INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the module Business Leadership.
Module
Description
This module treats all managers as strategists. Strategic management is defined
here as concerned with the long-term future of the whole organisation. Consequently,
managers need to act corporately and to handle and manage change. The aim of
this module is to encourage the development of knowledge, understanding and skills
of such strategic leadership of change. The challenges to managers seeking to lead
through the use of strategic management centre on envisioning strategic directions,
the development of managers and employees committed to, and equipped for, major
strategic change, and the development of a high-level organisational capacity for
innovation and learning. Finally, under existing environmental conditions, many
organisations in the public and private sectors need to be effective in finding,
negotiating and managing strategic partnerships.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module, participants should be able to:
1. Analyse a strategic context of an organisation and envision necessary
directions and activities.
2. Evaluate and select appropriate processes or actions for developing the
potential of managers and employees for engaging in critical and strategic
thinking (e.g.involvement in decision making, empowerment, information,
concern, etc).
3. Evaluate opportunities and strategies for developing partnerships with other
organisations to achieve strategic goals.
Indicative Content / Areas of Study
1. Shaping an organisation for strategic change.
2. Leadership credibility.
3. Leadership of change at multiple levels of the organisation.
4. Empowerment of managers.
5. Critical and strategic thinking in management teams.
6. Developing receptiveness to reform and innovation.
7. Handling conflict during strategic changes.
8. Networking and partnerships.
9. Matching leadership behaviour to context.
Teaching and Learning Strategy
1. Student centered learning will be strongly encouraged and developed.
Cooperative Learning and Problem-Based Learning will be infused into the
teaching-learning-assessment strategies.
2. Group work, case analysis and self directed learning resources will be
available to support the delivery and the appropriate assessment tools / tasks
will be used to assess the intended learning outcomes.
3. It should be noted that the focus will be on facilitating learning rather than
teaching and, in this respect, the strategy is designed to facilitate the “deep
learning” attributed to a more active participation of the learning process by
students through the Online learning Portal specially designed for this
purpose.
Assessment:
1. Assessment Weighting: 100%Coursework
2. A case analysis leading to a written report of 3500 words involving the
analysis and evaluation of leadership and transformation strategies, selecting
appropriate processes or actions for developing the potential of managers and
employees for engaging in critical and strategic thinking and organisation
development practices in organisations.
Resources
1. Course Materials provided by WEC.
2. DAFT, R. L. 2006. The Leadership Experience. 4th ed. USA
3. CROSBY, P., & WILEY, J., 2005. Absolutes of Leadership. Jossey-Bass.
4. WEC SERF Portal online resources
5. University of Derby
COURSE WORK
Assignment
Due Date: (June 03, 2011)
By 12.00 midnight (Singapore & Malaysia
“It is a norm for academicians and business executives to paint portraits of
exemplary and successful business leaders as those being equipped with specific
skills and attributes. In recent years however, the tools and emphasis of being
successful 21st Century leaders seems to include considerations beyond
conventional skills and roles played by leaders. The rise and fall of the Enron
Corporation for instance merely confirms the emerging trends and challenge of
business leaders to act and function in ethically and morally responsible ways.
Business leaders are said to be in the driver‟s seat in exerting and possessing
tremendous power that shape and direct the ethics mindfulness and social
responsibility among members of its organization.”
By analyzing the archive of material available on Enron Corporation, provide critical
arguments in support or against the statement that „Leaders from Enron are
accountable for its downfall as they were not ethically and morally responsible”.
Strengthen your analysis by providing cogent facts and evaluating the role played by
the charismatic leaders, Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling in the fall of Enron
Corporation. Finally discuss and consider emerging trends and best practices in
business leadership, and what changes in “leadership philosophy” that you would
have recommended for Enron (prior to its fall) that may have prevented its collapse.
