AØKK08124U Seminar: Leadership and Project Management

Volume 2017/2018
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) may also be included.

  • 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

Each keyword may be point of departure for more than one student paper.

Extra subjects in Spring 2018:

  • Corruption

  • New Public Management, modernizing the public sector

  • Emergence, diffusion and trends in managerial practices

  • The impact of leaders on organizational performance

Learning Outcome

After completing the seminar, 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.

The point of departure for themes in the seminar may be one or both of these two excellent books:

  • Gary Yukl: Leadership in Organizations. Pearson Education. New Jersey. 7 edition 2010 or 8 edition 2013. (Global Edition). ISBN-13: 978-0-13-815714-2

  • Erik W. Larson & Clifford F. Gray: Project Management: The Managerial Process. McGraw-Hill International Edition. New York. Fifth Edition (2011) or sixth edition (2014). ISBN 978-007-128929-0.

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

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 paper, sessions with presentation of own paper and critical evaluation/feedback to another student´s paper, actively participating in discussions at class.

Before the session a "so-finalized-as-possible"-draft of the paper must be uploaded in Absalon. After the presentations, the student submit an edited version of the paper in the Digital Exam portal as the final exam paper. The aim is that students use the presentation sessions as an opportunity to receive and use the constructive feedback to improve the paper.

The seminar paper must include a clear research question, a coherent and systematic analysis based on relevant theory/data/literature and with a well-founded conclusion, cf. the academic aims for seminars. The teacher will give students oral and/or written critical feedback both on their proposed research question, choice of literature, manuscripts and draft seminar paper so as to enable and motivate students to fulfill the academic aims as far as possible.
Schedule:

Autumn 2017:
• Kick-off meeting: 6. September 2017, 15.15-17.00 where the teacher will give an introduction to the seminar.
• Deadline of submitting commitment paper: 22. September 2017.
• Individual feedback: 27. September at the latest.
• 1-2 additional class sessions may be organized in September.
• Upload of the pre-paper to Absalon: 8. November 2017 at the latest.
• Presentations and discussions of papers: 16 - 22 November 2017 (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 planning meeting.


Spring 2018:
• Kick-off meeting: February 7, 2018, 15.15-17.00 where the teacher will give an introduction to the seminar.
• Deadline of submitting commitment paper: February 23 2018.
• Individual feedback: February 28 at the latest.
• Additional class sessions: 1-2 may be organized in February.
• Upload of the pre-paper to Absalon: May 4, 2018 at the latest.
• Presentations and discussions of papers: 15 - 18 May 2018 (2-4 full days depending on the number of students).

The organization and time schedule for seminar presentations in May and possible extra class sessions in February will be decided upon in collaboration with students at the kick-off meeting.
  • 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.
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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 Kunet for seminars (DK) is required to participate in the exam.

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Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
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Exam period

Autumn 2017:

Deadline for uploading the seminar paper to DE: 1st of December 2017 before 10:00 AM

 

Spring 2018:

Deadline for uploading the final seminar paper to DE: 1st of June 2018 before 10:00 AM

 

Exam information:

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

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Re-exam

The reexam is a written paper as stated in the  Master curriculum and at the KUnet for seminars for  master students (UK) and master students (DK). 

 

Exam information:

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

Criteria for exam assesment

Students are assessed on the extent to which they master the learning outcome for the seminar and the objectives stated in the Curriculum.

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 and can make use of the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes.