Management Methodology: Crafting Creative Case Studies to Capture Concepts and Contexts for Course Clarity

Background

This chapter outlines two ‘Management’ case studies written and delivered by one author for (a) the University of South Australia’s (UniSA) Open Universities Australia’s (OUA) online business unit; and (b) the South Australian Institute of Business and Technology’s (SAIBT) Associate Degree in Management program.

First, Open Universities Australia (OUA) was originally established in 1993 as Open Learning Australia to provide distance education using printed courseware and non-commercial television. OUA and its university providers continue to enjoy the benefits that come from this pioneering open learning legacy. For over 20 years, OUA has enabled students to undertake online HE or Professional Development (PD). When students complete a degree through OUA, their qualification will be identical to that awarded to an on-campus student. The external online unit, originating from the University of South Australia, is delivered in distance mode. Titled Communication and Organisational Practices, this module is focused on a broad range of communication topics, relevant to managers and others operating in organisations that are internationalised and characterised by a high level of diversity amongst employees. Both learning and assessment are designed to develop links between cutting-edge research and its practical application(s) in the workforce.

Second, as a member of the Navitas Group that has in excess of 120 colleges across 27 countries (Navitas, 2014), SAIBT is the preferred pathway provider to the University of South Australia that specialises in preparing predominantly international Non-English Speaking Background (NESB) students for HE in mainstream Australia (Velliaris & Breen, 2014; Velliaris & Willis, 2014; Velliaris, Willis, & Breen, 2015; Velliaris, Willis, & Pierce, 2015). Instructors face several ‘interconnecting’ challenges that include, but are not limited to: acculturating international students to Australian HE; confronting English language-related teaching and learning barriers; and improving students’ academic integrity and overall academic performance. SAIBT offers an Associate Degree in Management; a program designed for students with a low-GPA in their Diploma of Business, but who aspire to work in a professional business environment. It comprises eight core courses that include: (1) Communication in Organisations; (2) Customer Service Strategies; (3) Financial Management; (4) Foundations of Project Management; (5) Internship and Career Development; (6) Management of Human Resources; (7) Management of Organisations; and (8) Managing Information in Organisations. Moreover, this award gives students the opportunity to undertake an 80-hour internship in an Australian work environment.