Master’s programme in Management

Successful management of organisations and their activities depends on successful management of individuals, teams and projects in an increasingly complex and diversified context. This course provides a broad overview of key theories, models and concepts related to managing these. Furthermore, the course also provides a broad overview of the academic foundation for these theories and models.

The content of the course is divided into the following parts:

Managing and leading individuals. An overview of key theories and models in leading and managing individuals is discussed. The overview is partly presenting the historical development of academically based development of our understanding of leadership and management but is primarily focusing on contemporary theories and models. Particular weight is put on the aspect of diversity on leadership and management.

Managing and leading teams. An overview of key theories and models regarding teams, team dynamic, team roles and team leadership is discussed. Particular weight is put on the aspect of diversity in teams.

Course code: MGTN71 | Download syllabus

The concept and praxis of managing is complex and to some extent elusive. Nevertheless, management and managing are an essential elements in organizations and in our understanding of organizations. This course provides a broad overview of some key aspects of management/managing both on an academic and explicit level and on a pragmatic and tacit level. The contents of the course is divided into the following parts:

The concept and practice of management: Management is practical, contextual and complex and is seen, in this course, as a mix of Science and Craft. In this course we present both the explicit and analytic elements of Management as well as the tacit and experiential elements. Topics covered are: Management contexts and conditions; Management roles and expectations; and Management knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Human cognition and decision-making: Decision making, often under uncertainty, is an essential aspect of management. The course provides a broad overview as well as practical application of key theories and models in behavioral economics and psychology. Topics covered are: Judgment and choice biases; Decision under risk and Intuition and deliberation.

Moral competence: Moral norms and values affect conditions for management and the prospects for organizations to achieve their goals. Management is related to power and often has far reaching consequences. The course provides an overview as well as practical application of moral philosophical concepts and theories used to analyze moral issues in a managerial context. Topics covered are: Moral issues in management practice; Normative theories; The function and evolution of moral norms and Moral norms and cultural relativism.

Managerial decisions in a legal context: Managerial decision-making and execution is taking place inside various legal systems. Acquiring a basic understanding of the role legal systems play in society and in particular how they affect managers is vital. The course introduces legal thinking and it provides an overview as well as practical application of legal concepts and methods used to analyze the relevant legal consequences of managerial decision-making and execution. Topics covered are: What is law and what is a legal system? Organizations in legal environments, Territoriality in law, Private and public law, Mandatory provisions and party autonomy.

Course code: MGTO61 | Download syllabus

Learning, development and change are important aspects of managerial practice. This course provides a broad overview of some key aspects of management/managing both on an academic and explicit level and on a pragmatic and tacit level. The content of the course is divided into the following parts:

• Theories and praxis of learning, innovation and change in organizations. As organizations, as well as society in general, operates under changing conditions the ability to innovate is essential. A system’s ability for learning and change is a key success factor. Hence change management is an important part of managing. The course will give an overview of theories and models on organizational change and change management.
• The theories and praxis of managing, learning, development and change in individuals. An important part of Management is to develop individuals in line with organizational needs. The course will give an overview of theories and models regarding how adults learn and develop.
• The theories and praxis of managing ones on development, learning and change as a manager. Successful management is based both on tacit and explicit competence. It is also personal and situational. The course will provide tools for continues personal learning and development as a Manager.

Course code: MGTO51 | Download syllabus

This course provides a broad overview of key theories, models and concepts related to five central perspectives on management:

Strategic Positioning and the Strategy Process, in particular:

• The development of strategy theory and research over time and how this development can be linked to the development in society and the challenges faced by managers of organizations over time.
• The key concepts, tools and theories within the field of strategy theory and relates this to problems and challenges facing managers of organizations in the private as well as the public sector.
• The ability to identify and critically assess managerial problems related to the strategy process.

Marketing Management, in particular:

• Companies and other organisations’ understanding of and interaction with markets, stakeholders and society. How marketing is conducted on consumer markets. How marketing is conducted on business/industrial markets.
• Relationship marketing orientation. Interactions, relationships, networks, trust and corporate social responsibility.
• Service marketing perspective. How service marketing is conducted on consumer and business/industrial markets. Service-dominant logic. Product vs. Service offerings. The complexity of service offerings and the management of service.

Organization, Coordination and Design, in particular:

• Why do we have organizations? Specialization, productivity and the need for integration and coordination.
• Organizational configurations: Organizational parts, structures, coordination mechanisms, formal and informal organizations, formalization, specialization, standardization and (de-) centralization.
• Designing the effective organization: The importance of context and the impact on managerial work, innovation, motivation and knowledge work.

Management Control, in particular:

• Financial reports and profitability analysis. Income statement, balance sheet, Du Pont analysis and the management of financial results, and cost dynamic
• Management control tools. Budgeting, financial and non-financial performance indicators, balanced score cards, management control system.
• Investment calculations, cash flow planning, analyses of working capital requirements.

Course code: MGTO38 | Download syllabus

Economic perspective: The course introduces a range of leading explanations for and perspectives on the rise and long-run development of the global economy. Focus is laid upon examining a number of possible determinants of long-run economic transformation, such as geography, infrastructure networks, human capital, natural resource management and institutions.

The choice of themes is guided by what is considered to be core challenges in the contemporary global economy to both developed and developing countries, such as how sustained worldwide economic growth can be combined with an efficient use of natural resources, how it impacts on income patterns and wealth distribution, and how it connects to institutions and quality of governance.

Guided by the selected challenges students are given the required knowledge base for conducting informed global contextual analyses. Focus will be laid upon identifying implications from this analysis on contemporary management strategies.

Technological perspective: Innovation and the evolution of technology are among the key forces that shape society. In particular, many observers see the current wave of innovation and digitalization as a new industrial revolution that will have a profound effect on all aspects of the global economy and society.

The course will introduce current topics and theoretical perspectives that shed light on the underpinnings of these developments and discuss some of the challenges of technological change for people, organizations and industries.

Course code: MGTO26 | Download syllabus

Managers and organisations are acting in increasingly more complex current environments and navigating towards increasingly more complex and uncertain future environments. This has profound consequences for individual managers as well as for organisations. The ability to reason under such conditions is one important dimension. Hence an understanding of cognitive theory and cognitive development is valuable. Acting under these conditions is another important dimension. Individual and organisational learning in action and so-called ambidextrous abilities are core aspects.

The content of the course is divided into the following parts:

• Theories of complexity and uncertainty as it applies to management.
• Theories and praxis of foresight as it applies to management.
• Theories and praxis about cognitive development for individuals and in organisations.
• Theories and praxis of strategic thinking and decision-making.

Course code: MGTO12 | Download syllabus

Learning, development and change are important aspects of managerial practice. This is particularly apparent in a dynamic environment. This course provides a broad overview of some key aspects of management both on an academic and on a pragmatic and tacit level. The content of the course is divided into the following parts:

• Theories and praxis of learning, innovation and change in organizations. As organizations, as well as society in general, operates under changing conditions the ability to innovate is essential. A system’s ability for learning and change is a key success factor. Hence change management is an important part of managing. The course will give an overview of theories and models on organizational change and change management.
• The theories and praxis of managing, learning, development and change in individuals. An important part of Management is to develop individuals in line with organizational needs. The course will give an overview of theories and models regarding how adults learn and develop.
• The theories and praxis of managing ones on development, learning and change as a manager. Successful management is based both on tacit and explicit competence. It is also personal and situational. The course will provide tools for continues personal learning and development as a Manager.
• The theories and praxis of running project and organizations in a dynamic environment with an emphasis on critical application of managerial tools and the need for continuous organizational and individual learning and development.

Course code: MGTO52 | Download syllabus

The students work independently, in smaller groups on the design and conduct of their studies. They present their studies in the form of a final written master thesis (degree project). This includes the search, selection, study and presentation of relevant literature on the appropriate theoretical area or areas. Further, students will present their chosen research methodology, and will collect relevant empirical data. The students are also expected to read and discuss the work of other students that attend the course.

Course code: MGTN59 | Download syllabus