Coursera

Explore Management Concepts through Metaphor and Music (Coursera)

Offered by University of London,
Explore Management Concepts through Metaphor and Music (Coursera)

How can exploring and analysing music and metaphors help us to better understand management, work organisations, working lives, and ultimately ourselves too? As you set out on your journey through this innovative course, the answers to these questions will be revealed. Through the lens of metaphor and music, you will be introduced to core managerial and organisational concepts and theories. You will explore issues related to, for example: organisational and work design; motivation and productivity; employee voice; careers; and management and leadership styles.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

You will research and analyse contemporary management dilemmas and challenges and gain new insights into the lived experience of work. You will explore the power of music to creatively engage and motivate employees, boost their morale, and give voice to workers who might otherwise remain unheard.
The course has been designed to be highly interactive and creative with lots of opportunities for you to share your ideas and engage in discussion and debate with your fellow students. You will develop your own original organisational metaphors, write lyrics to your own company song, write and record your own short radio play, and develop your own motivational music playlist. By the end of the course, your understanding of management, organisations and the lived experience of work will have increased considerably. You will develop new skills in research and creative writing and will have lots of new ideas to take away with you and apply in your own organisation and your own working life.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Introduction to management, metaphor and music
This week includes: management and organisational metaphors, musical management metaphors, classical management theory and the machine metaphor and McDonaldization.

WEEK 2
Management, metaphor, music and the lived experience of work
This week includes: career metaphors, the concept of the McJob, the lived experience of work through the eyes and musical performances of workers.

WEEK 3
Music, motivation, metaphor and management maestros
This week includes: music and its impact on productivity and motivation, company songs and corporate anthems, leadership and musical management metaphors.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Types of Conflict (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Irvine

Types of Conflict (Coursera)

Management & Leadership Business

Conflict is everywhere and it is impossible to avoid conflicting viewpoints. However, not all conflict is bad, nor is it inherently negative. How conflict is handled makes all the difference. It is through proper identification and understanding of conflict that allows for effective resolutions, some of which may yield positive outcomes. In this course, we will examine the different types of conflict, how to understand and embrace the positive aspects of conflict, and how to successfully navigate conflict to positive resolution.

Jun 22nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Management Conflict Communication
Details
Conflict Resolution Skills (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Irvine

Conflict Resolution Skills (Coursera)

Management & Leadership Business

Resolving conflict in a positive manner is a skill that can be developed and practiced. Being heard can be one of the most important goals of someone engaged in conflict. Knowing how to listen and deploy appropriate communication tactics is determinative of whether a conflict will have a positive or negative resolution. Examine listening skills, appropriate and strategic verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and how to assemble a conflict management plan likely to yield positive resolutions.

Jun 22nd 2026
3 Weeks
Business Management Conflict
Details
The Business of Social (Coursera) Coursera
Northwestern University

The Business of Social (Coursera)

Management & Leadership Marketing & Communication

In a 2014 study of CEOs and CMOs, IBM found 63% wanted social strategies which generate business metrics while only 20% of businesses worldwide actually have them. This means strategies which not only grow your company’s social footprint but link to your sales and marketing systems. With this critical linkage, your social and mobile strategies will provide you with the ability to engage consumers at a 1-to-1 level and measure your social investments in terms of costs, revenues, profits and ROI. In this fifth MOOC of the Social Marketing Specialization - "The Business of Social" - you will learn how to transform your organization's social marketing from an untracked investment to an integral part of your company’s marketing strategy.

Jun 22nd 2026
4 Weeks
Business Management Strategy
Details
New Models of Business in Society (Coursera) Coursera
University of Virginia

New Models of Business in Society (Coursera)

Management & Leadership

In this course, developed at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and taught by top-ranked faculty, we will be discussing the emergence of a new story about business. This new story locates business within a societal framework. Almost every business creates or destroys value for customers, suppliers, employees, communities and society, in addition to shareholders and other financiers. A number of new models of business can be built on this idea such as corporate responsibility, philanthropy, shared value and sustainability. Profits and stakeholder value go together, and this course explains how. The final session explores the idea of how to become a stakeholder entrepreneur and create a business that makes money and makes the world a better place.

Jun 22nd 2026
4 Weeks
Business Management Entrepreneurship
Details
Project Execution: Running the Project (Coursera) Coursera
Google

Project Execution: Running the Project (Coursera)

Management & Leadership Business

This is the fourth course in the Google Project Management Certificate program. This course will delve into the execution and closing phases of the project life cycle. You will learn what aspects of a project to track and how to track them. You will also learn how to effectively manage and communicate changes, dependencies, and risks. As you explore quality management, you will learn how to measure customer satisfaction and implement continuous improvement and process improvement techniques. Next, you will examine how to prioritize data, how to use data to inform your decision-making, and how to effectively present that data.

Jun 24th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Management Project Management Risk Management
Details
Introduction to Ableton Live (Coursera) Coursera
Berklee College of Music

Introduction to Ableton Live (Coursera)

Film & Audio

In the past, Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) were programs used only by audio engineers with a highly specific knowledge base, on machines inaccessible to most people. But over the past 10-15 years, DAWs and the act of recording music have evolved from being a luxury of the few to being available to the masses.

Jun 22nd 2026
3 Weeks
Music DAW MIDI
Details
Motivating Gen Z Learners: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know (Coursera) Coursera
Nanyang Technological University

Motivating Gen Z Learners: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know (Coursera)

Education Social Sciences

The purpose of this course is to equip parents and educators with the knowledge of motivational theories and their application in real-life contexts. Following the storyline of two children, Bob and Sarah, course participants are presented with a variety of problem scenarios. These depict common motivational issues that the participants can resolve using the motivational principles described in the course.

Jun 26th 2026
4 Weeks
Education Learning Motivation
Details
Innovation Management (Coursera) Coursera
Erasmus University Rotterdam

Innovation Management (Coursera)

Management & Leadership

What is innovation management? How do firms bring in new business models and get new products and services to the market? Go on a nine-week journey through innovation management concepts, theories of idea generation, selection, strategy formulation and implementation in this MOOC in Innovation Management. In it, you will also learn the tools for implementing innovation projects yourself. Guided by world-class academics, you will develop an innovative mindset and expertise in how firms successfully create new ideas for marketing new products. The syllabus also includes sessions about innovation strategy, idea management and social networks.

Jun 25th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Innovation Management Business Strategy
Details