Learning Outcomes:
This course is designed to enable students to understand the role of Management in contributing to the successful operations and performance of organisations. Students will be provided with an understanding of the theories and concepts of management and the skills, knowledge and application required in facilitating the management process in organisations. Particular emphasis is placed on the dynamic nature of the management process and its key elements of planning, organising, leading and controlling.
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:
Provide a critical analysis of one current issue from the topics below:
- Diversity
- Emotions and Moods
Task Details: 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 is 1500 words so your analysis 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, it is preferable that you choose an issue that is relevant to the Australian OB 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 both the popular / professional and academic literature and then critically analyse and compare the commentary and findings from both sources: you are required to include at least 2 (no more than 3) popular or professional articles and 10 refereed journal articles.
Popular and professional sources include newspapers, online reviews or magazines such as HR Leader or HR Monthly.
The academic ‘literature' can include a range of sources:
- Academic journal articles
- Monographs (books)
- Academic articles on the Library's Databases
- Conference proceedings
- Empirical studies (usually reported in journal articles and monographs)
- Government reports and reports from other major bodies
- Historical records
- Statistical information
Format: Your analysis is to be a scholarly essay that surveys and critically reports on both the popular / professional and the academic literature in your chosen topic area.
It must be presented in essay format and should be a synthesis of the literature. 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 s t a r t i n g point for your literature review. The reference section at the end of the appropriate chapter in your text similarly provides a good starting point.
Remember that although you are asked to include professional articles the main focus is on the academic literature, that is scholarly books and articles as distinct from journalistic and industry accounts.
You should incorporate at least 10 refereed academic journal articles.
Word Limit: 1500 words (excluding references)
Assessment Task 2: Group Assignment
Word Limit: 1,800 - 2,000 words (excluding references)
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. 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 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: 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. 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) summarizing 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 30 (Group mark).
2) Criteria used to grade the task
The presentation mark will be given by the Lecturer. This mark is unlikely to be the same for all students in a group (worth: 10 marks). For detailed marking criteria, please see appendix- 2.
The report mark generally will be the same for all members unless the lecturer is convinced that all members did not contribute adequately to prepare the report. Marks may then vary among the group members depending on their degree of contributions (worth: 30 marks). For detailed marking criteria, please see appendix- 3.
Assessment Task 3:
1) Assessment Details
This is a three hour, closed book, formal exam, including short essay style questions and a case study.
Grades will be available following processing of results by the School's assessment committee. 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 including application of theories and models to one's own experience in order to better understand the experience.
3) Suggested time to devote to this task
A suggested minimum of 32 hours revision time
4) Submission details
The examination will be held during the exam period following the end of the semester. Normal exam conditions will apply
5) Feedback and return of work
Students will be advised of grades via fdlGrades.