Postgraduate Course: Organisational Design & Organisational Development (EDUA11278)
Course Outline
| School | Moray House School of Education |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The course focuses on decisions that have to be made on the most appropriate organisational structure(s) to ensure delivery of organisational activity. Organisation design is about shaping an organisation to maximise its effectiveness and adaptive capacity. It has a clear link to performance management in that effective delivery of work and output will be measured and managed. The course also focuses on how an organisation's culture, values and environment support and enhance organisational performance and adaptability. Organisation development includes how organisational members acquire new skills, knowledge and behaviours, and do things differently, often as part of the application of continuous improvement strategies. The practical applications of organisation design and organisation development concepts and the implications for the effective management of organisations and professional practice are considered. 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. |
| Course description |
1. Understand, analyse and critically evaluate the historical and theoretical basis of organisation design and development and their context in terms of value and contribution to organisational life. The development of organisation theory; different schools of management thinking (with specific reference to scientific management and early attempts at organisational design); different schools of thought and practice surrounding organisation development; behavioural science, social psychology, motivation theory, systems theory, learning theory, psychotherapy, etc. organisational culture and values and how these are determined; the definitional debate; the use of metaphors; new organisational paradigms; systems theory and applications; motivation theory and job redesign; the relationship of organisation design and development with performance management activities.
2. Understand, analyse and critically evaluate the available design options regarding structures and relationships. Organisation structures; formal and informal organisations; types of organisation structure, for example bureaucratic, entrepreneurial, matrix, differentiated; flexible working patterns; core and peripheral models; the nature of the employment contract; the economic and environmental context of organisation design and development; internationalisation, globalisation and transnational structures; legislative, socio-political influences; external and internal factors impacting on choices and decision-making around structures and delivery of services; government initiatives and programmes impacting on organisation design.
3. Understand, analyse and critically evaluate the processes and systems that need to be in place to maintain such structures and relationships and evaluation of same. The application of job descriptions and role profiles; the formal and informal structure of working relationships, for example consultative machinery, networks etc.; decision-making complexes and operating procedures; communication systems; methods of evaluating effectiveness, for example feedback, surveys, focus groups etc.
4. Understand, analyse and critically evaluate the methods and procedures of organisation development and review their strategic impact. Measuring and managing performance outcomes; setting and managing key performance indicators; data collection through employee surveys and consultation procedures; using outcomes from performance reviews; applications of the balanced scorecard; the links to continuous improvement strategies; the links to learning and development; towards a learning organisation.
5. Understand, analyse and critically evaluate possible change management strategies and activities, through the application of organisation development strategies, which might support organisation design and realignment outcomes. Working with organisation development as a change methodology; origins and applications of change management; concepts and models of change; the process of change; analysis of the organisation as a precursor to change; environmental scanning; the concept of stakeholder analysis; the role of the change agent; the role of the HR specialist in supporting the introduction of strategic change, for example downsizing, redundancy, new employment relationships; external and internal change strategies through applying quality standards, for example ISO, EFQM; becoming a learning organisation; resourcing and management of programmes.
6. Understand, analyse and critically evaluate organisation culture norms and behaviours. Measuring and analysing organisational culture; the application of the cultural web; identifying and managing resistance to change; determining organisational values and ethics; translating these into strategy; identifying required behaviours; the identification of competencies.
7. Understand, analyse and critically evaluate the importance of the HR role in advising on these design and development choices and supporting their implementation. The HR role in supporting the design and implementation of new ways of working; improving organisational and individual performance through job design, job enlargement and job enrichment; the HR role in organisation development; the use of internal and external consultants; facilitation styles; the concept of business partnering; managing cultural change programmes.
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
1. The historical and theoretical basis of organisation design and development and their context in terms of value and contribution to organisational life.
2. Available design options regarding organisational structures and relationships.
3. Processes and systems that need to be in place to maintain such structures and relationships, and evaluation of same.
4. Methods and procedures of organisation development and review their strategic impact.
5. Change management strategies and activities through the application of organisation development strategies, which might support organisation design and realignment outcomes.
6. Organisation culture, norms and behaviours.
7. The importance of the HR role in advising on design and development choices and supporting their implementation.
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | organisationdevelopment development organisation design |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Peter Evans
Tel: (0131 6)51 6345
Email: |
Course secretary | |
|
|
University Homepage