APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2014/2015

BIN 3076 Development for increased competitiveness

Responsible for the course
Espen Skaldehaug

Department
Department of Innovation and Economic Organisation

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
30

Language of instruction
Norwegian

Introduction
This is a leadership development program focussing improving of competitiveness in a value chain company. It shall provide science based knowledge and capabilities within the following subjects; leadership of supply chains and industrial companies, financial/ managerial accouning, project development and project management. It shall supply the participants with acknowledged scientific and practical understanding of issues assoicated with continuous improvement, "lean" organizing and work methods, and value creation through development and change. Throughout the course of the program the participants will be conducting a group based development- and /or improvement project within the company that shal contribute to the impprovement of the firm's competitiveness. The projects should be developed to a level where they can be presented for evaluation by the top management - eventually for go/no go decisions.

Learning outcome

Acquired knowledge

Having completed the program, the participants should have aquired knowledge relevant to working with contiuous improvement of the firm's competitiveness, including knowledge of methods for fiancial, theory, analysis and use of governance work tools. They should also have aquired solid and broad understanding of the firm's organization and participation in extended supply chains as well as having obtained a good understanding of the firm's regulatory, market and productivity conditions and challenges. Finally, the participants should also have aquired knolwledge of methods for effective project management and project organizing.

Acquired skills

Through practice oriented project development work, the participants shall enhance their skills within project development, financial and acceptence, and support as well as general leadership capabilities. They shall aquire better capabilities to search for relevant, useful and applicable literature, models and analysis and to apply these to develop more systematic, powerful and targetted value creating projects. Furthermore, they should have improved their skills to mobilize resources, participants and activities in such projects in effective and appropriate ways. Finally, the participants should through their analytical efforts in this course, improve their analytical skills to deal with concrete and complex problems, clarify their problem understanding with those of other involved actors, and create organizational and managerial conditions to succeed with demanding projects.

Reflection

Following this program the participants should have enhanced their ability to ask critical questions to and reflect over the firm's challenges, development opportunities as well as the roles of the participants themselves in taking responsibility for demanding leadership tasks, value creating development projects and economic improvement projects that are challenging to both leaders and others involved.

Prerequisites
none

Compulsory reading
Books:
Andersen, Erling S., Kristoffer V. Grude& Tor Haug. 2009. Målrettet prosjektstyring. 6. utg. NKI Fagbokforlaget
Bøhren, Øyvind og Per Ivar Gjærum. 2009. Prosjektanalyse : Investering og finansiering. Fagbokforlaget
Bø, Eirill, Geir Gripsrud og Arne Nygaard. 2013. Ledelse av forsyningskjeder : et logistikk- og markedsføringsperspektiv. Fagbokforlaget
Modig, Niklas & Pär Åhlström. 2012. Dette er Lean : løsningen på effektivitetsparadokset. Rheologica publishing

Other:
Lereim, Jon. Foreleserkompendium. Samling av utvalgte artikler med forskjellige forfattere
Olsen, Per Ingvar. Kompendium. Samling av artikler og bokkapitler av diverse forfattere
Skaldehaug, Espen. Kompendium. Samling av artikler av diverse forfattere.


Recommended reading
Books:
Bicheno, John. 2007. Verktyg för Lean Produktion : the Lean toolbox. Quest Worldwide Consulting Ltd
Boquist, John A., Todd Milbourn, Anjan Thakor. 2010. The value sphere : the corporate executives' handbook for creating and retaining shareholder wealth. 4th ed. World Scientific Publishing
Lereim, Jon. 2013. Kvalitetsledelse i prosjekter : en erfaringsbasert tilnærming. Akademika
Owens, Trevor, Obie Fernandez. 2014. The lean enterprise : how corporations can innovate like startups. Wiley-Blackwell

Course outline
Module 1 - Objectives - challenges, strategies and values
The firm's challenges, strategies and values
The value sphere
Lean Startup
Leadership for improved competitiveness; contiuous improvements and project management
Market analysis and market dynamics
Integration of value chains and leadership of supply chains
Information regarding project development: Business cases

Between the modules:
Project work: Conducting an explorative, qualitative study to develop a first project solution proposal


Module 2 - Understanding value chains, cost analysis and cost management, The lean enterprise
Challenges to the firm - in between sales and supply of raw materials
Challenges to the firm: logistics and value chain optimization
Cost analysis and cost management
The lean enterprise
Managerial Accounting
Developing and improvement work with others
Group work: Presentation of and discussion of results form the first explorative study, and upgrading of project plan
Project analysis, data gathering and analytical models

Between the moduls:
Project work: Phase 2 by "testing" the upgraded project plan within the organization and by other relevant partners. Development of third version of project plan.

Module 3 - The broad market understanding (The module will be organized at a competitive firm abroad)
Market challenges, new technologies and new industrial organizing
Innovation and business development
Business visits with presentation of world leading competitor within the international industry.
The firm's challenges in light of international developments.

Group work: Reporting and discussing results from phase 2 of the project work
Preparations for data gathering and economic analysis of planend project.
Introduction to useful work tools and development of analytical approach

Between the moduls
Group work: Phase 3: Economic analysis of planned project.
Data gathering and use of practical work tools

Module 4 - Understanding markets, improvement work and project investment analysis
Value chain integration and optimization
Market regulations, sales and value chain coordination
Improvement work in relation to and in interaction with other actors
Innovation and product development
Procurement as an approach to innovation and improvement efforts
Project investment analysis (NPV, LCC etc.)
More about Lean Startup
Management of innovation- and improvement projects

Group work: Presentation and discussion of economic analysis of the planned projects

Between the moduls:
Group work: Phase 3 of the project emphasizing the economic analysis of the project. Development of evaluation tools for measuring and evaluating the economic effects of the project
Develop proposal for project organizing and implementation plan.

Module 5 - Project management
Business case
Goal formualtion, effect goal and result goal
Project planning
Project execution and controll including forecasts
Management changes and deivations
Risk management and quality control in projects
Project organization and roles
From idea generation to operation

Term paper: Identification and clarification of research questions, use of theory and methods
Group work: Presentation and discussion of proposals for project implementation plans
Economic analysis and use of uncertainty analysis in project presentations

Between the moduls:
Group work: Phase 4: Developing of project presentationd raft in PPT format (draft of what is to be presented to top management on the last day of the course program in module 7). "Testing" of implementation plan within the organization.
First draft of term paper. Research questions, theory, methods and brief outline.

Module 6 - Leadership for improved competitiveness
Leadership and communication
Stakeholder analysis and stakeholder analysis tools
Stakeholder analysis and expectations management
Leadership of complex processes and projects
Leadership and management tools - in practice
The use of key performance indicators i corporate management
The lean enterprise and the use of data
The value of reporting

Presentation of projects in PPT format. Feedback and discussion
Preparations for the home exam
Term paper: How to write a great term paper. Use of literature, etc.
Group work: Final term paper drafts.

Between the moduls:
Prepare for the final presentation of the project
Home exam
Hand in of term paper exam

Module 7 - Project presentations
Presentations of all projects in front of top management - in plenum. Evaluations and feedback.

Computer-based tools
Itslearning. Use of data tools for economic analysis willo also be required in addition to the use of ordinary software programs such as Windows Office.

Learning process and workload
The programme is conducted through seven course modules, a total of 150 lecturing hours continuing during two semesters. The program is thought through a process where the participants will be working with concrete development projects in the company through out the course, and where time will be used on every module for the participants to present their work and get feedback.
The lectures are based on the course literature and will provide input also to the project work. It is expected that the participants in between the modules use time to prepare for the lectures by reading the relevant parts of the course literature for the following module, and that they use time to work on the project work asignements.
The students for this course is assigned for lectures to each semester; the first semester is named BIN 3077 and the second BIN 3078.


Examination
The students are evaluated through a term paper (maximum 20 pages), counting for 60% av the main grade and an 48 hours individual home exam (maximum 10 pages), counting for 40 % of the main grade. Both evaluations must be passed to obtain a certificate for the program. The term paper may be written individually or in groups of maximum three persons.

Examination code(s)
BIN 30761 - term paper; accounts for 60% to pass the course BIN 3076, 30 credits.
BIN 30762 - 48 hours individual home exam; accounts for 40% to pass the course BIN 3076, 30 credits.

Both evaluations must be passed to obtain a certificate for the program.

Examination support materials


Re-sit examination
At the next ordinary exam.

Additional information