MBA Information Management

at Bangor University

Compulsory Modules:

 

Organisations and People: This module examines key issues arising from contemporary research in organisational behaviour (OB) and human resource management (HRM). It provides an integrated analysis of management, organisations and people, developing the conceptual, strategic and practical skills necessary for managers in complex, global organisational contexts. Specific topics include:

• The nature of organisations
• Organisation structures: strategy, design and function, job design
• Organisation cultures: values, ethics, norms of behaviour
• Theories and models of management: classical and contemporary
• Individual differences: perception, learning, motivation, equality and diversity
• Groups and teams in the organisation
• Managing relationships: power, conflict, communication, engagement
• Managers as leaders, people developers, coaches
• Managing job satisfaction and performance

 

International Strategic Management: This module analyses strategic decision-making within business. You will develop a critical understanding of the strategic processes of business management, the interconnections with the functional domains of marketing, human resource management and corporate finance, and the management of knowledge systems. Specific topics include:

• Concepts of strategic management applicable to business
• Prescriptive and emergent strategies
• Strategy implementation through capacity building and resource allocation
• Managing, monitoring and reviewing strategic change
• Organisational designs for strategic advantage
• Human resources strategy, marketing and corporate financial strategy
• Organisational learning and knowledge management

 

Management Research: This module analyses the philosophical basis for research in the management sciences, and examines a number of key methodological issues and approaches. Research designs for both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies are developed, including interviews, case studies, focus groups, surveys and experiments. Specific topics include:

• Research methodologies and philosophy: positivism and interpretivism
• Qualitative research methods and the search for meaning
• Selecting a research strategy and design
• Data gathering, documentary records, triangulation and mixed methods
• Content analysis, conversation analysis, discourse analysis, grounded theory
• Quantitative research design and methodologies
• Univariate and multivariate analysis, factor, cluster and discriminant analysis

 

Web Technologies: This module provides an understanding of the basic technologies and structures for developing web applications, including internet resource creation, search techniques and programming languages for creating web content. You will create and use multimedia content in web applications, and gain familiarity with technologies for creating secure web applications. Specific topics include:

• Internet concepts; networks; ISO 7 layer model; basic network architecture; routing; domain names; email; ftp; telnet; HTTP
• WWW concepts; Internet resources; URI, and URI resolution, URL, URN; relation to XML namespaces; search engines; search algorithms; search engine optimisation
• JavaScript; PHP; CSS; programming tools and environments
• Multimedia; WWW support for multimedia; file compression
• Internet Security; Cryptography; standards for the Internet; public key systems; signatures; authentication; trust management; electronic cash; security issues; firewalls
• Web programming; HTML; XML; form input; CGI scripting; Perl programming  

Finance for Managers: This module is designed for those who aim to achieve a basic understanding of financial management and control, and who require an understanding of finance in order to manage an organisation effectively. Financial planning and control are central themes, as well as the appraisal techniques of investment projects. Specific topics include: 

• Principles underlying the preparation of accounting information
• Recording business transactions
• Preparation and analysis of financial statements
• Preparation of budgets, financial planning and control
• Costing methods, uses and interpretation of cost data
• Investment appraisal techniques

Databases: This module shows how to design a database and intelligently query a database using SQL; and provides an introductory level of understanding in database systems. A mini project is carried out towards the end of the module. This project allows you to complete the entire development process, from informal user requirements, to ER/EER modelling, transformation into relations, normalisation, and finally to the SQL commands to create and query the database. Specific topics include:

• Characteristics of a relational database
• ER/EER modelling of simple applications
• Relational model and relational algebra
• Transformation of an ER/EER model into a relational database
• Normalisation techniques
• Uses of SQL language to create and query a database

Technologies for Internet Systems: This module introduces technologies and tools for Internet Systems and e-commerce systems.  Technologies and structures for developing web applications are examined. Technical issues for implementing an e-system, and commonly-available technology components, are covered. You will implement a practical web based e-commerce system using relevant technologies, taking into account current market implementation. Specific topics include:

• e-commerce ideas and concepts
• Internet concepts;  networks; basic network architecture; routing; domain names; email; telnet; HTTP
• Architectures and technologies, e-payment, e-commerce software and hardware, e-security, auctions
• Design and implementation: HTML, XML, CSS, JavaScript, DOM, SVG
• Research awareness: agent-based e-commerce; web services; grid computing; virtual organisations

Information Systems: This module examines the major types and components of Information Systems, their functions, benefits and limitations. The theoretical underpinnings of Information Systems are analysed. You will study the main business and personal uses of Information Systems, and how such systems are developed, procured and deployed. Specific topics include:

• Understanding the nature of organisations and the people within them, and their use of information for strategic business purposes
• The influence of human and organisational factors on the successful introduction of information systems
• Methods and techniques involved in project and programme management
• The importance of business processes and techniques for process modelling

Part 2:

 

For MBA Information Management, you MUST:

• Complete two of the following Applied Business Projects: Business Planning; e-Business and Chain Value; Human Resource Management; International Business; Operations Management; Investment and Private Banking.
• Write a Computing project, Software Hut. Software Hut is a project in which students (in groups) analyse, design and implement a software product for an organisation.