Reference no: EM132367338
Description of the course for handbook entry:
This course introduces learners to organisations and in particular how they behave and how they are structured. The course provides learners with the cognitive capacity to understand the role and purpose of organisations within society and will allow them to analyse and evaluate effective organisational design, structure and processes. The link between organisations and management is also reviewed in-depth so that learners will be able to synthesise or creatively construct new organisational structures and processes to meet future trends and challenges. Learners will be able to identify dysfunctional organisations and be able to innovatively design more effective organisations. The course achieves its objectives by tailoring assessable tasks and individual research in this field.
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.
Values and Graduate Attributes:
Values:
V1. Appreciate the complexity of human behaviour in organisations
V2. Appreciate the systemic nature of the managerial and organisational environments
V3. Value the role of the individual and the group in achieving organisational objectives
V4. Value the use of theory in understanding and managing organisations
Content:
Scope:
Topics may include:
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?
Ethics, motivation, strategy, conflict, power, systems, culture, change, conflict, power, internal and external environments, organisational design, processes, structure, communication and control
Sequence:
The following is an approximate guide to the sequence of topics in this course.
Assessment Task 1:
Task description:
Provide a critical analysis and review of one current issue from the topics below: Diversity
Job Satisfaction Emotions and Moods
Choose one of the topic areas listed above and then choose one aspect or issue within the topic. This is a minor assignment and the word limit is1500 words so your analysis and review must necessarily be selective. That is why it is suggested that you focus on one aspect only of the broader topic area. For example, you might want to focus on the issue of Diversity Management within the broad topic area of ‘Diversity'. You are required to check with your seminar leader that the issue that you are going to focus on is an appropriate area for review.
Note:Given that this unit is an Australian-based unit, therefore while not compulsory, it is preferable that you choose an issue that is relevant to the Australian organisational environment. This does not mean that the literature chosen has to be restricted to Australian sources - you are encouraged to select literature from a global set of academic sources.
Once you have chosen a topic you are required to read from the academic literature and then critically review and analyse the scholarly contributions and draw conclusions on the topic area. As a guide, at least 10 academic references are recommended to encourage depth and breadth of analysis.
The academic literature' can include a range of sources:
Academic journal articles Monographs(books)
Academic articles on the Library's Databases
Conference proceedings
Government reports and reports from other major bodies
Format: Your analysisis to be a scholarly literature review, which should take the form of an essay that surveys and critically reports on the academic literature in your chosen topic area. It must be presented in essay format and should be a critical synthesis of the literature, with conclusions drawn. You must read widely and draw your literature search from a broad range of sources from the list above. As indicated above, the reading list for this unit is a good starting point for your literature review. The reference section at the end of the appropriate chapter in your text similarly provides a good starting point.
Assessment Task 2:
Assessment details:
This task is designed to develop your ability to: contribute fruitfully to agroup 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 ‘reallife'; 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 aproblem 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. If you have no work experience, then a fictitious company will suffice). 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 acceptablet o 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: low levels of motivation;high employee turnover; deterioration of service quality; increased customer complaints; dysfunctional groups; 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,and not covered in your first assessment.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 summarising your project must be submitted one week after your group's presentation. Your report must be correctly and adequately referenced. Only one report is to be submitted by each group.
Assessment Task 3:
Assessment details:
This is a three hour, closed book, formal exam, including short essay style questions and a case study. 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 textbook and other reference materials (books, journals) and suggested tutorial activities will provide the necessary knowledge base. Grades will be available following processing of results by the School's assessment committee.Skills in planning, decision making and time management are implicitly required by the examination process.
Attachment:- Organisations - Behaviour - Structure and Process.rar