Analysing Organisations
Module description
This module builds student’s knowledge of organisations, and their ability to analyse organisational life. It combines elements of organisational behaviour theory with practical research skills, in order to develop student’s ability to appraise the functioning of organisations. It will therefore develop a critical mindset, built from a strong understanding of organisational theory to enable students to operate as effective future organisational leaders. This module builds from and extends the content delivered within the first year module titled Discovering Management.
Full module specification
| Module title: | Analysing Organisations |
|---|---|
| Module code: | BEM2038 |
| Module level: | 2 |
| Academic year: | 2020/1 |
| Module lecturers: |
|
| Module credit: | 30 |
| ECTS value: | 15 |
| Pre-requisites: | None |
| Co-requisites: | None |
| Duration of module: |
Duration (weeks) - term 1: 12 Duration (weeks) - term 2:11 |
Module aims
The aim of this module is to develop students’ knowledge of organisational theory, and to equip them with the practical skills needed to analyse organisations and their contexts. The module will engage students with organisational behaviour theory, combining lectures with practical workshops where students can develop their knowledge and skills through discussion and exploration of real-world organisational issues.
Employability
This module equips students with the ability to understand and unpick organisational ‘problems’, providing clear, managerially relevant solutions. Students will develop their abilities to produce management reports, critically discussing and appraising differing views on phenomena.
Internationalisation
The module draws from the international experience of our faculty, and uses global examples to illustrate concepts, and differing approaches to structuring organisations and their management.
ILO: Module-specific skills
- 1. Explain organisational behaviour theory, demonstrating awareness of linkages between core concepts
- 2. Design a research project to explore an organisationally-relevant issue/problem
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
- 3. Critically evaluate differing perspectives on organisational theory, arriving at reasoned conclusions
- 4. Apply various organisational theories and perspectives in a practical context
ILO: Personal and key skills
- 5. Reflect on prior learning, producing plans to guide future personal development activities
- 6. Produce research reports which analyse discrete aspects of an organisation, providing managerially relevant advice and/or recommendations as appropriate
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 48 | 252 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 24 | Whole cohort lectures |
| Online video | 4 | A series of recorded videos will be available through the VLE, covering revision and explanation of key concepts together with links to research skills content |
| Workshops | 20 | Small group workshops |
| Guided independent study | 142 | Assessment preparation |
| Guided independent study | 110 | Pre-session and post-session reading and revision |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Submission of one-page overview of consultancy assignment | 1 x A4 page | 1-4, 6 | Written feedback from tutor team |
| Portfolio surgery | 1 x draft portfolio | 1-5 | In class tutor verbal feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 x MCQ tests | 20 | 20 questions per test | 1-4, 6 | Generic cohort feedback through ELE; individual marks delivered to students |
| Individual consultancy report | 40 | 2,000 words | 1-4, 6 | Feedback through ELE/grademark |
| Individual reflective portfolio | 40 | 2,000 words | 1-5 | Feedback through ELE/grademark |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCQ tests | MCQ tests (delivered via ELE) | 1-4, 6 | August reassessment period |
| Individual consultancy report | Individual consultancy report | 1-4, 6 | August reassessment period |
| Individual reflective portfolio | Individual reflective portfolio | 1-5 | August reassessment period |
Re-assessment notes
Reassessment of module elements will take the same form as the original assessment, although MCQ tests will be completed on ELE rather than in-class.
Syllabus plan
Indicative content for this module includes:
- Bureaucracy and Post-bureaucracy
- Power, politics and conflict
- Resistance and misbehaviour
- Individuals differences and communication
- Identity
- Motivation
- Emotion and perception
- Group dynamics
- Decision-making
- Space and technology
- Principles of management research
- Research designs
- Survey design and analysis
- Advanced hypothesis testing
- Qualitative data collection – interviewing / focus groups / observation
- Developing meaning from qualitative data
- Mixed methods research designs
- Producing a research report
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Bryman, A., Bell, E. and Harley, B. (2018) Business Research Methods. Fifth Edition. Oxford: OUP.
- Buchanan, D. A. and Huczynski, A. (2017) Organizational Behaviour. Ninth Edition. Harlow: Pearson.
- Gray, D. (2017) Doing Research in the Business World. Sage: London.
- King, D. and Lawley, S. (2016) Organizational Behaviour. Second Edition. Oxford: OUP.
- Mullins, L. J. (2016) Management and Organisational Behaviour. Eleventh Edition. Harlow: Pearson.
- Wilson, F. W. (2018) Organizational Behaviour and Work: A Critical Introduction. Fifth Edition. Oxford: OUP
Relevant Academic Journals:
- Harvard Business Review
- British Journal of Management
- Academy of Management Journal
Module has an active ELE page?
Yes
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
- Students will have access to an ELE page which will provide extensive material to support the lecture programme including lecture notes, and short explanatory videos.
Origin date
01/07/2019
Last revision date
01/07/2019