Planning et contrôle II

Strategic management control concerns the set of methods, frameworks and “technologies” that allow the organisation to execute all activities and processes necessary for “goal achievement”. These strategic goals are set outside the discipline of “controlling”: management control focuses on execution. This focus is systematic, transparent, dynamic and involves all members of the organisation. Each of these “members” have their own responsibilities and contribute in their own specific way (depending on their expertise, role and function) to the success of the organisation. The strategic management control system, therefore, has as most important objective, to align all these individual contribution, such that coherence and consistency is safeguarded (“goal congruence”).

Thus, management control makes sure that strategies are implemented and executed in the most efficient and effective way possible. This is organisational performance and organisational performance is more than just the sum of all individual performance. Management control indeed focuses on the “added value” of the organisation as such. This is the second most important objective of our discipline: how to go from high-performance individual contributions to overall organisational performance? In other words, how do we add “structural, organisational” capital to “individual, human capital”?

A lot of important decisions have to be made to get there … Management control helps provide the necessary information for optimal decision making. This is the third important contribution of controlling to management: analysing and synthesizing all relevant information and making sure this information is shared with and understood by all parties involved. In short, optimal decision making is focused efficient and effective goal achievement in a “controlled” way.

This course will focus on sustainability and innovation. How do we move towards sustainable business? How do we innovate in a controlled way, i.e. in function of our strategic goals? Why is control so important for really including sustainability and innovation into the business performance management systems? Why is inclusive, critical thinking so important? How does diversity add value to organisational capitals?

What if we use the “wrong” controls? What if we do not include the right “controls”?

All of these questions, and more, will come to the floor in a structured, consistent and coherent way. That is what strategic management control is all about. It is more of an art than a hard science, but scientific insights and empirical learnings play, of course, a major role. It is about “evidence-based” management, no?

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Students demonstrate the capability of applying knowledge, insight and problem-solving skills to semi-structured or unstructured management control challenges and problems.
2. Students have the capability to integrate various perspectives when encountering complex problems in the field of managerial control with a focus on innovation, change, sustainability and inclusive decision making.
3. Students possess insights and skills to critically reflect on developments and proposed solutions to the above mentioned challenges and problems.
4. Students possess intercultural skills and are able to operate in an international/global business setting.
5. Students are capable in self-directed learning and critical reflection and demonstrate a professional attitude (competitive collaboration, open-mindedness, performance-driven resilience & perseverance).

Cours pré-requis

During the course, and after an introduction of the topics (Sustainability; Innovation & Change; Inclusive Decision Making), students study academic articles, present these articles, give examples, lead a discussion and give formal feedback (peer learning assessment).

The academic articles are related, but it is the students´ contribution to present them in a structured way and analyse complex problems by using the (diverse) insights in an interactive and participative learning process.

A critical opinion is necessary, both in assessing the course literature, the discussion thereof, as well as in delivering a feasible solution.

We strive to mix the subgroups of students in such a way that this will form intercultural teams that can deal with the complexity of different cultural background.

PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE

GROUP ASSIGNMENT

The purpose of the group-based course work:

- to engage in participative and interactive learning: the material presented by the groups is assessed by the participants (peer assessment) and by the professor.

- to focus on the communication and “pedagogical” skills and competences (knowledge transfer & sharing): in professional life, team leaders will have to instruct, inform their team members and share the knowledge and insights they have gained;

- to apply academic and theoretical thinking to real-life settings and to communicate the research or theoretical findings in the format of “executive business language”;

- last but not least: to accept from and give feedback to their peers on the performance concerning all the above (including the learning objectives).

PARTICIPATIVE LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT: A PEER DRIVEN PROCESS

Students not only take co-responsibility for the learning process, but also for the evaluation and performance assessment process, which is an equally important part of the learning process.

Students therefore have a direct role in the assessment process:

- they are formal reviewers and evaluators of the presentations by their peers/fellow students (group level);

- they are themselves evaluated by the professor on the quality of their feedback to their peers (fellow students).

The course constitutes of 6 plenary meetings. The professor takes the floor during these plenary meetings (lectures introduce and frame the topics, lecture closing) but active participation is really required for effective learning.

Support(s) de cours

• Université virtuelle

Contacts

philip.vergauwen@ulb.be

Campus

Solbosch

Méthode(s) d'évaluation

• Examen écrit

Examen écrit

• Examen à livre ouvert

• Question ouverte à développement long

The criteria for the peer evaluation of the group work are as follows:

1. The introduction of the presentation clearly describes the background and rationale of the work, articulates the purpose and the contribution to original insights/knowledge with a reflection on the practical relevance;
2. The main part of the report presents actual and accurate feedback with good arguments or reflections that help improve the work would there be a follow-up. Keep in mind the theories discussed in class, provide accurate guidance on how to improve/change/adapt/… the work.
3. Conclusions and discussion: there is a clear evaluation and grading as a result of the review. I know this is hard for you, but please take it seriously and evaluate honestly transparently and wisely. Add value to the work of your peers/fellows!
4. Assessment of the style, grammar, … of the presentation.

These criteria are to be used by the “discussant(s)/reviewers” when giving feedback and evaluating the group presentation. The review is to be submitted together with the exam paper (date will be announced). The formal feedback report using these criteria in a written assessment report (max. 5 pages).

Construction de la note (en ce compris, la pondération des notes partielles)

OVERALL EVALUATION, ASSESSMENT AND EXAMINATION

- exam 70 % of the total grade (professor evaluates):

The examination for this course normally takes place in January.

If the student fails (a score of less than 35/70 on the exam, a resit is required. In this case, the other partial grades are maintained for the resit, but are NOT calculated in the total grade for the first session of the examination;

- the preparation for the final exam is a set of “take-home” assignments/essays (open book preparation, internet connection permitted). Students submit their answers/essays respecting the deadline.

- group work 20% of the total grade (10% professor & 10% group peer evaluation):

The group assignment consists of a powerpoint (deck slide and notes) on the design of a strategic management control systems for a biotech or medtech venture (start-up or scale-up).

- group review/feedback on the work of a fellow group 10% of the total grade (professor evaluates):

Langue(s) d'évaluation

• français