Organizational Behaviour (ORGB) 326

Overview

This course focuses primarily on the structural aspects of organizations, although it also reflects on the relationship between structure and behaviour and, thus, complements ORGB 364—Organizational Behaviour. In this course, you will learn about the ways in which managers seek to promote organizational effectiveness through internal structures and processes. To do that, you will analyze

• how organizations are structured within the context of the larger social, political, and economic environment
• why systems of control and coordination vary across organizations and change overtime
• how organizational theory may contribute towards improving the design and management of organizations.

Several lesson notes focus on the relationship between gender, structure, and organizational outcomes. This adds another dimension to the analysis of how the larger social environment affects organizational cultures and processes.

Outline

Lesson 1: Organizations and Theory

Lesson 2: Goals, Effectiveness, and the External Environment

Lesson 3: Technology, Information, and the Organization

Lesson 4: Organization Size, Life Cycle, and Decline

Lesson 5: The Design of Organizations

Lesson 6: Innovation and Change

Lesson 7: Decision Making

Lesson 8: Organizational Conflict, Power, and Politics

Lesson 9: Corporate Culture and Ethics

Evaluation

Your final grade for ORGB 326 is determined by a weighted average of the grades you receive on three written assignments and your Final Examination. To receive credit for this course, you must receive an alpha grade of “D” (50 percent) or better on the examination, and an overall course grade of at least a “D” (50 percent). The following chart summarizes the evaluation activities:

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbook

Other materials

Students will access all other course materials online.

Challenge for Credit Course Overview

The Challenge for Credit process allows students to demonstrate that they have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university level course.

Full information for the Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.

• Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Policy
• Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Procedures

Challenge Evaluation

To receive credit for the ORGB 326 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least “D” (50 percent) on the examination.

Online Exam

Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form

• Challenge for Credit Form