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People and Organizations

Vak
2023-2024

Admission requirements

None.

Description

Please note that this course is taught in English.

The course People & Organizations aims to provide an introduction of the business studies perspective on the human factor in organizations. Professional organizations are challenged by the growing strength of market forces, and their success strongly depends on the expertise and skills of their personnel and their (basal and characteristic) behavioral patterns. Knowledge of ‘people processes’, particularly in organizational context, can therefore be considered essential for your professional career.

This course familiarizes you with the basic principles in the domain of Organizational Behavior (OB). We thereby focus on understanding theoretical models and empirical research, and how these can be applied to optimize organizational performance. You will learn about influential theories and models and contemporary ideas and practices on leadership and management that provide insight in developing organizations where employees can flourish. You will develop analytical skills required to think about and discuss the complexity around people in organizations.

The course will, among other core areas, address key questions in Human Resource Management (HRM). How to, for example, select the right person for the job? How to motivate and reward employees to enhance optimal performance? And how to effectively manage and support employees? We thereby take into account that employees often perform in teams – work is social behavior – and that group dynamics shape an individual’s thinking and acting. We address the relationship between the individual and the workplace and the outcomes for, for example, well-being, productivity and engagement. Moreover, the course will teach you to address and analyze the impact of worldwide development on behavior in organizations, such as new ways of working with AI.

The course consists of seven weeks, with a lecture and seminar in each week. The lectures will familiarize you with key theories and models. During the seminars, you will mainly focus on applying knowledge – among other by working on a group assignment.

Course objectives

Course objectives
At the end of the course you’ll have acquired the following knowledge and skills:

  • Identify the challenges managers and HR professionals may face in managing ‘people processes’;

  • Recognize and explain how individuals and groups influence organizations and vice versa;

  • Explain attitudes and behaviors of employees based on the aspects of job design and organizational culture;

  • Critically analyze and evaluate current HRM practices in organizations;

  • Develop HRM strategies to improve individual and team performance in organizations;

  • Create a magazine project dedicated to concepts from the OB domain.

Timetable

Check MyTimetable.

Mode of instruction

Lectures

  • Number of (2 hour) lectures: 7

  • Instructor: Dr. D. (Daria) Morozova MSc.

  • Lectures are taught in English.

Seminars ("werkgroepen")

  • Number of (2 hour) seminars: 7

  • Instructor: Dr. D. (Daria) Morozova MSc.

  • Seminars are taught in English.

Assessment method

The final grade of this course consists of the following two compulsory parts:

  • Written exam (70%)

  • Group assignment (30%)
    Compensation of the exam grade is allowed, provided that the grade is at least a 5.0.

Areas to be tested within the exam
The studied chapters from the textbook, the required articles and all materials discussed during the lectures and seminars.

Regulation retake passed exams
In this course it is possible to retake an exam that has been passed (cf. art. 4.1.8.1 and further of the Course and Examination Regulations) on the condition that this course is part of the curriculum. Students who have passed the exam may retake the final written exam if they meet certain requirements. To retake a passed exam, students need to ask the Student Administration Office (OIC) for permission. For more information, go to 'Course and exam enrollment' > 'Permission for retaking a passed exam' on the student website.

Reading list

Compulsory study material

  • Stephen Robbins & Timothy Judge: Organizational Behavior. 19th Version, Global Edition, ISBN-13: 9781292450025.

  • Listed articles.

Registration

Registration for courses and exams takes place via MyStudymap. If you do not have access to MyStudymap (guest students), look here (under the Law-tab) for more information on the registration procedure in your situation.  

Contact

Institiution/division

  • Institute: Institute of Tax Law and Economics;

  • Department: Business Studies;

  • Address secretarial: Steenschuur 25 in Leiden (B2.26);

  • Opening hours: Every workday except for Wednesday 9.00 - 17.00h;

  • Telephone secretarial office: 071 527 7851;

  • Email: bedrijfswetenschappen@law.leidenuniv.nl.

Remarks

This course is taught in English.