MM254-Organisational Behaviour

Module Provider: Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:5
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2020/1

Email: o.f.boladeogunfodun@henley.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module is intended to be both practically relevant and intellectually stimulating. Whatever path students chose after university, they are highly likely to perform most of their activities in organizational settings such as firms, universities, hospitals, clubs, etc. The module will explore three distinct bodies of knowledge: firstly, the informal and tacit knowledge of organizations built up in everyday life; secondly, contributions from mainstream approaches to organizational behaviour (OB) and management studies; and finally, alternative, critical approaches drawn from OB and the wider social science disciplines.

Aims:
The aim of the module is to provide an advanced understanding of organisational analysis and behaviour through reliance on the tacit knowledge of students and on social and human sciences such as management, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology.

Assessable learning outcomes:

Through lectures, reading, essay writing and discussion, students will:

1. Acquire concepts and frameworks that are used to analyse organisations.

2. Understand and solve some of the problems/crises that tend to arise in organisational contexts.

3. Develop independent research and writing skills associated with producing longer assessed essays.

4. Develop teamwork, problem-solving and presentation skills in tutori als.

Additional outcomes:

Students will also:

1. Learn to make their way in new or more complex organisational settings. 

2. Become more sensitive to the political aspects of organisations.

3. Acquire (critical) reflexivity concerning managerial discourse.

Outline content:

Lecture themes typically include: 

Motivation and work

Organisational Culture 

Management and leadership

Power and authority

Politics and decision making 

Technology and organisations

Bureaucracy 

Post-bureaucracy

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Lectures are designed to provide (especially theoretical) grounding for students to be able to prepare their coursework. Students are encouraged to participate in discussion during the lecture. In addition, lectures are usually punctuated by interludes in which students are asked to form small groups and answer specific questions on the topic of the lecture. 

Tutorials develop selected themes from the lectures. Students are divided into smal l working groups for tutorials. These small groups will each make one assessed ten-minute presentation to the wider tutorial group. 

Summative assessment- Examinations:
N/A

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Group presentation: One ten-minute presentation in week 10 or 11 of Spring Term.

One individual essay: due summer term, week 1

Formative assessment methods:

Feedback and feed forward are provided during the teaching term. Specific guidance is given in the final lecture, and through discussion with tutors. Students receive feedback on group work during tutorial sessions.

Penalties for late submission:

The Module Convenor will apply the following penalties for work submitted late, in accordance with the University policy. 

·  where the piece of work is submitted up to one calendar week after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for the piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;

·  where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/qualitysupport/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
40%

Reassessment arrangements:

Submission of essay

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Required text books  - there will be one text book required at a cost of approximately £55 to be advised by the module convenor. 

Last updated: 27 July 2020