Course Title: Management of Intellectual Assets

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Management of Intellectual Assets

Credit Points: 12.00

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
BUSM2287	City Campus	Postgraduate	135H Applied Sciences	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2008, Sem 1 2010, Sem 1 2012

Course Coordinator: Assoc. Prof. Gina Nicoletti

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 99252133

Course Coordinator Email: gina.nicoletti@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: City campus 3.2.06

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

There are no prerequisite courses.   An undergraduate degree in sciences, engineering or business or equivalent work experience is assumed.   Students are expected to be able to undertake independent research and communicate effectively in writing.

Course Description

Students will acquire an understanding of the nature of intellectual assets and  their significance to growth, performance improvement, value creation and competitive advantage in biotechnology and high technology organizations.  Students will learn the importance of good managment of people, processes and physical systems to sustaining information and knowledge based activities and achieving organization objectives.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Students will develop a capability for the sourcing and selection of context-relevant information, development and evaluation of management options and the preparation of business reports.  

Students will be able to
• understand the nature and significance of intellectual assets in the context of the biotechnology industry
• appreciate the importance of the management of such assets in the function, development and value of an organisation
• apply their understanding in the workplace to improve organisational function and value

Overview of Learning Activities

Students will attend a program of  formal lectures and tutorials/workshops.  Students will additionally undertake self-directed, independent or group research addressing industry-based issues and prepare individual or group written reports.

Overview of Learning Resources

Students will be referred to a variety of information sources including organisation web sites, government publications, agency and organisation published information, journal articles and text books.

Overview of Assessment

Assessment will be by individual and/or group project work which may include oral presentation and defence of a report.  Project topics will be based on current issues and problems in the course context.  Projects will be presented as case studies but with scope for self-directed topic selection relevant to employment or special interests.