Organisations, Power and Society

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

None

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject will undertake a critical analysis of the structure and behaviour of organisations in modern society. The subject will engage with the theoretical debates and empirical research that focus on different organisational forms and management approaches, notably bureaucracy, scientific management, and the human relations and institutional schools of thought. Moreover, the subject will explore the intricacies of organisational partnerships by examining government and NGO relationships, and government and private enterprise relationships. Finally, the subject will critically analyse the role and behaviour of actors such as the union, the professional, the ethnic minority and women in modern day organsiations. By engaging the subject's discourse and the various modes of analysis we will come to see organisations as contested sites of power and authority.

• be able to understand the contemporary theoretical and empirical sociological approaches to organisations
• develop an intimate understanding of organisational partnerships within modern society
• be able to critically analyse the bahaviour and relationships of micro-level actors with various organisational forms
• have a good knowledge of research on global and comparative organisational practices
• be able to critically engage with research on organisations that uses sociological research methods

A take-home test of 1000 words (25%) due in the first half of the semester, a take-home test of 1000 words (25%) due at the end of semester, and a research essay of 2000 words (50%) due during the examination period.

This subject has a minimum Hurdle Requirement of 75% Tutorial attendance. Students who fail to meet this hurdle requirement will be deemed ineligible to submit the final piece of assessment or sit the final examination. Regular participation in tutorials is required.

Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per working day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Hasmath, R. (2012) The Ethnic Panalty: Immigration, Education and the Labour Market. Burlington, VT and Surrey, UK: Ashgate Publishing [ISBN: 9781409402114]

A Subject Reader will be available from the subject LMS site for students' convenience.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

• Research: through competent use of the library and other information sources, and the definition of areas of inquiry and methods of research.
• Critical Thinking/Analysis: through recommended reading, essay writing and tutorial discussion and, by determining the strength of an argument.
• Thinking in Theoretical Terms: through lectures, tutorial discussion, essay writing and engagement in the methods of the social sciences.
• Thinking Creatively: through essay writing, tutorial discussion and presentations, conceptualising problems, forming judgements and arguments from conflicting evidence and by critical analysis
• Understanding of Social, Ethical and Cultural Context: through the contextualisation of judgements, developing a critical self-awareness, being open to new ideas and by constructing an argument.
• Communicating Knowledge Intelligibly and Economically: through essay writing and tutorial discussion.
• Written Communication: through essay preparation and writing.
• Verbal Presentation: through tutorial discussion and class presentations.
• Time Management and Planning: through managing and organising workloads for recommended reading, essay and assignment completion and examination revision.