MGMT 223 : Understanding Work and People

Business and Economics

2022 Summer School (1220) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Models of work organisation, reform and performance, including industrial and post-industrial forms of work. Employee responses to work and the employment relationship. Workforce diversity.

Course Overview

This course is about understanding the forces that shape the nature of work and about understanding the factors that influence employee well-being. We will discuss major models of work organisation, including Taylorism and Fordism, socio-technical work systems, lean production, and ‘post-industrial’ forms of work, relating them to the contexts in which they occur. We will discuss expressions of employee voice in the working environment, including the role of unions in collective bargaining for better working conditions. You will develop skills in how to analyse your vocational preferences and how to use relevant theoretical models to analyse the quality of jobs. This is intended to enhance your ability to improve the quality of work for yourself and for others you work with (for example, if you occupy a management or supervisory role). You will also advance your skills in communication.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 15 points from BUSINESS 102, 112, 113, MGMT 101, or 30 points at Stage I in Anthropology or Communication or Sociology

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Commerce

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Explain and evaluate concepts, theories, trends and controversies associated with work and employment. (Capability 1 and 2)
  2. Identify their own vocational preferences and describe helpful ways of navigating the university-to-work transition. (Capability 1 and 3)
  3. Apply relevant theoretical models to analyse the quality of working life. (Capability 2 and 3)
  4. Demonstrate communication skills. (Capability 4.1 and 4.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 50% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 50% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Assignments
Final Exam

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15-point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15-point course that they are enrolled in.

In a 12-week semester for this course, you can expect 3 hours of classes and 7 hours of reading and thinking per week about the content and work on assignments and exam preparation. 

In summer school, you can expect 6 hours of classes and 14 hours of reading and thinking per week about the content and work on assignments and exam preparation. 

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Lectures will be available as recordings. 
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Textbook: Hodson, R., & Sullivan, T. A. (2012). The social organization of work (5th ed.). Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Cengage. The readings required from this textbook are identified in Canvas.
Online Readings: There are also some essential readings from sources other than the textbook and some non-essential (‘further’) readings for those who want to read more. These readings can be accessed from Canvas. Where there is a link to a journal article, please download and read the full PDF version, which is better for the diagrams and for discussing the article in class.
Together, the key resources for the course are the textbook, the online readings, the lecture slides and the lecture recordings. These are vital to your learning and your understanding of them will make a major impact on your performance.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

The content in this course is updated every year, including with regard to student feedback.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 04/11/2021 11:47 p.m.