Prospectus

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Organisation and Management

Course
2011-2012

Admission requirements

No prerequisites for this course. This course gives access to 200 level Governance course.

Description

This course provides an introduction to organisation and management theory. The emphasis will be on organisations in the public domain, including not-for-profit organisations, such as non governmental organisations.
The most important aspects of organisation and management will be discussed: the structure, culture and strategy of organisations, the aims and means of Human Resources Management and the interactions between organisations and their environment. The most important theoretical contributions to this field will also be dealt with, like the theory on bureaucracy, the contingency theory and political and institutionalist approaches.
Finally, we will pay attention to the two faces of organisations: they are the origin of prosperity, knowledge and joy, and the root of all evil: war, pollution and exploitation. We need organisations to solve problems, but often these same organisations turn out to be the sources of new problems. We will assess the positive and possible negative effects of these phenomena.

This course provides an introduction to organisation and management theory. The emphasis will be on organisations in the public domain, including not-for-profit organisations, such as non governmental organisations.
The most important aspects of organisation and management will be discussed: the structure, culture and strategy of organisations, the aims and means of Human Resources Management and the interactions between organisations and their environment. The most important theoretical contributions to this field will also be dealt with, like the theory on bureaucracy, the contingency theory and political and institutionalist approaches.
Finally, we will pay attention to the two faces of organisations: they are the origin of prosperity, knowledge and joy, and the root of all evil: war, pollution and exploitation. We need organisations to solve problems, but often these same organisations turn out to be the sources of new problems. We will assess the positive and possible negative effects of these phenomena.

Course objectives

After successful completion of the course the students will have insight into and understanding of: – the importance and relevance of organisation and management for the public and private spheres of life; – the differences between public and private organisations and their management systems with respect to their consequences for the structure and functioning of these different types of organisation; – the relevance of the societal and political-administrative context for public organisation and management; – topics as organisational structures and culture, leadership, organisational legitimacy and performance improvement, the relation between organisations and their environment and management.
Besides, student are able to grasp and analyze organisational problems in the real world with a critical understanding of organisational theories and insights.

After successful completion of the course the students will have insight into and understanding of: – the importance and relevance of organisation and management for the public and private spheres of life; – the differences between public and private organisations and their management systems with respect to their consequences for the structure and functioning of these different types of organisation; – the relevance of the societal and political-administrative context for public organisation andmanagement; – topics as organisational structures and culture, leadership, organisational legitimacy and performance improvement, the relation between organisations and their environment and management.
Besides, student are able to grasp and analyze organisational problems in the real world with a critical understanding of organisational theories and insights.

Timetable

Please see the LUC website: www.lucthehague.nl

Mode of instruction

In the course we will use a mix of interactive teaching methods. The basics of public organization theory will be explained and discussed during some lectures. These core themes will additionally be examined in a seminar like structure organized around group and individual assignments. These assignments are meant to deepen the insight and apply organization and management insights in real situations. Students will do presentations on basis of the assignment and have class discussions. Guest speakers will talk about the characteristics, developments and challenges of public organisations (the police, developmental organizations, foster care).

Assessment method

  1. Interactive engagement with course material: assessed through in-class participation (20% of final grades): Ongoing Weeks 1 – 7
  2. Individual engagement with course readings: assessed through individual presentation (20% of final grade): Weeks 1 – 7
  3. Understanding of course content: assessed in mid-term paper (1500 words; 20%) : Week 4, 1st of March
  4. Expression of holistic understanding of the course: assessed through final research essay (3000 words; 40% of final grade): Week 8, 29th of March

Blackboard

This course is supported by a blackboard site.

Reading list

Compulsory Literature
Hal G. Rainey, Understanding and Managing Public Organizations, San Francisco; Jossey-Bass, (latest edition)
Robert B. Denhardt, Theories of public organization, Belmond, California, latest edition
Michael J. Handel (ed.), The sociology of organizations. Classic, Contemporary and Critical Readings, Thousand Oaks, Sage, latest edition

2) Recommended Literature
H. Mintzberg, Mintzberg On Management.
W. Richard Scott, Organizations. Rational, Natural, and Open Systems.
Michael Reed & Michael Hughes, Rethinking Organization.

Registration

This course is only open for LUC The Hague students.

Contact information

noort@fsw.leidenuniv.nl

Weekly Overview

Week 1: The rise of the organised world

Week 2: The publicness and privateness of organisations

Week 3: Classical approaches to organisation and the management and the rational model of organisations

Week 4: The decision making and structure of public organisations.

Week 5: Human relations and the culture of public organisations.

Week 6: Leadership and Human Resources Management in public organisations.

Week 7: Recent management doctrines.

Week 8: Reading and writing