Leadership and Management in a Global World

The course is about leadership, strategy and change in a global business context. It confronts students with strategic business issues of today with the aim to develop business knowledge and to improve leadership skills to deal with these issues in a more effective and creative way.

In the global context companies are confronted with business issues such as increasing speed of innovation, cultural diversity, need for differentiation, increasing competition, rising energy costs and stricter regulations on CO2 emissions, etc. These issues are not isolated. They are connected to a world of rapidly changing technological, political, economic, and environmental developments. To deal with these issues more effectively it is important to understand the logic of the business industry or sector.

An industry such as pharmaceutical or health care is organized differently than for example the airline industry or the automotive industry. Some industries are more local, and the role of government differs. We must have an eye for diversity and complexity behind industry and company logic.

So understanding the business logic at hand is important, but it is not enough. If we want to create a better world for ourselves and our children, we should think more in terms of leadership and change.

We will introduce examples of leadership that changed the rules of the game in an industry, such as Herb Kelleher’s low cost carrier business model in the US; or Ellen MacArthur’s ambition to change the world towards a circular economy, by building a framework for an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design. And Jamie Oliver, the British Chef who tried to change the food culture in the USA through his TV-show the Food Revolution.

In line with Jim Collins’ thinking about “Level V leadership” (or “servant leadership” of Robert Greenleaf) we think that this type of leadership is not about charisma or personal characteristics, but about personal dedication to a goal or vision far beyond personal interests. This type of leadership is embedded ‘in context’. This implies that leadership is not a personal characteristic but a part of a relationship among people in a community, where qualities like trust, playfulness, and creativity are involved.

The case studies form an input to reflect on personal leadership issues. Students are invited to share and discuss their personals sources of inspirations.

This course consists of 32 class hours divided over 3 weeks. Students earn 6 ECTS credits when they obtain a passing grade. This course includes a field trip.

Course leader

C.J.M. van den Hombergh

Target group

Introduction to micro-economics. Basic knowledge of business administration, organization, strategy and finance. Interest in organizational strategy, change, psychology and global developments.

A minimum of 8 students is required for the class to take place.

Course aim

By the end of this course students are able to:
• Understand what leadership means in one’s personal life and in business
• Describe and discuss leadership as a ‘sensitizing concept’; related to different leadership theories
• Show and explain that leadership is not a phenomenon in itself, but always ‘in context’
• Explain why leadership is an often missing, but necessary element in business practice and is strongly related to strategy and change management
• Integrate leadership issues in business case studies dealing with strategy and change in industries and business companies
• Contribute to leadership issues (business and/or personal related) as presented and discussed in class
• Understand that leadership is part of a relationship between people in a group context where feelings of fear and trust play a role
• Become aware of the role of ethics in business
• Participate in dialogues in order to investigate problems with an open mind
• Connect leadership with personal awareness and growth
• Speak in public about personal issues and relate these issues to personal contexts like ‘comfort zone’, ‘learning or stretching zone’ and/or ‘panic zone’

Credits info

6 EC
Maastricht Summer School awards academic credit (ECTS) for courses successfully completed during the programme. To include these credits in the curriculum of your degree, you need to obtain official approval from the responsible department at your home institution.

Upon completion of a course, the Maastricht Summer School issues a transcript. The transcript states the student’s name, student ID-number, the grade or Pass/Fail and the number of ECTS credits.

Fee info

EUR 1000: This 3-week course costs €1000,-.