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Module Title LH Organisation Studies: Past, Present and Future
SchoolBirmingham Business School
Department Birmingham Business School
Module Code 07 28829
Module Lead Holly Birkett
Level Honours Level
Credits 10
Semester Semester 1
Pre-requisites LC Understanding Organisation and Management - (07 24871)
Co-requisites
Restrictions None
Exclusions
Description This module provides students with the tools to understand and critically examine organizations and the processes involved in organising. We consider the theory and practice of organising in the past, present and future. More specifically, the module initially focuses on traditional approaches to organisation and their established critiques. We then move on to understanding and evaluating current approaches to organising used by the organisations we interact with on a daily basis. Finally, we consider some of the more contemporary forms of organising and some organisations which adopt unusual approaches.

We approach the topic in two key ways:
1) The course will draw on key academic literature particularly in the form of academic articles. However, in order to bring these theories and concepts to life the course implicitly draws upon students experiences of interactions with organisations. We all engage with multiple organisations in our everyday lives. For example, at work, in education, using hospitals, voting, buying products and banking. This course will encourage you to reflect upon your own experiences of engaging with multiple organisations, challenging you to think about how and why they organise the way they do and how this impacts your and others interactions with them.

2) The course also utilises representations of organisation on film as a way of making the key issues and theories accessible. Contemporary and classic film clips are used to illustrate the key arguments from the course and to encourage students to think more broadly about issues such as power, narratives, gender, ethics, interests, ethnicity, class and globalisation. These film depictions are intended to help you think more reflectively about how the way we organize work impacts individuals, society, the environment, and social justice, but also more about how context impacts organisation.
Learning Outcomes By the end of the module students should be able to:
  • Critically analyse the theory and practice of organisation as manifest in workplaces and societies;
  • Assess the contribution made by contemporary work organisations to society, especially wider social purposes such as equality, wellbeing, and development;
  • Explain and critically analyse the concept of organisation as it impacts on individuals, groups, and societies;
  • Produce an original analysis of the past, present and future of work organisations as an important aspect of society.
Assessment
Assessment Methods & Exceptions 1 x class test (20%) – week 6 semester one
1 x individual essay, 2,000 words (80%) – submission last day of term
Other None
Reading List