to engage with enacting responsible management practice with particular emphasis on managing people and workplaces. You will look at the relationship between fair work and business impact, workers’ wellbeing and societal trends. You will ultimately have to present your work on the impact of investments in fair work, perhaps integrating ideas from other modules, in a boardroom setting.

Learning objectives:

• demonstrate understanding of key theories, concepts and debates relating to responsible management practice
• understand and evaluate key trends associated with sustainable and responsible management practice, and reflect critically on how these practices are enacted within specific organisational contexts
• analyse, appraise and collate intelligence on the individual/workforce, social, environmental and economic impacts of responsible management practice, with particular reference to decent work/fair work and workplace practice
• demonstrate knowledge of the factors shaping management decision-making that affects the practice and outcomes of sustainable, responsible and inclusive people management
• demonstrate critical thinking and reflection in relation to responsible management practice in a range of business and organisational contexts
• understand and evaluate the role of corporate/organisational governance in shaping/informing approaches to responsible management

The capstone element of the Strathclyde MBA is the project, which aims to integrate and consolidate the knowledge you have gained from across the MBA programme and allows you to examine an issue of your choice over an extended period of time.

You can opt for one of three ways to conduct the MBA project:

Research Dissertation

You will undertake substantial research in an area you are interested in. Adopting a traditional Masters project approach, you will complete a research proposal for a piece of original management/leadership research. This will lead to a research dissertation that includes implications for practice.

Consultancy Project

With this option, you will design and lead a consultancy project leading to operational costs improvement, enhanced customer experience or transformed business model within an existing organisation or a similar approved outcome.

Entrepreneurial Business Plan

You have the option to undertake and develop a new business or social enterprise idea
through the stages for the preparation of an entrepreneurial idea. This will include detailed relevant business artefacts including a business plan, marketing and finance projects, short and long-term strategies.