Organizational Behaviour: Student Page

organizational behaviour

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This page is intended for Business Computing students at City University in London, following the Veryard Projects and Antelope Projects course in Organizational Behaviour (B126).

The course is specifically designed to connect Organizational Behaviour with Information, Communications and Technology.

Course description

Timetable

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Course Description

veryard projects > business and organization studies > organizational behaviour > course description

Objectives

This course aims to provide an introduction to the behaviour of people within organizations, and the behaviour of the whole organizations.

An appreciation of organizations and their behaviour helps to understand, manage, and improve organizations. In the context of a business computing degree, many students may be particularly interested in organizational improvements that are enabled by computing systems. An appreciation of organizations and their behaviour helps to understand how technical systems may support organizations, and also why many technical systems fail to support their host organizations.

Prerequisites

This course assumes that you have successfully completed the Foundations of Business course. The Organization Behaviour course builds on these foundations – especially in sociology and systems theory. In addition, the course introduces some elementary notions of organizational psychology, and adopts some of the techniques of anthropology for making sense of what goes on inside organizations. Previous formal study of sociology, systems theory, psychology and anthropology are not required.

Students who have not followed our Foundations of Business course are especially recommended to read basic texts on systems theory / systems thinking..

What you will study

The course explores the relationship between Organization and Behaviour.

Organization. Theory of organizations, knowledge of organizations, system theory, making sense of organizations.
Behaviour at Work. The measurement and management of company/team/individual performance. Efficiency and effectiveness.
Organization of Behaviour. How behaviour at work is organized, coordinated and managed. Management and leadership. Types of behaviour.
Behaviour in Organizations. How people and teams behave in an organizational context. Psychological factors, including groupthink, anxiety and stress.
Behaviour of Organizations. Strategy and culture.

Relevance

Practical Side

Theoretical Side

For planning, designing and implementing IT solutions for people in organizations ...

... you need to know how people work in organizations

For planning, designing and implementing IT solutions as management support tool ...

... you need to know how management works in organizations.

For running IT projects with people in organizations ...

... you need to know how people work effectively in teams.

Appreciating the business value and human cost of IT systems.

Understanding IT systems as an expression of a particular theory of management.

IT systems inherit management agenda

Value of IT systems is only meaningful within a given management agenda.

IT systems may inherit any political, social or ethical critique of the management agenda.

How to pass the course

The course contains a number of separate topics. Assignments and exam questions will be based on selected topics. A satisfactory pass can be obtained by demonstrating an understanding of the topic and illustrating it appropriately. Higher marks will be available to those students capable of integrating the topic with other relevant topics, and demonstrating an understanding of its broader context and implications.

Timetable 2002

veryard projects > business and organization studies > organizational behaviour > timetable

The following timetable applies for the 2002 run of the course. The 2001 timetable is no longer available.

Week Topic Theme Tutorial Reading

1 Introduction Introduction to some of the key themes of the course. MSI

2 Making Sense of Organizations The need for interpretation. Techniques and perspectives for analysing organizations. Personal
Manufacturing Station Hatch Ch 1,2

3 People in Organizations Exploring the inner workings of organizations as systems. Considerations of subsystems - including large and small groups. Simple examples of psychological behaviour patterns. Fire Brigade Handy Ch 8

4 Behaviour and Motivation Explaining and influencing the behaviour of people in organizations. WholeFood Distribution Handy Ch 2, 3

5 Leadership and Control How managers organize behaviour. Heathrow
Express Hatch Ch 11
Handy Ch 4, 5

6 Power and Conflict How organizations behave as collective entities. Political aspects of organizations. Leisure Centre Hatch Ch 9,10
Handy Ch 10

7 Social and Cultural Aspects of Organization How organizations behave as collective entities - continued. Healthcare
Bureaucracy
Hatch Ch 6,7
Handy Ch 6, 7

8 Technology and Change The relationship between organizations and technology. How and why do organizations adopt or resist technical change? Hatch Ch 5,12
Handy Ch 9

9 Organizational Environment and Strategy Developing the notion of an organization as an open system. Hatch Ch 3,4

10 Conclusion Weaving together some of the key themes of the course. tba

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Week	Topic	Theme	Tutorial	Reading
1	Introduction	Introduction to some of the key themes of the course.	MSI
2	Making Sense of Organizations	The need for interpretation. Techniques and perspectives for analysing organizations.	Personal Manufacturing Station	Hatch Ch 1,2
3	People in Organizations	Exploring the inner workings of organizations as systems. Considerations of subsystems - including large and small groups. Simple examples of psychological behaviour patterns.	Fire Brigade	Handy Ch 8
4	Behaviour and Motivation	Explaining and influencing the behaviour of people in organizations.	WholeFood Distribution	Handy Ch 2, 3
5	Leadership and Control	How managers organize behaviour.	Heathrow Express	Hatch Ch 11 Handy Ch 4, 5
6	Power and Conflict	How organizations behave as collective entities. Political aspects of organizations.	Leisure Centre	Hatch Ch 9,10 Handy Ch 10
7	Social and Cultural Aspects of Organization	How organizations behave as collective entities - continued.	Healthcare Bureaucracy	Hatch Ch 6,7 Handy Ch 6, 7
8	Technology and Change	The relationship between organizations and technology. How and why do organizations adopt or resist technical change?		Hatch Ch 5,12 Handy Ch 9
9	Organizational Environment and Strategy	Developing the notion of an organization as an open system.		Hatch Ch 3,4
10	Conclusion	Weaving together some of the key themes of the course.		tba