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Module

NBS8159 : Organisations and People Management

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Benjamin Bader
  • Lecturer: Professor Iain Munro
  • Owning School: Newcastle University Business School
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 5.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

This module offers students a comprehensive introduction to the study of behaviour in organizations and management. Its aim is to enable students to understand the history and development of the subject area, how theory relates to practice, and how and why theories and practices change over time. Classical and contemporary sociological and psychological and behavioural and cultural theories and perspectives on people management are examined in detail.

Integrating and analysing how these different social science disciplines contribute to the study of organizations and management provides a context for students to understand the complexities of behaviour in organizations, the difficulties of translating theory into practice, and the challenges associated with leading and managing people, human resource development and organisational change. This framework is designed to provide students with opportunities to gain theoretical and applied knowledge and understanding of the psychology and sociology of individual and group behaviour, team dynamics, management practice, and the influence and effects of new organizational forms and culture(s) on these phenomena, within and across societies.

Outline Of Syllabus

The syllabus will include:

* Work and Organisations in Modern Society.

* Classical Theories: Fordism, Taylorism and Human Relations

* Contemporary Theories: Post-Fordism and New Organisational Forms

* Social Psychological perspectives in Organisational Behaviour

* Symbolic Realms of Organisational Group Life

* Orthodox and Critical Perspective on Organisational Culture

* Managing Organisational Culture

* Employee Relations and Human Resourcing

* Workplace Surveillance and the Ethics of Close, Controlled Organisational Participation

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture93:0027:00PiP Lecture. MBA is a small group.
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion125:0025:00N/A
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading123:0023:00Reflective reading and presentation of key readings
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study125:0025:00N/A
Total100:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The module teaching and learning methods include lectures and class discussion, non-assessed and formally assessed class presentations and end of module assignment. Teaching sessions will include formal lectures, class discussions and student presentations informed by selected readings, case studies, video and/or other learning material that will be used to provide critical insight into specific aspects of the theory and practice of organization and management.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Prof skill assessmnt1A40Group presentation 1 (30 mins)
Essay1M602,000 word essay assignment
Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Description Semester When Set Comment
Oral Presentation1MGroup presentation to develop whole class understanding of management issues.
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessed group-presentations (no more than five people in each group) are held in week 10. Each group will present for no more than 30 minutes (20mins presentation time, 10 minutes for questions). It is up to each individual group to choose the topic of the presentation. All groups' final choice of topic must be approved in advance by the module leader. There are no constraints on how students choose to deliver the presentation. The groups are free to be as conventional or as creative as they like. The presentation will be assessed as follows:

• Knowledge and understanding of the subject/ topic area                   = 20%
• Use and understanding of OB theories and perspectives                         = 30%
• Oral communication skills and time management = 10%
• Level of group involvement = 10%
• Visual aids = 10%
• The quality of group response to questions                               = 20%


Assessment 2
One 2000-word assignment: Assignment guidance will be provided by the module leader during a taught session. The assignment will set a broadly framed question for critical discussion and the guidance will encourage independent inquiry to develop a focus of relevance and interest to the student. The assignment will be assessed in terms of the extent to which answers demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the assignment topic area and include evidence of good quality research, insight and originality.

Formative assessment is provided through end of class student-led discussion, unassessed bi-weekly student presentations, in-class case study analysis and end of module assessed presentation.


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In case we are forced to move to an online-delivery as in 2020/2021, the assessment will be a 3,000 word essay, the presentation part will be removed.

Reading Lists

Timetable