BUSMBA 711 : Organisational Resilience

Business and Economics

2022 Quarter Two (1224) (7.5 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Develops skills to critically assess current reality and understand ripple effects while scanning the horizon for long-term threats and opportunities. Develops skills to build individual and organisational resilience in a context that is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous.

Course Overview

This course is designed to develop strategic thinking and decision making skills relating to managing in the context of extreme events and uncertainty. The cases which will be explored include economic, social, technological, natural hazards, security threats as exemplars of complex and ambiguous challenges facing organisations. We will examine black swan events and wicked messy problems and learn what strategies managers can adopt to make decisions in the face of high uncertainty. 

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

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. Critically evaluate approaches to strategic decision making in uncertain times (Capability 2, 3, 4.1 and 4.2)
  2. Develop risk management scenarios and plans -to ensure an organisation is ready for future shocks (Capability 3, 4.2 and 6)
  3. Critically evaluate managing organisational resilience in the context of uncertainty and future shocks (Capability 1, 2, 4.2 and 6)
  4. Develop recommendations for managing uncertainty: for both policy and practice (Capability 3, 4.2 and 5.1)
  5. Outline how wider stakeholder engagement contributes to organisational resilience (Capability 3, 4.2, 4.3 and 6)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Scenario Planning 30% Group Coursework
Managing Uncertainty Report 70% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Scenario Planning
Managing Uncertainty Report

Workload Expectations

Following University guidelines, a 7.5-point course represents about 75 hours of study. Over a 5-week course, a total of 20 hours are delivered in class in weekend block format on a Friday afternoon and evening and all day Saturday. Since the course as a whole represents approximately 75 hours of study, that leaves a total of 55 hours for independent study, e.g. reading, reflection, preparing for assessments/exams.

Delivery Mode

Online

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including classes. Lectures (excluding case study discussion) will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including business simulations will not be available as recordings.

 The activities for the course are scheduled as 4 hour blocks.

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.

The course involves readings, case studies, and a business simulation which will be listed on Canvas.

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.

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 23/03/2022 09:03 a.m.