Sligo IT

I N S T I T U T E O F T E C H N O L O G Y, S L I G O I N S T I T I Ăš I D T E I C N E O L A Ă? O C H TA , S L I G E A C H

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Institute of Technology Sligo (ITS)

Master of Business Administration

Master of

Business Administration

Aim Of Course The overall aim of the programme is to prepare participants for a career at senior management level in the public and private sector. This will be achieved by developing their capacity to provide strategic leadership in an organisation.

Entry Requirements: • An honours degree (2.1) NQAI level 8 or equivalent professional qualification in a business related area or Higher Diploma in Business level 8 • A minimum of three years’ post degree experience • An honours degree in any discipline together with a minimum of 3 years’ managerial experience • Non traditional applicants with accredited prior experiential learning (APEL).

Consideration may be given to applicants with a minimum of 7 years’ relevant administrative/industrial experience The Programme Board will decide on the admission of students taking into account the above criteria and performance at interview.

Commencement Date: January 2006 Duration: 2 years part-time Cost: €3,500 per year

Course Outline

Assessment Methodologies

Year 1 Semester 1

Semester 2

Contemporary Marketing corporate Strategy Financial Strategy

Enterprise & Innovation Sales and Export Management Research Methods

Assessment will be based on a combination of continuous assessment and end-of-semester examinations. Continuous assessment will involve a combination of assessment methods including analysis of case studies, company appraisals, audits, individual and group projects, etc etc.

Induction Year 2 A comprehensive induction programme will be provided and this will incorporate the following:

Semester 3

Semester 4

Contemporary Economics Dissertation Leadership Learning and Development

Business Ethics Dissertation - continued Supply Chain Management

• course handbook • course website • learning support services • library • computing facilities

Course Delivery:

• pastoral care Staff will meet with students for three-hour sessions per subject (a total of 18 hours per subject) as follows: Month

Number of Times

Month

Number of Times

January February March April May

Once Twice Once Twice Examinations

September October November December January

Once Twice Twice Once Examinations

Since the course will commence January 2006 the end of semester examinations will take place (for the first intake of graduates) in May and January and the Dissertation will be submitted by the 1st April 2008 with graduation in November of that year.

The course will be delivered through a combination of interactive learning, case studies, guest lecturers, residentials, seminars and workshops. Each module will be supported by the production of a resource manual to include inter alia information around indicative readings, relevant websites and on-line resources. Pedagogically, a major emphasis will be placed on the requirement of students to selfdirect their learning needs. While staff will act as facilitators, students will be encouraged to develop active learning groups (ALGs). This is intended to foster a group learning dynamic that will act as a significant student resource outside of formal scheduled teaching.

• administrative assistance The induction programme will be customised to reflect the varying and various learning needs of each candidate. Through the APL, APEL and WBL process, a learning needs assessment will be conducted for each applicant. This will be in accordance with Institute procedures.

Residential It is envisaged that one residential each semester will be offered to the graduates and attendance will be mandatory based on a Pass/Fail model of progression. In terms of delivery we would normally expect that there would be on and off-campus residential learning experience. Residentials allow students to develop a learning community away from the distractions of normal work routines.

Participation in the residential elements will provide an opportunity for networking, bonding and sharing learning experiences between students and lecturers. In addition it is anticipated that the residential experiences will enable participants to encounter current state-of-theart thinking and practice as provided by an appropriately selected range of industrial/business experts.

Learning Outcomes Of The Individual Modules Contemporary Marketing: On completion of this module the student will be able to: 1. Critically evaluate the role of Marketing in an organisation, its importance for the Irish Economy and its role in international business expansion; 2. Analyse and interpret complex contemporary marketing issues and strategies, draw conclusions and make recommendations; 3. Appraise and apply appropriate marketing approaches to their own professional situations; 4. Demonstrate competence in core marketing activities; 5. Compare and contrast current research, methodologies and approaches in the Marketing discipline; 6. Present and communicate marketing information - both theoretical and empirical;

Corporate Strategy: On completion of this module the student will be able to: 1. Interpret and explain strategic level management decisions concerning the issues, compromises and constraints facing the organisation within the context of its environment; 2. Evaluate the goals, objectives, mission and stakeholders’ expectations of an organisation; 3. Comprehend the external environmental factors affecting the strategic position of the organisation; 4. Identify the resources, capabilities and core competencies of a company; 5. Assess the difficulties associated with the implementation of strategic change; 6. Formulate and justify strategic recommendations for an organisation with due emphasis on its social responsibilities; Financial Strategy: On completion of this module the student will be able to: 1. Evaluate the relationship between financial strategy, management accounting and financial accounting; 2. Interpret financial accounting statements and appraise the financial performance of an organisation; 3. Evaluate the nature and purpose of management accounting and apply the main principles of management accounting for planning, controlling and short term decision making; 4. Identify the primary sources of finance available to a business and appraise the suitability of the different sources in the context of an organisation’s financial requirements; 5. Assess and apply the main techniques used in the appraisal of capital expenditure decisions and interpret the results; 6. Assess the importance of good working capital management; 7. Evaluate the importance of good ethical practice in accounting; 8. Use a computerised accounts package to generate a set of financial statements for a limited company for one month and compare the actual results with the budget for the period; 9. Construct a product database and monitor inventory movements for a period using the stock control module of an accounts software package; 10. Calculate the payroll figures for one month using payroll software and prepare the journal entry necessary to input this information on the accounting software; 11. Explain how the Revenue Online Service (ROS) enables a business to conduct its tax affairs online;

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Enterprise and Innovation: On completion of the module, the student will be able to: 1. Identify suitable conditions for the development of an enterprise culture and be familiar with the sources of assistance in an Irish context; 2. Explore the tools used to generate ideas for a potential business; 3. Identify the procedures involved in setting up an enterprise; 4. Recognise the importance of planning within an entrepreneurial environment and understand the legal implications associated with running a business; 5. Evaluate the application of enterprise theory and the opportunities this presents within different business sectors; 6. Discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the entrepreneurial manager; 7. Comprehend the role of research and new product development in an innovative organisation; 8. Assess the opportunities and barriers to growth for an established enterprise; 9. Examine the role of technology and the potential it offers the entrepreneurial manager; 10. The student will be exposed to recent articles on developments and trends in enterprise (both academic & practitioner based);

Sales and Export Management On completion of the module the student will be able to: 1. Identify and apply knowledge from the sales and exporting fields; 2. Assess the advantages of having a sales culture within an organisation; 3. Assess the advantages of a business having an outward looking export approach; 4. Comprehend the management issues in developing and maintaining a sales strategy; 5. Comprehend the management issues in developing and maintaining an export strategy; 6. Prepare and present a formal sales presentation; 7. Investigate export market selection mechanisms; 8. Be cognisant of recent academic articles on sales; 9. Be cognisant of recent academic articles on exporting;

Research Methods On completion of the module the student will have the ability to: 1. Appreciate the nature and importance of market research in the business environment; 2. Conduct and synthesise an academic literature search relevant to the subject being studied; 3. Apply appropriate research methods for collecting and analysing data; 4. Critically evaluate the appropriateness and application of specific research methods for the investigation of an organizational problem/issue; 5. Appraise the structure of a well argued research proposal; 6. Present the research findings in a critically reflective manner which acknowledges the limitations of the research methods and knowledge produced; 7. Measure the strengths and weaknesses of the available research methods and conceptualise ways to combine them to compensate for their individual weaknesses;

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Contemporary Economics On 1.

2.

3.

completion of the module the student will be able to: Describe the current economic climate in Ireland; Evaluate the impact of globalisation on trade and economic development; Discuss the operation of financial markets and appraise how both international and domestic measures have an impact on currency markets; 4. Identify the world’s major trading blocs and give an assessment of their current economic position; 5. Identify the participants in the financial services industry and their role within an economy; Dissertation On completion of the module the student will be able to: 1. Select a contemporary and strategic business management or development issue, determine Masters level research objectives, undertake a critical literature survey, set up an appropriate research design and deploy the chosen methods; 2. Utilise appropriate concepts, theories and techniques, collect, analyse and present the data, qualitatively and or/quantitatively, and draw appropriate conclusions; 3. Present research in the form of dissertation to Master’s standard in which the research findings are communicated clearly, concisely and effectively; 4. Demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge and a practical understanding of how established techniques and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge; 5. Develop analytical and critical appraisal skills that illustrate a conceptual understanding enabling the student to evaluate methodologies and, where appropriate, propose a new hypotheses; 6. Demonstrate a clear reflective process, which enhances the student’s own professional and personal development as a reflective, innovative practitioner able to approach practice as a dynamic agent for change; Leadership Learning and Development On completion of this module the student will be able to 1. Identify and apply knowledge and skills in leadership, learning and development to the standard required by line managers, training providers, and personnel / HR practitioners at a relatively early stage in their career; 2. Comprehend the external and internal factors affecting the organisation and be capable of applying this knowledge to evaluate its leadership direction; 3. Assess the capabilities and competencies of people in organisations; 4. Debate and refute recent academic articles on leadership, learning and development; 5. Contribute to the leadership role, learning cycle and development function in an organisation and enhance its potential contribution to organisational effectiveness; 6. Demonstrate and assess effective facilitation skills in a work-group environment, be capable of creating a successful work-group; Business Ethics On completion of the module the student will be able to: 1. Reflect on the importance of business as a leading human relations activity with ethical implications for the good of business, for the good of others and for the good of society; 2. Assess the ethical implications for business arising from globalization, sustainability and the idea of corporate citizenship; 3. Draw on the source of ethical principles and values from a selection of theories of particular relevance to business; 4. Apply evaluative frameworks to a range of ethical business problems and issues, especially those on which people have differing perspectives; 5. Show evidence of understanding ethical complexity; 6. Engage in reasoned consideration and debate with a view to making informed ethical judgments and decisions about matters that typically arise in business; Supply Chain Management

For further information, please contact: Head of Department of Business: Mr. Pat Scanlon Telephone: 071-9155280 Email: brennan.james@itsligo.ie

Lifelong Learning Coordinator: Elizabeth Haran Telephone: 071-9137215 Email: haran.elizabeth@itsligo.ie

Design & Print: Cashin Print, Castlebar. 094 9026622

On completion of this course students will be able to: 1. Explain key SCM concepts and interrelationships; 2. Identify individual enterprise and extended value chain issues for the design of collaborative supply chain management practices; 3. Demonstrate the quantitative and qualitative analysis skills necessary for designing supply-chain systems; 4. Describe the various technologies used in a supply chain; 5. Measure the effectiveness of supply chains in terms of customer satisfaction, quality, time, cost and resources;