Phone: 6488 2841

Fax: (08) 6488 1065

Mob:      0417 984 470

Consultation time: By appointment

Cosimo has a Doctorate (coursework) in sustainable agribusiness from Italy, an MBA (advanced) and a Master of Marketing focusing on sustainable business from UWA. He has lectured in international marketing and management at Curtin University, and a number of marketing and management courses at UWA.

Cosimo has considerable experience in sustainable business and project management, as well as sustainable marketing, both in Europe and Australia. In Italy, he managed a number of agribusinesses and held a senior position as an advisor for the Italian Government. In Australia, Cosimo managed a proprietary agribusiness and held a board position as technical director for a publicly listed company. Cosimo runs a consulting company specialising in sustainable business and strategic management.

Lecturer

Name: Dr Nin Kirkham

Email:  nin@cyllene.uwa.edu.au           

Phone: office 6488 3966

Consultation time: 3–4pm Mondays, other times by appointment

UNIT DESCRIPTION

Introduction and goal of the unit

This unit will introduce students to the field of project management with a focus on achieving sustainable results based on a “triple bottom line” (TBL) approach: That is, achieving project objectives, while taking into account the societal and environmental implications of a project.

A TBL approach to project management is now widely recognised by many organizations as being vital to achieving their strategic objectives. The achievement of strategic objectives often involves change. When change is associated with sustainable project management, organizations not only obtain a long-term competitive advantage, but they achieve it with strong support from key stakeholders. These are vital ingredients for organizations to remain viable, and thrive over the long term.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

• Understand the main normative ethical theories and be able to apply them in specific cases;
• Appreciate the importance of professional Code of Ethics when managing and leading projects;
• Understand and apply ethical and sustainable project management concepts and theories to achieve financial objectives, while preventing any potential negative impact on society and the environment (TBL approach);
• Demonstrate a sound understanding of how to align projects with organizational goals, and appreciate the strategic significance of successful project portfolio selection;
• Understand how to develop a sustainable conceptual design and project scope, starting from a problem statement;
• Understand how to apply project-planning tools to examine the cost, time and quality of a project trade-off;
• Understand methods of controlling and monitoring project execution;
• Demonstrate a sound understanding of effective reporting on project execution, finalization and quality performance;
• Understand project risk and risk management strategies;
• Develop an appreciation of how to successfully manage and lead a team throughout the various project phases;
• Understand how to approach negotiation and conflict resolution effectively, when managing projects; 
• Understand how to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders;
• Develop a sound understanding of how to manage multi-disciplinary projects, both locally and internationally.

Due to rapid change in the global business environment and the pressure of intense competition, more and more of organizational work has become project work. Sustainable project management – based on an ethical TBL approach - is an important tool available to an organization to successfully complete projects with a definite scope, budget, timetable, and quality standards, in line with strategic organizational goals.

For a project to achieve the above with ethical TBL practices, requires savvy leadership and management. This will be the objective of this course: To give students theoretical knowledge and skills to become proficient in managing and leading projects ethically, whilst achieving sustainable outcomes using a TBL strategy.

Educational principles

In this unit, students will develop the ability to:

• Understand ethical issues and implement appropriate Code of Ethics in your chosen field and career;
• Understand the importance of sustainable project management principles, associated with the TBL approach;
• Identify problems relating to initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling projects, and apply appropriate concepts and theories to solve them;
• Understand the importance of effective reporting of project performance to relevant stakeholders, by implementing effective communication strategies;
• Understand the steps involved in effective project team building and the factors influencing team performance;
• Understand the importance of effective leadership, project selection, negotiation and conflict resolution in managing projects.

Teaching and learning approaches

This course is divided in two parts. The first part of the course will run for four weeks and is comprised of eight lectures (two per week) and three tutorials (one per week, beginning in the second week). The lectures will, firstly, introduce you to the main normative ethical theories and how they are to be applied to real life issues. Secondly, the lectures will focus on ethical issues specific to professional life, beginning with a discussion of the benefits and limitations of professional codes of ethics, and then going on to discuss some other important aspects of professional ethics. The first two tutorial topics will allow you to apply what you have learned in the lectures in group discussions of ethical case studies. In the third tutorial, you will be expected to give a group presentation on codes of ethics.

In the second part of the course, two weekly lectures and tutorials (one per week) will be given. The lectures provide a summary of core concepts and theories of sustainable project management and their application.

Unit assessment

This unit is divided into two parts. In the first part of the unit, which runs until the end of week four (4) students are given an introduction to some of the central ethical theories and ethical issues that arise in professional life. The tutorials will give the students the opportunity to apply what they learn in the lectures to specific cases. Students will work together to discuss case studies and develop considered ethical responses to difficult situations. In the final tutorial for the first part of the course students will work together to give a short group presentation on professional codes of ethics

In the second part of the unit, commencing in week five (5), students are exposed to the general principles of sustainable project management, while dealing with specific examples of project applications.

Students will be asked on a weekly basis to read a project management case study and complete a series of questions. These questions will be the subject of analysis and discussion in the tutorial classes. This will expand students’ understanding of the relevant concepts and theories of sustainable project management, and will assist them with the learning progress over the semester.

Students will also need to work in a group to analyse a “real world” project management scenario and make sound recommendations on how to improve it, based on key concepts and theories studied in the course. This group work includes submitting a written report, and an oral presentation of the project.

The implementation of these components will contribute towards students’ ability to complete a final exam and achieve the learning outcomes of the unit. Overall, students must achieve a score of at least 50% to pass this unit. Failure to complete any aspect of the work required will result in failing to pass the unit.

Assessment summary

Standard of Assessment

The School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering (EECE) must ensure that the processes of assessment are fair and are designed to maintain the standards of the School and its students. The School follows the University of Western Australia’s grading system:

                        HD                   (Higher distinction)              80-100%

                        D                     (Distinction)                        70-79%

                        CR                   (Credit pass)                       60-69%

                        P                      (Pass)                                 50-59%

                        N+                   (Fail)                                  45-49%

                        N                     (Fail)                                  0-44%

The School awards marks leading to these grades by using the following general criteria which are presented here as a clear indication of the School’s expectations. These general criteria may be supplemented by specific standards with regard to a particular assignment.

HD       The student has a clear understanding of theory, concepts and issues relating to the subject and is able to adopt a critical perspective. The student is able to clearly identify the most critical aspects of the task and is able to offer a logically consistent and well articulated analysis within the analytic framework presented in the unit. The student is able to draw widely from the academic literature and elsewhere but maintains relevance.

D         The student has a clear understanding of theory, concepts and issues relating to the subject. The student is able to develop an analysis of an issue using the analytic framework presented in the unit and is able to identify and evaluate the critical issues. The student is able to draw upon relevant academic and other material.

CR       The student demonstrates an understanding of the analytic framework developed in the unit and a partial understanding of concepts and issues. The student is able to identify some key issues and is able to present a logical discussion, but with some conceptual errors or gaps between analysis and conclusions. The student is able to draw upon an adequate range of references and other materials.

P          The student generally takes a descriptive rather than analytic approach to the subject. The student is able to demonstrate some understanding of the issues involved but does not demonstrate the ability to apply the analytic framework which had been developed in the unit. Draws primarily upon unit materials for referencing.

N+       The student is unable to demonstrate that he or she understands the core elements of the subject matter. The student is able to provide some insight into issues but misapplies analytic framework developed in the unit, omitting key factors and, for example, drawing conclusions which are not related to the preceding discussion.

N         The student is unable to demonstrate any understanding of the subject matter. Material presented for assessment is unrelated to unit framework and shows not effort to identify or address critical aspects of the topic.

The scaling of marks to ensure comparability between classes is an acceptable academic practice. The School and Board of Examiners have the right to scale marks where it is considered necessary to maintain consistency and fairness.

Supplementary Assessment

Supplementary Assessment is not offered by the School of Electrical and Electronic and Computer Engineering (EECE), however, students who achieve a grade between 45-49 in the last unit for their undergraduate degree taken in the last semester of study, will be eligible for a supplementary assessment

Charter of student rights and responsibilities

This Charter of Student Rights and Responsibilities upholds the fundamental rights of students who undertake their education at the University of Western Australia. It recognises that excellence in teaching and learning requires students to be active participants in their educational experience.  It upholds the ethos that in addition to the University’s role of awarding formal academic qualifications to students, the University must strive to instil in all students independent scholarly learning, critical judgement, academic integrity and ethical sensitivity. Please refer to the guild website the full charter of student rights, located at

http://www.secretariat.uwa.edu.au/home/policies/charter

UWA Student Guild contact details
Phone: (+61 8) 6488 2295
Website: http://www.guild.uwa.edu.au

Ethical Scholarship, Academic Literacy and Academic Misconduct

Ethical scholarship is the pursuit of scholarly enquiry marked by honesty and integrity.

Academic Literacy is the capacity to undertake study and research, and to communicate findings and knowledge, in a manner appropriate to the particular disciplinary conventions and scholarly standards expected at university level.

Academic misconduct is any activity or practice engaged in by a student that breaches explicit guidelines relating to the production of work for assessment, in a manner that compromises or defeats the purpose of that assessment.  Students must not engage in academic misconduct.  Any such activity undermines an ethos of ethical scholarship.  Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to cheating, or attempting to cheat, through:

·          Collusion

·          Inappropriate collaboration

·          Plagiarism

·          Misrepresenting or fabricating data or results or other assessable work

·          Inappropriate electronic data sourcing/collection

·          Breaching rules specified for the conduct of examinations in a way that may compromise or defeat the purposes of assessment.

Penalties for academic misconduct vary according to seriousness of the case, and may include the requirement to do further work or repeat work; deduction of marks; the award of zero marks for the assessment; failure of one or more units; suspension from a course of study; exclusion from the University, non-conferral of a degree, diploma or other award to which the student would otherwise have been entitled. Refer to the Ethical Scholarship, Academic Literacy and Academic Misconduct located on the University’s website at http://www.teachingandlearning.uwa.edu.au/tl4/for_uwa_staff/policies/student_related_policies/academic_conduct

Acknowledging sources of information

In the course of your  individual and team work assignments, students will encounter ideas from many sources. All assignments that students submit must acknowledge all the different sources used. Not to acknowledge your sources is plagiarism. Neither the School nor the University accepts ignorance or the fact that a student’s previous acts of plagiarism had been undetected as a defence.

Serious cases of plagiarism shall be referred to the University’s Board of Discipline. All students should note that cases of copying are reported to the School and documentary evidence, along with associated correspondence is placed on the student’s permanent record.

Appeals against academic assessment

In the first instance, students are strongly advised to talk informally to the lecturer about the grade awarded.  The University provides the opportunity for students to lodge an appeal against any mark which he or she feels is unfair.  Any student making an appeal is under an obligation to establish a prima facie case by providing particular and substantial reasons for the appeal. It is recommended that students contact the Guild Education Officers to aid them in the appeals process.

There is a 20 day time limit for making any such appeal.  An appeal against academic assessment may result, as appropriate, in an increase or decrease in the mark originally awarded.  The University regulations relating to appeals and the form on which the appeal should be lodged can be found at

http://www.secretariat.uwa.edu.au/home/policies/appeals