Dimensions of Global Change

Unit Code:HBF543

Credit Points	Duration	Contact Hours	Campus	Prerequisite	Corequisite
12.5 Credit Points	1 Semester	36 hours of contact in weekly or block mode	Hawthorn	Nil	Nil

Related Course/s:

A unit of study in the Master of Management (Strategic Foresight) suite.

Aims & Objectives:

After taking this unit of study students will:

be able to identify and describe the impacts and cross-impacts of several key drivers of global change;
be familiar with several ways of understanding and responding to the continuities and discontinuities of change;
be aware of how change processes can be viewed from a range of political, social, economic, scientific, technological, consumer, and environmental perspectives; and
be ready to apply change models to help individuals and organisations explore their strategic options.

Teaching Methods:

Classroom there will be a combination of lectures, practical activities and individual student presentations on topics in line with the global scope of the unit.

Assessment:

Letter to the Editor:10%
In-class presentation: 10-20%
Learning Journal: 10-20%
Research Paper: 40-60%
Class Contribution:10%

Generic Skills Outcomes:

Learners bring to Swinburne University of Technology a range of experiences and graduate with individual understandings, abilities and attitudes. Within this context it is the intent of Swinburne that all its graduates:

are capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas
operate effectively in work and community situations
are adaptable and manage change
are entrepreneurial in contributing to innovation and development within their business, workplace or community
are aware of the dynamic nature of environments.

Content:

The purpose of this unit of study is to provide an opportunity to apply the concepts, methodologies and practices of the other three units of study in the Grad Cert in order to construct a coherent forward view of any topic of interest which is global in scope (e.g. world governance) or global in potential impact (e.g. nanotechnology).

Students will choose a topic of interest to them, research it, and write up their research for a senior decision-maker. They will also collaborate with some other students to develop a shared model of their combined topics and present that understanding to the class.

Topics covered:

Social Change theories
Macro historical models of change
Dominant futures
Global change issues

References:

Huntington, SP. (1996) The clash of civilizations and the remaking of world order. New York, Simon and Schuster.
Inayatullah, S. (1999) Situating Sarkar: tantra, macrohistory and alternative futures. Maleny, QLD, Australia, Gurukul Press.
Sardar, Z. (1999) Rescuing all our futures: the future of futures studies. Westport, CT, Praeger Studies on the 21st Century.
Slaughter, RA., Inayatullah, S & Ramos, JM. (2005) The knowledge base of futures studies. Brisbane, Australia, Foresight International.