General provisions

This course is offered to students in the regular business program, to international students, and as a separate course for third year business studies students.

The board of the Department of Business Studies establishes the Course Description by mandate of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The course plan is valid from 2006-09-01. The Course Description was last revised 2005-02-14.

Entry requirements

The following is applicable to Swedish students:

Qualified to be registered is any student who has studied both A- and B-levels and who, at the time of registration, has obtained 20 points at A-level and 15 points at B-level.

Aims

This course is designed to introduce students to advanced questions and approaches to the study of organisations. The aim is to provide a comprehensive basis for analysing and understanding companies and organisations and the practice of organising. Based on both classical articles and modern theoretical perspectives, students will be trained to identify, formulate, analyse and handle a wide range of problems faced by organisations in the modern world. The aim is to prepare students to be active and reflective participants and/or managers of tomorrow's organisations.

Content

The course is based on a series of seminars where students discuss and analyse organisational theories and practice. The course presents different ways to conceptualise and analyse organisations and organisational problems. The course pays special attention to how organisations interact and relate to their environment, how perceptions of organisations and their environment have changed over time, and what role organisations play in the development of contemporary society. Given an increasing globalisation, rapid technological development and changing institutional environments, the relation between organisations and the environment is important for understanding not just organisational development and change, but also the evolution of modern society. The course will include discussions of differences and similarities between various forms of private as well as public organisations, for instance health care organisations, universities, and international voluntary organisations, and analyse the multitude of problems and conditions that these organisations face. Among other things, topics include how organisations are controlled both locally and transnationally, and how popular ideas about management and organisations flow among organisations.

Instruction

The course is taught in English. The course is taught through seminars, a few lectures, and a group project.

Assessment

Evaluation of the course includes seminar work, an exam, and a project work. Active participation in seminars is required. Passing grades for the course is G (pass) and VG (pass with distinction). For the grade VG on the course overall, VG is required on both the exam and the project work.

Moreover all remaining tasks must be completed and handed in before the start of the next study period , which means at least four weeks after the end of the course. If this is not done you will not receive pass for the seminar part of the course. The seminar part must then be redone in the following semester provided there is space in the course.

Attention Swedish students: only completed courses can be recognised in your degree