Module BUSI5C515: Organisational Behaviour (DL)

Department: Business School (Business)

BUSI5C515: Organisational Behaviour (DL)

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

This module aims to cover key issues concerning the behaviour of individuals in organisations.

Content

• Introduction to organisation behaviour.
• Individual differences: personal and mental ability.
• Management of attitudes and work motivation.
• Leading others.
• Organisational culture.
• Managing group dynamics and teamwork.
• Decision-making in organisations.
• Trust within organisations.
• An introduction to the management of change.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the module students should:
• Have a critical understanding of why employees display different attitudes and patterns of behaviour in the organisational environment.
• Have a critical understanding of how individual-level processes (e.g. personality) and group-level processes (e.g. culture) interact to produce organisational level outcomes.
• Have a critical understanding of the link of major processes, such as leadership, motivation and trust, with individual and organisational outcomes.
• Have a critical understanding of the importance of careful and informed planning and preparation for the success of human resource interventions.
• Have a critical awareness of the fact that appropriate design must be accompanied by careful implementation for the success of a human resource system.

• By the end of the module students should:
• Be able to use key organisational behaviour techniques (e.g. goal setting theory of motivation) to design human resource systems that improve individual (e.g. productivity, well-being) and unit (e.g. team cohesion) outcomes.
• Be able to evaluate the merit of academic and professional publications from both a scientific and a practitioner’s point of view.

Written communication; planning, organising and time management; problem solving and analysis; using initiative; computer literacy.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The learning outcomes will be met through a combination of learning material, self assessed exercises and a formative assignment on key topical issues, together with guided reading.
• On the DL MA Programme each module is delivered in discrete Units which are equivalent to a lecture session. A DL Unit normally consists of specially written material, directed reading, reflection through self-assessed assignments and guidance for further reading.
• Each student is allocated a Tutor for each Module. The Tutor is tasked with providing feedback on formative work and is available for individual consultation as necessary. Tutoring is normally provided at a distance and may be conducted by email, telephone, post or fax.
• The DL Programme also offers annual residential seminars which provide the opportunity for DL students to interface with members of Faculty, meet Tutors and to interact with other students.
• The assessment of the module, by written assignment, is designed to:
• test the aquisition and articulation of knowledge;
• test conceptual understanding and skills of application and interpretation within the business context.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Written assignment of 1,500 words (maximum)

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University