Org Behaviour, Leadership and Change (715N1)
Note to prospective students: this content is drawn from our database of current courses and modules. The detail does vary from year to year as our courses are constantly under review and continuously improving, but this information should give you a real flavour of what it is like to study at Sussex.
We’re currently reviewing teaching and assessment of our modules in light of the COVID-19 situation. We’ll publish the latest information as soon as possible.
Organisational Behaviour, Leadership and Change
Module 715N1
Module details for 2024/25.
15 credits
FHEQ Level 7 (Masters)
Module Outline
Change and Leadership will provide students with the theoretical grounding to understand and appraise different modes of organisational change, their drivers, the responses of staff and other stakeholders, and the role of leaders in leading and responding to change. The relevance of theory will be explored in contexts including cultural change, restructuring, and mergers/acquisitions. The module examines the principles of managing change at a number of levels, building progressively from individual change, to team change, organisational change up to change at the meso-macro level in complex economic systems (e.g., change of sectoral or even national importance). The distinctive roles for leaders and approaches to leadership will explored in relation to these levels. Within the continuum, topics to be addressed will cover six main areas, reflecting positioning of the module between organisational behaviour and strategy:
Behavioural, cognitive, humanistic, and psychodynamic theories of individual change
Teams: their constitution, internal dynamics and role in organisational change
Historical approaches to organisational change (under ad-hoc management, scientific management, human relations, and contigent approaches)
More recent (and emerging) paradigms in organisational change
Planned vs. emergent change: complexity and inter-organisational influences
Leadership: roles choices and constraint: frameworks for managing change
The assessment is a coursework-based task, requiring each student to select a change scenario for a chosen organisation, and to describe how that change process should be undertaken, with specific reference to options for change and appraisal of their suitability, through reference to relevant theories of change. Strengths and weakness of relevant approaches will be identified. Specific attention to the role and style of leadership required for the change process or programme will be a key component of the report.
Module learning outcomes
Demonstrate a critical awareness of relevant approaches in Organisational Behaviour and how internal and external forces influence organisational change
Demonstrate an understanding of the roles of leadership and their inter-relationship with organisational structure, and culture when managing change
Explain personal, team, organisational and/or inter-organisational responses to change
| Type | Timing | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 100.00% | |
| Coursework components. Weighted as shown below. | ||
| Essay | XVAC Week 1 | 70.00% |
| Group Presentation | T1 Week 8 | 30.00% |
Timing
Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.
Weighting
Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.
| Term | Method | Duration | Week pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn Semester | Lecture | 1 hour | 11111111111 |
| Autumn Semester | Workshop | 2 hours | 11111111111 |
How to read the week pattern
The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.
Mr Jim Simpson
Convenor, Assess convenor
/profiles/517329
Please note that the University will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver courses and modules in accordance with the descriptions set out here. However, the University keeps its courses and modules under review with the aim of enhancing quality. Some changes may therefore be made to the form or content of courses or modules shown as part of the normal process of curriculum management.
The University reserves the right to make changes to the contents or methods of delivery of, or to discontinue, merge or combine modules, if such action is reasonably considered necessary by the University. If there are not sufficient student numbers to make a module viable, the University reserves the right to cancel such a module. If the University withdraws or discontinues a module, it will use its reasonable endeavours to provide a suitable alternative module.