- Student Records
Programme & Unit Catalogues


MN50187: Organisation development consulting

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2014/5
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: School of Management
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 2
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Group Presentations (CW 30%)
  • Individual Assignment (CW 70%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
1. To introduce different consulting practices for intervening in the processes of creating organisational performance.
2. To describe the processes of organization development and change through different theoretical perspectives.
3. To link the theories of consulting, organisational development and change to the practice of improving organisational performance, through a practical client project.
4. To explore the role of leadership, management and employee development at an organizational and individual level.
5. To begin the development of reflexive practice.

Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this unit the student would be able to:
* Describe the choices available to consultants for improving organisational performance, and relate these options to their theoretical underpinnings;
* Provide a framework for analysis and understanding of current thinking in organisational development and change;
* Consider organisational context in planning consulting interventions;
* Understand the nature and contribution of knowledge, learning and development to organisational performance;
* Differentiate between employee, management and leadership development as tools for organisational change;
* Develop a critical understanding of the relationship between organisational development and individual learning;
* Plan a consulting intervention in practice;
* Understand how to interact effectively with a consulting client;
* Make suggestions for creative and innovative approaches to adult learning, and how this could form part of a programme for change;
* Evaluate systematically consulting interventions, considering the links between environment, strategy and organisational policy and practice;
* Reflect on their personal biases, and recognise the impact on the consulting choices they make;
* Critically analyse the dynamics of a group undertaking a consulting assignment, and consider the impact of these group processes on the performance of the assignment.

Skills:
Analysis of case material (taught)
Critical reflection on theory (taught)
Application of theoretical models to organisational issues (taught and facilitated)
Integration of multiple levels of analysis - short-term/long-term, individual/organisational, theory/practice (taught and facilitated)
Conversations with practitioners (facilitated)
Design of a consulting intervention (taught and facilitated)
Managing a project (facilitated)
Cooperative working with other students (facilitated)
Development of reflexive practice (facilitated).

Content:
How a consulting intervention can add strategic value; Different approaches to consulting; Organisation Development and change; Analysing organisational context during change; Use of internal and external consultants; Reflexive practice and group dynamics; Identifying a consulting project, and selecting the team; The role of knowledge, training and development in organisations; The process of organisational learning; Theories and practice of individual learning; The intervention cycle, including methodologies for needs assessment, evaluation and feedback; Writing up findings and reporting back to peer group and project client.
Students will also learn about other areas in ways that will vary from one project to another depending on the objectives of the project and the circumstances of the team.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

MN50187 is Optional on the following programmes:

School of Management
Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2014/15 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2015/16 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2014/15.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.