Module overview
The module is designed to introduce the main elements of individual and organisational behaviour and human resource (HR) practices in organisations, and therefore focuses on people management. In particular, the module provides a context for you to appreciate the complexities of managing people and organisations in the 21st century. The content of this module is focused on the challenges of managing individuals, teams, groups and organisations, by examining a variety of issues inherent in modern organisations and, importantly, the skills that managers require to deal with them. The module also calls for significant reflection on your own skills and career development, since a critical part of the MBA programme is to learn to manage yourself and other people in a work-based environment. During the module you will receive assessments of your personality type and team interaction style.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- How human resource strategies and practices can contribute to effective performance in organisations.
- The key psychological factors in the behaviour of people and organisations;
- The HR skills and best practices needed to manage people and organisations successfully;
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Work effectively as part of a task-orientated and diverse group;
- Manage individual tasks, personal resources and time effectively;
- Write effectively for business purposes;
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Explain how principles of psychology impact on the successful management of people and organisations;
- Identify appropriate HR skills and best practices for the successful management of people and organisations;
- Critically evaluate organisational behaviour and HR strategies and practices in organisations.
Syllabus
The syllabus is designed to provide you, the student, with an overview and a context of management in today's complex and ambiguous business environment.
Introduction
The nature of organisational behaviour and management
Strategic HRM
Organisational Behaviour
Work motivation and job satisfaction (Individual differences)
Team working and team dynamics
Organisational structure, design and culture (Cross-cultural management)
Power, influence and politics
Human Resource Management
Recruitment & selection
Learning & development
Performance and reward management
Managing diversity
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include:
- Facilitated discussions, group work, case studies, interactive development sessions.
Teaching methods will place emphasis on drawing on and utilising your experiences, and will also include group work, guided reflection, individual study of course materials, and discussion of theories, ideas and concepts.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Teaching | 30 |
| Independent Study | 70 |
| Total study time | 100 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Cooper, C (ed) (2005). Leadership and Management in the 21st Century. UK: Oxford University Press.
Whetten, D. A. & Cameron, K. S. (2011). Developing Management Skills. UK: Prentice Hall.
Horn, R. (2009). The Business Skills Handbook. London: CIPD.
Redman, T., Wilkinson, A. (eds) (2021). Contemporary HRM: Text and Cases. Sage.
(2016). HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing People.
Mullins, L. J. (2023). Management & Organisational Behaviour. UK: Pearson.
Boxall, P., Purcell, J., (2021). Strategy and HRM. London: Palgrave MacMillan.
Assessment
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
In-class formative opportunities
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback: Formative feedback is provided as part of the discussions in class. Written feedback is provided for draft plans of both the group assignment and individual reflection.
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: No
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Group report | 30% |
| Individual Coursework | 70% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Individual Coursework | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Individual Coursework | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External