People, Organisation and Management.

People, Organisation and Management

There has been a fundamental shift in the boundaries that shape organisations and work over the last two decades. Rapidly changing social and economic conditions have forced employers to change both their focus and their approach to work and the organisation, in order to survive and prosper in what are generally regarded as turbulent times. Similarly, employees have different expectations of work; overall, they are better educated, possess higher skill levels and have greater aspirations than previous generations. The changing dynamics and experiences within the workplace have led to a questioning of the nature of work and the employment relationship.

In this course, we will consider a number of contemporary issues in terms of their impact on People, Organisation and Management. However, before looking at the individual factors which are shaping the workplace of the 21st century, it is important to set the scene in terms of the external environment in which the modern organisation exists.

Against this backdrop, the way in which people are managed in the workplace has had to adapt and evolve. Gone is the ‘one best way’ approach to managing people, to be replaced by a range of different techniques, depending on the circumstances and the people involved. Management thinking and practice has moved on in order to cope with the increasingly diverse workplace of the 21st century.

On completion of this course the student will be able to:

• Employ a variety of social science and management concepts in the analysis of work organisation.
• Reflect on and evaluate the different forms work organisation can take and its key dimensions and recognise conflict and commitment as key outcomes of work and the different ways in which they can both be managed.
• Identify and evaluate managerial and employee goals for and perspectives on work organisation.
• Appreciate the complexities of group working.