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Processes 4. Communication, Culture and Organisational Climate

Code: 43169 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
4313788 Management of Human Resources in Organizations OB 0

Contact

Name:
Cesar Luis Fernandez Llano
Email:
cesar.fernandez@uab.cat

Teachers

Cesar Luis Fernandez Llano
David Menoyo Vilalta

Teaching groups languages

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


Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites


Objectives and Contextualisation

Objectives and contextualisation

This module offers a detailed introduction to three very significant issues in the life of organisations: communication, culture and atmosphere. It is an introduction that includes both conceptual aspects as well as those which can be applied.

Upon completion of the course students will be able to:

Reason on the significance of communication, the atmosphere and culture as transversal issues affecting all aspects of the life of an organisation.
Identify the dimensions, components, types and levels of analysis which are essential for effective communication.
Provide explanations on problems and opportunities of an organisation, based on a comprehensive vision which takes into account the specificity and the connection between the atmosphere, culture and communication.
Design methods for the study, evaluation and diagnosis of cultural, communication and atmosphere related aspects in organisations.


Competences

  • Apply psychosocial principles and frameworks to analyse features of organisational contexts.
  • Assess the peculiarities of the different contexts and their implications for human resources.
  • Detect individual and/or group features that affect the members of an organisation.
  • Present proposals, reports and results effectively to different types of interlocutor.
  • Solve problems in new or little-known situations within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to the field of study.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Assess conditions for the viability of processes of culture change.
  2. Clearly identify organizational problems that can be addressed in terms of culture, climate and communication.
  3. Identify deficiencies and needs in processes of communication between groups.
  4. Identify the peculiarities of a given organisation in terms of organisational culture.
  5. Present studies on an organisation's climate or culture to different audiences.

Content

Content

1. Communication, culture and atmosphere: three perspectives to look at an organisation

1.1. The role of the HR consultant: Internal vs. External

1.2. Phases in the consultancy process

2. Communication and organisations

2.1. What is communication?

2.2. Elements of communication

2.3. Empathy, connecting with others

2.4. Feedback and influence

2.5. Aspects of Organisational Communication

2.5.1. ITC’s in Organisational Communication

2.6. The role of communication in a process of change for an organisation

3. Organisational Culture

3.1. Introduction:

3.1.1. Company Culture

3.1.2. Concepts and definition of Corporate Culture

3.2 Components of Corporate Culture

3.2.1. Vision

3.2.2. Mission - Value proposition

3.2.3. Values

3.2.4. Corporate examples

3.3. Management of corporate culture

3.3.1. The management of corporate culture as a strategic resource for the organisation

3.3.2. Cultural management and Managing change

3.3.3. Change vs. Transition

3.3.4. Change curves

3.3.5 Examples of transformation processes

4. Organisational Climate

4.1. Introduction

4.2. Concepts and definition

4.3. Main components

4.4. Studies on workplace atmospheres and return as a strategic HR tool

4.5. Study phases

4.6 Climate and Motivation

4.6.1. Relationship between Motivation - Climate

4.6.2. Inertia Motivation

4.6.3. Extrinsic Motivation

4.6.4. Intrinsic Motivation

4.6.5 Motivational Map

4.2.6. Motivation Strategies

5. Methodological aspects: diagnosis and intervention

5.1. Pragmatic framework

5.2. Methods and techniques

5.3. Design and implementation

5.4. Managing expectationsand communication

5.5. The following steps and resulting action plans

5.6. Stakeholders analysis and their management


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Master class 15 0.6 2
Micro-analysis of situations 15 0.6 3, 4
Type: Supervised      
Activity tutorials 18 0.72 1, 3, 4
Group activities 40 1.6 1, 3, 4
Type: Autonomous      
Interpretation and intervention plan 40 1.6 1, 4, 5
Search, selection and review of bibliography 19 0.76

Master classes / lectures. The introduction to each main section and the presentation of the theoretical and conceptual content will be carried out through presentations by the teaching staff responsible for this module.

Situation analysis. The module is organised to include the lecture part with access to materials such as accounts and excerpts from interviews so that, under the teachers’ guidance, the students can carry out an implementation project and identify the theoretical and conceptual elements as a basis for further analysis and evaluation.

Preparation of the work. Students will be asked to carry out a group task involving a diagnosis based on the assignment of a case developed by the group of teachers who are responsible for the module. It consists of an analysis of the collected information in a diagnostic process to pose a series of results, conclusions, recommendations and an intervention plan.

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
Assignment 1. Introductory case 15% 1 0.04 1, 5
Assignment 2. Preparation and submission of a diagnostic plan. 45% 0 0 2, 3, 4
Assignment 3: Presentation of the intervention 40% 2 0.08 5

Evidence 1: Introductory Case

Work on a case in the classroom to answer questions about climate and culture.

Evidence 2: Elaboration and delivery of the diagnostic plan.

From the case worked on in the classroom, design a small intervention taking into account different criteria.

Evidence 3: Presentation of the intervention

Develop a presentation of the intervention on the case to the management committee of the company.

Unique assessment

 Article 265. Avaluació única

2. La sol·licitud d’avaluació única suposa la renúncia a l’avaluació continuada, i implica el lliurament en una única data del nombre necessari d’evidències avaluadores per acreditar i garantir la consecució dels objectius i els resultats d’aprenentatge establerts en l’assignatura.

The single evaluation does not imply non-attendance to the face-to-face sessions. During the face-to-face sessions, activities that are necessary to satisfactorily complete the evaluation evidences can be carried out.

Students who choose the single evaluation option will present, once the module is finished, the same evidences foreseen for the continuous evaluation modality.

The same resit system as the continuous assessment will be applied.

Retakes

The students who have not reached the criteria established to pass the module and those who have been evaluated in a set of activities with a minimum weight of 2/3 of the total qualification of the module will be eligible for recovery.

The minimum grade to be eligible for recovery is 3.5.

Evaluation guidelines of the Faculty of Psychology: https://www.uab.cat/doc/DOC_PautesAvaluacio_FP_23-24


Bibliography

Bibliografía

Alvesson, M. (2002). Understanding organizational culture. London. Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE.

Alvesson, M. (2008). Changing organizational culture: cultural change work in progress. New York: Routledge.

Ashkanasy, N. M., Wilderom, C., y Peterson, M. F. (Eds.). (2000). Handbook of organizational culture & climate

. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications.

Becker, Brian E.; Huselid, Mark A. y Ulrich, Dave (2001). The HR Scorecard. Harvard Business Review Press.

Block, Peter (2000-2nd.edition) Flawless Consulting: a guide to getting your expertise used. Jossey-Bass Pfeiffer.

Block, Peter and 30 Flawless Consultants (2001). Flawless Consulting Fieldbook & Companion. Jossey-Bass Pfeiffer.

Bridges, William (2009 Third Edition) Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change. Nicholas Brealey Publishing.

Buchanan, D. A., y Bryman, A. (Eds.). (2011). The Sage handbook of organizational research methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc.

Cameron, K. S. (2011). Diagnosing and Changing Organizational Culture: Based on the Competing Values Framework (Third edition.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Cartwright, S., Cooper, C. L., y Earley, P. C. (Eds.). (2001). The international handbook of organizational culture and climate. Chichester. New York: Wiley.

Harris, T. E., y Nelson, M. D. (Eds.). (2008). Applied organizational communication: theory and practice in a global environment (3rd ed.). New York: L. Erlbaum Associates.

Hofstede, G., Neuijen, B., Ohayv, D. D., y Sanders, G. (1990). Measuring Organizational Cultures: A Qualitative and Quantitative Study Across Twenty Cases. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35(2), 286. doi:10.2307/2393392

Itzin, C., y Newman, J. (Eds.). (1995). Gender, cultureand organizational change: putting theory into practice. London. New York:Routledge.

Keyton, J. (2005). Communication & organizational culture: a key to understanding work experiences. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications.

Neergaard, H., y Ulhøi, J. P. (Eds.). (2007). Handbook of qualitative research methods in entrepreneurship. Cheltenham, UK; Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar.

Pink, D.H. (2010). La sorprendente verdad de que nos motiva. Barcelona: Ediciones Gestión 2000.

Pheysey, D. C. (1993). Organizational cultures types and transformations. London; New York: Routledge. Retrieved from http://www.myilibrary.com?id=33247

Schabracq, M. (2007). Changing organizational culture: the change agent's guidebook. Chichester, England. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Schein, Edgar H. (1988) Process Consultation. Addison Wesley OD series.

Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership (4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.


Software

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Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(TEm) Theory (master) 1 Spanish second semester afternoon