LBUSI5203 People & Organisations Course Descriptor

Course Overview

Our society is made up of a multitude of organisations, in the public, private, or third sectors, from the very small – such as a family or small business – to the very large, such as a government or the UK National Health Service. They are all dependent on a number of people, from different backgrounds and specialisms, and with different needs and perspectives, working together within a structure. How do these organisations develop resilience to changes and challenges? How can they best keep their people happy and productive while future-proofing their activities? The answers to these questions lie in how these organisations are structured, managed and led.

This course introduces students to organisational management theory and explores relevant concepts from the perspective of the individual and the organisation as a whole. Students will learn about different types of organisations, their objectives and strategies, and how  they interact with their wider environment. Through discussion of the theories of motivation, working in a team, management and leadership styles, students will learn how organisations function and start to identify their own work preferences. Students will be challenged to challenge their current perspectives and consider the relevance and suitability of different and diverse approaches and how they can develop strategies to work in an inclusive way .

Embedded within this course are theories of diversity and how to best employ the talents of differently abled people (e.g. the social model of disability and newer theories of neurodiversity). Students will use these theories alongside management theories as a canvas for forming their own understanding of both historical and contemporary organisational contexts, and suggest solutions to given problems. Case examples from a range of local and global contexts and a variety of organisations will be used to learn about the different approaches to the management of people in organisations and learn how human diversity shapes and contributes to organisational development.

Students will learn to reflect on their own experiences as inspiration for analysis on organisational development that is informed by academic writing on diversity across time and in different contexts. They will learn to solve problems in organisations with different needs and characteristics, and communicate the value of diversity in organisational settings.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding

Subject Specific Skills

Transferable and Employability Skills

Teaching and Learning

This course has a dedicated Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) page with a syllabus and range of additional resources (e.g. readings, question prompts, tasks, assignment briefs, discussion boards) to orientate and engage students in their studies.

The scheduled teaching and learning activities for this course are:

Lectures and/or seminars

40 scheduled hours – typically including induction, consolidation or revision, and assessment activity hours.

Version 1:all sessions in the same sized group

OR

Version 2: most of the sessions in larger groups; some of the sessions in smaller groups

Faculty hold regular ‘office hours’, which are opportunities for students to drop in or sign up to explore ideas, raise questions, or seek targeted guidance or feedback, individually or in small groups. 

Students are to attend and participate in all the scheduled teaching and learning activities for this course and to manage their directed learning and independent study.

Indicative total learning hours for this course: 150

Assessment

Both formative and summative assessment are used as part of this course, with purely formative opportunities typically embedded within interactive teaching sessions, office hours, and/or the VLE.

Summative Assessments

The assessments will require students to discuss and practice theories involving human differences, and how this translates into the design and development of organisations with varying objectives and contexts. The written assignment is an individual piece of work that includes students’ reflecting on their experiences of working as part of a team.  

Further information about the assessments can be found in the Course Syllabus.

Feedback

Students will receive formative and summative feedback in a variety of ways, written (e.g. marked up on assignments, through email or the VLE) or oral (e.g. as part of interactive teaching sessions or in office hours).

Indicative Reading

Note: Comprehensive and current reading lists are produced annually in the Course Syllabus or other documentation provided to students; the indicative reading list provided below is for a general guide and part of the approval/modification process only.

• Stewart, J. and P. Rogers (2012) Developing People and Organisations. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
• Mullins, L,(2019) Organisational Behaviour in the Workplace.12th Edition. Pearson
• UK Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (n.d.) “Introduction to the Social and Medical Models of Disability”. UK Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Available online: https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/sites/default/files/FDN-218144_Introduction_to_the_Social_and_Medical_Models_of_Disability.pdf
• Silberman, S. (2015) NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and How to Think Smarter about People Who Think Differently. Allen & Unwin.

Indicative Topics

Note: Comprehensive and current topics for courses are produced annually in the Course Syllabus or other documentation provided to students; the indicative topics provided below is used as a general guide and part of the approval/modification process only.

• Human difference and diversity (including nationality, race, disability)
• Organisational strategies and objectives
• Theories of management and leadership
• Human resource development & management
• Organisational design & development
• Motivation theories
• Working in a team