Undergraduate Course: Managing Change (BUST10107)
Course Outline
| School | Business School |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Organisations, their workforces, clients and customers face new internal and external contextual issues on a regular basis. This course covers organisational design and development. The course will enable students to develop a critical understanding of organisational change via the theories and conceptual frameworks of organisation design and the principles and practices of organisational development. Both are critical to our understanding of organisations and how they function and both reside within a framework of organisation theory. |
| Course description |
The course focuses on decisions that have to be made on the most appropriate organisational structure(s) to ensure dynamic delivery of organisational activities. Organisation design is about shaping an organisation to maximise its effectiveness; aiming for flexibility in delivery of its services. Through breaking down departmental barriers, seeking improved supply efficiencies, teamwork and collaboration and working towards better customer management and retention, organisations can enhance their performance and ensure that organisational goals and targets are achieved. Organisation design activities therefore focus on finding the most appropriate structures, relationships between departments and sections, and allocation of work activities, including definition of duties and role responsibilities. The module also focuses on how an organisation's culture, values and environment support and enhance organisational performance and adaptability.
Organisation development is defined as a 'planned and systematic approach to enabling sustained organisation performance through the involvement of its people'. This might include how organisational members acquire new skills, knowledge and behaviours, and do things differently, often as part of the application of continuous improvement strategies. The concept of the 'learning organisation' as one of a number of organisation development strategies that might be adopted as part organisational change activities is also explored.
Overall, the course aims to introduce students to a range of explanations that can help in the understanding of how organisations and their component groups and individuals approach change. In so doing, students will be encouraged to explore a range of practical techniques that can be used in dealing with change. The course requires critical reflection on theory and practice from an ethical and professional standpoint and provides opportunities for applied learning and continuous professional development.
Syllabus
- Introduction: managing change and types of change
- History, paradigms, and models of change: why change organisations?
- Organisational design and strategic change
- Changing groups and changing individuals
- Change leadership and change communications
- Resistance and other reactions to change
- Cultural change and organisational learning
- The roles of power, politics, and ethics in managing change
- Change agents, change agency, and the HR role in managing change
- Technological change, evaluating change, and Course Overview
Student Learning Experience
The two-hour class sessions combines lecture input, class and case discussions and student presentations.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed
Organisational Behaviour 2 (BUST08028)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | A pass in Organisational Behaviour 2 (BUST08028) equivalent.
Visiting students should have at least 3 Business Studies courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). We will only consider University/College level courses.
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| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
55 %,
Coursework
30 %,
Practical Exam
15 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Degree Examination: 55%
Assessed essay of 2,500 words: 30%
Class presentations and participation: 15% (this will be awarded individually on the basis of presentations in response to case study questions and participation in class discussions).
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| Feedback |
Generic feedback on your coursework, together with individual marks, will be available on Learn on DATE (to be confirmed). You will also be able to review your individual feedback electronically via Grademark on Learn from SAME DATE.
Your examination marks will be posted on Learn (together with generic feedback and examination statistics) as soon as possible after the Boards of Examiners' meeting (normally early-mid June). During the summer months (i.e. mid/end June-end August), you may come into the UG Office (Room 1.11, Business School, 29 Buccleuch Place) to look at your examination scripts. Note that you will not be able to remove any examination scripts from the UG Office as they may be required by the Board of Examiners
Continuing students will also be given the opportunity to review their examination scripts early in the new academic year in Semester 1 (i.e. in October). |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand and critically discuss the historical and theoretical basis of organisation design and development and their context in terms of value and contribution to organisational life.
- Understand and critically evaluate available design options regarding organisational structures and relationships; and processes and systems that need to be in place to maintain such structures and relationships.
- Understand and critically discuss of methods and procedures of organisation development and the skills and tools used to review their strategic impact.
- Understand and critically discuss change management strategies and activities used in the application of organisation development strategies, which might support organisation design and realignment outcomes; discuss organisation culture and employee norms, attitudes, and behaviours.
- Critically evaluate the importance of the HR role in advising on these design and development choices and supporting their implementation.
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Reading List
There are many good text books available on organisation change and change management. The core text for the course is:
Hughes, Mark (2010). Managing Change: A critical perspective (2nd Edition). London: CIPD.
However, this book does not cover all the topics included in the course and you will need to read more widely than this. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
At the end of the course, students will be expected to have:
1. Knowledge of the historical and theoretical basis of organisation design and development and their context in terms of value and contribution to organisational life.
2. Knowledge of available design options regarding organisational structures and relationships.
3. A critical awareness of processes and systems that need to be in place to maintain such structures and relationships, and evaluation of same.
4. Knowledge of methods and procedures of organisation development and the skills and tools used to review their strategic impact.
5. Knowledge of change management strategies and activities used in the application of organisation development strategies, which might support organisation design and realignment outcomes.
6. Knowledge of organisation culture and employee norms, attitudes, and behaviours.
7. A critical appreciation of the importance of the HR role in advising on these design and development choices and supporting their implementation. |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
The class will meet weekly on Thursdays in Semester 2 from 2.10-4.00 pm. |
| Keywords | MC |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Thomas Calvard
Tel: (0131 6)51 5313
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Kimberley Bruce
Tel: (0131 6)51 5009
Email: |
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