UWA Business School

Unit Outline

Organisational Behaviour

MGMT1135

SEM-1, 2014

Campus: Crawley

Unit Coordinator: Dr Catherine Lees

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Unit detailsUnit title Organisational BehaviourUnit code MGMT1135 Credit points 6Availability SEM-1, 2014 (24/02/2014 - 21/06/2014)Location Crawley Mode Face to face, Multimode

Contact detailsFaculty Business SchoolSchool UWA Business SchoolSchool website http://www.business.uwa.edu.au/Unit coordinator Dr Catherine LeesEmail catherine.lees@uwa.edu.auTelephone 6488 2877Consultation hours By appointment. Do not hesitate to phone or email and we will arrange a time.Unit contact hours Lecture times and

venue:Please check the current timetable on the UWA website, and note that lecturesare repeated and recorded.http://www.timetable.uwa.edu.au/ Students will be allocated to lecture streams automatically, so after you enrol inthis unit check your individual timetable to find out which lecture stream youshould attend.

For standard teaching period: lectures: 2 hrs per week; tutorials: 1 hr per weekLecture capture system LCS is implemented for this unit.Online handbook http://units.handbooks.uwa.edu.au/units/MGMT/MGMT1135Unit website https://www.lms.uwa.edu.au/login

Unit rulesIncompatibility MGMT2235 Organisational Behaviour

Unit descriptionThis unit provides an understanding of individual and group behaviour in organisations, with an emphasis on similarities and differencesin different cultures. Topics that deal with individuals in organisations include personality, perception, motivation, ability, satisfaction,decision making and stress. Topics relevant to group behaviour include interpersonal relations, group dynamics, group decisionmaking, leadership, conflict, power, ethics, social justice and social responsibility. The application of theory and research findings tomanagement practice in organisations is addressed in the coverage of these topics.

IntroductionWelcome to Organisational Behaviour! Organisational Behaviour is a social science discipline concerned with understanding the behaviour of individuals and groups inorganisations. This unit will introduce you to the concepts, theories and applications of the study of organisational behaviour.Organisations are composed of people. The study of human behaviour is, therefore, fundamental to understanding organisations andorganisational effectiveness. This also means that organisational behaviour is relevant to all forms of business including businessesengaged in engineering, education, the arts, and physical and health sciences. Not only is organisational behaviour fascinating, it canalso help us to understand life outside the classroom and in the workplace. This unit is concerned with learning how the study of humanbehaviour helps improve organisational, managerial and personal effectiveness. The unit will start you on a journey to understanding,integrating,and applying knowledge on why people act the way they do in organisations.The teaching staff for this unit are passionate about Organisational Behaviour. We hope to spark your interest too, as we warmlywelcome you to join us on this fascinating journey.

Unit contentDo you believe workers will generally avoid doing anything unless they have to, and that they must be monitored, enticed, or eventhreatened to keep them working up to standard? Or, do you believe workers are generally eager to work hard and concerned aboutwhat they produce and the contribution they make, and that they must be encouraged, trusted, and empowered in order to keep themworking up to standard? Ask some of your friends what they think and you will get a variety of answers; we all have our own opinionsabout how people work, and how organisations work.

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Because OB is about people, and we are all people, it is easy to think that our own opinions and experiences provide the best guide tounderstanding behaviour. While we would not imagine that our personal experiences and intuitions could give us an adequateunderstanding of the complexities of chemistry, genetics or palaeontology, when it comes to human behaviour everyone is an expert!But, often different people have had different experiences and have developed different opinions. What if your experiences are differentto the experiences of some other people, or do not correspond to the situation at hand? This is when we need to look for research tohelp guide our actions and behaviour towards others at work. Evidence-based management is the idea that we lead and manageourselves and others based on research and evidence – not upon what we think is common sense. Like many CEOs and executivesare now doing, MGMT1135 is based upon the premise of evidence-based management. As such, we will explore ideas around whatmakes for good research, as well as constantly touching base with what the research tells us, rather than just relying on our gut feel. Ofcourse experience is useful, so the lectures and the tutorials encourage you to think about your own experiences – but we will alwaystie it in to the theory and the research. We do this so that when you are your own business manager, or a manager of others, or justtrying to understand those around you as you travel the world, you can rely on evidence to design practices and procedures, to predictand analyse management and people problems, and to understand and affect the actions and reactions of the people who make thoseorganisations work.Organisational behaviour includes some of the most personal and important issues that will affect your career.

What motivates you, what motivates others?How do you react to the way you are treated?How will you treat other people when you have power over them?How do groups of people behave, and why?What can a manager do to affect the way people behave and what they do?

Unit goalsOrganisational behaviour is a foundation unit for those taking a major in Management or Human Resource Management in the Bachelorof Commerce. The goal is to provide students with an introduction to the study of organisational behaviour, its history, methods, andcurrent state of knowledge, as well as to introduce students to how this knowledge is applied to improve the management oforganisations and the well-being of those who work in them.

Educational principles and graduate attributesIn this unit, you will be provided with the opportunity to:

Critically evaluate and develop solutions to organisational behaviour problems.Develop your communication skills through class discussion in tutorials, and responding to questions that arise about thediscussion topics.Develop a willingness to question accepted wisdom and be open to new ideas and possibilities, through critical analysis ofcompeting organisational behaviour theories and active debate in tutorial classes.Develop self-management and independent learning skills through completion of the regular assigned work in the course.Develop competencies for working effectively in teams, through full participation in team exercises in the tutorial classes.Develop awareness of the ethical aspects of organisational behaviour.

Learning outcomesStudents are able to (1) understand organisational behaviour theories and concepts in the areas listed in the schedule of topics, acrosscultures and nations; (2) understand the importance of an evidence-based approach to management and organisational behaviour; (3)master the language and basic technical terms of the organisational behaviour discipline; (4) locate and critique research in the field oforganisational behaviour; (5) interpret organisational problems in terms of individual, interpersonal and group processes; (6) analyseorganisational problems using a number of established theoretical frameworks; and (7) create solutions to managerial problemsthrough the application of organisational behaviour principles.

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Unit structureLectures:

Two 1-hour lectures per week.Lecture 1 for the week is on Wednesdays, Lecture 2 is on Thursdays.Each of these two lectures will be repeated later on the same day as it is originally delivered, and students are timetabled to attendeither the original or repeat streams of lectures depending on the number of enrolments in the unit. Check your own timetable onStudent Connect for your assigned lecture times and locations if you are attending the Crawley campus.Lectures will be recorded and made available to students in the unit through the Learning Management System. Recordings aresolely for the purpose of study by students in the unit, they are subject to copyright and may not be provided to others.

Tutorial:

One 1-hour tutorial per week, commencing in the second week of semester.You should attend your allocated tutorial session consistently. There will be experiential exercises to illustrate phenomena oforganisational behaviour, and tutorials will also include many opportunities to ask questions and get help to understand topics. Weekly attendance will be recorded by the tutor, and there are participation marks associated with your contribution to the tutorialclass activities and discussions. The size of the tutorial classes is limited to 18 per tutor, and to maintain that limit a student may not normally attend any sessionother than the one to which the student is allocated. Allocation to tutorials will occur through the On-line Class Registration System(OLCR), except for students attending in Albany.Students attending in Albany will be assigned to a tutorial time in Albany by the UWA Albany campus staff.

Unit schedule

Week LectureDates

Lecture Topic EssentialReadings

Tutorial Assessments

1 26February27February

Introduction to OB;Individual differences

Chapters 1 & 2of McShane etal.

NOTUTORIAL

2 5 March 6 March

Perception inorganisations

Chapter 3 Tutorial 1 Tutorial participation

3 12March 13March

Emotions, attitudes,and stress in theworkplace

Chapter 4 Tutorial 2 Tutorial participation

4 19March 20March

Motivation Chapter 5 Tutorial 3 Tutorial participation. Assignment 1 due 4 pm, Thursday 20 March.

5 26March 27March

Applying motivation tothe workplace

Chapter 6 Tutorial 4 Tutorial participation

6 2 April 3 April

Decision making andcreativity

Chapter 7 Tutorial 5 Return ofAssignment1

Tutorial participation

7 9 April 10 April

Teams inorganisations

Chapter 8 NOTUTORIAL -Oral testsinstead oftutorial

Oral test sessions to be scheduled

8 16 April 17 April

Theory building andresearch methods inOB

Appendix A NOTUTORIAL -Oral testsinstead oftutorial

Oral test sessions to be scheduled

--- --- MID-SEMESTERSTUDY BREAK

--- --- ---

9 30 April 1 May

Power and influence Chapter 10 Tutorial 6 Tutorial participation

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10 7 May 8 May

Conflict andnegotiation

Chapter 11 Tutorial 7 Tutorial participation. Assignment 2 due 4pm, Monday 5 May.

11 14 May 15 May

Leadership inorganisations

Chapter 12 Tutorial 8 Tutorial participation

12 21 May 22 May

Organisationalstructure and culture

Chapters 13 &14

Tutorial 9 Tutorial participation. Active Research Experience finishes at 4pm,Monday 19 May. Alternative research methodsassignments due also at 4pm, Monday 19 May.

13 28 May 29 May

Organisational change Chapter 15 Tutorial 10 Return ofAssignment2

Tutorial participation

Pre-examinationstudy period

2 - 6June

Semester 1examinationperiod

7 - 21June

Teaching and learning responsibilitiesTeaching and learning strategiesThe learning outcomes of this unit are reflected in the teaching and learning strategies used. The lectures define areas, outline keytheories and research in organisational behaviour, contrast alternative perspectives and identify points of debate. You are expected toparticipate in assigned activities, and to keep up-to-date with assigned reading so that you can benefit fully from the classes.Tutorials build on the lecture material and draw upon your knowledge and experiences. Experiential activities and participativediscussions are used to develop your critical thinking skills, creativity, and confidence in speaking on organisational behaviour topics.The practise opportunities provided in tutorials will help you cope with the oral test later in the semester.You are expected to listen to the lectures, either in person or online, and to attend your allocated tutorial session. Attendance andparticipation in tutorials is expected and tutors will record attendance at each tutorial session. This is to ensure that all students areparticipating fully in the course and no one is missing out on the learning opportunities that are provided.Everyone involved in the unit is expected to show a commitment to professionalism, social responsibility and ethical practice.Participants are also expected to be sensitive and committed to a better understanding of cultural, diversity-related, and internationalissues.

AttendanceEngagement with the course, whether by listening to a lecture or getting involved in other activities, is an important part of the learningprocess. Moreover, by its very nature Organisational Behaivour is about how people behave both indiviually, and in their interactionswith each other. It is important that you attend your tutorial classes, where there will be opportunities to engage in experientialexercises that illustrate OB principles, and to develop your interaction skills. More formally, the University regulations state that ‘tocomplete a course or unit students shall attend prescribed classes, lectures, seminars and tutorials’.

Teaching and learning evaluationYou may be asked to complete two voluntary surveys on your experience of this unit.; The Student Perception of Teaching (SPOT) andthe Students’ Unit Reflective Feedback (SURF).SPOT results are processed by the University’s Centre for Teaching and Learning before being sent to the academics concerned.SPOT provides valuable feedback directly to the teachers in the unit on how students view the unit and the teaching methods used.This is a very helpful and useful source of information for the lecturers and tutors and will be important in their reflection on how toimprove the learning experience for students.SURF is completed online and is a university-wide survey conducted on every unit, with the same questions for all units. You willreceive an email from the SURF office inviting you to complete the SURF when it is activated later in the semester. We encourage youto complete these surveys as your feedback is an important source of information to help the University to design units, and to improveteaching and learning outcomes.

Charter of student rights and responsibilitiesThe Charter of Student Rights and Responsibilities upholds the fundamental rights of students who undertake their education at theUniversity of Western Australia. The University's charter of Student Rights and Responsibilities is available athttp://www.secretariat.uwa.edu.au/home/policies/charter

Student Guild contact detailsContact details for the University Student Guild can be found at http://www.guild.uwa.edu.au/. The Guild Education Officer is available toprovide assistance and advice on a range of issues.

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ACE/AISE/CARSYour academic orientation includes three online units which you must complete within the first 10 weeks of your enrolment:AACE1000 Academic Conduct Essentials (ACE) AISE1000 Indigenous Study Essentials CARS1000 Communication and Research Skills

Information for students with disabilitiesThe University has a range of support services, equipment and facilities for students with a disability. If you would like to receive adviceon these services please email uniline@uwa.edu.au or visithttp://www.studentservices.uwa.edu.au/information_about/disability_programme

AssessmentAssessment overviewAssessment information is provided in the unit outline.

Assessment mechanism

# Component Weight Due Date Relates ToOutcomes

1 Tutorial contributions and participation 5% Throughout semester fromsecond week.

2, 3, 5

2 Active research experience, or research methods writtenassignments

5% 19 May, 4:00pm 4

3 Assignment 1: Outline, plan, and annotated bibliography for theindividual written assignment

10% 20 March, 4:00pm 1, 2, 3, 4 5, 6, 7

4 Individual oral test 15% To be scheduled 1, 2, 35 Assignment 2: Individual written assignment 25% 5 May, 4:00pm 1, 2, 3, 4 5, 6, 76 Final examination 40% Semester 1 examination

period: 7 - 21 June1, 3, 5, 6, 7

Assessment items

Item Title Description Submission Procedure for Assignments#1 - Tutorial contributions andparticipation

Participation in tutorial classes, includinggetting involved in discussions and otheractivities, is an important part of thelearning process. It is important that youattend tutorial classes (and be on time).

Marking criteria: 0 For non-attendance, or disruptive ordisengaged attendance, eg. saying nothingwhen asked a question by the tutor,spending the time on one's own computeror mobile device doing other things, ortalking in the background while others arepresenting to the class. .25 Attends for the full session time, butwith some lack of engagement or problembehaviour, or not doing sufficientpreparation work. .5 Attends for the full session time with fullengagement, cooperative behaviour, andgood preparation.

For students who attend and engage, theexpectation will be a mark of .5 in themajority of cases. Marks of .25 will begiven where needed to signal to individualstudents that they need to put in moreeffort. If you attend and receive a mark ofzero or .25, you should seek feedbackfrom your tutor.

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#2 - Active research experience, orresearch methods written assignments

Each student can choose either toparticipate actively in OB research (up to 5surveys or experiments) or alternatively,write answers to 5 essay-style questionsabout research methods in OB, eachanswer to be 250 words and worth 1 mark.The active research experience startsfrom week 1 (you can sign-up toparticipate in surveys/experiments fromthen on - this will be explained in Lecture1). Alternatively, students can choose tocomplete the five 250-word essayquestions on Research Methods in OB.The 5 Research Methods Essay questiontopics and required readings will be madeavailable after the lectures on ResearchMethods in week 8.

Students can sign-up for the researchexperience (surveys/experiments) throughSONA (a link to this website will beprovided on the unit LMS website). TheSONA system opens in week 1, and willclose at the same time as the alternativeResearch Methods Essay assignmentneeds to be submitted (4pm, Monday 19May). Electronic submission of theseassignments on the Learning ManagementSystem is required. Students may only obtain up to amaximum of 5%. Each 1% of that 5% maybe sourced either from the active researchexperience, or by completing one of thefive Research Methods assignments to therequired standard.

#3 - Assignment 1: Outline, plan, andannotated bibliography for the individualwritten assignment

Students will submit a draft outline for theindividual written assignment (Assignment2), a diarised plan describing the literaturesearch and reading work both completedand planned for the assignment, and anannotated bibliography of the five mostrelevant sources found to-date, explaininghow those sources fit into the draft outline.

Electronic submission of Assignment 1 isrequired. Go to the Uniprint website www.uniprint.uwa.edu.au, and follow theinstructions for submitting studentassignments.

#4 - Individual oral test Each student will sit the test individually,not in front of the class. The student will beasked two unseen questions, and will havea fixed time of 2 minutes to respond toeach question (total time 4 minutes).

Tests will be conducted individually in timeblocks to be scheduled.

#5 - Assignment 2: Individual writtenassignment

Students will complete one individual 2000word written assignment. The assignmentwill be a scholarly essay and will assessknowledge of course content andapplication of that knowledge to theassigned topic. Students will be providedwith more detail on the assignment topicduring the first week of the course.

Electronic submission of Assignment 2 isrequired. Go to the Uniprint website www.uniprint.uwa.edu.au, and follow theinstructions for submitting studentassignments.

#6 - Final examination The final examination will cover theprescribed sections of the textbook,lectures, and tutorial material from Week 1to Week 13, inclusive. It may contain bothmultiple choice and short answerquestions. Further details of the format ofthe exam will be provided towards the endof the course. The final examination is 2hours and 10 minutes reading time.Lecture content may go beyond thematerial in the supporting textbook. Thetextbook does not define the content of theunit or the limits of examinable material.Reading the prescribed sections of thetextbook is essential, but it is not sufficient.

Academic literacy and academic misconductThe University of Western Australia takes very seriously the matter of academic misconduct by students and has policies in place thatdefine misconduct (including plagiarism) and the penalties that apply. The consequences for misconduct can be severe, includingexclusion from the University.All students are expected to make themselves aware of the definitions and the policies relating to academic misconduct, found at thewebsites below, and with any additional requirements or stipulations that may be provided by individual coordinators.http://www.teachingandlearning.uwa.edu.au/tl4/for_uwa_staff/policies/student_related_policies/academic_conduct

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Appeals against academic assessmentThe full regulations governing appeals procedures are available in the University Handbook available online athttp://rules.handbooks.uwa.edu.au/rules/student_rules/

Textbooks and resourcesRecommended textsMcShane, S., Olekalns, M., & Travaglione, T. (2012), Organisational Behaviour: Emerging Knowledge, Global Insights, 4th edn.McGraw- Hill: North Ryde. ISBN 9780071016261.Students must have regular access to the text as it is essential reading for the course.The text can be purchased in paperback book form from the Co-op bookshop on campus. It is also available in closed reserve in theBusiness Library.It is also available in a cheaper e-book form, which has the same content as the hard-copy book.The e-book version (ISBN 9781308030760) can be purchased from the publisher at the publisher's website link below.https://create.mcgraw-hill.com/shop/#/catalog/details/?isbn=9781308030760The Connect product, which publisher McGraw-Hill sells in association with the text book under some conditions, will NOT be used aspart of this course.

Additional resources and readingTopics and prescribed reading from the text are listed in the lecture schedule in this outline. Students should keep up-to-date with therequired reading as the course proceeds.For Assignments 1 and 2 students will do library research to find and read reference sources relevant to the assignments. A smallnumber of additional background readings may be made available in Course Materials Online (CMO), through the library web site.

Other important informationNote 1: Results may be subject to scaling and standardisation under faculty policy. As a result of scaling the final mark for the unit isnot necessarily the simple sum of the component parts.Note 2: Your assessed work may also be used for quality assurance purposes, such as to assess the level of achievement of learningoutcomes as required for accreditation and audit purposes. The findings may be used to inform changes aimed at improving the qualityof Business School programs. All material used for such processes will be treated as confidential, and the outcome will not affect yourgrade for the unit.Note 3: Written work by students may be subject to electronic checking to gauge originality, using tools approved by the BusinessSchool.

Standard of assessmentThe Business School must ensure that the processes of assessment are fair and are designed to maintain the standards of the Schooland its students. The School follows the UWA marks and grades distribution:

Higher distinction (HD) 80-100%Distinction (D) 70-79%Credit pass (CR) 60-69%Pass (P) 50-59%Fail (N+) 45-49%Fail (N) 0-44%Failed component (FC)

The scaling of marks to ensure comparability between classes is an acceptable academic practice. The School and Board ofExaminers have the right to scale marks where it is considered necessary to maintain consistency and fairness.

Quality assuranceYour assessed work may also be used for quality assurance purposes, such as to assess the level of achievement of learningoutcomes as required for accreditation and audit purposes. The findings may be used to inform changes aimed at improving the qualityof Business School programs. All material used for such processes will be treated as confidential, and the outcome will not affect yourgrade for the unit.

Approved calculators for examinationsThe University permits only the use of calculators in examinations when the calculator has an approved sticker and the examinerpermits their use. If the student does not have an approved sticker on their calculator, they will not be permitted to use the calculator. Calculators can be approved at the Undergraduate Student Centre, the Postgraduate Student Centre or at Student Administration. Further information is available on the Business School website at http://www.business.uwa.edu.au/students/assessments

Special consideration/alternative arrangements

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If you are unable to attend a class, tutorial or examination due to circumstances beyond your control and are seeking an extension forsubmission of an assignment or a deferred exam, please read valid reasons for special considerationa t http://www.student.uwa.edu.au/life/health/uniaccess/special-consideration, complete the application form and submit at theUndergraduate Student Centre or Postgraduate Student Centre.PLEASE NOTE that deferred exams are not available in Summer School units.

Acknowledging Sources of Information and the Business School Policy on PlagiarismStudent Services provides an online plagiarism portal that includes a definition of plagiarism and a link to FAQhttp://www.studentservices.uwa.edu.au/ss/learning/online_services/plagiarism_portal‘Turnitin' Originality Checking & Plagiarism Prevention is used in the Faculty to allow both educators and their students check writtenwork for improper citation or misappropriated content. More information about 'Turnitin' can be found athttp://turnitin.com/static/index.html

ReferencingIt is important that the referencing of any sources used in your written work is done properly, if only to substantiate the points you aremaking in your assignment or project. The Harvard style is the preferred and there are some notes for guidance which have beenprepared by the library staff: ‘Citing your Sources Harvard Style’ http://libguides.library.uwa.edu.au/harvardThe EndNote software package is a really good system for building up a database of references. Not everyone will want to invest thetime in using this system but you should consider it if you intend to build up resource materials or plan to undertake extensive researchin a particular area. The library staff have also developed a tutoring package: ‘A Quick Guide to Using EndNote’ which provides thebasics for using EndNote with an essay http://libguides.library.uwa.edu.au/endnote

Last day to add a unit offered in a semesterFrom 2014, the final date to add a unit has been changed to the end of week 2 of the semester. For further information on importantdates for 2014, refer to http://www.student.uwa.edu.au/course/dates/important

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