Organisations: Behaviour, Structure, Processes
Learning Outcomes:
Knowledge
K1 Examine each individual model and how these integrate to determine and explain organisational behaviour.
K2 Evaluate the theories used to explain effective organisational structure and design in order to determine the application of design and structure to organisations and how these aid the organisation achieve success.
K3 Deduce the benefits and dysfunctionality that processes can bring to organisations.
K4 Critically appraise how organisational behaviour, structure, design and processes need to be properly integrated to help an organisation to become as effective and efficient as possible.
Skills
S1 Analyse and evaluate organisational behaviour, structure, design and processes to match the needs of the organisation.
S2 Creatively design new and different approaches to meet the challenges faced by organisations in the future by proposing effective solutions to problems, concepts and/or theories
S3 Conduct relevant research and question the appropriateness of contemporary models.
S4 Contribute to the development of new organisational practices by reflecting on theory and scholarship
Application of knowledge and skills
A1 Successfully analyse the behaviour, structure, design and process needs of an organisation with high level personal autonomy and accountability
A2 Create strategies that meet the needs of the organisation
A3 Develop the capacity for self-reflection and to undertake professional development.
Course Content:
• What is an organisation?
• What is the role of people within an organisation?
• How do individual behaviour, group behaviour, leadership, management and decision making fit within the organisational context?
Other topics covered in the course include:
Ethics, motivation, strategy, power, systems, culture, change, internal and external environments, organisational design, structure, processes and communication.
Values
• Appreciate the complexity of human behaviour in organisations
• Appreciate the systemic nature of the managerial and organisational environments
• Value the role of the individual and the group in achieving organisational objectives
• Value the use of theory in understanding and managing organisations
Assessment Task 1: Individual Report
1) Assessment Details:
This task is designed to develop your awareness and understanding of: the nature of an organisation; the considerations, aspects and the complexities involved in having an organisational system in place; the functioning of an organisation; the organisational culture, strategies and the organisational effectiveness dimensions; the necessary interaction of an organisation with its environment in fulfilling organisational purposes.
Further it is designed to develop and test your knowledge and capacity to conceptualise the systemic nature of an organisation and comprehend, interpret, and execute a specific task description and to present it for evaluation.
Task description
- Choose an organisation (business/ sports/ charity/ multinational) that you have access to. You may choose an organisation where you are working right now or an organisation where you have worked recently. Alternatively, you may discuss with your lecturer/ tutor the possibility of choosing an organisation where you have worked in the past. If you have no work experience, you may choose instead any other organisation that is suitable for you. Your lecturer must approve your choice. You may change (or withhold) the name of your organization if you believe anonymity is required.
Prepare a report covering the following points:
• Provide an introduction to the organisation (nature, mission, size, product etc.)
• Describe in detail how the chosen organisation is arranged and position itself to achieve its purpose and objectives (you must include in your discussion the following aspects: organisational effectiveness, organisation culture, organisation structure, strategies pursued by the organisation and organisation's environment);
• Produce the organisational chart reflecting the current arrangement of this organisation;
• Suggest specific change measures/ programs (actual action steps) with regard to how it may be re-organised and/or re-positioned in order to become more effective and efficient.
Please note you are not merely being asked for a list of recommendations only!
Assessment Task 2: Group Assignment
1) Assessment Details
This task is designed to develop your ability to: contribute fruitfully to a group task; assess an organisational issue or problem as objectively as possible; appreciate the potential of theory in managerial decision making and problem solving; apply theory to ‘real life'; take managerial responsibility by designing a practical course of action.
Task description:
In groups of no more than 5 (five) students you are to identify a problem situation (only one problem) in an organisation you have access to (preferably an organisation where at least one group member works or has worked recently). Do not focus on a problem that has already been solved.
A presentation covering the following points should be prepared:
- Provide a brief introduction to the organisation (it is acceptable to withhold the name of the organisation).
- Describe the problem, as much as possible in terms of the observable or measurable symptoms it manifests, for example: high percentage of faulty products; high employee turnover; deterioration of service quality; increased customer complaints; decreased market share; loss of profit; negative/ unhelpful organisational culture etc.
- The issue/problem should then be considered and analysed in terms of concepts/ models/ theories drawn from any two topics studied as part of this subject. Try to choose the topics that seem to offer the most useful insights into the problem. Do not try to deal with many models or concepts. Topics outside course coverage must not be selected.
- Design an intervention (a change program or set of activities and procedures) utilising some aspect or aspects of your analysis. The intervention should be intended to solve or improve the situation. Please note you are not merely being asked for a list of recommendations.
Group members should present their considerations, analysis and intervention design to the class. The presentation should last between 20 and 30 minutes. Each member will present for more or less equal amount of time (5-6 minutes). You will be penalised for exceeding 30 minutes. An additional 10 minutes is available for questions and answers.
A report of 1800-2000 words (there are penalties for exceeding the word limit) summarising your project must be submitted next day following the presentation (word files only). Your report must be correctly and adequately referenced (only one report from each group). Presentation mark 10 (individual mark); Report mark 20 (Group mark).
Assessment Task 3: Final Examination
1) Assessment Details
The third assessable task is a pre-sighted exam, which is completed under closed book conditions. The examination lasts for 3 hours and consists of two sections. Section A is worth 20% of the total grade for this course, and consists of a compulsory question which will be made available in week 12.
In section B a set of 5 questions will also be made available in week 12. At examination, 3 of these questions will be offered (any three). You will have to select 2 questions to answer. Each of the two questions answered will be worth 15% of the total grade for this course.
Questions will be drawn broadly from the various topics covered in the course. These questions may also be based on case studies and scenarios. Lecture slides, the set text book and other reference materials (books, journals) and suggested tutorial activities will provide the necessary knowledge base.
Skills in planning, decision making and time management are implicitly required by the examination process.
2) Criteria used to grade the task
Assessment will be based on- the quality and completeness of response to the topics. For Section A this will include: the presence of insightful observation, questioning and reflection; the application of theories and models to one's own experience in order to better understand the experience. For Section B this will include: apparent knowledge and understanding of the concepts involved; reasoning in applying these concepts and/or relating concepts to each other.