Welcome to ADMN 232: Introduction to Management. This course translates management theory into effective management practice by examining what managers do and how they do it. The course presents theories of management applicable to the public and private sectors and then reconciles these theories with current practice.
If you’re among the many people who are intimidated by the word “theory,” it might be helpful to know that the aim of this course is simply to give you some tools with which to identify, contemplate, and solve managerial problems. Your tool kit won’t be full when you finish this course—that’s why there are more courses to take after this one—but you will have enough tools to understand some of the things that are happening in your organization and why. These tools will also enable you to give an organization a “tune-up” or carry out some of the more common managerial “repairs.”
Virtually every management or administration program starts with a course like this one. The titles may differ slightly (e.g., Management Principles, Introduction to Administration, Business Administration, etc.), but the content is usually the same. In general, these courses tend to start with an introduction to management and the context in which it is carried out. They then move to what are often referred to as the four functions of management: planning, leading, organizing, and controlling.
Part of the function of an introductory course is to introduce you to new terminology, and ADMN 232 is no exception. You will be required to familiarize yourself with many new concepts and terms common to management theories and practices. Most of the concepts are fairly easy to understand but as this is a broad survey course, there is a lot of material to remember. Using the supplementary material provided by the publisher to prepare for the exam is a key to success in this course.
Outline
Section 1: Introduction to Management
Lesson 1: Management
Lesson 2: History of Management
Lesson 3: Global Management
Lesson 4: Organizational Environments and Cultures
Lesson 5: Ethics and Social Responsibility
Section 2: Making Things Happen
Lesson 6: Planning and Decision Making
Lesson 7: Control
Section 3: Meeting the Competition
Lesson 8: Organizational Strategy
Lesson 9: Innovation and Change
Lesson 10: Designing Adaptive Organizations
Section 4: Organizing People, Projects, and Processes
Lesson 11: Leading Teams
Lesson 12: Managing Human Resource Systems
Lesson 13: Managing Individuals and a Diverse Workforce
Lesson 14: Motivation
Lesson 15: Leadership
Evaluation
To receive credit for this course, you must achieve a minimum grade of 50% on each of the examinations, and a minimum overall course grade of D (50 percent).
The following chart describes the credit weight associated with each course requirement.
Activity
Weight
Assignment 1
15%
Assignment 2
15%
Midterm Examination
35%
Final Examination
35%
Total
100%
The midterm and final examinations for this course must be taken online with an AU-approved exam invigilator at an approved invigilation centre. It is your responsibility to ensure your chosen invigilation centre can accommodate online exams. For a list of invigilators who can accommodate online exams, visit the Exam Invigilation Network.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Williams, C., Champion, T., & Hall, I. (2018). MGMT: Principles of management (3rd Canadian ed.). Toronto: Nelson. ISBN 9780176823283 (eText)
All other course materials will be available online.
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the ADMN 232 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent) on the Challenge Examination.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.