SUMMARY OF CLASS CONTENT
This class is intended to prepare students for supervisory and managerial roles and, as such, deals with the core skills involved in management. These include delegation, managerial style, chairing meetings, appraisal, staff development, and negotiating skills. The class is intended to help students identify how people become managers, what the role of themanager is and how to maximise effectiveness in that role.  Real-life examples are offered throughout, with the variations in styles of management required by different organisations and different cultures taken into consideration.

CLASS AIMS
This class aims to introduce students to the managerial role as a key function within the organisation and is a means of developing students’ understanding of the way in which organisations operate. The class aims to give students an understanding of some of the key managerial skills.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
On successful completion of the class, students will be able to:
1. Identify the managerial roles that course members are likely to occupy in the future
2. Identify and apply general line management skills
3. Identify how managerial skills can be integrated with organisational activity as a
whole

INDICATIVE SYLLABUS CONTENT
1. Managers and their background. The nature of management. How people become
managers.
2. The conflict between specialist and managerial activity.
3. The manager’s job. Activity vs. effectiveness. Techniques for objective setting and
prioritisation. Role Set Analysis.
4. The manager and the organisation. General developments in the public and private
sector.
5. Managerial style. Trends in managerial style. Options in managerial style.
Organisational factors. The impact of national culture on managerial style and
communication. Evaluation of managerial style.
6. Delegation. The nature of delegation. Skills of delegation. Obstacles to effective
delegation. Empowerment.
7. Workplace counselling. The nature of and need for counselling. Specific skills
including referral to specialist agencies. Grievance handling. Counselling in
disciplinary situations.
8. Negotiating skills. Negotiating roles and trends. Relevant theories. The framework of
negotiating. Negotiating processes. Negotiating outcomes.
9. Meetings and chairing. Objectives. Range of meetings and activities. Roles of
participants. Preparation. Procedures and processes. Conduct by the chair.

TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS
The class teaching and learning methods will include tutor input, small group discussion,
case studies, exercises, video clips.

ASSESSMENT RATIONALE
The assignment is intended to give students the opportunity to write about their
observations and reflections on the role of a manager or managers for whom they have
worked, or about their own experiences as a supervisor. As well as encouraging reflection, the assignment is also intended to require students to relate what they have observed or thought about to relevant texts. The purpose of the examination is to encourage students to study the width of the syllabus and to diagnose a managerial situation and make recommendations to overcome any problems identified.

ASSESSMENT METHODS AND WEIGHTINGS
Assignment 50%: The assignment will be a piece of work encouraging students to reflect on a key issue related to the class. 2,000 Words
In-class test 50%: The test will be based on a case study which requires students to diagnose a managerial situation and make recommendations to overcome any problems identified.
This may or may not be supplemented by a question requiring an essay type answer,
depending on the length of the case study.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
To achieve a pass in the class, students must gain an overall mark of 40% with a minimum of
35% in both the examination and coursework.
Students’ work will be judged according to the extent to which they:
· Identify the key issues and any problems that may arise
· Present a coherent argument and a logical structure
· Refer to the reading
· Use evidence to underpin any points that are being made. (This evidence could be
personal or from other people’s writings).

SOURCES
Essential reading
Rees, W. D. & Porter, C (2001) Skills of Management, 5th Edition, Thomson Learning
or
Robins, S. P. & Coulter, M (2003) Management,8th Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall

Further reading
Argyle, M, (1994), The Psychology of Inter-personal behaviour, 5th. Edition., Penguin
Back, K & K, (1999), Assertiveness at Work, McGraw Hill
Fisher, R, Ury, W & Patton. B, (1997), Getting to Yes, 2nd. Edition, Arrow
Handy, C, (1993), Understanding Organisations, 4th. Edition, Penguin
Handy, C, (1994), The Empty Raincoat, Hutchinson
Hofstede, G, (1994), Cultures Consequences, Fontana
Mead, R, (1998), International Management, Cross Cultural Dimensions, 2nd Edition,
Blackwell Business
Mintzberg, H (1989), Mintzberg on Management, The Free Press
Scase, R & Goffee, R, (1989), Reluctant Managers, Their Work and Lifestyles, Unwin
Hyman
Stewart, R, (1988), Managers and their Jobs, 2nd Edition, MacMillan
Summerfield, J and Oudshoorn, L, (1997), Counselling in the Workplace, Chartered
Institute of Personnel and Development

Journals
Harvard Business Review
Human Resource Management Journal
Journal of Management Studies
Public administration and development: international journal of management research
and practice.
People Management
Websites/Electronic Resources
The University of Westminster portal with links to useful HRM sites is at:
http://www.wmin.ac.uk/mrdlib/ via INFOLINKS