Continuing Professional Development
Working together across professional boundaries
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This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees may vary by country.
Summary
Managers across the public, not-for-profit, commercial and industrial sectors are increasingly expected to work in a more integrated and collaborative way with colleagues in their own and other organisations. This course will enable you to explore these new challenges. You will learn to: identify situations in which cross-boundary working is required; understand the issues involved; develop your skills working in cross-boundary situations; and use your networking skills to work collaboratively. Activities throughout will help you relate your learning to your organisation and your own role.
This course will benefit:
- Managers at all levels involved in working across boundaries
- Professional staff engaged in working with others from different disciplines and backgrounds.
Course content
Working across boundaries is a way of thinking and operating at a different level – and one that involves greater awareness of relationships and complexity. This course will be particularly valuable if your work involves understanding and coordinating across different functions or perspectives – such as finance, marketing, operations, strategy, and human resources.
Cross-boundary management has taken on new significance with business developments such as ‘strategic alliances’ (close collaborative relationships between organisations defined by flexibility, innovation and trust) and attempts to foster ‘intra-organisational learning’ (collaboration between groups within organisations to make the most of the knowledge of each party while reducing the costs of replication).
The course will enable you to:
- identify situations in which cross-boundary working is required
- understand the issues linked to working across boundaries
- develop your skills in working in cross-boundary situations
- recognise the importance of collaborative working with Stakeholders
- develop co-operative behaviour and encourage co-operative behaviour in others
- assert your leadership in a non-hierarchical relationship
- use your networking skills to work collaboratively.
The course includes activities that you can use to help you relate your learning to your organisation and your role within it. These should help you to assemble the final work-based activity (WBA), in which you focus on a real work situation where you are already, or will be, working across boundaries. You are prompted to analyse this real work situation, using the ideas in the course and then produce an action plan to enable you to operate more effectively in cross boundary situations.
The strong link between course learning and your work practice creates relevant, enduring and transferable outcomes. The course will take 30 hours to study and includes web text, interviews, self-assessment questions and activities. The course contains a series of bite-size chunks, each devoted to both technical and managerial topics. Register online today and start tomorrow – no need to wait!
The course features the distinctive strengths of The Open University (OU) from its years of expertise in work-based learning:
- The convenience of accessing its clearly presented and sequenced materials, activities and support whenever suits you and wherever you have access to the protected course website – if you prefer, you can print key materials to work on them offline.
- The support of an expert learning adviser who can clarify course materials, answer questions and help you relate the course to your specific needs.
- A work-based activity helping you to connect the course to your individual and organisational context and needs. This is built up from short activities during the course, leading to a Personal Development Plan. At the end of the course you send this to the learning adviser, who provides personal feedback.
- Certification of completion from the OU for those who complete the course. You can use this to demonstrate your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activity to your employer and/or professional body. (n.b. The course does not carry academic credit points.)
Entry
Although there are no formal academic requirements to study any of our CPD courses, you are expected to have some experience in the field and the course assumes a familiarity with the subject.
For each course you can register and begin at any time during the life of the course. You can study at your own pace and submit your WBA at any date before the final submission date for the course. Information about the final submission date is available when you register for the course.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
The course is delivered wholly online. Learners who use screen readers or who cannot use a mouse will not be able to access some course material or some course activities without assistance. Written transcripts of the audio interviews are available on the website. If you are a new learner with the OU, make sure that you have our booklet Meeting Your Needs. You can obtain a copy by contacting our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Course materials
What's included
All learning materials, exercises, study support and the WBA are delivered entirely online.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.
Learner support
Expert, confidential learner support is available when you need it from a learning adviser, who will respond to you direct within 24 hours. Other support is available via the course forum, Library, StudentHome website and computing helpdesk.
Work-based activity
The WBA for this course is a written report and has been designed as an integrated ongoing activity that you submit at the end of your study. It will allow you to reflect on your learning and how to use it in your professional work.
Professional recognition
Successful completion of the course enables us to recognise your achievement of the course learning by issuing an OU certificate that you can use to document your commitment to continuing professional development in your personal portfolio, or to provide evidence to employers or professional body.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
Study explained
- Special fee arrangements
- - the OU has relationships with many professional bodies, and as part of those relationships members may be entitled to special fee arrangements.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about studying with the OU.
Got a question?
Contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service
Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90
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