Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Organizational Behaviour
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
Introduction
This course considers the company as a human organization. It is oriented to train students to analyze and solve problems related to the behavior of people in an organization. Conceptual instruments and methods are provided to analyze situations and ways of behaving relevant to the management of the company, as well as criteria to resolve them adequately.
Pre-course requirements
None.
Objectives
The course aims to provide a sound theoretical framework, and at the same time has a strong practical orientation, applying the theoretical concepts to real cases. It is intended to develop the students' ability to situate and interpret the different situations and problems that arise in companies related to people's behavior, treating them with rigor and improving decision-making procedures. It is about acquiring familiarity with the use of concepts and methods developed in the theory of organization to analyze and solve such problems by applying the case method.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 11 - To be familiar with the main concepts and theories related to humanity and society.
- 12 - To be familiar with the main concepts and theories of economic and business philosophy.
- 13 - To be familiar with and understand the terms and processes of company management.
- 33 - To be able to search for, interpret and convey information.
- 37 - To be able to apply managerial methods, tools and techniques.
- 38 - To be able to connect the main variables (both formal and informal) which influence human behaviour in an organisation.
- 39 - To acquire the ability to solve problems and make decisions based on relevant information, applying the appropriate methods and situating the problem within the organisation as a whole.
- 41 - To be able to descriptively summarise information.
- 51 - To develop decision making skills.
- 52 - To develop interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a team.
- 55 - To adopt good time management skills.
- 61 - To develop skills for adapting to new situations.
- 63 - To be able to analyse business related behaviour and decisions and evaluate them from an economic, social and ethical point of view.
- 64 - To be able to plan and organise one's work.
Learning outcomes of the subject
The student will be able to:
1. identify the constituent elements of a company as a human organization.
2. Identify the different organizational forms of a company.
3. Know and learn to manage the elements that determine the behavior of people in the company.
4. Interpret the economic information of a company and use it to deal with business problems.
5. Apply methods to make decisions, both short term and long term, and evaluate them from the point of view of the person.
6. Evaluate the economic consequences of the decisions made in the different functional areas of the company.
Syllabus
1. Introduction: "Human behavior" as the "object" of management. Behavioral models.
2. Human motivation:
- Mechanistic theories
- Psychosociological theories
- Anthropological theory
Case: European Insurance
Article: "The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits" by Milton Friedman
3. How organizations work: mechanistic models.
Case: Hausser Food Products Company
Case: The dilemma of a young boss
4. How organizations work: psychosociological models.
Case: Management By Objectives in the INI Group.
5. How organizations work: the anthropological model (power, authority, leadership).
Case: The University Art Museum
Case: Salvatierra Mine
6. Case: Ricardo Semler: A revolutionary model of leadership.
7. Motivational circuits in decision making (spontaneous motivation - rational motivation).
Case: Ignacio Valente
Case: Melissa
8. The anthropological model in action: examples
Teaching and learning activities
In person
We recur to three types of methodological resources in this subject:
1. Interactive classes, which awaken the student's previous knowledge.
2. Theoretical classes, which explain the main concepts.
3. Analysis of practical cases.
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | COMPETENCES |
| Case analysis Lecture Classroom practicum (solving problems/videos/text commentary/sheets) Solving problems in the classroom Writing up projects | 13 20 33 37 41 45 50 54 57 61 63 65 66 |
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The evaluation will be based on the following criteria:
1st call:
- Class attendance and participation in the discussion of case studies : 30%.
- Reports: 20%.
- The result of two exams:
- a mid-term exam : 20%
- a final: 30%.
2nd call:
A final exam
Depending on the student's active participation during the course, he/she will be asked to submit a paper before participating in the second call.
Bibliography and resources
- BASTONS, M., Tomar decisiones. La inevitable cuestión ¿éxito o fracaso?, Ed. Ariel, Barcelona, 2004.
- PEREZ LOPEZ, J.A., Fundamentos de la dirección de empresas, ed. Rialp, Madrid, 1994.
- GRANT, ADAM, Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success. New York, N.Y.: Viking, 2013.
- GARCIA PARA, ANA TERESA, Una Nueva Teoría de Motivación: El Modelo Antropológico de Juan Antonio Pérez López, Revista Puertorriqueña de Psicología 2004, 15, 123-163.
- GOLEMAN, DANIEL, Leadership That Gets Results, Harvard Business Review March–April 2000.