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Organisational Management and Leadership

Module description

People play a large role in how businesses operate. From the smallest enterprise to the largest corporation, organisations are created and designed by people to achieve organisational objectives. Given that people can be unpredictable and complex, the study of organisational behaviour (OB) seeks to understand how people think, feel, and act within organisations. This module will introduce students to a number of foundational theories of organisational behaviour that help us better understand the intricacies of human behaviour at work.

The purpose of this module is to provide students with a general understanding of the foundations of organisational theory. The module also aims to prepare students to be effective members and managers of organisations; particularly through understanding the nature of work performance and by having an awareness of the behavioural levers that managers can apply to improve the performance and job satisfaction of individuals.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module examines the central issues of organisational behaviour and aims to:

• Provide an understanding of key theoretical contributions to organisational behaviour
• Enable students to begin using these theories to critically analyse organisational practices, and to begin using examples of organisational practice to critically reflect on organisational theories
• Encourage critical thinking and an awareness of the differing perspectives that can be used to evaluate management theory and practice

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. demonstrate appropriate knowledge and understanding of the theories underpinning the field of Organisational Behaviour (OB);
• 2. critically evaluate the contribution and limitations of these theories;
• 3. apply these theories to practical problems in organisations.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. recognize the importance of organisational behaviour concepts on the individual and the organisation, and to appreciate the interrelationships of these concepts for personal and organisational well being;
• 5. conduct research into business and management issues in general, and OB in particular, either individually or as part of a team;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. critically apply concepts and frameworks to organisational life and vice versa;
• 7. demonstrate communication skills such as the ability to share information and opinions clearly, effectively and critically, orally and in writing, using a range of media used in business;
• 8. practice interpersonal skills such as working in groups, listening and responding to different viewpoints, negotiating and persuading, identifying and solving problems, and being able to lead.

Syllabus plan

Indicative topics covered on the course include:

• Personality & Individual Differences
• Motivation & Rewards
• Perception, Cognition, & Decision Making
• Psychological Contracts
• Group Processes and Outcomes
• Leadership
• Creativity
• Cultures in Organisations

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

There is no textbook that covers all the topics on this module. Interested students could consult the following:

• Staw, B.M (2004). Psychological Dimensions of Organizational Behaviour, Prentice-Hall
• Kolb, D.A., Osland, J.S. & Rubin, I.M. (2007) The Organizational Behaviour Reader, Pearson.

The readings on the module are primarily taken from key academic journals such as:

• Administrative Science Quarterly 
• Academy of Management Journal  
• Academy of Management Review
• Journal of Organizational Behaviour 
• Journal of Applied Psychology
• Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology

Key words search

Organisational Behaviour, Leadership