BALH3000 Organizational Behavior and Leadership Course description

How and why do individual employees and groups of employees behave the way they do within an organizational setting? How do leaders achieve the best outcomes for their organizations? Organizational behavior and leadership theories address these questions and their possible answers from different angles. Such theories aim to understand, explain and improve attitudes of individuals and groups in organizations. This understanding is important for the facilitation of positive individual, group, and organizational functioning, success and competitive advantage. This course addresses these issues and is an introduction to psychological theory in an occupational perspective.

Students who participate in this course will acquire knowledge about how different psychological factors affect human behavior in organizations. An overview of contemporary research based knowledge and the most important topics, concepts, and contributions within this field is provided.

None.

Knowledge

The students will obtain a basic understanding of contemporary research based knowledge in organizational behavior and leadership. They will also become familiar with the most important topics, concepts, and contributions, which include:

• Diversity and individual differences
• Attitudes, decision making, and emotions
• Stress, well-being and organizational change
• Perceptions and learning
• Motivation and team processes
• Leadership and organizational culture

Skills

The students will be able to:

• Critically examine and use different theoretical approaches and perspectives from the subject area to understand and analyze challenges and dilemmas relating to human behavior in organizations;
• Use knowledge from organizational behavior and leadership theories as well as empirical evidence when making and implementing decisions in organizations.

General competence

The students will:

• Be able to communicate and discuss the major theories and research findings from this field.
• Acquire skills in critical reflection on the subject area's possibilities and limitations.
• Convey knowledge through presentation and discussion.

Various work methods will be used such as lectures, discussions about current issues, case analysis and assignments. The students are expected to work on assignments both individually and in groups outside of the joint lectures.

During the course, the students are required to, in groups of 2-5 people, to give an oral presentation of an organization case, research paper or equivalent on a specific topic. The time allocated for each article or case is about 20-25 minutes including class discussion. The presentation will be evaluated on content, critical reflection and discussion, presentation style, and two discussion questions to be presented for class discussions. A list of groups and group membership will be put on Canvas. Approval of the presentation is a condition for being allowed to take the exam.

 Written examination of five hours. The candidate can write their answer in English or Norwegian. 

Bilingual dictionary

A grade scale with five grades from A to E for pass and F for fail is used as the assessment form.

An internal examiner will assess all the exam papers. An external examiner will assess a selection of at least 25% of the exam papers. An external examiner will also be used when there is doubt about whether an exam paper should be awarded a pass grade. The grades awarded to exam papers assessed by the external and internal examiner will be used to determine the level of all exam papers.

Christina Nerstad