1) enhance awareness of the applicability of theoretical concepts on management practice, particularly with regard to leadership and Organisational dynamics; 2) stimulate critical reflection on assumptions/hypotheses about management in Organisational theory and research; 3) familiarize students with challenging settings in which managers operate and deal with paradoxes, trying to balance stakeholder and shareholder interests.

Much of what is written about management and managers differs dramatically from the reality of everyday managerial work. Although academic research tries to shed light on what managers do and what makes them effective. The practice of managerial work is often poorly understood and it is difficult to develop with return-on-practice. The course provides ample opportunity for exploring the context, the paradoxes and the conundrums of management by exploring relevant questions like: What is the actual contribution of management and what does the manager's job in reality look like? How do managers overall perform? Which challenges do managers run into and how to builds a successful career? How do they keep their skills and competences up-to-date? Do they fully grasp their business models, including the ins and outs of strategic, long term sustainability? Are they willing and capable to turn their businesses around? How does management relate to the concept of leadership? Do managers practice corporate citizenship, do they opt for shared value and live up to the impact of diversity and the claim for integrity?
Academic research, professional literature and relevant news analysis will be confronted with evidence on
managerial experience and practice in real life settings. While the focus of this course is on managerial practice, it requires students to exercise critical judgment in many forms. Academic articles must be scrutinized for their underlying assumptions and the limitations of their methods and data. Professional and popular publications need to be critically examined with regard to the evidence behind their claims. All sources will have to be examined for the authors' (implicit) purpose and the use of rhetoric. Ina final paper and through a so-called e-documentary, based on studying the literature, an interview with at least one manager and the discussions in groups, students are required to demonstrate their insights into the relevance of management and the complexity of managerial work. Next to that students are explicitly invited to give feedback on the course, based on their intended learning outcomes.
Note: assessment methods:
Final (academic) paper and (format-free) e-documentary and full participation will constitute the final grade!

The leading, compulsory reference book is:
Henry Mintzberg, Managing, (FT Prentice Hall) 2011.
Next to that two articles per session will be prescribed to read, prepare and discuss.

Courses and workload are very demanding for all IB Master courses. Participants should have a bachelor
degree with a major in Business or Economics. This also applies to exchange students. Exchange students need to major in organisation in their Master.
An advanced level of English.