The Secret Life of Organisations

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

120 hours

Must be enrolled in the Executive Master of Arts program

Students who have completed subject ANTH90003 Working the World can not enrol in this subject.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject examines the ‘secret life of organisations’ using a range of disciplinary approaches to the different functions and structures of corporate, government and non-government organisations Students will examine the history of organisations and the nature of work people do within them. They will also consider how distinct types of organisations have reacted and adapted to what the sociologist Richard Sennett has called the ‘new capitalism’—the growth of non-traditional organisational structures, and a broader shift to a knowledge-based service economy. At the same time students will grapple with the practicalities of how to work in such organisations, by considering the strategies managers use to pursue organisational goals, and how such organisations are best negotiated by workers to exert influence and show leadership within them. Students will develop an understanding of the history and structure of the sociological ‘field’ of modern organisations, and a practical grasp of how best to make their way in the world of work.

Students who complete this subject should have:
• A critical understanding of the key concepts, definitions and history of organisational theory;
• A critical understanding of the key differences between different types of organisations and the different imperatives that drive decision making across the range of organisational types;
• A deep understanding of the challenges facing organisations and their staff in a time of rapid change;
• The practical capacity to critically apply organisational theory in different workplace settings.

Development and presentation of a group project, 2000 words, 40 per cent (due during teaching period). Evaluation of an existing organisation, 3000 words, 60 per cent (due 4 weeks after end of teaching period).

A subject reader will be made available to students through the subject’s LMS site.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who complete this subject should have:
• High-level written and oral communication skills through contribution to class discussions and the completion of assignments;
• A capacity for effective teamwork through group discussions and assignments;
• Skills in research through the preparation of class papers and assignments, including the use of online and print-based materials;
• Skills in time management and planning through managing workloads for recommended reading, tutorial presentations and assessment requirements;
• A capacity for critical thinking and theoretical analysis through readings, discussion and class exercises.