This module facilitates a deep appreciation of quality from its metaphysical level to its day to day practise.

It draws from the conventional sources of standards, gurus and models as well as the broader emerging field of appreciative systems.

1. Explain the fundamental principles underpinning quality.
2. Lead an organisation’s quality initiatives based on well informed current best practice.
3. Evalute and Justify the various models and approaches for suitability in any given situation.
4. Demonstrate a deep understanding of complex human activity systems.
5. Apply business excellence models to facilitate self assessment, continual improvement and systems alignment/integration.
6. Act as an inspiration and support to others on matters of quality.

The learner will study different research methods, learn how to analyse research reports and data, analyse qualitative and quantitative research data, disseminate research in terms of reports and journal publications, and communicate effectively their research outcomes.

As this is an online course, the majority of students are working in industry and conducting their Research projects in the workplace. Student presentations will be used to share best practices in the class. Best practices will be generic rather than any company specific information.

1. Select and critically apply an appropriate research strategy.
2. Undertake a literature search and generate a literature review on a research topic.
3. Select and apply an appropriate research methodology. (e.g. Surveys / Questionaires)
4. Identify, construct, and test a research hypothesis and null hypothesis.
5. Analyse qualitative and quantitative research data.
6. Communicate effectively their research outcomes.

The student will be learn how to design, conduct and analyse standard and complex experiments, and interpret the data from these experiments.

1. Conduct two and three level fractional factorial experiments and analyse the resulting data.
2. Plan, conduct and analyse experiments using Response Surface Methodology (RSM).
3. Design and analyse mixed level experiments.
4. Analyse multiple response experiments and interpret the results.
5. Analyse and interpret data from experiments involving random effects models.
6. Formulate the expected means square rules to develop appropriate statistical models.
7. Use Minitab to design an experiment, analyse, interpret and evaluate the resulting data.

Provides a comprehensive and practical treatment of all the important aspects of a simulation study, including modelling, simulation software, model verification and validation, input modelling, random number generators, generating random variates, statistical design and the analysis of a simulation study.

1. Describe the fundamentals of simulation and the techniques for developing simulation models.
2. Use simulation as a decision support tool.
3. Translate a business problem into a simulation model.
4. Formulate an appropriate and correct discrete event simulation model of a system at an appropriate level of detail.
5. Use an Excel spreadsheet with add-ins, e.g. @Risk, to build simulation models.
6. Use SIMUL8 to model and solve a simulation problem.
7. Identify the best probability distribution to describe the outcomes of a random variable.
8. Generate random variates for discrete and continuous distributions.
9. Analyse and interpret the results of a simulation model for making a business decision.

In this module the student will acquire a comprehensive knowledge of strategy making, strategy transformation and implementation, learn how to recognise corporate structures and how to influence decision making in the hierarchy.

1. think strategically about a company, its present business position, its long-term direction, its resources and competitive capabilities, the calibre of its strategy, and its opportunities for gaining sustainable competitive advantage.
2. craft business strategy, reason carefully about strategic options, use what-if analysis to evaluate action alternatives, and make sound strategic decisions.
3. Demonstrate why the different parts of a business need to be managed in strategic harmony for the organization to operate in winning fashion.
4. have strongerpowers of managerial judgment,be ableto assess business risk, and improved ability to make sound business decisions and achieve effective outcomes.
5. appreciate how ethical principles, core values, and socially responsible management practices matter greatly in the conduct of a companys business.

This subject aims to provide the students with the skills and knowledge required to to develop the value stream as a source of competitive advantage.

1. Recognise the value stream as a source of competitive advantage.
2. Utilise value stream mapping tools.
3. Demonstrate strategic thinking in the context of value stream optimisation.
4. Formulate the total value within the supply chain.
5. Plan a performance measurement system for the value chain.
6. Align the value stream in the context of sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility

In this module the student will acquire a comprehensive knowledge of project planning and implementation and the issues and pitfalls which commonly occur on projects across a range of organisation structures and industries.

1. Demonstrate an understanding of Project Management in distributed and international environments.
2. Assess the linkage between projects and strategy implementation as well as transformational change.
3. Distinguish between the technical and behavioural aspects of Project Management.
4. Master practical skills of project implementation and understand why an approach will/will notwork in a particular situational environment through real world case studies.
5. Learn tools and techniques spanning the steps from defining the projects through to controllingthe project using earned value and Theory of Constraints and Agile Project Management.

The learner will summarise, present, explain and critically discuss current issues, knowledge and theory relating to an area of quality using suitable referencing skills. The learner will demonstrate the ability to plan, execute and monitor an individual research investigation with appropriate attention to the theoretical and practical aspects of the topic. They will analyse, critically evaluate, present and discuss research outcomes in a logical and systematic manner, setting them in the context of previous research. They will produce a written report of their research and its conclusions that is appropriate to a Master's degree level.

1. Survey, summarise, present, explain and critically discuss current issues, knowledge and theory relating to an area of Quality Management & Quality Technology using suitable referencing skills.
2. Demonstrate the ability to plan, execute and monitor an individual research investigation with appropriate attention to the theoretical and practical aspects of the topic.
3. Analyse, critically evaluate, present and discuss research outcomes in a logical and systematic manner, setting them in the context of previous research.
4. Communicate the importance of these research outcomes in the context of current knowledge and understanding of the topic
5. Present a critical comparison of the strengths and failings of the research undertaken with respect to the strengths and failings of previous research.
6. Produce a written report of their research and its conclusions that is appropriate to a Masters degree level.

The student will learn about the concepts involved in the management and facilitation of oranisational change from a quality/project management perspective and acquire the knowledge to be capable of leading/facilitating a change programme for quality and productivity improvement in an organisation

1. Critique the concepts associated with transformational change.
2. Discriminate between the various stages of organisational transformation.
3. Evaluatea change programme for quality and productivity improvement in an organisation.

4. Defend the role of facilitator/agent of change in the overall context of orgnaisational improvement.
5. Critically apply insights from a range of alternative approaches to change management.