1.

Name of Course
Organisation & Human Resource

2.

Course Code
ABDM2083

3.

Name(s) of academic staff

Lee Sok-Sien

4.

Rationale for the inclusion of the course in the programme

This course is necessary for students, who may be involved in managerial capacities, to appreciate
the dynamics of an organisations environment in order to assist them to interact effectively.
Objectives:
1. To introduce students to the types of business organisations and their functional areas.
2. To help students to understand the roles, functions, and skills required of managers and
leaders.
3. To develop an understanding of organisational structures and cultures.
4. To provide students with the fundamental motivation principles and theories.
5. To equip students with effective team management and communication skills.
6. To develop an understanding of the sources of conflict and approaches to manage conflicts.
7. To develop an understanding of the human resource management process.

5.

Semester offered
Semester 1

6.

Total Student Learning Time (SLT)

Total Student Learning
Face to Face
Time (SLT)
L=Lecture
T=Tutorial
P=Practical
O=Others

7.

Credit Value
3

8.

Prerequisite (if any)

Nil

28

21

Total Guided and

Independent
Learning

Total SLT

66

120

9.

Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:
1.
Explain the implications of structure and culture in relation to organisational
effectiveness. (C2, P2, CS, TS)
2.
Identify and explain the main features of conventional and contemporary managerial and
leadership styles, fundamental motivation principles and theories. (C2, P2, CS, TS, LS)
3.
Describe the importance of effective communication, elements of successful teams and
explain the different types of teams. (C2, P2, CS, TS, LS)
4.
Suggest appropriate approaches for effective selection, recruitment, training and
development, and performance evaluation. (C2, P2, CS, TS, LS)

10.

Transferable Skills
Skills and how they are developed and assessed, Project and practical experience and
Internship
Transferable Skills
Effective written and oral
communication

How they are developed

Developed through tutorials
and coursework.

Teamwork and cooperation

Developed through
tutorials, group coursework
and presentation
Developed through
tutorials, group coursework
and tutorial presentation

Leadership skills

11.

Assessment
Assessed through written
coursework and
examination
Assessed through group
based coursework.
Assessed through group
based coursework.

Teaching-learning and assessment strategy

Teaching-learning Strategy
Lectures
Tutorials
Group discussions
Individual/Group Presentation
E-learning
Independent reading
Assessment
Test 1
Test 2
Group assignment
Examination

12.

Synopsis
This course serves as a foundation for students to acquire the relevant knowledge and
understanding of human behaviour and structure of business organisations and how organisations
could manage and utilise human resources to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in their business
operations. Students will also be equipped with effective communication, leadership, conflict
management and team management skills.

13.

Mode of Delivery
Lecture and Tutorial

14.

Assessment Methods and Types

Coursework (40%)
Mid-term Test
Group Assignment
Final Exam (60%)
Section A. Compulsory. Answer 10 multiple choice questions. (25 marks)
Section B. Choose 3 out of 4 questions. (25 marks each)

15.

Mapping of the course to the Programme Aims

16.

Mapping of the course to the Programme Learning Outcomes

17.

Content outline of the course and the SLT per topic

Week
Topic
L
1

The Organisation System

Organisational Structure

What is Organisational
Structure?

Common Organisational
Designs (Mechanistic and
Organic)

New Design Paradigm

Why do Organisational
Structures Differ?
The Organisation System
Organisational Culture

What is Organisational Culture?

(Seven Characteristics of
Culture)

Strong versus Weak Culture

Culture versus Formalisation

Cultures Advantages and

Disadvantages (Functions and
Liabilities)

Creating and Sustaining Culture

How do Employees Learn
Culture? How to Keep Culture
Alive?

Student Learning Time (SLT)

P
O
Total Guided and
Independent Learning
3
6

Group Behaviour and Work Teams

Definition of Group

Types of Groups / Teams

Stages of Group Development

Team v Group (Differences

between Group and Team)

Groupthink and Groupshift

Motivation

What is Motivation?

Early Theories of Motivation

(Maslows Hierarchy of Needs,
Theory X and Theory Y,
Herzbergs Two-Factor Theory)

Contemporary Theories of
Motivation and Other Theories
(ERG Theory, McClellands
Theory of Needs, Goal-Setting
Theory, Reinforcement Theory,
Equity Theory and Expectancy
Theory)
3

Motivation
Applications of Motivation Theories
to Human Resource Management:

MBO putting Goal Setting

Theory into practice

How do Rewards Affect

Motivation? Reinforcement
Theory (Reward Schemes,
Employee Recognition
Programme, Employee
Involvement Programme)

Job Redesign and Scheduling

Managerial and Leadership Skills
What do Managers Do?

Management Functions (Henry

Fayol)

Management Roles (Mintzberg)

Management Skills (Robert

Katz)
Leadership Skills:

What is Leadership?

Trait and Behavioural Theories

(Ohio State Studies, University

of Michigan Studies, The

Managerial Grid)
Contingency Leadership
Theories (Fiedler Model, Hersey
and Blanchards Situational
Theory, Path-Goal Theory)
Inspirational Approaches to
Leadership (Charismatic,
Transformational and Visionary
Leadership)

Communication

The Functions of
Communication

The Communication Process

Directions of Communication

Barriers to Effective
Communication

Organisational Communication

Cross Cultural Communication

Conflict Management

Definition of Conflict

Transitions in Conflict Thought

Outcomes of Conflicts
(Functional v Dysfunctional)

Sources of Conflict

Types of Conflict

Conflict Management Strategies

5

Power and Politics

Definition of Power
(Dependency and Power)

Contrasting Leadership and

Power
Bases of Power
Power Tactics
The Reality of Politics
How Employees Respond to
Politics
Human Resource Policies and
Practices

Human Resource Planning and

Forecasting (Shortages and
Surplus of Employees and Ways
to Overcome It)

18.

Recruitment (Methods
Commonly Used for Internal and
External Recruitment;
Alternatives to Recruitment)

Human Resource Policies and

Practices
Selection

The Selection Process

Selection Methods - Written

Test, Interview, Assessment
Center and Work Sample Test
Human Resource Policies and
Practices
Performance Evaluation

Purposes of Performance
Evaluation

Criteria for Evaluation

Who Should Do the Evaluating?

Methods of Performance
Evaluation

Performance Feedback

Assessment
Test 1
Test 2
Group Assignment
Final Exam
Total
Total
Total SLT
Subject Credit
Main references supporting the course

28

21

1
1
1
2
5
5

3
3
8
10
24
66
120
3

1.

Robbins, SP and Judge, TA 2013, Organizational behaviour, 15th edn, New Jersey: Prentice
Hall.

2.

Williams, C 2009, Management, 5th edn, Thomson.

Additional references supporting the course

1.
19.

Mondy, RW, Noe, RM and Premeaux, SR 2002, Human resource management, 11th edn,
Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

Other additional information

Nil