Service Leadership in International Business - Master's Programme

Target student:

The program will attract students with high ambitions and those that are willing to put in high effort to develop their potential as future managers within service providers. The program is offered as a full-time program.

Content:

The program is divided into four semesters:

First semester gives a general learning platform where we focus on analytical skills and methods, perspectives of international service business and leadership.

In second semester we focus on human relations aspect, the role of service marketing and management of revenue and cost.The courses represent a progression from the more general courses from first semester.

In the third semester you are offered a deeper understanding of international marketing in which cultural challenges are included. In order to stimulate service innovation and entrepreneurship and connect to tools and concepts we offer “Applied Service Innovation Project” in which students develop and design a new service offering. Leadership challenges is a third course in which students are challenged in deepening understanding of modern leadership challenges A course in qualitative and quantitative methodologies is also included which is relevant for your master thesis in fourth semester. This semester is also open for attending a foreign university as part of our program.

Fourth semester is designated to working with a master thesis where you choose a specific research field and perform a supervised research project, and thereby achieve special knowledge within a limited field of knowledge.

Compulsory courses:

• Research methods
• Strategic leadership
• Fundamentals of service
• Services marketing
• International HR perspectives
• Cost, price and revenue management

Elective courses

Third semester gives openings for the students to deepen down in topics of their interest by choosing among elective courses delivered by NHS. These are presently:

• Applied Service Innovation project
• Leadership Challenges
• International marketing
• Qualitative and quantitative methodology

Objectives, content and organization of the programme of study

The purpose of this master program is to enable you to develop and manage profitable service-related businesses and at the same time acknowledge the social and environmental responsibility in the society of which the firm is embedded.

Service orientation is the core element of all types of organizations ranging from pure service firms such as a hotel or consultancy firm, to manufacturing firms with an increasing focus on service elements.

Leadership is an umbrella for several sub areas included in your future career. In this program you will meet courses enabling you to analyze the business and market environment, to handle human resources and organizational challenges, to understand marketing and the customer, and service operations. The master thesis concludes the program.

The international aspect implies that all cases and curriculum are international and in a multicultural setting. Around half of the master students are recruited from various countries abroad which further increases the relevance of internationalization and multi -cultural competence. Students enrolled in the program may further expand their international experience by spending a semester abroad (normally the third semester). We are cooperating with a number of high-ranked international universities that provide complimentary and interesting courses.

Your learning outcome is determined by hard work and classroom attendance and active participation supported by dedicated professors and relevant literature sources.

The master program consists of 120 ECTS that equals a two-years full time study. The program is offered as a full-time program. Due to the expected workload of the program time-consuming part-time jobs besides the study are not recommended.

Professional qualifications:

This program targets all service industries with emphasis on services targeting the individual (on consumer level). Other industries with an emphasis on services, may very well take advantage of the master candidates' competence. A graduate from the program is assumed to enter managerial position in service industries after some years of practical work-life experience.

Study qualifications:

The master's degree may qualify for further studies at the PhD level.

Teaching mode:

Courses offered at NHS are based on the student-centered learning method of which case-based learning is one mode. This implies that you are expected to discuss practical business cases applying theoretical frameworks and concepts in the classroom setting. You are therefore expected to participate actively in every phase of the program, both in terms of relevant preparations, and active attendance. Students choosing electives from other departments at UiS or take courses abroad may face other modes of teaching. In order to ensure an active learning process class attendance is strongly emphasized.

International focus on service leadership:

Beside communicating that this program has an international scope on leadership and service business in its title, the international perspective is a basic in all compulsory courses. Internationalization in the program occurs mainly in three dimensions: firstly, in the case teaching we use cases concerning international business operating in more than one country, and, most of the cases is about leading service business in countries all over the word. The students are then exposed for differences in culture and how to handle unlike business terms and conditions, political, economic, environmental, social and cultural. The second dimension appears when we use international literature and focus on comparative research. The third and last dimension that make the study international is the fact that more than half of the students are international, normally representing all continents of the word. This gives an international atmosphere in the classroom where students contribute in discussions of how things are different in various parts of the world.

Evaluation:

Assessment methods vary from course to course and may include both written and oral exams, individually and in groups. See presentations of the individual course for details. On all subjects in the program, students are expected to use source references in line with APA 7.

Practice:

The learning process in the courses and master thesis are based on practical business cases and situations.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge

The candidate

• Has advanced knowledge within service leadership in international business and particular insight in leadership theories, human resource management, marketing and aspects of developing and controlling service operations.
• In- depth knowledge of a chosen field within international service leadership.
• Has thorough knowledge about methods applied in strategy development, marketing and operational development and assessment within service leadership in international business.
• Can analyze professional problems based on knowledge within service leadership in international business, its history, traditions and societal role and functions.

Skills

The candidate

• Can analyze and be critical to various information channels.
• Can structure and formulate professional reasonings, especially concerning responsible leadership, business accountability and sustainable industrial and business development.
• Can analyze existing theories, methods and interpretations within service leadership in international business, and,
• work independently with solving practical and theoretical problems.
• Can employ relevant methods in research and development projects addressing development and assessment of service business operations, nationally and internationally.

General competence

The candidate

• Can analyze relevant professional, practical and research ethical issues within service business industries.
• Can employ his/ her knowledge and skills on new areas in order to accomplish advanced task and projects.
• Can communicate extensive independent work and master expressions used within service leadership in international business.
• Can communicate professional issues, analyzes and conclusions within service leadership.

Career prospects

This master degree programme, will for many be the start of a future career as managers. Former students from the NHS - Department of Leadership and Service Innovation can be found in different management positions within the service industry. Some are hotel manager, excecutive managers within tourism, sales and marketing managers, while others are production managers, Key account managers, consultants, or project managers. In other words, the study gives you a possiblity to work with a great variety of interesting sectors, with a great variation of interesting tasks.

This master degree may qualify for admission to PhD Programmes.

Course assessment

The master program will be assessed and evaluated according to UiS' administrative quality system.