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PMGT5876: Strategic Delivery of Change (2015 - Semester 2 Online)

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Unit: PMGT5876: Change Implementation (6 CP)
Mode: On-line
On Offer: Yes
Level: Postgraduate
Faculty/School: School of Project Management
Unit Coordinator/s: Prof Pitsis, Tyrone
Session options: Semester 2 Online, Semester 1 Block Mode
Versions for this Unit:
Site(s) for this Unit: http://elearning.sydney.edu.au/
Campus: Camperdown/Darlington
Pre-Requisites: None.
Prohibitions: WORK6026.
Brief Handbook Description: Welcome to PMGT5876 Strategic Delivery of Change. This course is designed to foster and promote critical thinking and the application of good theory to inform good practice in the strategic delivery of organisational change. The philosophy underpinning this course is design thinking and storytelling. You will learn quite a bit about these ideas over the duration of the course, and why it is increasingly important to change management. The course develops capabilities that will differentiate you from the average project manager and change agent, and which are in high demand in forward thinking organisations: be they in private, public or third sector.
Assumed Knowledge: None.
Lecturer/s: Prof Pitsis, Tyrone
Tutor/s: TBA
Timetable: PMGT5876 Timetable
Time Commitment:
# Activity Name Hours per Week Sessions per Week Weeks per Semester
1 E-Learning 4.00 12
2 Independent Study 6.00 13

Attributes listed here represent the key course goals (see Course Map tab) designated for this unit. The list below describes how these attributes are developed through practice in the unit. See Learning Outcomes and Assessment tabs for details of how these attributes are assessed.

Attribute Development Method Attribute Developed
Project leadership is conceptualised as being different to project management. Leadership emphasizes the transformational, inspirational and intrinsic motivational qualities necessary for implementing and executing change. A major assumption in the course is that leadership is about story telling and ensuring people feel as though they are central actors in that story. Project Leadership (Level 4)

For explanation of attributes and levels see Project Management Learning Progression Table.

Learning outcomes are the key abilities and knowledge that will be assessed in this unit. They are listed according to the course goal supported by each. See Assessment Tab for details how each outcome is assessed.

Project Leadership (Level 4)
1. Show that you understand the complexity inherent in organizational change
2. Appreciate the links and tensions between strategy, organizational change and project/programme management
3. Understand different types, reasons and levels of organisational change
4. Understand methods for implementing changes in organisations
5. Identify new approaches to change management
Project Communication (Level 4)
6. Be able to confidently communicate on the topic of complex change. This includes verbal, written and symbolic communications.
Assessment Methods:
# Name Group Weight Due Week Outcomes
1 Individual Research Project No 40.00 Week 11 2, 4, 5, 6,
2 Symbols of change No 30.00 Week 7 1, 2, 3, 6,
3 Case Study No 30.00 Week 13 1, 2, 4, 6,
Assessment Description: 1. There are two versions of this project: A) applied for those who are currently working; H) hypothetical for those who are studying full time.

2. A task that ensures you appreciate the power of non-verbal aspects of organisational life and their implications for change management.

3. A case study that throws up a complex management problem requiring a comprehensive change plan.
Assessment Feedback: Online (via turnitin and email)
Grading:
Grade Type Description
Standards Based Assessment Final grades in this unit are awarded at levels of HD for High Distinction, DI (previously D) for Distinction, CR for Credit, PS (previously P) for Pass and FA (previously F) for Fail as defined by University of Sydney Assessment Policy. Details of the Assessment Policy are available on the Policies website at http://sydney.edu.au/policies . Standards for grades in individual assessment tasks and the summative method for obtaining a final mark in the unit will be set out in a marking guide supplied by the unit coordinator.
Policies & Procedures: See the policies page of the faculty website at http://sydney.edu.au/engineering/student-policies/ for information regarding university policies and local provisions and procedures within the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies.
Prescribed Text/s: Note: Students are expected to have a personal copy of all books listed.
  • PMGT5876 Course Reader
Online Course Content: Please logon to eLearning on the first day of semester. http://elearning.sydney.edu.au/

Note that the "Weeks" referred to in this Schedule are those of the official university semester calendar https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp

Week Description
Week 1 Introduction to change management. Defining change. Philosophy and theories of change.
Week 2 Philosophy and theories of change (continued).
Week 3 Doing change. Change Management competencies: is it project management?
Week 4 Reversing change management. Change tools.
Week 5 Good change, bad change and everything in between.
Week 6 The Change Agent. Storytelling as change. Metaphors as change. Communicating change.
Week 7 Sharing change. AI and change.
Assessment Due: Symbols of change
Week 8 Sharing change (continued). What does 'involving stakeholders' really mean? Case Study: Gosn.
Week 9 'Being' change. The Principles and Processes of Design Thinking for Organizational Change.
Week 10 'Being' change (continued). DT and change.
Week 11 Changing what? Levels and factors of change: changing people, changing the organization, changing systems.
Assessment Due: Individual Research Project
Week 12 Changing what? (continued)
Week 13 Assessment Due: Case Study

Course Relations

The following is a list of courses which have added this Unit to their structure.

Course Year(s) Offered
Graduate Diploma in Project Leadership 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Master of Project Leadership 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Bachelor of Project Management (Honours) 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Graduate Certificate in Project Leadership 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Graduate Diploma in Project Management 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Master of Project Management 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Master of Project and Program Management 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Course Goals

This unit contributes to the achievement of the following course goals:

Attribute Practiced Assessed
Project Leadership (Level 4) Yes 68%
Project Communication (Level 4) No 32%

These goals are selected from Project Management Learning Progression Table which defines overall goals for courses where this unit is primarily offered. See Project Management Learning Progression Table for details of the attributes and levels to be developed in the course as a whole. Percentage figures alongside each course goal provide a rough indication of their relative weighting in assessment for this unit. Note that not all goals are necessarily part of assessment. Some may be more about practice activity. See Learning outcomes for details of what is assessed in relation to each goal and Assessment for details of how the outcome is assessed. See Attributes for details of practice provided for each goal.