Dr Patricia Murtagh B.A.(hons.) (First class), M.Sc. (Distinction), Ph.D.

Strategic Organization - M-Level advanced strategy module, examining a range of perspectives on strategy from an organization theoretical point of view

Students examine a real-time case study of an organization from a range of perspectives, for example, environmental determinism, resource-based view, Penrosian theory of firm growth, strategy as practice, etc.

Strategy, Planning and Implementation - M-Level 60 Credit Summer module comprised of 40% Business Simulation; 60% Research Methodology, leading to an independent summer research project

This is a large module with between 300 and 400 students across a range of our M.Sc. programmes. The taught part of the module is in the first three weeks of June, when students work in teams to set up and run their own business over a trading period of 4 years. Teams determine the strategy for their concern and formulate a strategic plan. The 40% of credits is made up of a 20 minute video presentation and a poster exhibition that culminates in awards for outstanding teams in the business simulation. The second part of the module is an independent research project. Students are required to produce a review of the research on a topic of their choice. The requirement is that students should organise the literature into themes and conduct an in-depth analysis of each theme identified, culminating in a critical discussion of the literature that takes into account methodological limitations. The purpose of the review is to identify whether the literature provides insights for implementation for practitioners and policy makers; the implications of the research for management education and areas for future research.

I am module leader for the Dissertation module. Students produce a 15,000 word thesis on a topic of their choice, with the support of their supervisor.