Students
SOCX821 – Sociology of Institutions and Organisations
2016 – S2 OUA
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Charlotte Overgaard
Contact via charlotte.overgaard@mq.edu.au
W6A 801
by appointment
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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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 course provides an overview of the field of organizational theory and research, with a specific focus on sociological contributions to the study of organizations and institutions. It will discuss different organizational types such as economic organizations, non-profits, governmental and non-governmental organisations, voluntary associations, etc. Questions that will be explored include: Why do organizations have so much influence over modern life? How are organizations formed, and why do so many have similar characteristics, structures, and strategies? In what environments are organizations embedded, and how do organizations and environments evolve over time?
All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.open.edu.au/student-admin-and-support/key-dates/
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- situate ‘institutions’ and ‘organisations’ within sociological theory
- identify different types of organisations and the main drivers of organisational change
- analyse the various situations and problems which commonly occur in organisations using a critical approach
- identify different influences on organisational change
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Due | Groupwork/Individual | Short Extension | AI assisted? |
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| Short Quiz (1) | 20% | Week 6 | No | ||
| Short Quiz (2) | 20% | Week 11 | No | ||
| Case Study | 10% | Week 10 | No | ||
| Research Paper | 30% | Week 13 | No | ||
| Participation, online | 20% | continuous | No |
Short Quiz (1)
Due: Week 6
Weighting: 20%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?:
This short quiz will be administered in week 6. Students will have 30 minutes to complete the quiz (and 5 minutes reading time). It will cover materials from weeks 2 to 5. It will comprise 15 multiple-choice questions. Marks will be awarded for correct answers. The quiz is designed to provide students with feedback on their progress in the course.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- situate ‘institutions’ and ‘organisations’ within sociological theory
Short Quiz (2)
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 20%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?:
This short quiz will be administered in week 11. Students will have 30 minutes to complete the quiz (including 5 minutes reading time). It will focus on course materials covered in weeks 6-10, but may also draw on your knowledge from earlier in the course. The quiz will comprise multiple-choice and short answer questions. Marks will be awarded for correct answers.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- identify different types of organisations and the main drivers of organisational change
- identify different influences on organisational change
Case Study
Due: Week 10
Weighting: 10%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?:
This case study is supposed to describe an organisation, its structure, and/or development. Students are encouraged to pick an organisation they are familiar with or an organisation in a field they are interested in. This description will be used as a basis for the final research paper.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- identify different types of organisations and the main drivers of organisational change
Research Paper
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?:
This final research paper is supposed to discuss a specific topic addressed in the lecture and to apply it to the organisation described in the case study. It goes well beyond a simple summary of course content or descriptions of an organisation, as it is supposed to show how organisational structures, changes, goals etc. are affected by external and internal developments and how these changes can be described using concepts discussed in the course.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- situate ‘institutions’ and ‘organisations’ within sociological theory
- identify different types of organisations and the main drivers of organisational change
- analyse the various situations and problems which commonly occur in organisations using a critical approach
- identify different influences on organisational change
Participation, online
Due: continuous
Weighting: 20%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?:
Ongoing Participation: 20 per cent of your final mark will be awarded based on your participation and engagement.
Your participation mark reflects on two elements: extent and quality of your participation. In other words, the more you participate, including responding to other students' posts and the more thoughtful and considered your responses, the better is your outcome in terms of marks.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- situate ‘institutions’ and ‘organisations’ within sociological theory
- analyse the various situations and problems which commonly occur in organisations using a critical approach
- identify different influences on organisational change
Delivery and Resources
Lecture:
There are no lectures in this course.
Technology used
iLearn
Important information about the weekly schedule for this unit, course readings and assessment are all available on the course iLearn page.
Information about Turnitin and GradeMark
All written assessments to be submitted via Turnitin. A link to Turnitin is available via the Assessments tab on the iLearn page. Please contact the convenor if you cannot find it (do not leave it until the day of the assessment). Assessments will be marked via GradeMark and returned to students electronically.
Textbooks
This course draws on the following textbook:
Scott, W. (2014) Institutions and Organizations. Sage
This book is available @ Macquarie University Library
Additional readings for this course will be posted on ilearn.
Unit Schedule
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Week 1 |
Introduction & What are Organisations? |
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Week 2 |
The Organisation and its Environment |
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Week 3 |
Classical Studies |
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Week 4 |
Towards Contemporary Studies |
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Week 5 |
What are Institutions (and Organisations)? |
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Week 6 |
Institutionalism and Neo-Institutionalism |
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Week 7 |
Organisational Behaviour |
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Week 8 |
Internal Organisational Design |
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Week 9 |
A Comparison of the Approaches |
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Week 10 |
Organisational Culture |
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Week 11 |
Case Studies |
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Week 12 |
Case Studies |
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Week 13 |
Conclusions |
Policies and Procedures
Late Submission - applies unless otherwise stated elsewhere in the unit guide
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
Extension Request
Special Consideration Policy and Procedure (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration)
The University recognises that students may experience events or conditions that adversely affect their academic performance. If you experience serious and unavoidable difficulties at exam time or when assessment tasks are due, you can consider applying for Special Consideration.
You need to show that the circumstances:
- were serious, unexpected and unavoidable
- were beyond your control
- caused substantial disruption to your academic work
- substantially interfered with your otherwise satisfactory fulfilment of the unit requirements
- lasted at least three consecutive days or a total of 5 days within the teaching period and prevented completion of an assessment task scheduled for a specific date.
If you feel that your studies have been impacted submit an application as follows:
- Visit Ask MQ and use your OneID to log in
- Fill in your relevant details
- Attach supporting documents by clicking 'Add a reply', click 'Browse' and navigating to the files you want to attach, then click 'Submit Form' to send your notification and supporting documents
- Please keep copies of your original documents, as they may be requested in the future as part of the assessment process
Outcome
Once your submission is assessed, an appropriate outcome will be organised.
OUA Specific Policies and Procedures
Withdrawal from a unit after the census date
You can withdraw from your subjects prior to the census date (last day to withdraw). If you successfully withdraw before the census date, you won’t need to apply for Special Circumstances. If you find yourself unable to withdraw from your subjects before the census date - you might be able to apply for Special Circumstances. If you’re eligible, we can refund your fees and overturn your fail grade.
If you’re studying Single Subjects using FEE-HELP or paying up front, you can apply online.
If you’re studying a degree using HECS-HELP, you’ll need to apply directly to Macquarie University.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/
Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of 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/support/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 - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative
Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- analyse the various situations and problems which commonly occur in organisations using a critical approach
Assessment task
- Participation, online
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
- situate ‘institutions’ and ‘organisations’ within sociological theory
- identify different types of organisations and the main drivers of organisational change
- analyse the various situations and problems which commonly occur in organisations using a critical approach
- identify different influences on organisational change
Assessment tasks
- Short Quiz (1)
- Short Quiz (2)
- Case Study
- Research Paper
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
- situate ‘institutions’ and ‘organisations’ within sociological theory
- identify different influences on organisational change
Assessment tasks
- Short Quiz (1)
- Short Quiz (2)
- Research Paper
PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- identify different types of organisations and the main drivers of organisational change
- analyse the various situations and problems which commonly occur in organisations using a critical approach
- identify different influences on organisational change
Assessment tasks
- Case Study
- Participation, online
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 outcome
- identify different influences on organisational change
Assessment tasks
- Case Study
- Participation, online
PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
This graduate capability is supported by:
Assessment task
- Participation, online