Postgraduate Diploma in Management and Project Management via Online Distance Learning

Introduction to Management

Defining Management; Innovation In Management; Management Skills; Management And Achievement; Management Roles; Types Of Organisations; Management And The Workplace; The Four Management Functions (Planning; Organising; Leading; Controlling);

The Evolution of Management Thinking

Management Perspectives; Historical Trends; Innovative Management Thinking; The Learning Organisation; Management Challenges; The Environment And Corporate Culture; The Organisation-Environmental Relationship;

Introduction to Information Systems

Introduction To Information Systems; Business Landscape; Contemporary Approaches To Information Systems; Impact Of Information Systems On Organisations And The Management Decision Process; Models Of Decision Making; Electronic Business; Ethics In An Information Society; Management Reporting Systems;

Organisational Analysis

Modern Organisations; Frameworks For Organisational Analysis; Analysis Of Structures; Organisational Cultures; Gender And Identity; New Directions In Organisation Theory And Analysis;

Planning

Strategic Management

Defining Strategic Management; Organisational Direction; Purpose Of Strategy; Generating And Selecting Strategic Options; The Strategy Management Process; Strategic Formulation And Implementation; Constructing The Strategy Plan; Macro And Micro-Environmental Analysis; Analysing Internal Resources And Capabilities; Organising Design And Strategy;

The Strategic Manager

Defining The Strategic Manager; Thinking And Acting Strategically; The Strategic Plan; Effective Strategic Processes; Ideas; Tools And Techniques; Operational Responsibilities; Change Management; Culture Change; The Business Plan; Analysing The Current Reality; Formulating; Evaluating And Implementing Strategy;

Qualitative & Quantitative Management Research

Methods And Techniques; Research Design; Data Collection; Data Handling Techniques; Methods Of Analysis; Research Reports; Analysis Of Variance; Diagnostics And Model Development; Introduction To Management Science Modelling;

Financial Management

Introduction To Financial Management; Principles Of Financial Management; Mechanisms For Financial Planning; Financial Management Tools And Concepts; Financial Decision Making; Techniques Of Financial Appraisal; Company Performance; Needs Of Stakeholders; Sources Of Finance;

Accounting for Performance

Managerial Accounting; Budgetary Planning And Forecasting Methods; Interpreting Budget Outcomes; Cost-Structure Analysis And Profit Calculation; Making Decisions On Pricing; Cost Control; Cost Reduction; Analysing Financial Viability;

Managerial Decision Making

Types of decisions and problems; decision making models; development of alternatives; engaging in debate;

ORGANISING

Managing Human Resources

Human Resources; The Changing Nature Of Careers; Developing An Effective Workplace; Selection Process; Appraisal; Globalization; Cultural Competence; Managing Diversity; Flexibility; Uncertainty And Change; Review And Reflection;

Managerial Economics

Economics as a Theory Of Organisation; Demand And Supply And Equilibrium; Consumers And Markets; Strategic Interaction And Dynamic Competition; Uncertainty In Behaviour And Markets; Information And Efficiency;

Managing Change

Processes For Change; Creativity And Improvement; Managing Adaptive Organisations; Managing Diversity; Impact Of Change On People; Innovation And The Changing Workplace; New Products And Technologies; Exploration And Entrepreneurship; Changing People And Culture; Implementing Change;

Leading

Dynamics of Behaviour in Organisations

Human Behaviour; Personality And Individual Differences; Work Motivation; Decision Making; Rewards Systems; Leadership; Groups And Group Processes; Design Of Work; Organisational Culture And Creativity;

Motivating Employers

The Concept Of Motivation; Foundations Of Motivation; Motivating Others; Reinforcement; Job Design For Motivation; Empowering People; Giving Meaning To Work;

Effective Performance in the Workplace

Company Organisational Culture And Structures; Building An Effective Workforce – Recruitment; Team Selection; Appointment And Termination; Training And Appraisal; Motivational Strategies; Competition In The Workplace; Wage And Salary Administration; Job Restructuring;

Leadership

The Nature Of Leadership; Leadership Versus Management; Leadership Traits; Matching Leadership Style With Situation; Power And Influence; Leading Change; Building A Network; Managing Team Conflict; Mentoring (Setting Goals; Measuring Progress; Taking Action);

Communication

Communication And The Manager’s Role; Types Of Communication; Building Communication Networks; Communication And The Different Stakeholders; Managing Organisational Communication; Internal And External Communication;

Project Management

Project management and strategy; defining and assessing the project; the project plan; work/costings/and timings; work breakdown structure; project resources; project schedules; managing the project process; effective delegation;

Project Management Software

Introduction To Projectlibre; Downloading & Installing The Application; The Projectlibre Screen Environment: Gantt Charts; Using Network Diagrams; The Resources View; The Work Breakdown Structure Chart; The Resources Breakdown Structure Chart; The Reports Screen; The Task Usage Detail Screen; The Resource Usage Detail Screen; The Histogram Screen;

Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship

Managing Creativity And Innovation; The Relationship Between Enterprise; Entrepreneurship; Intrapreneurship And Self-Employment; Setting Up An Organisation; Entrepreneurial Leadership; Managing Growth And Sustainable Entrepreneurial Organisations; Developing And Managing National And Global Business Networks And Other Key Stakeholders;

CONTROLLING

Managing Quality & Performance

Optimising Performance; Organisational Regulation And Control; The Meaning Of Control; Approaches To Control; Choosing Standards And Measures; Feedback Control Model; Financial Control; Trends In Quality And Control; Quality Control And Monitoring; International Standards;

Risk Management

Defining Risk Management; Categories Of Risk (Internal And External Risks); Identifying The Project Risks; Risk Analysis And Assessment; Qualitative Analysis (Fishbone Diagram; Classification Matrices); Quantitative Analysis; Introduction To Risk Planning; The Risk Register Output To Risk Identification; Avoiding Risk; Reducing Risk (Mitigate); Contingency Plans; Risk Acceptance; Risk Monitoring; Insurance; Planning For A Crisis;

Information Technology and E-Business

Information Technology And Management; Knowledge Management; Technology; The Internet And E-Business; Implementing E-Business Strategies; Going International;

Risk Management

Concepts Of Risk; Approaches To Managing Risk; Identifying; Analysing And Managing Risk; The Risk Management Framework; Risk And Decision-Making; Evaluation;

Management Marketing

Why Marketing Matters; Marketing Strategy Development; Marketing Research; Marketing And The Internet; The Influence Of Culture In Global Marketing; New Challenges For Global Marketing;

Managing in a Global Environment

Managing In A Global Environment; Factors Affecting Management Across Cultural Barriers/Global Organisations; Working Internationally; A Borderless World; The International Business Environment (Exporting; Outsourcing; Licensing; Investing); The Economic Environment; Resource And Product Markets; The Legal-Political Environment; The Socio-Cultural Environment; International Trade Alliances; Multinational Corporations;

Managing Ethics & Social Responsibility

Managing Ethics and Social Responsibility; Managerial Ethics; Criteria For Ethical Decision-Making; Corporate Social Responsibility; Sustainability And The Natural Environment; Responsibility;

Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility

Introduction To CSR; The Arguments For CSR; Developing A Strategy For CSR; Incorporating CSR Into The Business Model; CSR And The Stakeholders; Implementing CSR; Measuring The Impact Of CSR;

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Introduction to Project Management

Definitions from industry-led professionals; Characteristics defining a project; Comparing projects to processes; Introducing global standards in project management; Summary of major associations representing the profession of project management - International Organization of Standardization (ISO), the Association for Project Management (APM), International Project Management Association (IPMA) Project Management Institute (PMI); Examples of widely used methodologies and guides in project management (e.g. PRINCE2, the Critical Chain Method (CCPM), PMBOK guide by the PMI);

The Project Management Team

Detailed analysis of key players involved in a project life cycle and their integration (Project sponsor, seniority, project manager, project engineer, seller/supplier, project team members, programme board, project management office, stakeholders, customer);

Project Initiation

The main factors involved in project initiation (definitions, business plans, project sponsor and other stakeholders); Planning at the initial stage for a successful project outcome; Understanding and defining the project scope; Recognising time, budget schedule restraints in the scope development;

The Planning Process

Where and how to start; Using detailed checklists and flowcharts as tools in creating and formulising project plans; The advantages of using work breakdown structures (WBS); Organizational breakdown structure (OBS); The use of logical coding systems as effective organization methods; Critical path networks; Gaining authorization; Making decisions; Initial project coordination;

Budget and Cost Estimation

The key concepts in project cost management; Cost estimating; Cost budgeting; Cost accounting; Tools and techniques in cost estimation (top-down, bottom-up costing, reserve, conference, vendor bid analysis); Cost estimations for materials; Labour costs and manufacturing;

Time Management

Processes involved in project time management; Difference between time planning and time scheduling; Internal and external time influences; Bottom-up and top-down time planning; Parametric estimation and three point estimation; Checklists and diary planning; Developing a realistic schedule; Gantt charts and linked Gantt charts;

Quality Control

Defining quality; How quality fits into the project life cycle; Planning for quality; SMART planning; Inputs and outputs required for quality planning and quality assurance; Costs of quality; Prioritising quality; The value of quality management; Quality assurance; Testing for software quality (unit testing, integration testing, subsystem testing, system testing, regression testing, alpha testing, beta testing, acceptance testing); Validating and verifying quality; Benchmarking; Quality management practices; Quality testing and reviewing; Why quality isn't met;

Risk Management

Defining risk management; Categories of risk (internal and external risks); Identifying the projects’ risks; Risk analysis and assessment; Qualitative analysis (fishbone diagram, classification matrices); Quantitative analysis; Introduction to risk planning; The risk register - output to risk identification, avoiding risk, reducing risk (mitigate); Contingency plans; Risk acceptance; Risk monitoring; Insurance; Planning for a crisis;

Project Closure

Formal project closure procedures; Managing files and archives; Finalising records and reports; Disposing of surplus materials; Completing final project definition; Project review; Improving project performance; Learning before doing;

Project Management Software (ProjectLibre)

Introduction to ProjectLibre; Overview of the ProjectLibre Environment; Downloading & Installing the Application; The ProjectLibre screen environment: Gantt Charts; Using Network Diagrams; The Resources View; The Work Breakdown Structure Chart; The Resources Breakdown Structure Chart; The Reports Screen; The Task Usage Detail Screen; The Resource Usage Detail Screen; The Histogram Screen; Setting up a New Project; Creating Sub Tasks, Setting Task Durations, Setting Task Dependencies, Modifying a Task, Adding Notes to a Task, Adding Resources to your Project; Work and Material Resource Types; Assigning & Modifying a Resource; Assigning Costs to a Resource; Adding Notes to a Resource; Inserting Milestones in a Project; Tracking your Project using Baselines; Creating Project Reports; Common Project Management Terms; Resources and References.