Management of Technological Enterprises

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

200 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

AIMS

This subject uses examples to explore strategic decision-making, organisational design, culture and change, communication, leadership and the capturing of enterprise knowledge in technological businesses. The management of people, the mentoring of technical professionals, codes of ethics, the interface with customers, consumer behaviour, the development and maintenance of business networks, engineering consultancy practices, and the development of technology markets are considered. Students will be given an overview of various legal aspects regarding occupational health and safety, contract law, negligence, professional liability, the Trade Practices Act and intellectual property with reference to technology businesses. Accordingly, the subject is relevant to all engineering students providing them an introduction into the management of a business.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

See the Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) for information.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILO)

Having completed this subject the student is expected to:

1. Develop a personal career plan. Apply appropriate management styles and situational leadership within a team. Manage team decision-making processes including creative development of solutions.
2. Conduct an analysis of competitive forces in an industry, and formulate a competitive strategy for a technological enterprise.
3. Develop a business model, analyse customer value, plan customer satisfaction and loyalty, and plan a value discipline for a technological enterprise. Establish strategic goals for a technological enterprise.
4. Estimate the economic value of a project or enterprise, understand and use management drivers of value, including external accounting measures and indicators, to achieve financial goals.
5. Identify, analyse and manage risks, as applied to a technological enterprise.
6. Plan and execute an Intellectual Property policy within a technological enterprise, including trade secrets, patents, trademarks, copyright and standards. Plan and manage change processes.
7. Understand Australian and international intellectual property legislation in order to instruct patent lawyers, to manage intellectual property.
8. Appreciate legal obligations of managers of enterprises and understand when and how to brief professional legal advisers. Manage a contractual relationship with suppliers, customers and employees within Australian contract law.
9. Be familiar with legislation on Occupational Health and Safety relevant to different managerial levels.
10. Manage supply chains, including relationships with suppliers. Plan and manage outsourcing, patnering and joint ventures. Manage an enterprise for sustainability, and with environmental awareness.
11. Appreciate and apply both psychological and (Western) philosophical principles of ethics. Appreciate cultural differences particularly between various nationalities. Apply professional codes of ethics for engineers and managers.

• Business Plan part 1 - a group assignment of 1000 words per student, completed in groups of 4-6 requiring 25-30 hours of work per student, due in week 6 (30%). Intended Learning outcomes (ILOs) 1 through 4 are addressed in this assignment.
• Business Plan part 2 - a group assignment of 1000 words per student, completed in groups of 4-6 requiring 35-40 hours of work per student, due in week 11 (30%). ILOs 5 through 9 are addressed in this assignment.
• Presentation - a group oral presentation of 10 minutes duration, completed in groups of 4-6 requiring 13-15 hours of preparation per student, held in week 11 or 12 (10%). ILO 11 is addressed in this presentation.
• One written two hour closed book end of semester examination. All ILOs are addressed (30%).

Hurdle Requirement: The examination is a hurdle and must be passed to pass the subject.

Rath, Tom, Strengths Finder 2.0 Gallup Press

Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y., Business Model Generation: A Handbook For Visionaries, Game Changers, And Challengers, 2010, Published by Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Ethical conduct and professional accountability
• Effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains
• Creative, innovative and pro-active demeanour
• Professional use and management of information
• Orderly management of self, and professional conduct.

LEARNING AND TEACHING METHODS

Intensive and practically oriented lectures each week prepare the students for 1 hour of tutorials per week. The tutorials involve guided group work and discussions to learn to apply the material presented in the lecture in business cases.

INDICATIVE KEY LEARNING RESOURCES

Lectures are recorded (voice and slides).

Morse, L.C. and Babcock, D.L., Managing Engineering and Technology. Prentice Hall

CAREERS / INDUSTRY LINKS

The lecturer has industry experience, and invites a few guest speakers from industry during the semester.