Leadership and Management in a Global World

Full course description

The course is about leadership, strategy and change in a global context. It confronts students with strategic issues of today with the aim to improve leadership skills to deal with these issues in a more effective and creative way.

Organizations and companies are confronted with strategic issues such as increasing speed of innovation, cultural diversity, need for differentiation, increasing competition, rising energy costs and stricter regulations on CO2 emissions, etc. These issues are not isolated. They are connected to a world of rapidly changing technological, political, economic, and environmental developments. Understanding the business logic at hand is important, but it is not enough.

If we want to create a better world for ourselves and our children, we should think more in terms of leadership and change.

We will introduce examples of leadership that changed the rules of the game, such as Ellen MacArthur’s ambition to change the world towards a circular economy, by building a framework for an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design. And Jamie Oliver, the British Chef who tried to change the food culture in the USA through his TV-show the Food Revolution.

We think that this type of leadership is not about charisma or personal characteristics, but about personal dedication to a goal or vision far beyond personal interests. This type of leadership is embedded ‘in context’. This implies that leadership is not a personal characteristic but a part of a relationship among people in a community, where qualities like trust, playfulness, and creativity are involved.

The case studies form an input to reflect on personal leadership issues. Students are invited to share and discuss their personals sources of inspirations. 

This course consists of 32 class hours divided over 3 weeks. Students earn 6 ECTS credits when they obtain a passing grade. This course includes a field trip.

General disclaimer: on-campus education and activities, as well as trips and visits related to the course are conditional. E.g. (Dutch) travel advice should be positive regarding the region that will be visited and institutions should be able to accept visitors. In case a proposed activity, trip or visit cannot continue due to circumstances, (online) alternatives may be organized.