This module aims to promote critical thinking and develop insight into major theories and concepts relating to work design, work motivation, organisation design and organisational development in today’s business and globalised markets. The module content aims to provide students with evidence-based knowledge and practical skills necessary for fostering work motivation and favourable job attitudes through a critical understanding of job and workplace design. The module also aims to enable students to recognise and anticipate risks when planning and managing change in organisations and understand the key principles of human error and workplace safety. The module aims to enable students to understand organisational design, including structure and culture, and diagnose organisational development initiatives accordingly. Finally, the modules aims to critically reflect on the changing nature of work, and the evolving consequences for work design.

(LO1) Students will be able to recognise the key elements of work design, and develop practical skills relating to job and workplace design to enhance employees’ work motivation and organisational outcomes.

(LO2) Students will be able to critically evaluate research evidence examining the relationship between job attitudes and individual, team and organisational processes and outcomes.

(LO3) Students will be able to appraise the importance of human factors, workplace safety, risk management, and error management in organisations.

(LO4) Students will have critical insight into key concepts relating to organisational structure, design, culture and climate and the implications these have for individual and team outcomes.

(LO5) Students will be able to recognise and critique the changing nature of work and work environments and the implications for individuals, teams and organisations.

(LO6) Students will be able to understand and practically appraise key models and theories of organisational development.

(S1) Teamwork. Students will be required to work together as a team in seminars.

(S2) Problem solving. Students will be exposed to case studies and organisational problems and will develop solutions using module content.

(S3) Communication skills. Students will be expected to communicate effectively with their teammates in seminars.

(S4) Organisation skills. Students will be required to develop informed solutions to organisational problems, and will therefore need to effectively organise and apply knowledge and skills acquired on the module.

(S5) International awareness. Students will be exposed to different cultural perspectives, norms and values by considering module content from a globalised international perspective.

2 hour lecture x 6 weeks
2 hour seminar x 6 weeks
1 hour group learning x 6 weeks
120 hours self-directed learning

Students will use self-directed learning hours to engage in key and recommended module reading, asynchronous module content available on the virtual learning platform, group work on the assessed presentation, consolidation of lecture topics, wider self-directed reading, individual assignment preparation, case study analysis, use of online resources (e.g., videos) to support learning.

The module will take a multi-level perspective to explore the following indicative areas:

Job design and work motivation – understanding the antecedents of job attitudes and extra-role behaviours in the workplace;

The evolving design of work environments for fostering performance, creativity and innovation;

The psychology of group processes and team effectiveness in organisations;

The psychology of people and technology; Human factors and ergonomics;

Workplace safety, risk management, and error management;

Organisation design including structure, culture, and climate (linking to globalisation and international aspects);

Organisational development including diagnosis, interventions, and effectiveness;

Applying theory to practice: the application of the consultancy cycle and practical skills development.