Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Professor
Associate Professor Kyle Bruce
|
---|---|
Credit points |
Credit points
4
|
Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MBA or MMgmt or PGDipMgt or GradDipMgt or PGCertMgt or GradCertMgt or MSusDev or MSocEntre
|
Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
Unit description |
Unit description
Organisational Behaviour (OB) is a multi‐disciplinary field that uses insights from psychology, anthropology, philosophy and sociology to study human behaviour in organisational settings. In this unit, students critically examine insights into human behaviour to better manage and improve organisational performance and capability, with an emphasis on ethical management and a global mindset.
The unit covers the micro perspectives of OB (such as individual foundations, perceptions, attitudes and motivation); meso (such as groups, communication and team dynamics); and macro (such as organisational culture, change, power and leadership), as well as ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
|
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Extensions and penalties
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 in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for disruption of studies is made and approved. No submission will be accepted after solutions have been posted.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Individual case analysis | 10% | No | 25 May 2 pm |
Group assignment | 30% | No | 29 June |
Final exam (case-based) | 60% | No | 30/6/2018 |
Due: 25 May 2 pm
Weighting: 10%
To be uploaded to iLearn BEFORE session 1 of class
The five case outlines are your preparation for the cases in sessions 2-5. Prepare point-form responses to the questions related to the cases detailed in the unit schedule section below of this unit guide. About 1-2 pages per case should be sufficient.
Due: 29 June
Weighting: 30%
Length: 1500-2000 words (per individual team members)
Due: 29 June - must be submitted to lecturer as an email attachment
Assignment rationale
You will be a member of a syndicate group that undertakes an assignment as team. You will collectively select an organisation bearing in mind a critical OB issue(s) affecting the performance of this organisation i.e. its effectiveness or efficiency. The issue may be something positive in or outside the organisation, or else it maybe something negative. Your job as individuals and as a team is to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the issue(s) utilising knowledge and skills developed from MGSM870 i.e. by applying topics from the unit.
The purpose of the assignment is to enable you to:
Your individual contribution to the group assignment should be about 2000-3000 words, 12pt font size with 1.5 or double spacing. Each member of the syndicate group must clearly identify which element of the group assignment is your individual contribution by putting your names in brackets next to your section heading.
Assessment criteria
Guide to the assignment
This assessment task is to gauge how well you can apply 4-5 relevant topics/concepts from the unit to a ‘real-life’ organisation. What you need to do early on is to select an organisation - either domestic or international - for detailed analysis. The organisation may be of any size and it is likely that data availability will vary with size and international recognition.
What I am trying to get at in this task is how well you understand the ideas presented in this unit and how well you can articulate this knowledge by applying it to an actual situation. The emphasis is on understanding, rather than presentation. You are not describing, but analysing situations/behaviour. Assignments that are excessively descriptive or make excessive use of point-form, will not achieve a very high grade.
Basic issues to be addressed MIGHT include (in no particular order):
Not all of these issues will be relevant for every organisation. Notice that I emphasise HOW & WHY issues because if you do this, then you will be analytical, rather than descriptive. Students are required to use their initiative in what issue they address, and what issues they ignore. Likewise, you are required to use your initiative in how you structure/organise and present the issues addressed – there is no model answer or blue-print for success in this exercise, though some examples of both good and bad past assignments will be provided. These should be regarded as indicative of style and structure rather than of content.
Submission details
One student from each group will submit a soft-copy of this assessment on behalf of their syndicate group by emailing it as an attachment to the lecturer.
Formatting instructions
The assignment should be in 12pt font size with 1.5 or double spacing. Each page of the assignment should have at least 3cm margins from the left and right edges and top and bottom of the page. The actual word length of the document, not including references or executive summary should be clearly stated on the title page of the assignment. The group assignment should have the ‘MGSM group assignment cover sheet’ at the start of the paper.
The assignment should have the following structure:
Due: 30/6/2018
Weighting: 60%
The final exam is open book and will consist of 3 questions related to a case made available to you in the day of the exam. In the time available to communicate your ideas and reflections, you are required to demonstrate your understanding of unit material via reflective application to the case. More details on the final exam will be provided in Session 10.
McShane, S., Olekalns, M. & Travaglione, T. (2015). Organisational Behaviour: Emerging Knowledge, Global Insights, 5th Edition. McGraw-Hill.
Our administrator at HKMA will contact students once the required textbook is available for collection from the HKMA campus.
Copies of the overheads of lectures will be provided on iLearn and at each class. These overheads form a guide to the major issues of the course and will be an important guide to the content of the final examination. Given the interactive nature of the class it is not always possible, nor desirable, to discuss every overhead during lectures. However, the overheads reflect the domain of the course and as such all overheads, including those not presented in class, are important when reviewing course material for assignments and examination.
The web page for this unit can be found at: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MGSM
Access to a personal computer is required to access resources and learning material from iLearn.
The role of the lecturer: The lecturer/facilitator is NOT there to provide “the answer”, but rather to draw out issues, analysis and recommendations from participants. The lecturer may take the role(s) of: devil’s advocate, challenger, defender, facilitator, or protagonist.
The role of the student: The better prepared the individual, the richer the learning experience. Having done the preparation before class, students have the opportunity to explore issues in depth and to argue their decisions and recommendations. The learning experience is closely correlated with the level of preparation.
I (the Lecturer) am a dedicated advocate of active learning, which is to say that I do not profess to know everything about OB, will not have time to go over every single detail of OB, and expect that you will actively engage with the subject matter both before and during the sessions.
You are all very different learners and you all bring very different sets of experience/skills/knowledge. My role is to act as a ‘guide’ through the maze that is OB, so ideally you will be learning some things from me, some things from the textbook, readings and from the case studies, and some things from each other as you engage in debate and share ideas/experiences/thoughts.
The emphasis in all sessions is on participatory action-learning through informed debate and discussion. For this to be successful, you must prepare the case prior to the session.
The unit has a strong focus on the application of the unit concepts and theories to the selected case studies to make sense of the multiple perspectives on how OB works and what is successful. Through exploring and applying OB concepts in a wide range of situations you will develop your own competence in OB thinking and evidence-based decision making.
However, deep learning cannot be achieved through an overreliance on the use of prescribed tools and frameworks; it requires informed debate and discussion. So, whilst we apply an OB ‘toolkit’, you will develop your own point of view through your own analysis of a number of organisations in a diverse range of industries and geographic locations. Following this, you will deduce what decisions and recommendations to make that will enhance the organizational health of the total enterprise.
So, it is important to accept that there is no one “right answer”, only rational and defensible arguments.
Pre-week 1 preparation
In week 0 (the week before week 1 of term):
Most sessions will be organized into 3 interconnected blocks of roughly 45 mins with some “breathers” interspersed between, plus an after-class “debrief”. The blocks – in no particular order (we will mix it up) will consist of:
Class etiquette
An atmosphere of mutual respect and professionalism is in order. So please...
There is no prescriptive procedure for doing a written case analysis; only some general guidelines as outlined below – this is because company situations and management problems are diverse and therefore there is no one way to approach a written case assignment.
You are required to offer analysis and evidence to back up your conclusions. Do not rely on unsupported opinions, overgeneralizations, and platitudes as a substitute for tight, logical argument backed up with facts and figures.
Demonstrate that you have a command of the OB concepts and analytical tools to which you have been exposed. Use them in the assignments and the exam to answer the questions.
For more, see the preparing case analysis for exercises and exam document on the MGSM870 iLearn page. While this document is related to Strategy, the methodology of case analysis is very applicable to OB.
Students are required to attend all classes.
This unit will be presented over 2 BLOCKS (10 sessions) as follows:
Time of class: | Friday | 6:00pm - 10:00pm (HKT) |
Saturday | 2:00pm - 10:00pm (HKT) | |
Sunday | 9:00am to 5:00pm (HKT) |
Your ability to pass this unit is heavily reliant on your familiarity with the prescribed readings below. They form the basis of each session's lectures, the assessments, and the final exam. These readings have been selected because they give the most efficient overview available of the theories and frameworks covered in this unit.
Session | Topics and allocated case study/textbook chapter |
---|---|
1 Friday, 25 May 2018 |
Introduction to organisational behaviour
|
2 Saturday, 26 May 2018 |
Personality, values, and attitudes
|
3 Saturday, 26 May 2018 |
Motivation
|
4 Sunday, 27 May 2018 |
Leadership
|
5 Sunday, 27 May 2018 |
Knowledge and learning
|
6 Friday, 1 June 2018 |
Structure (and also assignment discussion)
|
7 Saturday, 2 June 2018 |
Power and influence
|
8 Saturday, 2 June 2018 |
Culture
|
9 Sunday, 3 June 2018 |
Change
|
10 Sunday, 3 June 2018 |
Overview and take-home case assignment
|
Many of these references can be reached online through databases such as Business Source Premier. For a direct link to the library databases, see the MGSM student home page under the section ‘Research links’: https://students.mgsm.edu.au/sydney-students/resources/research-databases/
We have also provided additional material in the iLearn unit (articles, book chapters and video links) as a resource for you. These supplementary unit materials are not compulsory and have been provided as extra resources should you be particularly interested in a topic.
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:
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).
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 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.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
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.
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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 tasks: The group presentation has been removed, with additional weighting transferred over to the group report assessment (from 20% to 60%). The final exam has been removed and replaced with a case study assignment that has two parts, with submission of the first part before the start of class, and submission of the second part on the HKMA allocated examination date of 30 June 2018.
Deliver and resources: None
Unit schedule: Some readings have also been changed, moved around, or removed.
The interactive environment of the classroom is central to the MGSM experience. Students are required to attend the full duration of all classes for the units in which they are enrolled. We recognise that exceptional circumstances may occur, such as unavoidable travel on behalf of your organization or the serious illness or injury of you or a close family member.
Special consideration may be given for a maximum of 20% non-attendance for such circumstances as long as lecturers are contacted in advance, and supporting documentation provided, to request exemption from attendance. Failure to abide by these conditions may result in automatic withdrawal, with academic and/or financial penalty. The full Student Attendance Policy is published in the MGSM Student Handbook at https://students.mgsm.edu.au/handbook.
These unit materials and the content of this unit are provided for educational purposes only and no decision should be made based on the material without obtaining independent professional advice relating to the particular circumstances involved.
Date | Description |
---|---|
28/02/2018 | Updated lecturers contact details |