Sociology of Organisations
Objectives
1. Knowledge and undersatnding of basic concepts of the sociological study of organisations; 2. Understanding organisations in the light of social regularities inderpinning their productive process; 3. Knowledge and understanding of the ideal types of organisational models within which take plece issues such as: employment; mangement and development of human potential; sociotechnical adaptation; organisational change; professional qualification; 4. Ability to read theoretically the main lines of an organisations´ social processess; Ability to use models to deal with the complexity and diversity of an organisation; 6. Ability to intervene in a critical and informed way ons organisational processes and situations.
General characterization
Code
01100320
Credits
6.0
Responsible teacher
Helena Maria Rocha Serra
Hours
Weekly - 4
Total - 168
Teaching language
Portuguese
Prerequisites
Available soon
Bibliography
Bernoux, Ph. (1995). A sociologia das organizações. Porto: Rés.
Ferreira, J.M.C., Neves, J. & Caetano, A. (2001). Manual de psicossociologia das organizações. Lisboa: McGraw-Hill
Hall, R.H. (2004). Organizações: Estruturas, processos e resultados. São Paulo: Pearson Prentice Hall,
Handel, M.J. (ed.) (2003). The sociology of organizations: Classic, contemporary and critical readings. London: Sage.
Mintzberg, H. (1995). Estrutura e dinâmica das organizações. Lisboa: Dom Quixote
Teaching method
. Theoretical lectures (50%): theoretical lectures (teacher).
. Practical classwork and tutorials (50%): reading and texts analysis; Thematic Workshop presentations about a research topic, according to each syllabus section (students).
Evaluation method
a) Oral presentation by groups (two groups per session), according to the presentations calendar. Student groups present and debate a topic, according to guidelines and with the previous work accomplished in the practical lectures - 20%
b) Participation in discussion (groups presentation sessions): following the presentation of the topic by the groups, all the other groups will participate in the discussion, which will be moderated by the teacher - 15.0%
c) Written group work: on the text previously presented in class (15%)
d) 2 Written tests in class (60%): individual assignments. All syllabus topics are included. - 50%
Subject matter
1. Introduction
The social perspective of organisations: basic concepts OrganisationsTheory/
Sociology of Organisations: object, research and method(s)
2. Classical Theories
Scientific Management Principles (F.W. Taylor)
Fayol and Ford contributions
Max Weber bureaucratic model
The early Human Relations Theory
3. Organisations as Social and Technological Systems
The social-technical experiments
Contingency Theories: Organisations as Open Systems
The ecology of organizational populations (Hannan and Freeman)
4. Power, Politics and Organisations
The bureaucratic model in contemporary societies
Strategic analyses (Crozier & Friedberg)
Political organisation (Mintzberg)
5. The New Organizational Institutionalism
5.1. Organizational Isomorphism (Powell and DiMaggio)
5.2. Meyer and Rowan's Perspective
6. Leadership and Organizational Culture
6.1. The Resource Dependency Theory (Pfeffer and Salancik)
6.2. Organizational cognitivism (Karl Weick)
6.3. Leadership Development and the role of leaders as culture makers
6.4. The importance of organizational culture in organizations
6.5. Culture as a competitive advantage and strategic factor
6.6. Culture as an EVP (Employee Value Proposition)
6.7. Transcultural people management
Programs
Programs where the course is taught: