MBA (Development Management): Prospective course content

Code number: XM24P

Level: Postgraduate: 15 CATS points at Level M

Title: Development Management

Staff:

• Margaret Grieco, Professor of Organisation and Development Management

• Michael Hitchcock, Professor of Leisure and Tourism.

Prerequisites:

The standard entry requirements to Postgraduate Awards Scheme must be met. Students must be familiar with the Internet and have word processing skills (or be ready to acquire these on a short course at the Learning Centre).

Context:

This module is offered as a free option on the Postgraduate Awards Scheme and will make extensive use of new technology. It is intended to serve the needs of those having overseas experience of development activities, or those having experience of regeneration activities within the UK or those with a business background who would like to investigate the new opportunities provided by new technologies for community business development. It is likely to appeal to students on postgraduate business courses, students on social science courses and students interested in aligning social/ business policy with new technology.

Aims:

• To build on the previous academic and professional experience of the student and relate this to the creation an appropriate development management environment.

• To study and evaluate the development management process and identify existing deficiencies..

• To draw attention to the opportunity created by new technologies for the development of community business

• To develop a sensitivity to gender, ethnic and age issues in the development context and thus to develop improved operational competences amongst development professionals.

• To develop a development management environment where client participation is encouraged and embraced

• To create a field of professional competence in interactive search and planning methodologies

Content:

Rural industries:

This topic will be taught both through conventional lectures and seminars and through web based activities. Its subcomponents are:

• New global opportunities for craft production (Kente, Batik);
• agroprocessing as a rural development strategy;
• missing rural financial institutions;
• intergenerational employment policies/ ageing and rural development;
• gender and rural development;
• new technologies and rural development.

Community organisation, community development and community business :

This topic will be taught both through conventional lectures and seminars and through web based activities. Its subcomponents are:

• Development and participation - new approaches;
• community labour based projects;
• gender and community representation;
• community maintenance projects;
• evaluation of existing community development approaches;
• opportunities for community business through the internet.

Transport for development - focusing on the gaps in existing professional provision:

This topic will be taught both through conventional lectures and seminars and through web based activities. Its subcomponents are:

• Non motorised transport, an appropriate but neglected option;
• cultural and gender issues in transport;
• planning for petty trading/ different retail distribution structures;
• user group led planning in transport;
• developing community transport.

Gender, age and ethnicity - a new agenda in development management.

This topic will be taught both through conventional lectures and seminars and through web based activities. Its subcomponents are:

• The construction of appropriate gender methodologies and gender project planning tools;
• the new suite of gender policy tool kits;
• ageing and development -the resource implications;
• ethnicity and stability- social capital issues in economic development.

Development management and the existing institutional structure: an evaluation

This topic will be taught both through conventional lectures and seminars and through web based activities. Its subcomponents are:

• The history of colonisation, decolonisation and its legacy;
• past patterns of communication dominance;
• organisational change in the donor institutions;
• the increasing role of ngos;
• the path to direct client empowerment.

Teaching and learning methods:

The module will be supported by an open access web site - the site is already under construction (http://geocities.datacellar.net/margaret_grieco)- and will be delivered through both traditional and interactive teaching methods. Lectures, presentations, seminars and internet exercises will all play a part in the delivery of the module.

Learning outcomes:

On completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Evaluate the appropriateness of development interventions and institutions

• Identify the significance of gender, age and ethnicity to the development process

• Identify the role and contribution of client participation in the development process

• Prepare a consultant's document on a range of development issues which incorporates local perspectives on development

• Undertake operational work in a range of development locations

• Make use of the new technologies in achieving a quality product and process

There will be three assessment points.

• In week 2, students will locate a development project on the internet from a guided list of topics (available through the course home page on the internet) and will make a short presentation on the topic in a form which can be incorporated (with learning centre or tutor assistance) onto the course home page - 20%

• By week 6, students will convert their knowledge on their chosen development project into a mock consultant's report (an interactive template will be available on the course home page so that students can sample consultant report styles)-40%

• In week 10, students will undertake a group work consultation exercise in a specificed area of development management (gender representation, community issues, disability needs or another area of their choosing) and report upon their findings, operational difficulties and suggestions for improving consultation practices within their specified field of choice - 40%.

The course will be supported with

• a video library,

• an interactive open access learning web site and

• a topical set of written materials.

Essential reading:

Apt, N., Agyemang-Mensah, N. and Grieco, M.(Eds) Maintaining the momentum of Beijing: the contribution of African gender ngos. UNL Voices in Development Management series, Ashgate, 1998

Hoogvelt, A. Globalisation and the post colonial world: the new political economy of development. Macmillan, 1997

Hitchcock, M. (Ed.) Building on batik: the globalisation of a craft community. UNL Voices in Development Management series, Ashgate, 1999

Shrivastava, P. Bhopal: anatomy of a crisis Ballinger series in Business in a Global Environment, Ballinger, Cambridge: Mass.1987

World Bank. World Development Report (Students can choose any report in this series from 1990 onwards). Washington D.C.

Secondary reading:

Grieco, M. Apt, N. and Turner, J. At christmas and on rainy days: transport, travel and the female traders of Accra. Avebury: Aldershot, 1996

Sasakawa 2000 Women, agricultural intensification and household food security, Sasakawa, Mexico, 1997

Barratt Brown, M. Africa's choices. London: Penguin 1995

Toye, J. Dilemmas in development. Oxford: Blackwell 1987

Walton, J. And Seddon, D. Free markets and food riots: the politics of global adjustment. Oxford: Blackwell, 1994

Yunus, M. and Jolis,A. Banker to the poor: the autobiography of Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank Aurum: 1998 ISBN 1 85410 577 9

Virtual reading room:

Rural industries:

1. The following links give immediate access to key topical materials in the area of microfinance and rural development.

• Kente connections (http://www.unl.ac.uk/developmentmgt/kentecon/kente.htm)

• FINCA International village banking (http://www.villagebanking.org)

• The Grameen Bank a major success story (http://www.grameen.com)

• CGAP Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest (http://www.worldbank.org/html/cgap/cgap.html)

• Centre for Microfinance Nepal (http://www.south-asia.com/cmf)

• UNESCO microfinance related activities (http://firewall.unesco.org/drg/mfu/index.htm)

2. Related Week 2 assignment option : Using material from any two items in this set of links:

• identify social groups which have traditionally been excluded from credit and savings opportunities

• describe group borrowing arrangements in one micro credit scheme

• identify any negative aspects of group borrowing arrangements

• identify a context within your own culture which could usefully adopt micro finance practises or identify the reasons why microfinance would not be appropriate for your culture

• identify the ways in which microfinance can be harnessed in rural industry

• discuss the benefits of microfinance schemes in income generation activities for rural women.

3. Related Week 6 assignment option With the materials developed from investigating the two web sites and making use of Yunus, M. and Jolis,A. Banker to the poor: the autobiography of Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank Aurum: 1998 ISBN 1 85410 577 9

• prepare a briefing note for an imaginary donor agency and imaginary government on the merits of adopting a microfinance scheme for rural women involved in rural craft production in an imaginary location of your choice.

• In writing this briefing note, you should identify the gender and rural industry characteristics of this imaginary country and identify the quality of access that women presently have to microfinance.

• To assist you in this task, you will have available a sample briefing note on a similar but different topic.

Community organisation, community development and community business:

1. The following links give immediate access to key topical materials in the area of electronic commerce for developing countries - an issue which will be of growing relevance for income generating projects and community business in developing countries:

• Electronic commerce for developing countries(http://www.itu.int/ECDC/)

• Intelligent development and fair trading(http://geocities.datacellar.net/margaret_grieco/intellig/fairtrad.html)

2. Week 2 assignment option : Using materials from these links:

• describe present electronic trading arrangements around craft goods from developing countries

• identify the ways in which electronic trading can be of assistance in fair trading practice.

• identify the difficulties which community businesses in developing countries may experience in respect of electronic trading

• make a list of organisations presently involved in the electronic trading of developing country craft goods and identify the basis on which they undertake these activities (mission statements, market interests, etc.)

3. Week 6 assignment option : Using the materials developed in week 2 assignment and making use of Hitchcock, M. (Ed.) Building on batik: the globalisation of a craft community. UNL Voices in Development Management series, Ashgate, 1998

• prepare a briefing note for an imaginary non governmental agency and imaginary local government agency on the opportunities for electronic trading of craft goods in any imaginary location of your choice

• the briefing note should identify the sustainability of the present craft base, detail the international market opportunities for the goods currently produced and identify the ways in which goods ordered over the electronic system will be transported to their distant markets

• the briefing note should explicitly identify the fair trading dimensions of the electronic trading plan presented

• A checklist of key issues involved in developing community business on an electronic trading base will be prepared and available to students undertaking this assignment.

Transport for development - focusing on the gaps in existing professional provision:

1. The following links give immediate access to key topical materials in the area of transport planning and provision for developing countries.

• Women on the move - the UNL gender and transport web site(http://geocities.datacellar.net/margaret_grieco/womenont/women.html)

• Users not losers: gender representation in transport design and operation (http://www.art.man.ac.uk/transres/98wctr.htm)

• World Bank(http://www.worldbank.org) -

2. Week 2 Assignment option : Using these links and any other connected links you discover to be relevant:

• identify differences between the transport organisation of developing and developed countries discuss the importance of non motorised transport in developing countries

• identify environmental and gender concerns which are relevant for transport development in the third world

• discuss how social exclusion from key services such as health and education are related to transport

Grieco, M. Apt, N. and Turner, J. At christmas and on rainy days: transport, travel and the female traders of Accra. Avebury: Aldershot, 1996

or an alternative publication

• prepare a briefing note for an imaginary local transport authority on the transport needs of an imaginary socially excluded group

• the briefing note should discuss the health, social and employment needs of the target group

• the briefing note should discuss the budgetary constraints which exist in terms of meeting these needs

• the briefing note should put forward a proposal for meeting these needs and discuss the environmental implications of this proposal

• A sample briefing note on needs assessment in a different sector will be available as a guidance tool.

Gender, age and ethnicity - a new agenda in development management.

1. The following links give immediate access to key topical materials on diversity and equity issues in development management and planning.

• Female farmers - the UNL gender and agriculture in Africa web site (http://geocities.datacellar.net/margaret_grieco/femalefa/femfarm.html)

• Gender, agriculture and rural development (http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/SUSTDEV/WPdirect/

  WPan0002.htm)

• Senior sense - the UNL web site on ageing(http://geocities.datacellar.net/margaret_grieco/seniorse/senior.html)

• The rural elderly and the ageing of rural populations

  (http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/FAOINFO/SUSTDEV/WPdirect/

  WPan0016.htm)

• The Uganda Asians in Sweden 25 Years after the Expulsion/Charles Westin, Centre for Research in International Migration and Ethnic Relations, Stockkholm University

2. Week 2 assignment option: Using materials from these links:

• identify the various bases of diversity which exist within communities

• identify ways in which policies that benefit one part of a community may adversely affect another

• identify mechanisms which can be used in targeting the needs of excluded groups

• discuss the consequences of failing to consult with all components of a community for the success of development projects

• prepare a briefing report for an imaginary policy agency on the diversity and equity issues present in an imaginary social community and the implications of these dimensions for the success or failure of an imaginary development project

• the briefing report should detail the characteristics of the community and outline the scope and substance of the project

• in preparing this briefing report attention should be given to the implications of resourcing one group in the community without ensuring an equitable resourcing of other groups

• the briefing report should identify mechanisms and protocols which can used to ensure that equity is addresseed within the development project

• the briefing report should give specific attention to the ethical dimension of encouraging or discouraging diversity

• A checklist of key issues in the equity, diversity and representation development will be provided as a guidance tool for this assignment.

1. The following links give immediate access to key topical materials on participation and institutional issues in development management and planning.

• Global knowledge - Development forum (http://www.globalknowledge.org)

• African Information Society Initiative (http://www.bellanet.org/partners/aisi/)

• World Development Report 1998/99 Knowledge for Development

2. Week 2 assignment option: Using these links draw up a list of key issues on the development change agenda for Africa.

• from the archives on the Global Knowledge site select two contributions by participants from the developing world and describe the issues that they have identified as critical to development identify areas of disagreement between participants from developing countries and participants from developed countries and set some of these disagreements out in a table form

• now prepare an evaluation of what you have observed from the perspective of a i) donor agency ii) non governmental organisation iii) a peasant in the community under discussion iv) a local development worker

• write a report advising the Global Knowledge Development Forum on ways in which participatory evaluation protocols and procedures could be improved

• in writing this report draw attention to the implications of new information communication technology developments for the enhanced participation of clients in developing countries in development operations which affect them