COMMGMT 2500NA - Organisational Behaviour II

Ngee Ann Academy - Trimester 3 - 2016

The course information on this page is being finalised for 2016. Please check again before classes commence.

This course is designed to provide students with a foundational understanding of the history and development of Organisational Behaviour (OB) theories and concepts. The body of knowledge focuses on how the attributes and behaviours of individuals and groups influence the culture, design, ethics, learning and structure of an organisation. The applied focus of the course is to facilitate experiential learning of contemporary approaches to conflict resolution, communication, decision making, leadership, motivation, negotiation, power and politics within a team environment.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code COMMGMT 2500NA
    Course Organisational Behaviour II
    Coordinating Unit Adelaide Business School
    Term Trimester 3
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s Ngee Ann Academy
    Units 3
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Restrictions Available to BCom students - Singapore only
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Lois Whittall

    Dr Marilyn Clarke
    email marilyn.clarke@adelaide.edu.au
    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    By the end of this course students should be able to:

    1. Demonstrate a thorough knowledge and understanding of organisational behaviour.

    2. Collaboratively and autonomously research, analyse and evaluate information from a wide variety of sources.

    3. Apply relevant contemporary theories, concepts and models in order to analyse organisational environments, cases and issues.

    4. Communicate their findings clearly and effectively using a variety of media.


    Students are expected to:

    ·  Undertake all required reading for the subject.

    ·  Prepare for tutorials by completing pre-reading, case notes and discussion questions as outlined in the tutorial activity schedule.

    ·  Attend lectures and actively participate in tutorials

    ·  Complete all items of assessment in a timely fashion

    University Graduate Attributes

    No information currently available.

  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Wood, J, Zeffane, R, Fromholtz, M, Wiesner, R, Morrison, R, and Seet, P. (2013), Organisational Behaviour: Core Concepts and Applications, 3rd Australasian Edition, Wiley, Brisbane.
    Recommended Resources
    In addition to the prescribed textbook, students may wish to consult alternative textbooks for greater clarification of the theories, and additional case studies and exercises. While the list below is by no means comprehensive, some general OB texts are recommended below:

    Bartol, K., Tein, M., Matthews, G., Sharma, B and Scott-Ladd. 2010, Management - A Pacific Rim Focus, McGraw Hill, Sydney

    Kinicki, A., and Williams, B. 2012, Management – A Practical Introduction, McGraw Hill, Sydney

    Robbins, S.P., Judge, T.A., Millett, B., Boyle M., T., 2012, Organisational Behaviour, Pearson Education, Australia
    Online Learning
    Students are encouraged to read beyond the textbook to enhance their learning of organisational behaviour. For wider reading, other sources include academic journals. The list below is by no means comprehensive and is offered as a launching point for additional readings. These journals are available through the Barr Smith Library in online databases.


    Academy of Management Executive
    Academy of Management Journal
    Academy of Management Perspectives
    Administrative Science Quarterly
    (Harvard Business Review – not peer reviewed)
    Human Relations
    Journal of Applied Psychology
    Journal of Organizational Behaviour
    Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
    Organization Science
    Organization Dynamics
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course is taught in intensive mode with two week long intensives. Each day there is a three hour lecture and a one and a half hour tutorial. Tutorials are an important component of your learning in this course. Students are expected to attend all classes and ensure that they complete the required reading and exercises before coming to class. Students are encouraged to actively participate in tutorial discussions as a way of developing sound communication skills, highly valued by employers and professional bodies.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The University expects full-time students to devote approximately 12 hours a week to each subject they study (48 hours for 4 subjects). The intensive mode of your study means that for each subject you are likely to concentrate your time over the two weeks devoted to OB II. However you will need to find time for private study, and group work in between intensives, particularly in the week when you do not have any other courses This time commitment will include reading the relevant text book chapter, preparing for tutorials, online tests and preparation for your exam. Careful time management is essential so that you achieve your full potential.
    Learning Activities Summary
    Intensive 1           Lecture and Tutorial Topic Prescribed Reading
    17 Sept What is OB? Individual Behaviour and Performance Wood et al (2013) Ch 1 & 2
    18 Sept Motivation and Empowerment; Learning Wood et al (2013) Ch 3 & 4
    21Sept Job design, goal setting and flexible work arrangements Wood et al (2013) Ch 5
    22 Sept Groups and Group Dynamics; Teamwork and Team Building, Wood et al (2013) Ch 6 & 7
    Intensive 2 Lecture and Tutorial Topic Prescribed Reading
    12 Nov Organisational Culture Wood et al (2013) Ch 8
    13 Nov Power and Politics; Decision Making Wood et al (2013) Ch 10 & 12
    16 Nov Leadership Wood et al (2013) Ch 11
    17 Nov Organisational Change Wood et al (2013) Ch 14


     

  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary

     

    Assessment Due Date and Time Weighting      Related Learning Outcome
    Case study During first intensive 15% 1 and 4
    Online tests See schedule 15% 1 and 2
    Group research project TBA 30% 1, 2,3 and 4
    Final Exam 15 December 40% 1,2,3 and 4
    Total 100%

     

    Assessment Related Requirements
    To gain a pass for this course, a mark of at least 45% must be obtained in the examination as well as at least 50% overall. Students not achieving the minimum exam mark will be awarded no more than 49%.
    Assessment Detail

    No information currently available.

    Submission
    Assignment Guidelines Including Referencing Details

    A copy of the Communication Skills Guide will have been given to you at the beginning of your program. This guide will assist you structure your assignments. A copy of the guide can also be downloaded from http://business.adelaide.edu.au/current/ug/commskills/

    This publication also provides guidelines on a range of other important communication skills including writing essays and management reports, making oral presentations etc. In preparing any written piece of assessment for your studies it is important to draw on the relevant 'literature' to support critical analysis. Also essential is to reference the literature used. Correct referencing is important because it identifies the source of the ideas and arguments that you present, and sometimes the source of the actual words you use, and helps to avoid the problem of plagiarism. The Harvard system is widely used in the Business School. Guidelines for the use of this style of referencing can be found in the Communication Skills Guide.
     
    Assignment submission

    1. Please note that all requests for extensions should be directed in writing to the Lecturer-in charge no later than 48 hours before the due date. Extension requests after this time will only be granted for exceptional circumstances. This does not include poor time management or poor file management.
    2. Extensions to the due date of individual and group assessment may be granted under special circumstances. An extension request based on illness or on exceptional personal circumstances must include the "Supporting Statement / Certification Form" that is on p. 4 of the Supplementary Assessment application available at:
    a. www.adelaide.edu.au/student/exams/pdfs/supp_applic.pdf
    b. Students applying for an extension based on medical reasons must visit their medical practitioner, with the approved University form, and have the medical practitioner complete it. A normal doctor's certificate will not be accepted.
    3. All assignments are to be lodged at, or prior to, the due date and time. A late assignment where no extension has been granted will be penalised by a reduction of 5% of the mark given for each day, or part of a day, that it is late.
    4. Assessment marks prior to the final exam will be displayed on the course website. Students are encouraged to check their marks and notify the Lecturer-in-Charge of any discrepancies.
    5. Legible hand-writing and the quality of English expression are considered to be integral parts of the assessment process. Marks may be deducted in the final examination because of poor handwriting.

    Presentation of Assignments
    1. Students must retain a copy of all assignments submitted.
    2. All individual assignments must be attached to an Assignment Cover Sheet that must be signed and dated by the student before submission. Lecturers will withhold students’ results until such time as the student has signed the Assignment Cover Sheet.
    3. All group assignments must be attached to a Group Assignment Cover Sheet that must be signed and dated by all group members before submission. All team members are expected to contribute approximately equally to a group assignment.
    4. Students may not submit work for an assignment that has previously been submitted for this course or any other course.
    5. Markers can refuse to accept assignments that do not have a signed acknowledgement of the University’s Policy on Plagiarism: www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/230/

    Supplementary assessment – please note that supplementary assessments will not be offered in this course. Students are also not permitted to resubmit work completed in previous years.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

    The learning log assessment has been modified somewhat based on feedback provided; the two phases of the learning log have been streamlined, with each being submitted in a single block rather than weekly, which did cause some confusion and made record keeping unnecessarily onerous for tutors. Students are now recommended to obtain feedback from tutors on ongoing learning log development during office drop-in hours.

    The group poster (previously submitted as part of the group assignment) has been replaced with a ‘reflective’ group statement of collective learning during the group work. This is more in keeping with the course content (as understanding your own and your colleagues’ behaviour in organisational settings generally, and work groups in particular, is central the course content. This will also be supported by more explicit content on groupwork in the tutorial on groups and teams and is partially in response to student feedback about problems experienced in such groupwork last year.



  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.