The overall objective of this module is to build and develop students' competency in leadership and teamwork skills. The course employs both a theoretical and an experiential learning approach with the aim of fulfilling the objectives as outlined below.
Students will gain knowledge and skills about leadership development and team-building skills based on theories, principles, concepts, application, exercises/class activities, self-assessments/instruments, and experiential learning.
Central to the course is a group project that takes the form of an action-based and experiential assignment, where student groups work with an industry partner with the aim of achieving innovative solutions for the company or organization. Based on this experiential learning, students will gain the practical aspects of the process of teamwork and team leadership.
The ultimate aims and objectives revolve around learning from the process of the group project lessons on both leadership and teamwork.
The outcomes of the group project for students are outlined as follows:
(i) Students will learn lessons on both leadership and teamwork based on lessons learnt inside and outside of classroom.
(ii) As students work on a real-life project with an industry partner students will gain fresh insights gathered from the experiential process afforded them.
(iii) Students also learn about leadership from either the various stakeholders they are working with or from other primary or secondary sources.
(iv) Students will also learn lessons on teamwork based on their interactions working on their group project as well as all other class activities related to the module.
(v) Students will also fulfil other learning objectives that include cognitive and academic development as outlined below in the section, 'Learning Objectives'.
The overall objective of this module is to equip students with core knowledge of appreciating what it takes to plan, design, build and sustain (mega) cities that are innovative and sustainable and to know the challenges of successfully 'selling' new smart city concepts amidst increasing competition in this field.
By the end of this course, students will be able to appreciate the following 4 areas:
a. Taxonomy of Innovative & Sustainable Cities
- Describe the core characteristics of a Smart City and respective concepts
- Explain the unique characteristics of each component and how it adds value to innovative and sustainable (smart) cities
b. Design of Innovative & Sustainable Cities
- Understand the planning and design principles of Innovative & Sustainable Cities Explain the workings of each component of Innovative & Sustainable Cities
c. In-depth study of selected (Mega) Cities
- Be familiar with the challenges of selected mega cities around the globe and understand how the smart city concept can add value in terms of livability
d. Commercialisation of the Smart City Concept
- Appreciate the challenges in successfully commercializing smart city concepts and applications
- Know some of the key players in the Singapore context which are involved in this service sector and establish network contacts
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Analyze the power and impact of global and local challenges related to the nexus of 'digital disruption, demographic change and age diversity' on business and society in general;
- Explain the importance of collaborative transformative leadership in developing and implementing practical solutions which address some of these complex issues head on in an integrated, interdisciplinary and novel manner;
- Appreciate what it takes in terms of design thinking, business model development and innovation strategies to propose practical solutions that create real value for relevant stakeholders of participating client organizations;
- Articulate how selected leadership concepts such as transformational, collaborative leadership approaches can propel innovative problem solutions;
- Reflect effectively about their own leadership outlook and the way forward in terms of good self-leadership on the basis of an enhanced self-awareness enabled through the deployment of a relevant assessment instrument (with a focus on personal leadership development through feedback and coaching) as well as the (playful and project-based) acquisition of 21th century skills such as collaborative intelligence through impactful and innovative SMU-X projects.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
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Explain basic concepts underlying personal financial literacy and its changing nature in modern financial
systems.
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Evaluate the complex challenges posed by new fintech products and new sustainability objectives.
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Apply classroom learning to solve real-world problems in financial literacy/inclusion by framing
challenges and envisioning solutions from a FinTech-based perspective.
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Design and test a FinTech-based financial product or strategy.
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Demonstrate principles of leadership, effective communication, management and teach building in the
context of a financial literacy/inclusion project with a FinTech focus.
By the end of this SMU-X course which places an emphasis on experiential project-based learning, students will be able to:
- Describe the institutional set-up and the organization existing ways to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation practices
- Analyze gaps and suggest management practices, systems or processes that could augment entrepreneurship and innovation within the existing organization
- Make sound decisions while managing complex situations by evaluating management challenges to entrepreneurship and innovation; and think creatively to design possible solutions
- Adapt to new or unfamiliar environments, exercise leadership, whilst working collaboratively and productively as a team.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Describe the foundations of sustainability, including the Sustainable Development Goals
- Explain the drivers of, and barriers to, sustainability for corporations, both in Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B) industries
- Describe sustainability attributes of different Asian markets, and make targeted market-entry recommendations for a specific product
- Explain a real-world supply chain and specific sustainability opportunities within
- Conduct thorough research on customers to understand their needs and pain points
- Segment customers according to needs, pain-points, and sustainability journeys
- Develop a value proposition, based on a platform of sustainability, for a selected customer segment
- Develop a marketing tool kit to help customers increase their onward sales
Students will be trained in Six Sigma to the level of Greenbelt and will acahieve certification of their Green Belt status by SMU. After taking this course, students will be able to:
- Explain the different elements of Six Sigma Deployment, including the change and leadership components necessary
- Explain the basics of LEAN improvement methods including simple value-stream mapping and identification of process waste
- Define, lead and manage small to medium-size process improvement projects using the DMAIC (Design, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) and DFSS (Design for Six Sigma) methods
- Identify and apply appropriate six-sigma and project management tools to effectively improve processes
- Operate within teams and within organizations to drive effective process improvements
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Apply design methodologies to designs "things".
- Develop an understanding of how businesses can be "designed" using the same design methodologies in order to implement the designed "things".
- Develop an appreciation of how to create designs for broader and varying contexts, that is, to be sensitive to human, societal needs and the physical environment.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Develop mock prototypes of their products or services
- Understand who are "lead users" or "early-evangelist" consumers
- Develop networking strategy to reach "lead users" or "early-evangelist" consumers
- Develop simultaneous trials to get feedback from "lead users" or "early-evangelist" consumers
- Understand the drivers of roles and incentives for a new business team
- Know when to pivot a new business idea
- Understand how to outline a business and revenue model for an early stage idea
- Present their market-validated new business idea to external audience on social funding platforms like Kickstarter as well as present their business idea to investors and industry experts
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Assess a business problem and/or opportunity from the current business environment, including new and untapped markets
- Design interdisciplinary solutions to address the business challenge or future opportunities by considering strategy, marketing, operations, organization, finance, and communication
- Reason critically through the solution process with appropriate modes of analysis
- Describe the solution's implementation plans and processes with regard to the firm's existing strategy, market, and organization
- Apply a variety of approaches to engage with busy business executives to obtain guidance and information, as well as, secure their buy-in to your ideas
