Critical Approaches to Management of Humanitarian Operations

HCRI70040 Critical Approaches to Management of Humanitarian Operations 15 Full year Postgraduate Taught Level 7 Bertrand Taithe Unit coordinator Darren Walter Unit coordinator Humanitarian Conflict Response Institute 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Masters/Integrated Masters P4 ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 7.5 <div><div>This module aims to explore the making of operational decisions in an uncertain environment. This may be because the situation is evolving, the data is unclear, the operational dynamics are changing, or the mission terms of engagement need to adapt. It will explore the operational dilemmas and challenges faced by those involved in leading an organisation providing a humanitarian response to a crisis.It will outline a conceptual framework for leadership and management in this environment and explore related academic concepts, ideas and debates. It will require students to develop the ability to critically review the literature, apply context, constructively engage with operational processes and consider how to adapt these to their own operational environment.The module will use an individual’s own prior experiences to reflect on alternate individual or team approaches and practices that might be used in potentially complex, quickly evolving and challenging situations.Central to this unit will be understanding the fixed and the flexible principles to be applied in a humanitarian situation and help develop a structured, logical and defendable approach to leadership and decision making within a complex and multifaceted but information poor environment.</div></div> <div><div>This module aims to explore the making of operational decisions in an uncertain environment. This may be because the situation is evolving, the data is unclear, the operational dynamics are changing, or the mission terms of engagement need to adapt. It will explore the operational dilemmas and challenges faced by those involved in leading an organisation providing a humanitarian response to a crisis.It will outline a conceptual framework for leadership and management in this environment and explore related academic concepts, ideas and debates. It will require students to develop the ability to critically review the literature, apply context, constructively engage with operational processes and consider how to adapt these to their own operational environment.The module will use an individual’s own prior experiences to reflect on alternate individual or team approaches and practices that might be used in potentially complex, quickly evolving and challenging situations.Central to this unit will be understanding the fixed and the flexible principles to be applied in a humanitarian situation and help develop a structured, logical and defendable approach to leadership and decision making within a complex and multifaceted but information poor environment.</div></div> <div><div><ul><li>To sharpen diagnostic skills to identify key operational dilemmas and problematics in the cycles of humanitarian operations</li><li>To acquire methodological tools and technique for situation analysis, operational decision, and evidence-based practice in humanitarian context</li><li>To develop action-oriented leadership and management capacity for strategy formulation in diverse humanitarian challenges and operational dilemmas.</li><li>To enhance collaborative decision-making process and negotiate skills with humanitarian peers having diverse backgrounds</li><li>To consulate, communicate, advocate and critically revisit the lesson learned within and beyond the learning network.</li></ul></div></div> <ul><li>Demonstrate a critical understanding of the strategic principles and approaches to management of humanitarian operations.</li><li>Understand some of the contemporary humanitarian issues, including inequality, displacement, accountability and advocacy and apply an operational design framework to managing these challenges.</li><li>Understand approaches to evaluating, monitoring and reporting of a humanitarian operation in an information poor environment.</li></ul> <ul><li>Critically analyse data and information available to inform decision-making in information poor and changing environments.</li><li>Describe the monitoring and evaluation process in an operation, considering the range of methodologies available.</li><li>Understand organisational challenges and policy-making in a dynamic and evolving complex environment.</li></ul> <ul><li>Ability to reflect upon personal humanitarian experience and place this in the context of a contemporary professional environment.</li><li>Ability to engage in critical discussion with peers around challenge management, appropriately using academic knowledge, personal experience and reflection.</li><li>Appreciate a series of leadership and management development models and how to apply them to support teambuilding, using knowledge, personal values, behaviours, style and inter-personal skills to help create and improve an operational team.</li></ul> <ul><li>Greater appreciation of the challenge of operational leadership and increased ability to support, facilitate and constructively critique an organisation in the field.</li><li>Increased readiness to take responsibility for and take the initiative to improve team-working in a complex environment.</li></ul> <div><div>This module will be delivered through an asynchronous distance learning methodology within the University Canvas system. It will consist of presented written and pre-recorded video material each week with associated core reading provided through the library reading list system and access to supplementary reference material. Students will engage in formative asynchronous discussion board conversation with peers and the course leadership on a weekly basis. A core trigger question for discussion is presented and ideas and concepts developed from this over the week being taught and the following week before being closed to further submission but remaining available for reference. This ensures that the whole cohort moves through the material together. There is a two-week period of synchronous on-campus learning in the middle of the module that allows the building of relationships between disparate practitioners and the real-time exploration of opinions and perspectives to some of the biggest challenges in the area under study.</div></div> 0 Other 100% Personal Reflection on Practice - FormativeContribution to Discussion Board - 10%Essay - 90% Essay - Written feedback following submission within 15 working days MSc Global Health (Distance) MSc Global Health - September PGDT Taught Component Optional N <ul><li>This module requires a flexible, interactive and responsive reading list, although background readings are recommended as below:</li><li>FARMER, P., KIM, J. Y., KLEINMAN, A., & BASILICO, M. (2013). Reimagining global health: an introduction. Berkeley, University of California Press.</li><li>MAGONE, C., NEUMAN, M., WEISSMAN, F. (2011) Humanitarian Negotiations Revealed: the MSF experience <a href="https://www.msf-crash.org/index.php/en/publications/humanitarian-negotiations-revealed-msf-experience">https://www.msf-crash.org/index.php/en/publications/humanitarian-negotiations-revealed-msf-experience</a></li><li>TOWNES, D. (Ed.). (2018). Health in Humanitarian Emergencies: Principles and Practice for Public Health and Healthcare Practitioners. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.</li><li>FASSIN D, PANDOLFI M (2010), Contemporary States of Emergency: The Politics of Military and Humanitarian Interventions Zone Books – MIT press.</li><li>REDFIELD, P (2013). Life in Crisis: The Ethical Journey of Doctors Without Borders Berkeley, University of California Press.</li></ul> 0 0 14 hours of on-line course content8 hours of active discussion board engagement28 hours of face-2-face learning<span style="font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif",sans-serif;font-size:11.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-language:EN-US;">100 hours of self study