Students
BUS 815 – Behaviour in Organisations
2018 – S1 Evening
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Dr. Douglas Howe
Contact via email
SASU, Room 223, 4ER Building 5pm-6pm Wednesday, other times by appointment
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
4
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
BUS651 or MKTG696
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit aims to significantly enhance student knowledge of the ways people behave in organisations and the skills required to effectively manage them. The body of knowledge is developed from the systematic study of individual, team and organisational characteristics for the purpose of helping organisations succeed. Topics addressed rationalisation, group dynamics, motivation, organisational politics, organisational change and organisational culture.
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of classical and contemporary Organisation Behaviour theory. Topics include: leadership, motivation, organisational culture, teamwork, ethics, power & politics and organisational change
- Evaluate organisational behaviour concepts through review of relevant scholarship
- Demonstrate commitment to achieving teamwork task
- Practise giving and receiving constructive and critical feedback
General Assessment Information
|
Task |
Weight |
Due Date |
Linked Learning Outcomes |
Linked Graduate Capabilities |
Brief Description |
|
Online quiz |
20% |
28/03/2018 |
1 |
1 |
Online quiz through iLearn |
|
Comparative Review |
20% |
11/04/2018 |
2 |
1, 2 |
1,000 words (+/-10%, excl references) comparing two academic, peer reviewed articles |
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Group project |
60% |
Weeks 11, 12 and 13 06/06/2018 |
1, 3, 4 |
1, 2, 4 |
Part 1, collective deliverable – 30%: Group report (3,000 words +/-10%) Part 2, individual deliverable - 30%: Feedback exercise |
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online quiz | 20% | No | 28/03/2018 |
| Comparative Review | 20% | No | 11/04/2018 |
| Group assignment | 60% | No | Weeks 11, 12 and 13 |
Online quiz
Due: 28/03/2018
Weighting: 20%
An online quiz, worth 20% of the final grade, will be held in week 5 of the semester . The quiz will have two sections: multiple choice questions on theory covered in the first 4 weeks of the semester and a short answer question asking you to respond to a fictional scenario.
Details are provided in the Assessment Guidelines Document available on iLearn and questions on this assessment will be answered in the first lecture.
NOTE ON EXTENSIONS: No extensions will be granted. Students who do not complete the online quiz will be awarded a mark of 0 for the assessment, except for cases in which an application for Special Consideration is made and approved
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of classical and contemporary Organisation Behaviour theory. Topics include: leadership, motivation, organisational culture, teamwork, ethics, power & politics and organisational change
Comparative Review
Due: 11/04/2018
Weighting: 20%
A comparative analysis, worth 20% of the final grade and due in week 7, asks you to compare and contrast two texts that discuss the same topic but have cruical differences or appear to have cruical differences yet turn out to have suprising commonalities.
Two acdemic journal articles will be provided for BUS815 students on iLearn. You have to write a 1000 word essay (+/- 10%, excl. reference list) comparing these articles: their differences, their similarities, their strengths and weaknesses, the validity of their arguments.
Details and marking criteria are provided in the Assessment Guidelines Documentation available on iLearn and questions on this assessment will be answered in the first lecture.
NOTES ON EXTENSIONS: No extensions will be granted. Late tasks will be accepted up to 120 hours after the submission desdline. There will be a deduction of 10% from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part therof that submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submisioni -20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for Special Consideration is made and approved.
SUBMISSION DETAILS: The essay is to be submitted through Turnitin on iLearn (only). Further details are provided in the Assessment Guidelines Documetn available on iLearn.
This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:
- Evaluate organisational behaviour concepts through review of relevant scholarship.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Evaluate organisational behaviour concepts through review of relevant scholarship
Group assignment
Due: Weeks 11, 12 and 13
Weighting: 60%
This assessment consists of two parts:
Part 1, Collective Deliverable - worth 30% of the final grade: In groups of 4-5 (depending on cohort numbers) students will write a 3,000 word report (+- 10%, excl title page, executive summary, table of contents and reference list) on an organisation of their choice, applying knowledge that they gained from BUS 815. The report is due on Wednesday 6th June 2018 (Week 13). All team members will receive the same mark for this component of the assessment. The report is to be uploaded in the relevant Turnitin folder on iLearn. Details and assessment criteria are provided in the Assessment Guidelines Document available on iLearn and questions on this assessment will be answered in the first.
NOTE ON EXTENSIONS: No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late, -20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for Special Consideration is made and approved.
Part 2, Individual Deliverable - worth 30% of the final grade: Giving constructive feedback is a critical element in being a successful leader; yet many of us struggle to deliver it and learn from it. In weeks 11 and 12, students will partake in a feedback exercise in class. This assignment will be marked individually and is to be submitted to Turnitin on the relevant folder on iLearn, also on Wednesday 6th June 2018. Details and assessment criteria are provided in the Assessment Guidelines Document available on iLearn and questions on this assessment will be answered in the first workshop.
NOTE ON EXTENSIONS: No extensions will be granted. Students who do not participate in the feedback exercise will be awarded a mark of 0 for the task, except for in cases in which an application for Special Consideration is made and approved. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late, -20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for Special Consideration is made and approved.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of classical and contemporary Organisation Behaviour theory. Topics include: leadership, motivation, organisational culture, teamwork, ethics, power & politics and organisational change
- Demonstrate commitment to achieving teamwork task
- Practise giving and receiving constructive and critical feedback
Delivery and Resources
- Classes are held each week of the semester on Wednesdays 6pm - 9pm at 8SCO (E3B) 217. Each class is 3 hours long, including lecture and seminar activities.
- To pass this course, students need to achieve an overall grade of 50%
- Students must attend 80% of all 3 hour seminars to complete this unit, i.e. miss no more than 2 seminars including medical absences. A log will be taken to record attendance.
- Students are expected to read prescribed text chapters before seminars, join in discussions and complete all assessments. Reflection is crucial to integrating unit material. Therefore active participation in discussions and exercises is of utmost importance not only to the participating student but to the whole class.
- Staff will normally respond to student emails within 24 hours. Staff will not respond to emails during weekends or public holidays.
- Students are expected to arrive on time and not leave until class ends.
- Mobile phones are to be set on silent during class. Texting or other mobile phone activity during class is distracting to the student concerned, the lecturer and other students and is strictly forbidden. Students violating this requirement will be asked to leave the class.
- Students checking their social media accounts during class time will be asked to leave the class.
- Photography as well as audio and video recording by students is not permitted.
TIMETABLE: The timetable for this unit can be accessed from: http://timetables.mq.edu.au
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: Champoux JE (2016) Organizational Behavior. New York & Abingdon: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
Additional readings will be made available via the Library Multisearch engine. The required readings for the essay will be made available through e-Reserve and/or iLearn. A list of additional suggested readings will be made available on iLearn for students who wish to stretch themselves.
TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED: Students are required to have access to a personal computer and familiarise themselves with iLearn (https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/). iLearn will be used to post lecture slides, assessment details, student grades and as a means of communication between staff members and students. If you have difficulties logging on to iLearn, please contact the university's technical support staff. Do not contact the lecturer as he is not be able to help you with technical queries.
Students are expected to check their university email account and contact the teaching staff through it. Gmail, hotmail and other personal email accounts are often blocked through the university's spam filter; communicating through those risks that your query will not be answered.
COURSE MATERIAL
- You are expected to save and/or print copies of the lecture slides and bring them along to the lectures. No printouts will be given by the lecturer.
- You are expected to save and/or print the worksheets and other material necessary for each seminar. No printouts will be given by the lecturer.
- All important announcements will be made on iLearn and you are expected to view the announcements page of the course website at least once per week.
TEACHING STRATEGY: This unit is designed to be interactive. As such, the topics are best explored through active participation and experiential learning. As such, the workshops will involve presentations by the lecturer covering key theoretical concepts, practical activities, exercises, group consultations with the lecturer and observation exercises.
Unit Schedule
A detailed unit schedule will be provided on iLearn. Topics covered include leadership, motivation, organisational culture, teamwork, ethics, power and politics and organisational change.
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Graduate Capabilities
PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge of classical and contemporary Organisation Behaviour theory. Topics include: leadership, motivation, organisational culture, teamwork, ethics, power & politics and organisational change
- Evaluate organisational behaviour concepts through review of relevant scholarship
Assessment tasks
- Online quiz
- Group assignment
PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Evaluate organisational behaviour concepts through review of relevant scholarship
- Demonstrate commitment to achieving teamwork task
- Practise giving and receiving constructive and critical feedback
Assessment tasks
- Comparative Review
- Group assignment
PG - Effective Communication
Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate commitment to achieving teamwork task
- Practise giving and receiving constructive and critical feedback
Assessment task
- Group assignment
Changes from Previous Offering
Text book and assessments are unchanged from 2017.
Research & Practice, Global contexts & Sustainability
- This unit draws on extensive research from sources outside the textbook. Students will be provided with additional mandatory research articles for every week that will allow them to considerably expand their knowledge of OB. In addition, a list of suggested articles will be posted on iLearn for students who wish to stretch themselves.
- Conducting research independently is strongly encouraged for this unit and is rewarded
- Cultural differences in work practices between countries will be extensively discussed and students will be asked to elaborate on work practices in their respective countries. OB theories from non-Western perspectives will be integrated in the lectures, where available.
- Issues of sustainability and ethics will be discussed in week 2 and elsewhere throughout the semester as they relate to other OB topics.