Course Syllabus
Athabasca University
Organizational Behaviour
(ORGB) 300
Organizational Culture (Revision 1)
Revision 1 closed July 20, 2006, replaced by current version.
Delivery mode: Individualized study online.
Grouped study**
Credits: 3 - Applied Studies
Prerequisite: None.
Precluded course: ORGB 400. ORGB 300 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained for ORGB 400.
Centre: School of Business
ORGB 300 has a Challenge for Credit option.
**Note: Students registering in grouped study, or grouped study international mode are advised that there may be some differences in the evaluation and course materials information indicated below. To obtain the most up-to-date information, contact the School of Business Call Centre at 1-800-468-6531.
Overview
ORGB 300 is a completely new course for 2003. Developed and written in-house by Claude Dupuis, it makes use of the latest in learning technology, such as a fully integrated Digital Reading Room. The course deals with issues of contemporary concern to members of work organizations in a practical and meaningful way using a blend of theory and practice. The material will be of particular interest to students who wish to study the effects of culture on individuals and groups in North American work organizations.
Outline
ORGB 300 adopts the basic premise that organizational culture is the fundamental driving force behind the decisions and actions that take place in work organizations. As such, culture affects everyone and is relevant to everyone. The first part of the course introduces students to the concept of culture and its impact on members of work organizations. The second part uses a practical approach to highlight the relevancy and impact of culture on everyday work activities and concepts such as communication, corporate ethics, leadership, supervisor-subordinate relations, and motivation.
Part 1
Lesson 1: Introduction
Lesson 2: The Substance of Organizational Culture
Lesson 3: Cultural Forms
Lesson 4: Organizational Passages and Cultural Continuity
Lesson 5: Subcultures Within Organizations
Part 2
Lesson 6: The Socialization Process
Lesson 7: The Influence of Culture on Motivation and Decision Making
Lesson 8: Leadership, Communication and Culture
Lesson 9: Power, Stratification and Mobility
Evaluation
To receive credit for ORGB 300, you must achieve a composite course mark of at least a “D” (50 percent), and a mark of at least D on the Final Examination. The weighting of the composite mark is as follows:
| Assign 1 | Assign 2 | Assign 3 | Final Examination | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25% | 25% | 25% | 25% | 100% |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.
Course Materials
Textbooks
Trice, H. M., & Beyer, J. M., with contributions by Dupuis, C. J. (2003). The cultures of work organizations custom edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing.
ISBN 0-536-72320-6.
Ritti, R. R., & Levy, S. (2003). The ropes to skip and the
ropes to know: Studies in organizational behavior
(6th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ISBN 0-471-41571-5.