ORG 9853 Organization Theory - RE-SIT EXAMINATION

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2012/2013

ORG 9853 Organization Theory - RE-SIT EXAMINATION

Responsible for the course
Bård Kuvaas

Department
Department of Leadership and Organizational Behaviour

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
6

Language of instruction
Norwegian

Introduction
The objective of the course is to give students a basic understanding of organizational behaviour. The students will be guided through the most important topics within organizational theory, where classical approaches and more recent perspectives are presented side by side in order to illustrate managerial thinking and behaviour in organizations. The course consists of three main parts. The first part covers organizational goals and effectiveness, structure, culture, power and organizational environment. The second part deals with processes in organizations, while the third part is dedicated to the question of how to study organizations. After having completed the course, the students should have learned the most central concepts and contributions within organizational theory, along with skills in applying theory to “real life situations”. Students should also get acquainted to BIs electronic library, as a prerequisite to further academically writing.

Objective
After completion, the students should:
  • Have gained a basic understanding of important contributions and perspectives in organizational theory
  • Be able to apply such contributions and perspectives in order to better understand real word challenges and dilemmas in organizations
  • Be able to find and understand relevant research articles

Prerequisites
No particular prerequisites are required. However, the course content should be viewed in relation to the course ORG 9601. An internet-based test containing subject matter from ORG 9601 is offered at the start of the semester.

Compulsory reading
Books:
Jacobsen, Dag Ingvar og Jan Thorsvik. 2007. Arbeidsbok og casesamling til Hvordan organisasjoner fungerer. 3. utg. Fagbokforlaget. 156 sider
Jacobsen, Dag Ingvar og Jan Thorsvik. 2007. Hvordan organisasjoner fungerer. 3. utg. Bergen : Fagbokforlaget. 466 sider


Articles:
Das, T.K. and B.-S. Teng. 1999. Cognitive biases and strategic decision processes: An integrative perspective. Journal of Management Studies. 36(6). p.757-778
Ferraro, F., J. Pfeffer, & R.I. Sutton. 2005. Economic language and assumptions: How theories can become self-fulfilling. Academy of Management Review. 30 (1). p. 8-24
Piderit, S. K. 2000. "Rethinking restiance and recognizing ambivalence: A multidimensional view of attitudes toward an organizational change.". Academy of Management Review. 25(4): 783-794
Seibert, S. E., Silver, S. R., and Randolph, W. A. 2004. "Taking empowerment to the next leve: A multiple-level model of empowerment, performance, and satisfaction.". Academy of Management Journal. 47(3):332-349


Other:
Vitenskapelige artikler (lastes selv ned av kursdeltakerne gjennom BI-høyskolenes elektroniske oppkobling mot BIs biblioteker):


Recommended reading

Other:
Ingen


Course outline
  • Goals and effectiveness
  • Organizational structure
  • Individual, social and cultural relationships
  • Power and conflict
  • Organizations and their environment
  • Motivation
  • Communication
  • Decion making
  • Learning
  • Change
  • Leadership
  • Studying organizations

Computer-based tools
The internet based platforms Blackboard and apollon are in use throughout of the course, at the lecturer’s didactic judgements. All students are responsible for acquiring access to the internet, in order to test their level of knowledge as a part of the course.

Course structure
Full-time and part-time
The course outline is 42 hours of lectures, of which 6 hours are dedicated to lecture assisted work with cases. Steady progression is regarded as a necessity within the course, when wanting to achieve high-level results. The establishment of colloquia are highly recommendable.

Mandatory case
At the start of the semester, a case assignment will be handed out. The case assignment is to be prepared individually or in groups of two or three students. The paper should be maximum 5 pages and must be handed in to the lecturer, who sets the hand in date. The lecturer registrers the papers and organizes feedback on the cases. Experiences gained in working with cases during the semester should prove to be most relevant when students are working with the final case presented as home exam assignment at the end of the semester.

Multiple-choice tests
Multiple-choice tests containing questions from the compulsory literature are available for the course contenders by accessing designated web pages. Students should as a helpful learning activity pass all tests during the semester. There are no limitations regarding the number of times the students can access or try out for the tests. All aids are allowed in the process of working with the web-based tests.

The course is also provided as Distance Learning.



Examination
A take home exam, to be completed in 72 hours, concludes the course. The take home exam can be prepared individually or in groups of two or three students.

Examination code(s)
ORG 98532 – take home exam, which accounts for 100% of the grade in ORG 9853, 6 credits.

Examination support materials
All aids + calculator TEXAS INSTRUMENTS BA II Plus™ are permitted.
Exam aids at written examiniations are explained under exam information in our web-based Student handbook. Please note use of calculator and dictionary. http://www.bi.edu/studenthandbook/examaids


Re-sit examination
This course was lectured for the last time fall 2010. Re-sit exam will be offered every term even spring 2013.

Additional information