Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2024-2025

Module BUSI3381: Managing Organisational Change

Department: Management and Marketing

BUSI3381: Managing Organisational Change

Type Tied Level 3 Credits 20 Availability Available in 2024/2025 Module Cap None. Location Durham
Tied to N201
Tied to N203
Tied to N207

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None.

Aims

  • The module aims to provide students with the following:
  • Ability to develop their knowledge and understanding of the critical issues related to the theory and practice of organisational change.
  • Opportunity to critically examine approaches and techniques for managing change.
  • Critically understand research in the field of organisational change.

Content

  • Core concepts: the nature of change, types of change, theories of change
  • Leadership vs. Management of Change
  • Recognising and diagnosing the need for change:
  • Managing the people issues: power, politics and stakeholder management.
  • Planning, Communicating and Implementing Change.
  • Sustaining Change and Transformation.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • Define and critically evaluate the main theoretical perspectives relating to organisational change.
  • Develop a knowledge and understanding of the nature of change in contemporary organisations.
  • Ability to evaluate a strategic approach to managing organisational change.
  • Assess the main approaches for managing change.
  • Critically evaluate the processes, procedures, and practices of managing change in organisations.
  • Understand critical perspectives on organisational change and their impact on the changing world of work.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • By the end of the module, students will be able to:
  • Critically evaluate the concepts of change and how they apply in different contexts.
  • recognise and diagnose the need for change using appropriate models;
  • shape implementation strategies using appropriate specialist techniques;
  • have a critical awareness of techniques for sustaining change interventions and managing people during change interventions.
Key Skills:
  • Select appropriate modes of communication.
  • Effective presentation skills through oral, written, and technological media.
  • Research appropriate periodicals, websites, books, and references to draw the required information.
  • Having located relevant information from various sources to bring it together and present it in a coherent argument.
  • Consider issues from various perspectives and draw upon appropriate concepts/values to reach a critical assessment.
  • Take an active role in learning and recognise potential responsibility for your lifelong learning.
  • Think laterally and inventively to develop original approaches to defining and solving problems.
  • Prioritise tasks, manage and achieve results on time and within budgets and/or other constraints.
  • Construct grammatically correct and well-written/spelled essays and reports using the most appropriate style.
  • Understand verbal messages without prejudice or assumptions.
  • Seek, store, retrieve, synthesize, use and present information in ways appropriate to the task, including C& IT.
  • Use computer applications to the required level and appropriate to the problem.
  • Cooperate with others, and make various contributions to help the group achieve its goal.
  • Recognise and accommodate the fact that others have different needs, feelings, and/or behaviour, particularly in group work.

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

  • This module is delivered in a blended action-learning format through weekly workshops with lecture style input and group exercises and activities which will introduce students to key concepts in managing change in organisation.
  • The weekly workshops are supported by online asynchronous content and related activities, focusing key themes in the field of change management and as well as application to real-life situations in order to enhance employability.
  • The module is assessed by a summative written assignment which will test students' understanding of relevant concepts and their ability to apply and interpret what they have learned in a specific change intervention context.
  • The formative assessment will be a group presentation based on a case analysis.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Workshops (a combination of lectures, group work, case studies, and discussion). 10 weekly 2 20
Online activities Self-directed 8
Preparation and Reading 172
Total 200

Summative Assessment

Component: Written Assignment Component Weighting: 100%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Written Assignment based on a specific change intervention 3000 (maximum) 100% Same

Formative Assessment:

Group Assignment based on a case study.


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