In addition to the disciplinary knowledge specific to management, the course works on the skills of analysis and diagnosis of managerial problems. The various theoretical elements (e.g., theories of professional motivation, demand price elasticity) are mobilized in order to identify a management problem (e.g., absenteeism at work, an inadequate pricing policy), to better understand the ins and outs of it and, finally, to propose a draft solution.
In addition to acquiring management-specific knowledge (concepts, theories, methods, and approaches), the course develops skills in analyzing and diagnosing management issues.
Various theoretical elements (such as work motivation theories and competitive strategies) are applied to identify a management problem (e.g., workplace absenteeism or an inadequate pricing policy), gain a deeper understanding of its underlying dynamics, analyze the issue using relevant methods and approaches, and finally, propose a preliminary solution and managerial recommendations.
Skills related to critical thinking, a reflective approach, and an ethical, responsible perspective on management are cultivated throughout the course sessions.
The course is broadly divided into 5 main parts.
Part I: Raising awareness of the very notion of management and, more specifically, of company management (notion of management, company/organisation, reasons for management, historical evolution, management and environment, etc.).
Part II: Strategic planning and managerial decision making (corporate strategy, planning, SWOT analysis, competitive advantage, managerial decision making process, concepts of bounded rationality, risk and uncertainty in decision making, ...).
Part III: Organisation, change and innovation (organisational structure, organisational modes, departments, concepts of hierarchy, authority, responsibility, delegation of authority, organisational culture, concepts of change and creativity, resistance to change, etc.).
Part IV: Management (individual/collective behaviour, concepts of attitude and perception, teamwork, staff motivation, equity and expectations theory, leadership, communication, etc.).
Part V: Control (definitions, reasons, modes of control, limits and drifts) and introduction to value chain and project management.
4 small-group exercise sessions, supervised by teaching assistants, are organized.
The topics covered vary from year to year. Examples include solving a business case (e.g., a strategic, change management, or control problem) or addressing a managerial decision-making problem using quantitative tools (e.g., calculating an optimal price, a break-even point, or a resource allocation problem).
Students are also invited to participate in conferences organized by the Faculty EMCP or by UNamur.
Finally, a quiz on the WebCampus platform is offered after each chapter.
It is mainly a lecture with a PowerPoint presentation (syllabus = presentation material).
Individual exercises and case studies are organised during classes. Numerous real world examples are discussed.
4 exercise sessions (small groups supervised by teaching assistants) are also organised. Examination questions from previous years are covered.
Multiple-choice questions for each chapter are available on Webcampus.
This is a closed book written examination in 2 parts. The first part deals with a case study while the second part deals with a managerial decision-making problem with quantitative support.
Both parts deal with knowledge (definition of fundamental theories and concepts) as well as with know-how (mobilisation of concepts, theories and methods to identify, analyse and solve managerial problems).
Multiple choice questions are sometimes used.
The material covered consists of all content addressed during sessions or through complements, exercises and multiple-choice questions completed throughout the year.
Reference book (recommended purchase):
Robbins, S., Coutler, M., DeCenzo, D. & Né, I. (2020). Management : L'essentiel des concepts et des pratiques. 11e éd., Paris : Pearson France.
French version adapted from Robbins, S., DeCenzo, D., & Coulter, M. (2020). Fundamentals of Management, 11th Ed., Upper saddle River: Pearson Education Inc.
Earlier versions are also suitable.
| Training | Study programme | Block | Credits | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Computer Science | Standard | 1 | 6 | Yes |
| Bachelor in Business Engineering | Standard | 1 | 5 | Yes |
| Bachelor in Economics and Management | Standard | 1 | 5 | Yes |
| Bachelor in Law | Erasmus Belgica UHasselt | 2 | 5 | No |
| Bachelor in Law | Standard | 2 | 5 | No |
| Bachelor in Law | Standard | 3 | 5 | No |