This course aims to provide an evidence-based understanding of human behaviours and decision-making in organizations. Specifically, the topics of this class are designed to enhance students’ appreciation of theories and theory-informed practices on human performance, work satisfaction, work motivation, organizational teams, group decision-making, and leadership. This class equips students with the fundamental theoretical understanding of human behaviours in the workplace, which can be used to resolve the most common workplace issues and problems. 

 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. List relevant theories, models, and methods for organizational behaviours. (Remember + Ask)
2. Accurately define different theories, models, and methods for organizational behaviours. (Remember + Ask) 
3. Critically discuss human behaviours in the workplace from a relevant theoretical standpoint. (Acquire + Analyse) 
4. Recall the weaknesses and strengths of different theories relevant to organizational behaviour.(Understand + Aggregate) 
5. Gauge the impacts of their own experience from the relevant theoretical framework. (Appraise + Analyse)  
6. Apply theoretical models and concepts to current organizational practices, problems, and issues. (Apply + Adapt) 
7. Develop a research proposal in the area of organizational behaviour. (Apply + Create) 
8. Devise evidence-based strategies and recommendations to address an organizational problem. (Assess + Create)

Research-Led Teaching

This course is informed by current research from Management, Organizational Behaviour, and related academic disciplines. In addition to classic theories and research, students are exposed to contemporary and cutting-edge research on essential management topics. This will help students develop a more thorough and sophisticated understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with behavior in an organizational context.

Complementing the academic focus of the course, the lecturer has framed the delivery and assessment structure to reflect a very practical application of the course concepts that will assist students in transferring research-led teaching into industry practice. All assessment tasks offer the opportunity for students to develop their skills in accessing and understanding research literature, and students will see benefits from these skills throughout their studies at ANU and in their industry practice.

Field Trips

There are no field trips in this course.

Additional Course Costs

There are no additional costs for this class.

Examination Material or equipment

There is no formal examination for this course.

Required Resources

All required reading materials will be provided on Wattle.

In-session resources: Students are required to bring an internet-connected device (tablet or laptop) with Microsoft Excel and Teams to each session. The device will be used for information search, solution development during in-class discussions, and participation in hybrid teaching.

Recommended Resources

Any recommended resources or readings will be advised on Wattle.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Use of AI is rapidly growing in business, in particular the use of Large Language Models, of which there are many proprietary brands. In this course, students may choose to use or to not use AI tools, but in any case where AI tools are used, the student must accurately cite and reference the particular tools and must also advise in an appendix how they used the tool. Guidance on how to do this appropriately is provided in the Getting Started block on the Wattle page; the ANU provides further guidance at the following link: ANU Libguide https://libguides.anu.edu.au/generative-ai. Students are reminded that they may be requested to meet with the Convenor to discuss any assessment submission, including responding to questions on the content of submissions and on their understanding of the course concepts assessed by the submission.

Academic Integrity: As a further academic integrity control after the commencement of an academic integrity case, students may be requested to undergo a 15-minute individual oral examination of their written assessment submissions. Note that any student identified, either during the current semester or in retrospect, as having used ghostwriting services will be investigated under the University’s Academic Integrity Rule. For further information about why academic integrity matters, please visit https://www.anu.edu.au/students/academic-skills/academic-integrity

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	WEEK 1 SESSION 1: Meaning of WorkTopic 1: Intrinsic Work Motivation	In-class Assessment 1
2	WEEK 1 SESSION 2: Meaning of WorkTopic 2: Job Characteristics Theory	In-class Assessment 2
3	WEEK 1 SESSION 3: Social-Cognitive Perspective on Work MotivationTopic 3: Goal-setting theory, Self-efficacy	In-class Assessment 3
4	WEEK 1 SESSION 4: Social-Cognitive Perspective on Work MotivationTopic 4: VIE-theory, Goal Orientation	In-class Assessment 4
5	WEEK 1 SESSION 5: OB Case StudyTopic 5: Discussion of Nordstrom Case
6	WEEK 2 SESSION 6: Self-Regulation TheoriesTopic 6: Implementation Intention, Goal systems	In-class Assessment 5 (Thursday) An outline for Assessment #2 Due on Monday (See below for more explanation)
7	WEEK 3 SESSION 7: Understanding of Fairness Perception in OrganisationTopic 7: Psychology of fairness perception, Ostracism	In-class Assessment 6 (Thursday) Advise intention to present Assessment Task #2 (Case Study Report) as a live briefing and also advised any commitment to be avoided both by 23:59 Tuesday Assessment Task #2 - Case Study Report (Friday 23:59)
8	WEEK 4 SESSION 8: How to improve thinking processesTopic 8: Creativity, Critical thinking	In-class Assessment 7
9	WEEK 5 SESSION 9: Individual DifferenceTopic 9: Cognitive Ability, Personality	In-class Assessment 8 An outline for Assessment #3 (OB Applied Project) Due on Friday (See below for more explanation)
10	WEEK 6 SESSION 10: performance Topic: Performance, Organizational citizenship behaviors	In-class Assessment 9
11	WEEK 7 SESSION 11: Social influence in organizationTopic: Social influence, Groupthink	In-class Assessment 10
12	WEEK 8 SESSION 12: Intergroup relations and reviewTopic: Psychology of intergroup relations, Superleadership	In-class Assessment 11 Advise intention to present Assessment Task #3 (Case Study Report) as a live briefing and also advised any commitment to be avoided both by 23:59 Tuesday Assessment Task #3 - OB Applied Project (Thursday 23:59)
13	Session 13: No teaching	Assessment Task #4 (Learning Reflection Report) (Thursday 23:59)

Tutorial Registration

There is no requirement for students to register for tutorials.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
In-class Assessment (Individual Assessment Task worth 30%)	30 %	*	*	1,2,3
Case Study Report (Individual Assessment Task worth 20%)	20 %	01/11/2024	15/11/2024	1,2,3,4,5, 6,7,8
Applied OB Project (Individual Assessment Task worth 30%)	30 %	05/12/2024	*	1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
Learning Reflection Report (Individual Assessment Task worth 20%)	20 %	12/12/2024	*	1,2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

The format of the course consists of one intensive week (5 consecutive days), and then weekly seminars taught. Students are expected to attend all seminars in person unless they are not physically in Canberra i.e. working/studying remotely; if not physically in Canberra then they are expected to attend through the Teams session. Students are expected to complete required readings prior to class. Attendance and participation are expected in line with the "Code of Practice of Teaching and Learning" clause 2 paragraph (b).

Examination(s)

There is no formal examination for this course.

Assessment Task 1

In-class Assessment (Individual Assessment Task worth 30%)

During each class day, students will take an assessment quiz in the form of reflection based on that class's learning materials and activities. The submission will be via Wattle. There will be 11 In-class assessments for this course, and you can drop one In-class assessment with the lowest grade.

Format & size limit: up to 300 words. Any portion above the word limit will not be read and marked.

Due date: End of Session 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Feedback: within two weeks of the submission, with the first feedback returned prior to 25th October.

Note: Late submission of this assessment task is not permitted 

Assessment Task 2

Case Study Report (Individual Assessment Task worth 20%)

The overarching goal of this assignment is to integrate relevant OB concepts and apply them to a real problem faced by an organization, as illustrated in the case (i.e., Nordstrom).  

First, you will identify key organizational problems as they are discussed in the case. You will then review and synthesize relevant OB concepts and research to analyze the likely causes of these problems. Second, you will apply relevant OB concepts and findings to devise recommendations to address the problems. That is, you will discuss their specific recommendations in the form of an intervention plan. Finally, you will elaborate on the multi-perspective practical implications of their devised recommendations.

Formative feedback: You will submit a one-page outline or summary of your proposed approach by Week 2 Monday and receive feedback from the lecturer.     

Format & size limit:

Students may choose either of the following formats

i) live briefing: this option is to present the submission live online to the marker for no more than 12 minutes and respond to questions from the marker (allow 10-12 minutes in total). When nominating this format, students should advise any other commitments that fall on the Thursday and Friday of Week 3 so that their live briefing can be scheduled to avoid those commitments. Note that presentations will be video-recorded to enable later validation and verification of assessment if required, following point 7 of the ANU Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy.

ii) written report: A written report of 1200-1500 words.

Submission & Due date:

i) Live briefings will be made on Thursday or Friday of Week 3. Students who have elected this format will be advised of the start time and day for their live briefing on Tuesday of Week 3. The slides, including extra slides for any reference list, are to be submitted prior to the live briefing or by the due date for the written report, whichever is earlier.

ii) Written reports are due at 23:59 am on Friday of Week 3 via Turnitin on the course Wattle site.

Marking criteria: A rubric for marking this assessment will be available on the course wattle site in Week 1.

Assessment Task 3

Applied OB Project (Individual Assessment Task worth 30%)

The overarching goal of this assignment is to apply relevant OB concepts and findings to devise recommendations to address a real problem faced by an organization. You will be responsible for finding an organization to study for this project. The organization can be either for-profit or not-for-profit and can operate in any sector or industry. The final product of this component of

the assignment is a written report that 1) clearly identifies the key problems faced by organizations, 2) discusses their specific recommendations and the evidence used to support their recommendations, 3) elaborates on multiple stakeholders’ perspectives and relevant practical implications of the devised recommendations.

Formative feedback: You will submit a one-page outline or summary of your proposed approach by Week 5 Friday and receive feedback from the lecturer.      

Format & size limit:

Students may choose either of the following formats

i) live briefing: this option is to present the submission live online to the marker for no more than 12 minutes and respond to questions from the marker (allow 10-12 minutes in total). When nominating this format, students should advise any other commitments that fall on the Thursday of Week 8 so that their live briefing can be scheduled to avoid those commitments. Note that

presentations will be video-recorded to enable later validation and verification of assessment if required, following point 7 of the ANU Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy.

ii) written report: A written report of 1200-1500 words.

Submission & Due date:

i) Live briefings will be held on Thursday, Week 8. Students who have elected this format will be advised of the start time and day for their live briefing on Tuesday of Week 8. The slides, including extra slides for any reference list, are to be submitted prior to the live briefing or by the due date for the written report, whichever is earlier.

ii) Written reports are due at 23:59 am on Thursday of Week 8 via Turnitin on the course Wattle site.

Marking criteria: A rubric for marking this assessment will be available on the course wattle site in Week 1.

Assessment Task 4

Learning Reflection Report (Individual Assessment Task worth 20%)

For this assignment, you will provide a reflection report on your learning journey in this class, where you will critically analyze the implications of what you learned in this course.

The reflection report should include but does not need to be limited to

-  What you learned from this class and how it was of value to your career goals.

-  A description of the most important understanding and why they were significant.

-  Whether your learning experience from this class changed your perception of what you will be doing after graduation and how.

Format & size limit:

Students may choose either of the following formats

i) live briefing: this option is to present the submission live online to the marker for no more than 10 minutes and respond to questions from the marker (allow 10-12 minutes in total). When nominating this format, students should advise any other commitments that fall on the Thursday and Friday of Week 9 so that their live briefing can be scheduled to avoid those commitments. Note that presentations will be video-recorded to enable later validation and verification of assessment if required, following point 7 of the ANU Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy.

ii) written report: a written submission of no more than 1200 words.

Submission & Due date:

 i) Live briefings will be held on Thursday, Week 9. Students who have elected this format will be advised of the start time and day for their live briefing on Tuesday of Week 9. The slides, including extra slides for any reference list, are to be submitted prior to the live briefing or by the due date for the written report, whichever is earlier.

ii) Written reports are due at 23:59 am on Thursday of Week 9 via Turnitin on the course Wattle site.

Marking criteria: A rubric for marking this assessment will be available on the course wattle site in Week 1.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

Use of Turnitin: Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Lodgement: You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records.

Identification: On all assignments you should only give your student number as identification; your name should not be included anywhere in the file.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Weekly assessment tasks: Late submissions are not accepted.

Other assessment tasks: Late submission of an assessment task without an extension is penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the Class Summary for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations or for items where this is specified in the description of the assessment task.

Procedure for extensions: All requests for extensions to assessment in RSM courses must be submitted with a completed application form and supporting documentation. The Extension Application Form and further information on this process can be found here and on the course Wattle site. 

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Returning Assignments

All assignments will be marked and/or returned within two weeks of submission or according to the timeline specified in the course class summary.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Before the due date/time for submission, students may re-upload their submission.

After the due date/time students may only upload a submission if they have not already done so, and a late penalty will then apply.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students