Students

MGMT3905 – Problem Solving: Critical and Strategic Thinking

2021 – Session 1, Special circumstances

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face-to-face and online activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convener
Senia Kalfa
senia.kalfa@mq.edu.au
Contact via email to arrange consultations
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to BBusLeadCom and 140cp at 1000 level or above including MGMT2902 or MGMT202
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

In this unit students will be examining the skills and techniques for problem solving, critical decision making and strategic thinking, all to be used in an organisational context. Students will learn to be strategic thinkers in that the actions they undertake today will yield the best possible outcomes in the future for themselves and their organisations. Students will learn to make sense of a complex world and transform the way they think, behave and interact with others as a leader and individual. This unit will develop the students as strategic thinkers and problem solvers.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Identify various problem-solving processes and evaluate the differences between them.
  • ULO2: Analyse strategic problems in organisational contexts through a variety of viewpoints.
  • ULO3: Synthesise information in order to develop critical arguments.
  • ULO4: Demonstrate skills in solving problems both as an individual and as part of a team.

General Assessment Information

Late Assessment Policy:

Late assessment submissions must be submitted through the appropriate submission link in iLearn. No extensions will be granted unless an application for Special Consideration is made and approved. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late. Late submissions will not be accepted after solutions have been discussed and/or made available.

Note: applications for Special Consideration Policy must be made within 5 (five) business days of the due date and time.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Individual Report 30% No Week 6
Video & Annotated Bibliography 40% No Week 10
Individual Essay 30% No Week 13

Individual Report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 6
Weighting: 30%

Students are required to submit a report presenting possible solutions to a problem-solving scenario. This is an individual assignment.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify various problem-solving processes and evaluate the differences between them.
  • Analyse strategic problems in organisational contexts through a variety of viewpoints.
  • Synthesise information in order to develop critical arguments.

Video & Annotated Bibliography

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 10
Weighting: 40%

Each group must choose an organisation with an apparently insoluble problem. As a member of a group you can produce an insightful video that communicates a solution to the problem. The work can take the form of animation or digital video using genres such as drama, documentary, investigative news reports, and so on. Half of the mark for this assessment will be assigned to individual performance. Individual performance will be assessed through a combination of peer assessment and an annotated bibliography.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify various problem-solving processes and evaluate the differences between them.
  • Analyse strategic problems in organisational contexts through a variety of viewpoints.
  • Synthesise information in order to develop critical arguments.
  • Demonstrate skills in solving problems both as an individual and as part of a team.

Individual Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 30%

Students are asked to select a specific issue or research question that is of interest to them and that relates to problem solving and leadership in organisations and use relevant scholarly and practitioner literature to analyse it.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify various problem-solving processes and evaluate the differences between them.
  • Analyse strategic problems in organisational contexts through a variety of viewpoints.
  • Synthesise information in order to develop critical arguments.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Required text

There is no required text for the unit.

Unit web page

The web page for this unit can be found at: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/

Technology Used and Required

Students are required to have access to a personal computer and familiarise themselves with iLearn (https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/).

Seminars will be conducted over Zoom and students are expected to be familiar with it.

iLearn will be used to post lecture slides, assessment details, student grades and as a means of communication between staff members and students.

Delivery Format and Other Details
  • Number and length of classes: 1 x 3 hour seminar, i.e. 3 hours online per week unless indicated otherwise in the lecture schedule. Classes may vary due to public holiday(s)
  • Classes will commence in Week 1.
  • The timetable for classes can be found on the University web site at:  http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/

Recommended readings

Recommended readings are provided via Leganto on the iLearn Unit page
Inherent Requirements None

Unit Schedule

Please see iLearn.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.