SMBA6124: MBA Session 2, 2023

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Units SMBA6124 MBA Session 2 2023 [Normal evening]

Unit outline_

SMBA6124: The Physiology of Leadership

MBA Session 2, 2023 [Normal evening] - Castlereagh St, Sydney

Overview

Effective leadership skills are among the most important skills for graduates aiming to pursue management careers not only in the private but also public sector. This unit will introduce students to the latest research on the physiological foundations of effective people management. By integrating research findings from the fields of neuroscience, genetics, chronobiology, and endocrinology, this unit will provide a novel perspective on effective and sustainable leadership practices. Students will learn how neurological processes, genes, hormones, chronotypes, and circadian rhythms affect how leaders, and their followers think, feel, and behave at work. The aim of this unit is to equip students with a sound understanding of how the human body and mind interact to determine the performance and well-being of leaders and their capacity to effectively lead in today's complex and turbulent business environments.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Management Education
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Stefan Volk, stefan.volk@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Research Consulting Project Students prepare a written research consulting report.	50%	Formal exam period Due date: 17 Nov 2023 at 17:00 Closing date: 24 Nov 2023	2,500 – 3.500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Team Presentation News Flash Presentation	30%	STUVAC Due date: 07 Nov 2023 at 16:00 Closing date: 14 Nov 2023	20 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Class work In-class participation, team work, and self-assessment instruments	20%	Week 06	ongoing
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

To be added by the coordinator

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Distinction	75 - 84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Credit	65 - 74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Pass	50 - 64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
STUVAC	Reflections and Unit Review	Lecture and tutorial (3.5 hr)
Week 06	Introduction and Evolutionary Perspectives on Leadership	Lecture and tutorial (3.5 hr)
Week 07	Sleep and Leadership	Lecture and tutorial (3.5 hr)
Week 08	Chronobiology of Leadership	Lecture and tutorial (3.5 hr)
Week 09	Human Sustainability and Energy	Lecture and tutorial (3.5 hr)
Week 10	Decision Neuroscience	Lecture and tutorial (3.5 hr)
Week 11	Cultural Neuroscience	Lecture and tutorial (3.5 hr)
Week 12	The Leader’s Brain	Lecture and tutorial (3.5 hr)
Week 13	Neurodiversity	Lecture and tutorial (3.5 hr)
Week 14 (STUVAC)	Team Presentations	Lecture and tutorial (3.5 hr)

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Understand the relationship between physiological, emotional, and cognitive processes and leadership outcomes
LO2. Apply insights from the lecture for a more sustainable and resource-effective organization of daily work as a leader
LO3. Understand how to effectively use leadership techniques to foster and leverage followers’ energy and physiological resourcefulness
LO4. Identify and understand relationships between negative work- and life-style choices and negative work-related outcomes
LO5. Develop skills to become a thought-leader of health and well-being in the workplace
LO6. Develop resilience and work more effectively in high-strain environments

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit of study is running for the first time in 2023

Additional information

Business School Policies

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

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