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Business Organisation

Code: 100521 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2500258 Labour Relations OB 2

Contact

Name:
Sebastian Aparicio Rincon
Email:
sebastian.aparicio@uab.cat

Teachers

Gustavo Pedro Folch Elosua

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

It is recommended to have passed the courses Business Economics and Introduction to Economics.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The purpose of the course is to provide students with a theoretical and practical understanding of the organizational theory and design, which is a field that is devoted to examining, explaining and guiding the management of organizations.


Competences

  • Carrying out analysis, diagnostics, lending support and taking decisions in terms of organisational structure, labour organisation, motion study and working hours studies.
  • Clearly expressing ideas or facts in a compelling way.
  • Drawing up and formalising reports and documents.
  • Identifying, analysing and solving complex problems and situations from an (economic, historical, legal, psychological, and sociological) interdisciplinary perspective.
  • Leading a group of people, by using the appropriate methods to guide individuals or groups towards the attainment of a goal.
  • Maintaining a direction and performance that reflect the effort to do the tasks with efficiency and quality.
  • Organising and managing the available time.
  • Retain the ethical values and moral standards in decision-making.
  • Students must be aware of the impact and implications of decisions and activities in other company areas.
  • Students must be capable of deciding, sharply taking decisions and judging.
  • Students must be capable of initiative, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.
  • Students must be capable of recognising and guiding the needs of people from their immediate environment.
  • Students must be effective in a changing environment and when facing new tasks, responsibilities or people.
  • Verbally communicating and defending a project.
  • Working autonomously.
  • Working effectively in teams.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Applying the administrative and organisational tools.
  2. Clearly expressing ideas or facts in a compelling way.
  3. Designing new organisational forms.
  4. Drawing up and formalising reports and documents.
  5. Knowing the organisational forms, organisation and working methods.
  6. Leading a group of people, by using the appropriate methods to guide individuals or groups towards the attainment of a goal.
  7. Maintaining a direction and performance that reflect the effort to do the tasks with efficiency and quality.
  8. Organising and managing the available time.
  9. Retain the ethical values and moral standards in decision-making.
  10. Students must be aware of the impact and implications of decisions and activities in other company areas.
  11. Students must be capable of deciding, sharply taking decisions and judging.
  12. Students must be capable of initiative, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.
  13. Students must be capable of planning and using the current indicators for the managing of human resources.
  14. Students must be capable of recognising and guiding the needs of people from their immediate environment.
  15. Students must be effective in a changing environment and when facing new tasks, responsibilities or people.
  16. Verbally communicating and defending a project.
  17. Working autonomously.
  18. Working effectively in teams.

Content

1. The study of organizations
										
											1.1. Concept of organization
1.2. Evolution of organizational thinking
1.3. Main theoretical approaches
										
											
2. Organizational design
										
											2.1. Differentiation and integration
										
											2.2. Dimensions of the organizational structure
										
											2.3. Contingency factors

3. Organizational forms
										
											3.1. Types of organizational structures
										
											3.2. Organizational configurations
										
											3.3. New organizational forms

4. Job design
										
											4.1. Job characteristics
										
											4.2. Job design methods
										
											4.3. Time and work methods

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Theoretical sessions 22.5 0.9 1, 9, 5, 3, 2, 13, 10
Type: Supervised      
Seminar, tutoring and participation 22.5 0.9 1, 16, 15, 5, 3, 2, 8, 13, 6, 10, 12, 17, 18
Type: Autonomous      
Personal study and preparation of assignments 100 4 1, 9, 5, 3, 2, 8, 13, 10, 17

The teaching methodology and course assessment could be modified in case health authorities require it.

 

In order to achieve the course objectives, the following teaching methodologies will be used:

1. Theoretical lectures.

2. Discussion of exercises and cases, and practical activities about organizations.

3. Tutoring support.

Given the interaction between students and professors, attendance in class is very important. Therefore, the active participation of students is recommended.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Exercises and cases 25% 2 0.08 1, 16, 15, 5, 3, 2, 7, 8, 13, 14, 4, 6, 10, 12, 11, 17, 18
Final exam 50% 2 0.08 1, 9, 5, 3, 2, 7, 8, 13, 10, 17
Mid-term exam 25% 1 0.04 1, 5, 3, 2, 13

The final grade of the course will be computed as the weighted average of the marks obtained in: (1) a final exam, which will account for 50% of the grade (minimum grade of 4 is required for this test), (2) class attendance, the participation and delivery of exercises and cases during the course, which will weigh 25%, and (3) a mid-term exam, which will account for 25%. If the grade of the final exam is less than 4, the student will not pass the course.

If the weighted average grade is equal to or greater than 5, the student will pass the course. If this average is less than 5, the student will not pass the course. If the average is equal to or greater than 3 and less than 5, the student will have the chance to retake the assessment. The teachers will decide on the type of retake. If the student passes the retake, the final mark will be 5.

Students will be considered as Non-evaluable when they do not participate in any of the assessment activities.

Students who cheat (or try to cheat) during an exam will get a grade of 0 in the course and will lose the right to re-assessment. In practical exercises affected by plagiarism the student will get a 0 in the practical exercise and a warning. The same will happen if the student is unable to justify and explain his or her own argumentations. In case the students persists in this behavior, he or she will fail the course (0) and will lose the right to re-assessment.

Single assessment

The single assessment will consider the same activities as well as the same weight as the continuous assessment: Exercises and cases (defined by the professor, 25%), mid-term exam (defined by the professor, 25%) and final exam (defined by the faculty, 50%). The reassessment will apply the same systems as the continuous assessment.

 


Bibliography

Mandatory:

Jones, G. (2013): Organizational theory. Desgin and change. Pearson, 7th edition.

 

Recommended:

Burton, R.M., Obel, B.; Hakonsson, D.D. (2015): Organizational Design. A Step-by-Step Approach. Cambridge University Press, 3rd edition.

Hodge, B.J., Anthony, W.P., Gales, L.M. (2003): Organization theory: a strategic approach. Prentice Hall.

 

 


Software

The subject does not require any specific software.


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 51 Catalan second semester afternoon
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 51 Catalan second semester afternoon