BUSN9236 Leadership: Theory, Practice and Experience

The topic aims to provide students with skills and knowledge to improve their potential to assume or further develop leadership positions in all three business sectors. The topic builds on skills in problem recognition and solving, in business practices and human interaction issues. The topic covers leadership and management differences, the development of leadership, teams and followers, situational effects, leadership in crises and change and leadership skills. The approach is multi-faceted with business, politics, society and historical aspects covered. A special feature of the format is the experiential program designed to give students exposure to team work and reflection within an experiential context.

This topic aims to have students understand:

• How leadership and management are different and how they are used to achieve business and societal goals
• The roles of leaders, teams, followers and situations in business and society
• How leaders should act in times of crisis and how and why what they should do often differs from what is actually done
• Why leadership development is important for continuing success of businesses and other entities
• The role played in history by leaders whose actions can teach us about modern society
• The role of experiential learning in leadership and personal development

1. Synthesise and analyse current research in leadership and apply theory of leadership to practice
2. Determine their likely roles as leaders or active followers in a work situation through group discussions and self-reflection
3. Demonstrate an understanding of leadership in action through class interaction and case studies that draw on leadership knowledge
4. Assess leadership capabilities through cases, using judgment and interaction with others
5. Apply leadership knowledge and skills during group exercises, through written assignments and presentations to class groups and guest business people