Crisis Management and Leadership

Abstract

In this seminar you will learn how to quickly develop useful solutions in complex situations under time pressure and with incomplete information using a heuristic process as a person in charge (e.g. team leader).

Objective

After taking this course, students will be able to: • develop timely solutions autonomously in situations with limited information and time constraints (personal competences, application); • use heuristic procedures to reduce complex problems and make them solvable in an ad hoc context (methodological competences, application); • develop and present concepts in groups and reflect on the interpersonal challenges in such contexts (social skills, application and understanding); • draw on expertise from other courses in order to recognise the connections between business planning and scientific research (discursive skills, understanding); • gain initial personal experience in the management and leadership of crises (experiential knowledge).

Content

The aim of the seminar is to develop a real crisis case during a two-day block at a major international manufacturing company in the Lucerne area and to present the results to selected managers of the company. In the first part of the semester, you will learn the elements of a generic heuristic problem-solving procedure step by step in 4 double lessons. You will be taught the theoretical basis and then given a small business case, which you will solve in small groups using the newly learnt process steps until the following course. In the following week, you will reflect on the solutions together and receive feedback from the lecturer (without marks to encourage free learning). At the end of the preparation period, you will receive selected documents from a Swiss industrial company, which you will analyse to be ready for the visit to this company in the second part of the course. In the second part, we visit an industrial company in Central Switzerland. Company representatives will present us with specific current challenges to which we will develop practical answers in small teams over the course of two days. This process is accompanied by team external coaches with relevant experience in leadership and management. Selected performances (oral and written) of these block days are graded, but the actual group work is ungraded to favour creative and innovative approaches. At the end of the two days, we present the proposed solutions to some of the company's executives. During the working days, you will also have time to get to know managers from the renowned family business in a relaxed atmosphere and expand your network accordingly (lunch, drinks reception, Q&A sessions). To ensure learning success, the project outlined in the teamwork is further developed in writing in the remaining part of the semester and submitted as a term paper. This work is assessed and accounts for a total of 50% of the grade. At the end of the semester, achievements are recognised, and feedback is exchanged between lecturers and students.

Resources