Benefits Management: a core theme in management research and education?

 #apmbenefits

The links in practice between project management and strategic management have become closer through the adoption of the programme and portfolio levels and the use of benefits management and value management to connect with organisational goals and objectives. How should project management courses of different types and at different levels reflect this development, to help equip practitioners and new graduates with the knowledge and skills required? Is project management research developing a body of evidence on which to underpin the incorporation of benefits management and value management into the curriculum?

Beyond this, are general management courses incorporating project management modules and using concepts such as benefits management and value management to connect project management to the other subjects covered? Are links with the use of the terms benefits and value in other management disciplines, such as  marketing, being made?

This event will explore such issues. It will cover: 

• the current position regarding research on benefits management (BM) and related themes, and its inclusion in Higher Education (HE) courses in project management and general management, eg MBA's
• examples of best practice/innovative practice in HE courses
• future opportunities/wider influences which will determine the future direction of research in BM and related themes.
• the factors influencing the future trends in inclusion of BM and related themes in HE courses

Speakers and presentation abstracts

• Dr Arnoud Franken, Cranfield University 
• Benedict Pinches, Oxford Major Programmes 
• Markus Laursen, Aarhus University, Denmark

Agenda.

09.45 - 10.15   Registration
10.15 - 10.30   Introductionand context to the event - Dr Richard Breese,  Sheffield Business School
10.30 - 10.45   Why are we here?
10.45 - 11.25   Benefits Management: Who Cares? - Dr Arnoud Franken, Cranfield University

11.25 - 11.40   Coffee Break
11.40 - 12.20   Benefits for Whom? - Benedict Pinches, Oxford Major Programmes
12.20 - 13.00   Benefits and Value - in theory and practice,  Markus Laursen, Aarhus University

13.00 - 13.45   Lunch and networking 
13.45 - 14.30   Mini-Case Studies of Benefits Management in Higher Education courses/Research
In this part of the event, mini-cases studies lasting around five minutes are invited, as to how benefits management and related themes are  incorporated into HE courses of different types (project, IT, general management, other fields) at different levels (undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral) and for different learner groups (part-time, full-time). Mini case studies of research on benefits management are also invited.

14.30 - 14.45  Coffee Break
14.45 - 15.45   Small group discussions, to suit the interests of participants. Possible topics:

• Benefits management and related themes in project management courses - future opportunities and constraints 
• Benefits management and related themes in other types of courses - future opportunities  and constraints
• Benefits management research and future directions

15.45  - 16.00  Report back and follow up actions.
16.00    Close

Partner groups/organisations supporting this event:

• APM Education Network 
• Sheffield Business School
• The Institute of Value Management

Target audience

Academics, trainers, consultants and practitioners interested in research on Benefits Management and related themes and their inclusion in Higher Education courses in project management and general management, such as MBA’s.

Venue

Sheffield Hallam University’s City Campus is very close to Sheffield's main railway station and main Bus Station, in the City Centre, so very accessible by public transport. There are plentiful hotels for anyone wishing to stay the previous evening.

Relationship to APM Benefits Management Summit, 23rd June 2016

This is a precursor event to the Summit, and the main conclusions will be fed into the Summit event the following week.