B875 / BXY875 MBA Project: Leaders of Change

This 30-credit module offers students the opportunity to make a real change and become a leader of change. The aim is to help students develop as reflective and independent practitioners by exploring a real business environment, that could be in a national or international context, and influence real organisational outcomes, if their recommendations are implemented. As this is the capstone module of the MBA qualification it is expected to be the last one that students need to successfully complete in order to gain their MBA.

The module recognises the strong emphasis placed by students and their employers on the value of effective practical application of module-based learning. This module has been designed to meet these requirements. A key aspect of this is in developing and demonstrating a capability for critical and self-directed learning and a capability to apply masters-level learning to organisational problems.

It is anticipated that the content of this module, especially the requirement to undertake and report on a practice-based project, along with the professional tips and skills that students develop throughout the module, will make a significant contribution in their professional practice.

Learning outcomes of the module

Through studying this module, you will have the opportunity to develop your abilities in a range of learning outcomes:

Knowledge and understanding

• Demonstrate a sound knowledge of a range of theoretical perspectives applied to a self-selected work problem and suggest a potential change
• Identify and manage complex problems that managers face
• Develop suitable ways that change can happen in order to deliver a positive outcome for a self-chosen work context

Cognitive skills

• Critically collect and use valuable information, develop analysis and synthesise across different work functions
• Identify and critically analyse self-selected problems and develop actionable solutions

Key skills

• Understand and respond to ethical considerations associated with practice-based research
• Exchange information and communicate research-based practices via a range of media
• Provide an effective and ethical change in a self-selected work problem
• Reflect critically on academic theories and apply them in a self-chosen work context

Practical and/or professional skills

• Develop appropriate ways to solve problems and implement change in a self-selected work context
• Devise and apply evidence-based approaches to managing change
• Develop as an independent and reflective management practitioner

Residential school tutor role

Due to COVID-19 we are currently only offering online residential schools.

B875 students will be able to choose one of two short online schools delivered over 3 days (one over a weekend, one mid-week), with synchronous and asynchronous sessions on all days, or a longer, more asynchronous school delivered over 14 days with a few synchronous sessions. All schools will make use of tutor group forums, which will need review/facilitation (more so the longer school).

You'll receive a full set of tutor notes before the school. Your Module Director, to whom you will be responsible during the school, will also contact you beforehand. There will be a tutor briefing prior to the school where you will be able to draw on the experiences of the module team and colleagues as well as contribute your own experiences. During the school there will be further opportunities to talk to your colleagues and to the Module Director about the progress of the school.

Your role is to be a facilitator, not a lecturer. You'll be one of a team of tutors and will have your own group of around 12 students throughout the school. You'll offer low-key facilitation to your group, helping them to work through the programme of activities (both as a group and in smaller sub-groups) and ensuring as far as possible that reflective learning is taking place. You'll need to make sure that group processes are working well and report progress, achievements and problems to the Module Director.

Residential school tutor qualifications

You should have:

• current or relevant management experience or proven results of management consultancy / research in major organisations
• Recent evidence of effective presentation and facilitation skills at postgraduate level in an online (synchronous and asynchronous) learning environment e.g. An ability to teach and support students using Adobe Connect (Online schools) or other work such as project management in a virtual environment
• An understanding of the process of developing projects to effect change
• Experience of using online resources and ability to support students to develop their research ideas
• Ability to facilitate individuals' learning through small group activities
• Effective coaching skills in business or academia

All residential school appointments

Open University Business School academic staff that have an obligation to tutor at residential or online schools will be appointed first. And then preference will be given to B875 module tutors. Other applicants will then be considered for any unfilled places.