Postgraduate Course: Organising for Effectiveness (MBA) (CMSE11253)
Course Outline
| School | Business School |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course explores a wide range of organisational issues from the micro-level (e.g. individuals at work) to the macro-level (e.g. organisational structure and culture). The course is based on a philosophy that organisational behaviour concepts represent an ¿intellectual tool kit. The ideas and concepts can be used to gain insight into a variety of organisational issues ¿ for example, how people can be energised and directed, how decisions are made, how organisations can be configured to combine effective operation with a capacity for change and innovation. The emphasis is on providing concepts that will help in understanding and managing within complex organisational settings. |
| Course description |
There is an emphasis on the development of analytical skills, the transition of theory into practice and experiential learning. The course aims to introduce ideas and concepts useful in the analysis of organisational processes; encourage reflection and critical thought about organisations and the activities that occur within them; develop an appreciation as to how theory can be translated into practical application; and develop skills in interpreting different organisational contexts and acting effectively within these.
Syllabus:
Introduction and overview; motivation, incentives and commitment
Group Dynamics and High Performance Teams
Decision-making and Sense-Making
Culture and Leadership
Configuration and Control, Power and Conflict
The Production Game
Change and Learning, Lessons and Overview
Student Learning Experience:
The course offers a varied learning experience via an integrated mix of lectures, group work and class discussion, visiting speakers and practical exercises. There will be opportunities for discussion and debate amongst participants, and participants are encouraged to apply the ideas to their own experience. The culmination of the course is 'The Production Game' in which the class is divided into companies of 6-8 participants that compete to physically manufacture simple products. The emphasis in the course is on blending theory and practice by putting ideas and concepts to work. This will be achieved by analysing cases, by discussing real world problems from visiting practitioners and by practical exercises that provide first-hand illustration of the ideas in action.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | For Business School PG students only, or by special permission of the School. Please contact the course secretary. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2015/16, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
| Course Start Date |
21/09/2015 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 32,
Summative Assessment Hours 18,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
48 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Individual Assignment 20%
Individual Assignment 80%
Assignment 1. Taking a current case of significant events such as a business collapse, discuss what the case teaches us about the conditions under which sense-making can collapse, and the consequences of such a collapse. Drawing on appropriate concepts from the Organisational Behaviour course, discuss the implications for the effective performance of teams. The answer should not exceed 500 words.
Assignment 2. There is a choice from THREE topics for your second assignment. All choices are integrative and are designed so that students can apply concepts covered in the course analytically, that is, to give scope to reflect on, and write about, a broad cross-section of the material that we have covered in the course in relation to the student' actual experiences. Answers to any of these options should be around 2,000 words in length.
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| Feedback |
All students will be given at least one formative feedback or feedforward event for every course they undertake, provided during the semester in which the course is taken and in time to be useful in the completion of summative work on the course.
Feedback on formative assessed work will be provided within 15 working days of submission, or in time to be of use in subsequent assessments within the course, whichever is sooner. Summative marks will be returned on a published timetable, which has been made clear to students at the start of the academic year.
Feedback consists of feedback on group and team skills via the ¿Desert Survival¿ exercise, Individual feedback on the first assignment, feedback on team performance in the Production Game, and individual feedback on the second assignment.
Students will be provided with electronic written feedback for all coursework. Coursework and exam scripts cannot be taken away by students. Students who wish to view a marked piece of coursework or an exam script, should contact the programme support team to arrange a time.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand and critically discuss key concepts from the field of Organisational Behaviour.
- Understand and critically discuss the importance of problem-solving to problem-resolution.
- Understand and critically evaluate a range of models of motivation, team dynamics and effectiveness, leadership, decision-making and sense-making, organisational configuration and control, culture, change and learning
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Reading List
Recommended text:
Buchanan D and A Huczynski (2013) Organisational Behaviour, 8th Edition, Prentice Hall.
The set text provides a comprehensive coverage of most aspects of this subject. Because the course emphasizes the application of ideas to a variety of situations and contexts, the student's focus should be on developing a good understanding of the basic concepts and on developing a proficiency at using these diagnostically.
For those who are interested in a particular topic, suggestions for extra reading will be provided during the course. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Cognitive and Subject-Specific Skills:
Understand how different models and assumptions may be used to gain insight into particular situations, and the ability to use competing models to generate such insight in order to take appropriate action.
Stand back and view complex situations in perspective.
Recognise the key shapers of organisational structures, routines and processes.
Transferable Skills:
Work in teams and to use the skills of team members to best advantage.
Apply models of decision-making to a variety of situations.
See the strengths, weaknesses and trade-offs in different organisational structures and processes
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| Keywords | OfE |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Nick Oliver
Tel: (0131 6)50 3811
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Kate Ainsworth
Tel: (0131 6)51 7761
Email: |
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