AØKK08124U Seminar: Leadership and Project Management CANCELED

Volume 2018/2019
Education

MSc programme in Economics

The seminar is primarily for students at the MSc of Economics

Content

The aim is to discuss contemporary theories, perspectives and tools within leadership and Project Management in business firms and public sector organizations. Leadership is the general and comprehensive field. Project Management is a sub-discipline dealing with management of projects. A project is a complex, non-routine task with specific time, cost and performance requirements. Most organizations work with projects as part of their activity.

 

Each student will write a paper on one or more theories, perspectives or tools within the field of Leadership/ Project Management. The paper may be based on the relevant chapter(s) in the book(s) mentioned below plus original literature. A concrete case (e.g. a leader, an organization, a project) may also be included.

 

Examples of themes for seminar papers are:

  • The nature of managerial work
  • Managerial traits and skills; men and women as leaders
  • Effective leadership behavior; cross cultural leadership
  • Power and influence; delegation and empowerment
  • Charismatic and transformational leadership; leading change
  • Ethical, spiritual and authentic Leadership
  • Project- and matrix organization; strategy and project selection
  • Project planning; scheduling resources and costs; managing risks
  • Progress/ performance measurement and evaluation
  • Managing teams, interpersonal relations and decisions
  • New Public Management, modernizing the public sector
  • Emergence, diffusion and trends in managerial practices  
  • The impact of leaders on organizational performance

Learning Outcome

Additional for the learning outcome specified in the Curriculum, the student should be able to demonstrate the following:

 

Knowledge:

  • Describe basic principles of selected contemporary theories, perspectives and tools related to leadership in organizations.
  • Describe differences and similarities between selected theories, perspectives and tools related to leadership in organizations.

 

Skills:

  • Select, justify and evaluate the applicability of these theories, perspectives and tools in real life organizational contexts.
  • Evaluate theories, perspectives and tools from an academic standpoint; that is the extent to which they satisfy standard scientific criteria.

 

Competencies:

  • Analyze and compare theories, their strengths and weaknesses with regard to obtaining an understanding of actual leadership and leadership effectiveness in organizations or certain types of organizations, departments or projects.
  • Analyze and compare theories, their strengths and weaknesses with regard to their normative relevance for guiding leaders on how to promote efficiency and effectiveness in organizations or certain types of organizations, departments or projects.

Autumn 2018:

The point of departure for themes in the seminar may be these excellent books:

  • Gary Yukl: Leadership in Organizations. Pearson Education. New Jersey. 7 edition (2011) or 8 edition (2013). (Global Edition). ISBN 13: 9780132771863
  • Simon Western: Leadership. A critical text. Sage Publications. London. Second edition. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4462-6989-3. ISBN 978-1-4462-6990-9 (pbk).

  • Clifford F. Gray & Erik W. Larson: Project Management: The Managerial Process. McGraw-Hill Education. New York. Seventh Edition 2017. ISBN 10: 1259666093 ISBN 13: 9781259666094

 

The two first books include introductions to the field of leadership in organizations from different perspectives. The third book is an introduction to Project Management.

 

Spring 2019:

The point of departure for themes in the seminar may be these excellent books:

  • Gary Yukl: Leadership in Organizations. Pearson Education. New Jersey. 8 edition, 2013 (Global Edition). ISBN 10: 0-273-76566-3, ISBN 13: 978-0-273-76566-0
  • Clifford F. Gray & Erik W. Larson: Project Management: The Managerial Process. McGraw-Hill Education. New York. Seventh Edition 2017. ISBN 10: 1259666093, ISBN 13: 9781259666094

The first book includes an introduction to the field of leadership in organizations. The second book is an introduction to Project Management.

BSc in Economics or similar
Some knowledge of Organization Theory (see syllabus for the Summer School course “Organization Theory”) is recommended and may facilitate participation in the seminar but it is not a requirement.

Spring 2019:
Some knowledge of Organization Theory (see syllabus for the Summer School course “Organization Theory”) may facilitate participation in the seminar but it is not a requirement.
Kick-off meeting, research and writing process of the seminar project paper, presentation of own project, constructive feedback to another student´s project and actively participating in discussions at class.

The aim of the presentations is, that the student, who presents, uses the presentation as an opportunity to practice oral presentations skills and to receive feedback improving the seminar project.

Process:
It is strongly recommended that you start your search for a topic before the semester begins, as there is only a limited amount of weeks from the kick-off meeting to the first submission.

Before the presentations, your largely finished version of the seminar project paper must be uploaded in Absalon, as the opponents and the other seminar participants have to read and comment on the paper. It is important that you upload a nearly finished project due to the fact that the value of feedback and comments at the presentation is strongly associated with the skill of the seminar project paper.

After the presentations, you can make a light correction of the seminar project to include the feedback and comments emerged during the presentations. It is NOT intended that you rewrite or begin the writing of the full project AFTER the presentation has taken place.

The seminar project paper must be uploaded in the Digital Exam portal for assessment with in the deadline announced under Exam.
Schedule:

Autumn 2018:
• Kick-off meeting: 5. September 2018, 15.15-17.00 where the teacher will give an introduction to the seminar.
• Deadline of submitting commitment paper: 19. September.
• Individual feedback: 25. September at the latest.
• 1-2 additional class sessions may be organized in September.
• Upload of the pre-paper to Absalon: 4. November at the latest.
• Presentations and discussions of papers: 13-16 November (2-4 full days depending on the number of students).

The organization and time schedule for seminar presentations in November and possible extra class sessions in September will be decided upon in collaboration with students at the kick-off meeting. The teacher will give students oral and/or written critical feedback both on their proposed research question, choice of literature, manuscripts and draft seminar papers so as to enable and motivate students to fulfill the academic aims.


Spring 2019:
• Kick-off meeting: 4. February 2019, 13.15-15.00 where the teacher will give an introduction to the seminar.
• Deadline of submitting first version of the commitment paper: 18 February 2019
• Individual feedback: February 23 at the latest.
• Deadline of submitting final version of the commitment paper: 1 March 2019
• Additional class sessions: 1-2 may be organized in February and/or March.
• Upload of the seminar paper to Absalon: 8 May 2019 at the latest.
• Presentations and discussions of papers: 16 May, 18-19 May and 23 May (2-4 full days depending on the number of students).

The organization and time schedule for seminar presentations in May and extra class sessions in February and/or March will be decided upon in collaboration with students at the kick-off meeting.

All information from the lecturer regarding the seminar is communicated through Absalon including venue.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Project work
  • 186
  • Seminar
  • 20
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
- a seminar paper in English that meets the formal requirements for written papers stated in the curriculum and at KUNet for seminars.

The seminar paper should include a clear research question, a coherent and systematic analysis based on relevant theory/data/literature and a well-founded conclusion, cf. the academic aims for seminars.
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Exam registration requirements

Attendance in all  activities at the seminar as stated in the formal requrements in the  Curriculum  and at the KUNet for  Seminars (UK)  and  Seminars (DK) is required to participate in the exam.

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Aid
All aids allowed

for the project paper.

The supervisor defines the aids that must be used for the presentations.

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Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
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Exam period

Autumn 2018:

Deadline for uploading the final seminar paper: 30 November 2018 before 10 AM

 

Spring 2019:

Deadline for uploading the final seminar paper: June 3, 2019 before 10 AM

 

Exam information:

For enrolled students more information about examination, rules, exam schedule etc. is available at the intranet for Master (UK) and Master (DK ).

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Re-exam

Reexam information:

The reexam is a written paper as stated in the Curriculum.

Deadline and more information is available at Seminars (UK) and Seminars (DK).

More information about reexam etc is available at Master (UK)andMaster (DK).

Criteria for exam assesment

Students are assessed on the extent to which they master the learning outcome for the seminar and can make use of the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes in the Curriculum of the Master programme.

 

To receive the top grade, the student must with no or only a few minor weaknesses be able to demonstrate an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all aspects of the relevant material.