Code: UMOCPT-10-M

Title: Corporate Culture and Management of Change

Version: 2

Level: M

UWE credit rating: 10

ECTS credit rating:

Module type: Project

Owning Faculty: BBS

Field: Organisation Studies

Valid from: 1 September 1999

Discontinued from:

Contributes towards: MSc Technology Management, CPDA

Pre-requisites: None

Co-requisites: None

Excluded combinations: None

Aims:

The module introduces the theoretical approaches to understanding organisation culture and change and encourages students to develop practical insights into planning and managing change.

Learning outcomes:

On completion of the module students will be able to:

• have developed a critical understanding of the concept of organisation culture and the complexity of its application as a tool for description and analysis

• be able to undertake a rigorous analysis of an organisation’s culture.

• have developed critical capacity in recognising the strategic imperatives for change and the types and appropriateness of different change management strategies.

• have gained a critical awareness of the causes of resistance to change and strategies for surfacing and dealing with it.

• understand the systemic link between individual, group and leadership dynamics in the change process.

Syllabus outline:

• Organisation culture – a critical exploration of culture in organisations. Problems of definition. Models of culture. Assessing culture. Culture and performance. Culture and leadership. Culture and strategy.

• Planning and Modelling Change Strategic Change (incremental and revolutionary, planned and emergent); culture change; first order and second order change.

• Strategic innovation and imperatives for change strategic windows; changing the rules of competition/frame-breaking change; repositioning; competence and resource based views; models of strategic innovating behaviour.

• Implementing change the role of the change agent and sponsors; force field analysis, stakeholder analysis; recognising resistance; transition versus change; styles of management.

Teaching and learning methods:

• This module utilises participative learning strategies and a variety of teaching methods will be employed. The sessions use individual or group activity exercises including mini-lecture input, written and video case study analysis, presentations, demonstrations, problem solving activities and group discussion . Use is also made of external speakers.

• Central to teaching and learning at M level is the high level of critical discourse in contact sessions and assessed work. A participative ethos allows the contribution of both staff and students to be equally valued in the exploration, evaluation and creation of theory and its application to problem solving in both case and real organisational contexts. This approach requires the ability to define, obtain, rigorously analyse and evaluate information quickly and communicate relevant conclusions and recommendations to team colleagues and professional and academic audiences in a range of formats.

Reading Strategy

All students will be encouraged to make full use of the print and electronic resources available to them through membership of the University. These include a range of electronic journals and a wide variety of resources available through web sites and information gateways. The University Library’s web pages provide access to subject relevant resources and services, and to the library catalogue. Many resources can be accessed remotely.

The following web site is an example of journals sources of relevant and up-to-date material relating to this module:

www.emerald-library.com

Reading: There are two categories of reading that are offered as a guide students. The first, essential reading, represents the core text for this module that all students are expected to read. The second, further reading, are texts which are desirable and provides opportunity for students to expand their knowledge and understanding, and specifically gains relevance as students’ develop their own areas of interest in the subject and focus of inquiry for the assignment. The Module leader will indicate clearly from the indicative source list below the essential reading.

Essential Reading:

Alvesson, M. (2002) Understanding Organization Culture. London: Sage

Further Reading:

Burnes, B. (2004) Managing Change: A Strategic Approach to Organisational Dynamics, 4th edition, London: FT Prentice Hall.

Hayes, J. (2007) The Theory and Practice of Managing Change (Second Edition). Basingstoke, Hants.: Palgrave Macmillan.

Kotter, J.P. (1996) Leading Change, Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Neumann, J., Kellner, K., Dawson-Shepherd (1997) Developing Organisational Consultancy. London: Routledge.

Parker, M. (1999) Organizational Culture and Identity. London: Sage

Assessment

The intention is for CPDA delegates to apply theory to practice and to provide opportunities for them to:

1. Critically reflect upon how change is managed in their organisation (exceptionally a case study for students not currently in employment)

2. Evaluate the effectiveness of change management.

3. Gain insights into the problems and opportunities that change presents.

4. Identify potential improvements to change management processes.

The assessment task is split into two key activities:

1. A critical evaluation of how a change has been managed.

2. Recommendations of ways in which the change management could be improved.

Weighting between components A and B (standard modules only)

n/a

ATTEMPT 1

First Assessment Opportunity

Component A

Description of each element

1 Project – maximum 3500 words

Element weighting

1

Second Assessment Opportunity (further attendance at taught classes is not required)

Component A

Description of each element

1 Project – maximum 3500 words

Element weighting

1

SECOND (OR SUBSEQUENT) ATTEMPT Attendance at taught classes is required.

Specification confirmed by …………………………………………………Date ……………………………

(Associate Dean/Programme Director)