Department of Social & Policy Sciences, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
SP20048 Understanding industrial behaviour |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Intermediate |
| Semester: 2 |
| Assessment: EX 100% |
| Requisites: |
| Before taking this unit you must take SP10043 and take SP10044 |
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Aims: The aims of the unit are to give students a sociological understanding of industrial behaviour, showing the main competing paradigms and theories that describe industrial relationships, institutions and organisational structures.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit the students should be able to: * Display relevant knowledge of contemporary debates around industrial behaviour. * Be aware of historical and contemporary social science research in industrial sociology and organisational practice. * Show some knowledge of contemporary problems relating to industrial behaviour and how they emerge. * Compare differing managerial theories of motivation. Skills: Intellectual Skills - * To think creatively and analytically. * To communicate an argument. * To evaluate others' arguments and research. * To critically evaluate and assess research and evidence as well as a variety of other information. * To gather information, data, research and literature from a number of different sources (i.e. library, web-based, archives etc.). * To select appropriate and relevant information from a wide source and large body of knowledge. * To synthesise information from a number of sources in order to gain a coherent understanding. * To utilise problem solving skills. Professional Practical Skills - * To effectively and efficiently apply principles of sociological analysis and human resource management skills within a variety of environments. Transferable/Key Skills - * Study & Learning skills (note taking, avoiding plagiarism, using the library, gathering and using information, constructing a bibliography, referencing) * Basic Information and Computing Technology skills (word processing, email, using the web to search for information) * Inter-personal and communication skills. * Essay research, preparation and writing skills. * To construct a bibliography of varying complexity. * Revision and Examination skills. * Time-management and administrative skills. * Presentation skills and verbal communication (i.e. oral presentations, seminar and tutorial contributions). * To reflect upon his/her own academic and professional performance and take responsibility for personal and professional learning and development. * To solve problems in a variety of situations. * To manage time effectively and respond to changing demands. * To prioritise workloads, and utilise long- and short-term planning skills. Content: The unit takes students through the main debates in management and work organisation theory, starting with an understanding of Taylorism and Fordism. Classic studies such as the Hawthorne Studies and the early Human Relations School are explored followed by an analysis of the Socio-Technical School and its prescriptions. Contingency Theory, Feminist studies and labour Process Theory bring the debates up to the 1990s. During the course research evidence and case study examples are used to illustrate the key points of the different schools. |