Organizing and Leading Project Work II : Current Research, 5 credits

Syllabus, course D5 Business Administration, 5 credits

Course code:            FEKD20
Responsible Department: The Dept. of Business Administration
Subject:                Business Administration
Level:                  D (Specialized)
Field of education:     Social Science

This course is at spezialiced level in M.Sc. degree programmes at 
Umeå University. The course is also intended for exchange students
within particular exchange programmes.


1.   Resolution to arrange the course

The Faculty of Social Sciences at Umeå University has established 
the course, and the syllabus was confirmed by the Board of Business 
Administration on March 31, 2003.


2.   Objectives and contents

The societal trend towards projectification has increased the use of 
projects as a means of accomplishing the organisation’s strategic goals. 
Whereas many of its tools and techniques are becoming standardised, 
much of the art and science of project management is evolving continually. 
Indeed, research, publications, and practice in the field have accelerated 
around the world in the past decade. It has become necessary to keep pace 
with these developments.

The primary objective of this course is to scrutinise the theoretical 
bases, and engage the processes of project management by examining current 
research. Students are introduced to cutting-edge research in project 
management and temporary organisations, with exposure to progress in the 
area at Umeå in a larger Scandinavian context (see Note 1 below on IRNOP).

For this purpose, the individual student is encouraged to investigate, 
participate in, and contribute to, ongoing research on project management 
and temporary organisations. 


3.   Prerequisites

To be admitted to the course, students are required to have a minimum of 50 
credits from the A 20 credits, B 20 credits, and C 20 credits courses in 
Business Administration. The Module II course is a natural sequel to the 
foundation course (Module I): "Organising and Leading Project Work I: 
Project Management." Students are in fact urged to register for both 
courses at the same time. They should have passed the course: "Organising 
and Leading Project Work I: Project Management." Alternately, they should 
have passed the course "Project Management: Leading and Organising Project 
Work," given in previous years. 


4.  Teaching methods

The core topics of the course will be covered through seminars and lectures. 
Students are expected to participate actively in lectures, seminars and 
presentations, and to give oral and written presentations on a number of 
occasions. Guest lectures might be used in examination.


5.   Examination

The course grading comprises oral presentations, seminars, written exams, 
and an evaluation of the major research paper. If research papers or other 
compulsory tasks are incomplete, it is the responsibility of the student to 
complete them within two weeks after the end of the module. The final grading 
on the course will be done when all obligatory parts are completed. 

The following grading system will be used: Pass with distinction 
(Väl godkänd, VG); Pass (Godkänd, G); and, Fail (Underkänd, U). 
For exchange students, the ECTS grading scale will be used upon request.

When a student has failed an examination on two occasions, he or she has a
right to have another grading teacher. A written request should be handed 
in to the director of studies no later than two weeks before the next 
examination opportunity.


6.   Language of Instruction

In cases where there are applicants from exchange programmes, the course 
language will be English. Otherwise, parts of the course may be taught in
English. Information on language aspects can be obtained from the student
counsellor. 


7.   Required reading:

Sahlin-Andersson, K. and Söderholm, A. (eds) 2002. Beyond project management. 
New perspectives on the temporary-permanent dilemma, 
Copenhagen: Liber Abstrakt Copenhagen Business School Press. 
(ISBN 91-47-06403-X)

Compendium of Articles, Department of Business Administration.


Supplementary reading:

Pinto, Jeffrey K. (Ed.). 1998. 
The Project Management Handbook. 
Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco, CA. (ISBN 0-7879-4013-5).

Duncan, William R. (PMI Standards Committee). 2000. 
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. 
PMI, Newtown Square, PA. (ISBN 0-471-29206-0).


Notes :

1. The reader is directed to the web page: "Research on Temporary 
   Organisations and Project Management."
   [http://www.fek.umu.se/irnop/umea.html]. This page includes 
   some history of Umeå's role in initiating IRNOP (International 
   Research Network on Organising by Projects), a bi-annual 
   international research conference.


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Umeå School of Business and Economics
UMEÅ UNIVERSITY
Department of Business Administration     
S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
Homepage: http://www.fek.umu.se