Programme Structure and Content

The Advanced Management Programme has been designed to mirror many of the structural and content features of Strathclyde's highly successful MBA.

The Advanced Management Programme comprises a range of core modules, which take place approximately  once in 4 to 6 weeks and allows managers every opportunity to apply and test out newly acquired knowledge and ideas. Modules are structured under three main themes: Managing Self and Others, Understanding and Managing Resources and Understanding Strategy. 

Managing Self and Others (3 days)

To be effective, a manager needs to appreciate their own management and learning styles, as well as how others perceive them. As a result, this module will help you better understand yourself as a leader, a learner and a team player. It will also address the main issues involved in the management of people, and how to get the best from them.

Understanding and Managing Resources (8 days)

Linking with an understanding of how best to lead and manage people, this module provides you with a sound understanding of the other key resources within an organisation - Finance, Marketing, Operations and Information.

Finance

A better understanding of how to manage and control the financial aspects of your organisation will give you the knowledge and confidence to make more informed and effective business decisions. Among other areas, this module will allow you to better analyse and interpret financial information and statements, help you to understand and develop costing and budgeting systems, and introduce you to the current concepts employed in finance.

Marketing

This intensive module will provide you with an understanding of the importance of marketing orientation in today's competitive market-places, and highlight the strategies/techniques employed by organisations to achieve future growth and success. You will also be introduced to the key elements of marketing management to enable you to better organise and plan your marketing efforts.

Operations

Regardless of whether your organisation is manufacturing or service based, efficient and effective operations can make the difference between under-performance and organisational success. Before being shown how to measure such performance and productivity, you will be provided with an understanding of the operations function and the key issues faced by operations managers. In addition, you will be equipped with an awareness of the rational approaches available for the design of operations systems.

Information and Decision Making

Managers make dozens of decisions everyday, some more significant than others, but how do you rationally assess the best solution for your company? This module explores methods of problem solving analysis and decision making, with some emphasis on tools and techniques relevant to Small and Medium Businesses.

 Understanding Wtrategy (3 days)

"If you don't know where you are going, how will you know when you arrive?"

Business today is subject to many influences, and managers need to understand where their businesses are going, to look at the contextual and environmental challenges they will face, and how they might be able to manage strategically. This module will consider Business Strategy, and address the key issues facing top teams. You will participate in a shared exploration of the challenges facing Scottish business today, and learn how Scenario Planning can help you. You will learn how to gain competitive advantage, and gain insight into the challenge of managing strategic change. 

Learning and teaching style on the Advanced Management Programme

All of the sessions on the Advanced Management Programme are designed to support and develop cross-functional understanding; ensuring managers have a sound understanding across a range of organisational disciplines. Participants will meet with academics engaged in research on issues that directly affect management and business performance. Learning will be through brief lectures and extended discussions either in class sessions or syndicate groups working on practical problems. Projects and action learning sets can be undertaken to reinforce learning and to transfer new skills to the work situation. Projects of importance to the individuals and their organisation can be shared with other participants as the programme progresses. Participants will also work in small groups to apply the lessons learned during the programme to these issues.

Assessment

A single assessed element comprising a Senior Management / Board level report drawing together the mini projects carried out during each of the modules  into a Business Development Audit, Recommendations and Action Plan.

Further Information and Booking

For more information please download the following Adobe Acrobat .pdf file which also contains a booking form.

Amp Brochure and Booking Form (PDF, 253k)