Overview
This course introduces the field of organizational behaviour (OB) and provides a foundation for other OB courses offered in the Faculty of Business. It covers a wide breadth of theories and applications dealing with such topics as perception, motivation, decision-making, team dynamics, negotiation, conflict management, leadership, and organizational culture. Twelve lessons, covering 12 chapters in the textbook, are presented in a logical order to create a sense of progression for the learner. Each lesson starts at the individual level, then moves on to the team level, and finally gets to the organization-wide level.
The goal of this course is to help you develop a conceptual understanding of OB theories and provide you with skills to apply OB ideas and theories. This course will allow you to fully examine key techniques and processes designed to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness from the perspective of management, workers, and society at large.
Outline
ORGB 364 consists of 12 lessons:
- Lesson 1: Introduction to the Field of Organizational Behaviour
- Lesson 2: Individual Differences, Personality, and Values
- Lesson 3: Perceiving Ourselves and Others in Organizations
- Lesson 4: Workplace Emotions, Attitudes, and Stress
- Lesson 5: Foundations of Employee Motivation
- Lesson 6: Applied Performance Practices
- Lesson 7: Decision Making and Creativity
- Lesson 8: Team Dynamics
- Lesson 9: Communicating in Organizations
- Lesson 10: Conflict and Negotiation in the Workplace
- Lesson 11: Leadership in Organizational Settings
- Lesson 12: Organizational Culture
Learning outcomes
After you have completed this course, you should be able to
- describe the field of organizational behaviour and outline its importance.
- define key organizational behaviour concepts such as values, ethics, social identity theory, social learning theory, attribution, self-fulfilling prophecy, behaviour modification, contingencies, reinforcement, and conflict.
- define knowledge management, explain its importance, and describe its processes.
- discuss emotions and attitudes in the workplace including the concepts of emotional intelligence, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and psychological contracts.
- explain and discuss theories of motivation and performance, including concepts of goal setting, feedback, equity, justice, and empowerment.
- explain decision-making concepts, models, and steps.
- explain team-related concepts including types of teams, stages of team development, team effectiveness, team characteristics, team problems, and team building.
- explain and discuss communication models, barriers to good communication, the effects of power dynamics in communication, and the nature of grapevine communication.
- define leadership and list types of leadership.
- describe sources and types of organizational conflict and explain approaches to conflict management.
- define and discuss the concepts and elements of organizational culture and subculture and the relationship between culture, performance, and ethics.
Evaluation
To obtain credit for ORGB 364, you must achieve a mark of at least 50 percent on the final examination and a composite course mark of at least a D (50 percent). Any unsubmitted assignments will receive a grade of 0. The composite mark is weighted as follows:
| Activity | Weight |
| Assignment 1 | 25% |
| Assignment 2 | 25% |
| Assignment 3 | 25% |
| Final Online Exam | 25% |
| Total | 100% |
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
McShane, S. L., Tasa, K., & Steen, S. L. (2021). Canadian organizational behaviour (11th ed.). McGraw-Hill Ryerson. ISBN 9781260326857
Other Resources
All other learning resources will be available online.
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you 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 about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the ORGB 364 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent) on the examination.
Online Exam
Challenge for credit course registration form