BUSDEV 781 : Managing Collaborative Projects

Business and Economics

2023 Quarter Three (1236) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Focuses on managers’ responsibilities and challenges when leading, organising and working within collaborative projects. Explores and evaluates various distributed collaboration tools used to establish and manage project teams. Planning, control, and execution models for business development projects are reviewed and critiqued. Develops skills in the facilitation and effective management of complex collaborations and project team-dynamics within and beyond organisational boundaries.

Course Overview

This course delivers a broad understanding of the approaches to managing collaborative projects in complex or chaotic environments typically found in the business development scenario. The Agile approach to project management is explored, compared, and contrasted to other styles.  The coursework is designed to allow students to demonstrate their ability to apply the course content in practice.

The course will have a total of 10 tutorials, delivered weekly, to supplement the online content. In weeks 7 and 8 students will demonstrate their work to date on the group assignment.  In week 9 the students will present their final products from the group assignment. The group assignment is a significant part of the course.  As such, students are expected to make time to meet with their team members.

The weekly topics covered in the tutorials are as follows (note that the order in which topics are delivered may change):

    Introduction to Collaborative Projects in a Business Development Context
    Starting the Business Development Project - Proof of Concept
    Improving Collaboration and Collaborative Tools
    Leadership, Motivation, and Teamwork in a Collaborative Environment
    Development - Building on the Concept
    Executing the Collaborative Project
    Risks, Quality and Problem Solving
    Scaling for Larger Projects and Organisations
    Review and Final Presentation
    Collaborative Projects in Practice

The weekly tutorial is a participatory workshop in which students are expected to contribute to case studies and actively participate in the application of theories to problems and workshop scenarios. Students also have the opportunity to ask questions about the material in the module or the course generally.

It is essential that everyone attends tutorials in weeks 7 and 8 to present their team assignment, and week 9 for the final presentation. Failure to attend and actively contribute to these 3 tutorials will be reflected in the marking for the assignment.  In special circumstances, students may be permitted to submit a recording of their team assignment presentation and then answer questions related to it.
 
The course delivery adopts a flexible learning approach in which materials are delivered via online methods.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 60 points from BUSDEV 711-715, 721-724, 731-734, 741-744

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Choose , evaluate and apply distributed collaboration tools as a means to establish and manage project teams in order to meet project objectives. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4.2 and 5.2)
  2. Demonstrate effective planning, control, and execution models for use in business development projects. (Capability 1, 3, 4.1, 5.2 and 6)
  3. Effectively gather, analyse and integrate feedback on collaborative tools and models in order to improve collaborative project systems, outcomes and team performance. (Capability 2, 4.3, 5.1 and 5.2)
  4. Apply management theories and frameworks which enable successful project team dynamics across organisational boundaries. (Capability 1, 3, 4.3, 5.2 and 6)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 30% Individual Coursework
Project 30% Group Coursework
Reflection 15% Individual Coursework
Discussions and contribution 25% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Assignments
Project
Reflection
Discussions and contribution

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 15 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect a one-hour tutorial, 5 hours of reading and thinking about the content, and 9 hours of work on assignments.

Delivery Mode

Online

Attendance is expected at scheduled tutorials to complete components of the course.
The course will include live online events including group discussions/tutorials and these will be recorded.
Where possible, study material will be available at course commencement.
This course runs to the University quarter timetable and all the associated completion dates and deadlines will apply.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Based on feedback, one assignment has been eliminated and the group project brought forward by one week to ease student workload.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 22/02/2023 08:58 a.m.