Management Fundamentals

Subject: 2019/2020 - 1S

Programmes

Hours Effectively Taught

LTU1

Teaching Language

Portuguese

Aims, Skills and Learning Outcomes

Descriptive summary of curricular unit
This course aims to put students in contact with the main concepts of management, providing an integrated view of its processes and different functional areas. The perspective taken is that of the multidisciplinary vision of the company in the process of value creation, following the transmission of the theoretical foundations of management with practical exemplification and skills training .

Objectives and expected learning outcomes
Prepare students with a body of knowledge to facilitate the understanding of management in organizations with or without profit. In this sense, this course has as its main objectives:
- To sensitize students to the basics of management, especially related to the organization and functions of the manager ;
- Understanding the nature of management in organizations, taking into account the evolution of scientific thought in the field;
- Describe the main stages of the management process, with particular emphasis on aspects related to the planning, organization, direction and control;
- Understand, briefly, the management of a company in terms of its key functional areas, including production, human resources, financial and commercial management;
- Framing the company in its environment and its business area, through the SWOT analysis, and emphasize the importance of social responsibility in the company's sustainable development .
Based on the resolution of the case studies, the student should be able to decide on solutions adjusted to be taken by companies in order to effectively achieve their goals .

Skills to be developed
At the end of the course students should be able to:
- Assimilate terminology and technical language used in management;
- Understand that current management results of decades of evolution and contributions of various authors, managers and economists;
- Adopt an overview of dynamic management of a company, viewing it as a multifaceted phenomenon ;
- Know how to face the challenges and problems that a company faces and knowing conduct the helm of the boat towards maximizing their efficiency and effectiveness ;
- Realize that the firm is embedded in a context with certain features and characteristics that may pose opportunities or threats to their own performance ;
- Understand the company's growth should be based on a sustainable basis, in order to ensure continuity in the market ;
- Understand that the company's success does not depend solely on good internal management, but also a good relationship with the environment external to the organization .

Programme

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 - Definition and management levels
1.2 - Functions of managers
1.3 - Skills and abilities of managers
1.4 - Ethics and social responsibility management
1.5 - New trends in management
2 EVOLUTION OF MANAGEMENT THEORY
2.1 - The classical theories
2.2 - Contemporary approaches
2.3 - New approaches to management theory
3 THE PROCESS MANAGEMENT
3.1 - Planning
3.1.1 - Objectives, levels and planning tools
3.1.2 - Strategic management
3.1.3 - Decision-making
3.2 - Organization
3.2.1 - Determinants of organizational structure
3.2.2 - Types of organizational structures
3.3 - Direction
3.3.1 - Motivation
3.3.2 - Leadership
3.3.3 - The communication process
3.4 - Control
3.4.1 - management control Importance
3.4.2 - The control process
3.4.3 - Levels and types of control

4 KEY FUNCTIONAL AREAS OF MANAGEMENT
4.1 - Management of Operations / Production
4.1.1 - Organization of production systems
4.1.2 - Operations Management
4.1.3 - Quality control
4.2 - Marketing Management
4.2.1 - concept, process and marketing functions
4.2.2 - Segmentation, targeting and positioning
4.2.3 - Marketing-mix
4.2.4 - New trends in Marketing
4.3 - Financial Management
4.3.1 - Role of Accounting and accounting information
4.3.2 - Functions of financial manager
4.3.3 - Key indicators of financial analysis
4.4 - Human Resource Management
4.4.1 - Strategic Human Resource Management
4.4.2 - Planning of human resource management
4.4.3 - Compensation, incentives and benefits

Demonstration of the syllabus coherence with the curricular unit's learning objectives

The proposed program allows students to obtain a body knowledge and develop competencies foreseen in the objectives and as follows:
- Chapter 1 responds to objective 1 insofar as it presents the fundamental concepts of management;
- Chapter 2 meets the objective 2, which aims to knowledge on the evolution of management;
- Chapter 3 allows attains objective 3 to recognize the organizations and the management process, as well as attributions and areas of activity;
- Chapter 4 exhibits the contents to respond to objectives 4 and 5 that consist in the recognition and encompassing of the environment surrounding the company.

Main literature

Supplementary Bibliography

Learning Methods

The contents of this course will be exposed in practical classes, which will combine theoretical exposition with a discussion of practical cases and solving exercises. During the classes, students will be encouraged to express their understanding of the contents exposed.

Assessment Components

Avaliação distribuída com exame final

Assessment Components

Continuous Assessment

Individual written tests: 2 (each weighted 40%)

Worksheets: 2 (each weighted 10% and introduced into the e-learning platform)

Under the terms of the course's Regulation:

a) The students' attendance in classes will be recorded and, if the number of absences per student exceeds 30% of the total number of lessons scheduled for each course unit, the student will be automatically transferred to the final evaluation (regular season).
b) In the written tests and other assessment elements mentioned, it is necessary to obtain a minimum grade of 7.5 (seven point five) points.
c) If the student misses a test or receives a grade lower than 7.5 points in the tests or in another assessment element mentioned in the previous number, the student will be automatically transferred to the final evaluation (regular season).
d) If the student misses or obtains less than 7.5 in the second written test, held in the same date of the final exam in the regular season, they may apply for further evaluation in the Appeal season
e) All the written assessments included in the evaluation (reports, case studies, etc.) must be submitted through the Turnitin data base, available on the eLearning Platform, a similarity rate lower than 30% is accepted.

Final Exam

- Final exam: 100%

Demonstration of the coherence between the teaching methodologies and the learning outcomes