This module aims to familiarise students with prominent theories in research on work, organisation and management , and to sensitise them to current academic discourses and debates of the field. For this purpose, students will be introduced to the role of theory in business and management research more broadly. They will then be equipped to distinguish different theoretical traditions in work, organisation and management, and to understand contemporary theoretical developments in relation to these broader streams and to each other. The module will also enable students to critically engage with recent top-tier work as well as their own projects and ongoing work against the backdrop of specific theories. This will help them reflect on and identify relevant theoretical puzzles and potential theoretical contributions within specific theories, and to understand the importance of theory-method fit.

(LO1) Students will be able to demonstrate an advanced and critical understanding of the role of theory as a specific way of creating knowledge on work, organisation and management.

(LO2) Students will be able to demonstrate an advanced and critical understanding of work, organisation and management as a multi-paradigmatic field populated by a multiplicity of theories that intersect in different ways.

(LO3) Students will be able to critically evaluate the most prominent theories, their specific strengths and blind spots, and their key concepts.

(LO4) Students will be able to apply relevant theories to own research aims and empirical phenomena in an appropriate manner.

(LO5) Students will be able to demonstrate advanced and critical understanding of theoretical contributions as crucial requirements for publishing in globally leading academic journals.

(LO6) Students will be able to critically reflect on common barriers to and pitfalls of theory building in work, organisation and management.

(S1) Critical thinking, problem solving and decision making
Students will be challenged to think critically about the appropriateness of different theories for specific research aims and questions. They will do this by gathering and synthesising information, analysing alternative perspectives and options and presenting a considered opinion or course of action in their course assessment. Further, there will be opportunities to develop critical thinking, creativity, reflection, and developing proper arguments based on specific theories. This will be developed through a range of individual and group activities and assed the coursework.

(S2) Commercial awareness
Commercial issues will be covered as part of what the different theories are meant to explain, and also in the different course readings. Students will be able to demonstrate their commercial awareness in the coursework.

(S3) Organisation skills
This is relevant for planning scheduled individual and group work as well as meeting assessment deadlines. This will be evident in the students’ independent management of their learning and by meeting the coursework deadlines.

(S4) Communication skills
Students will have opportunities to develop written and oral communication skills through individual and group activities. Written communication skills will be assessed in the research report, while oral communication skills will be assessed in the presentation.

(S5) International awareness
International issues will be covered in the readings and by discussing different origins and philosophies behind prominent theories.

(S6) Ethical awareness
Ethical issues will be covered in the module and discussed in related group and individual activities. Ethical and normative assumptions behind theories will be reflected on.

(S7) Teamwork and leadership
Students will develop their teamworking and leadership skills through individual and group activities and engagement in self-reflection activities in the seminars.

(S8) Digital skills
Students will have opportunities to improve their digital skills. Students will demonstrate skills in the use of software applications and digital methods including word processing, visual presentations, and using the internet and other digital platforms for information searches in the course of researching and presenting coursework.

3-hour workshop per week x 5 weeks (15 hours)
1-hour drop-in sessions x 5 weeks (5 hours)
2-hour presentation and discussion sessions x 3 (6 hours)
Self-directed learning x 174 hours

The module will cover the following main topics:

The status of theory and the need for theory development in work, organisation and management;

Prominent contemporary theoretical streams, their historical roots, and their interrelationships;

Selected theories of the field;

Spotting gaps, developing theoretical puzzles, and writing theory in work, organisation and management;

Methodological developments at the intersection of empirical requirements and theoretical foundations.