Module overview
This module will provide students with an introduction to management and law – knowledge and skills which can be applied to the operations of an engineering-based organisation. The learning outcomes address: managerial decisions, commercial aspects of engineering decision-making, law in engineering, marketing, entrepreneurship, project management and project risk management. A range of case studies will be used to illustrate principles and provide examples.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- Manufacturing, projects and systems management, operations management and quality management
- Legal systems relevant for engineering: contract law, intellectual property and tort, both nationally and internationally
- The commercial context for engineering processes and business models that are socially responsible and environmentally sustainable
- Professional bodies, codes of conduct, conflicts of interest and other ethical dilemmas
- Activity based costing, budgeting, financial control, investment appraisal, and calculations of commercial risks
- The nature, scope and impact of managerial roles, skills, ethics and decision-making, supporting effective project work, change management, appraisal methods, and evaluation
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Assess market needs and contribute to marketing and pricing strategies addressing business opportunities and the achievement of customer satisfaction through innovation and entrepreneurship
- Recognise and explore key legal requirements for engineering including IPR, health & safety, privacy, and professional indemnity insurance
- Plan and manage project and manufacturing/service processes, taking into account personnel, budgetary requirements, and potential risks
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Critically analyse new products and technologies in light of management theory, professional, regulatory, social, ethical and legal obligations
Syllabus
Managerial Decisions
Appreciating the nature, scope and impact of managerial roles, skills and decision-making, supporting effective project work and evaluation for continuous improvement. Introduction to business ethics and CSR.
Marketing
Introducing marketing – assessing market needs and contributing to marketing strategies, addressing market opportunities, price setting and management of product lines.
Entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurial characteristics and behaviours stimulating creative approaches and innovation in large organisations as well as in start-ups; managing growth and change.
Project Management & Project Risk Management
Introducing factors affecting project implementation. Introducing project management techniques for coordinating resources, planning implementation, budgeting, assessing risks and achieving engineering goals within the context of developing internal capabilities and evolving ambitions reflecting the commercial, social, environmental and regulatory environment, and how these techniques are applied through engineering projects.
Engineering Decision Making
Defining cost categories and overhead cost allocation; Activity Based Costing; Budgeting and financial control; Relevant costs and Investment Appraisall Net Present Value. Commercial management of projects and manufacturing/service processes; Ethical management of measurement processes; limitations of financial analysis.
Law in Engineering
Introducing contract law with awareness of key legal requirements for engineering, including; legal responsibilities, intellectual property, formation of contracts, remedies for breach of contract and some main insurance law principles such as the duty of good faith and the cover provided by some specific types of insurance e.g. professional indemnity and contractors all-risks insurance.
Learning and Teaching
Type | Hours |
---|---|
Independent Study | 114 |
Lecture | 36 |
Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Harvard Business Review. Harvard Manager's Handbook.
JK Pinto. Project Management: achieving competitive advantage. Pearson.
McGrath & Bates. The Little Book of BIG Management Theories. Pearson.
J Zhuo. The Making of a Manager. Portfolio.
L. Belker et al. The First-Time Manager. HarperCollins.
Atrill & McLaney. Accounting and Finance for Non-Specialists. Pearson.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
The continuous assessment will consist of online tests to confirm your knowledge and understanding of the taught material.
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Continuous Assessment | 30% |
CAA Exam | 70% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Set Task | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Set Task | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External