ASOB05020U Sociology of Organizations

Volume 2013/2014
Education
BA+MA elective courses
Content

Organizational sociology is a fascinating subject because it is applied science dealing with ’living people’. Within modern and thus highly differentiated societies most functions essential to the reproduction of society are carried out by organizations. Consequently, most people are involved in one or more organizations.

 Theories about organizations are manifold, and considered in a historical perspective they have changed with the development of the industrial society. Consequently, it is important to consider their origins as well as their relationship to other research fields dealing with organizations such as economy and political science.

Within organizational theories, the analysis of the relationship between participants, structure, processes and culture is essential for understanding how organizations are able to achieve their goals. Organizations were by and large considered as closed systems during the first half of the 20th century, either as hierarchical industrial production or as administrative bureaucracy. However, the importance of the environment with regard to the development of the internal as well as external relationships of organizations has since been emphasised. Within the analysis of such open systems, the shift of perspective is mirrored in a wide range of organisational sociological positions today, i.e. institutional, action theoretical (RC), systems theoretical, structuration theoretical, cultural (symbolic interactionism and phenomenology) and feminist approaches.

 During the course it will be demonstrated how these theoretical approached may be applied to various degrees when analysing different types of organizations. These organizations comprise industry, services, public administration, interest representation, states, transnational co-ordination (e.g. the EU), but also networks of so-called intermediate organizations between the welfare state and the marked (e.g. voluntarily work). The course will provide an illustration of the discussion of the different theoretical approached by drawing on existing empirical analysis of relevant types of organizations, ranging from kindergartens to states or transnational institutions. During the course the students will be encouraged to use a case when illustrating their discussion of one or more organisational sociological positions within the framework of the oral examination.

Learning Outcome

The course is a part of an overall project, aiming at bridging between the university and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This might be the case in the private, but also in the voluntary sector and often supported and mediated by public sector organizations.

The aim of the course is to give students the skills required for: a) analyzing organizations according to various theoretical approaches, b) assessing changes in strategies, structures and processes as regards the achievement of organizational targets, c) doing further studies in the field of organizational sociology, d) classifying organizational sociology in relation to the neighbour disciplines.

Examination requirement app. 800 pages

• A course compendium (around 800 pages) which is available at the campus bookstore: Academic Books at CSS. Requirement readings/syllabus will be distributed during the first session. Compendium can be purchased at the Akademisk Boghandel, CSS, Øster Farimagsgade 5, building 7, at the beginning of the semester.

Lectures including discussion. During the course, students will be encouraged to apply the acquired theoretical and methodological approaches on selected cases, e.g. by using some of the planed enterprise visits (Small and Medium sized Enterprises - SMEs) where meetings with managers or employee representatives will be organized.
BA and MA level(Engelsk)
BA-Undergraduates can sign up for this course

Kurset fungerer samtidig som linjefag i specialiseringsretningen: Organisation, Ledelse og Arbejdsmarked

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  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 28
  • Exam
  • 123,5
  • Preparation
  • 123,5
  • Total
  • 275,0
Credit
10 ECTS
Type of assessment
Continuous assessment
Small papers during the course.
Group/individual: individual or group
Marking scale
passed/not passed
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal examiners
Exam period
Handing in of papers: 12.00 o’clock in the secretariat (16.1.34) Submission dates will be available during September.
Criteria for exam assesment
See course aims
Credit
10 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination
Assesment: 7-point scale
Group/individual: individual or group
Size: A synopsis of maximum 3 pages of 2400 characters. The synopsis may be handed in as a group. However, the oral exam is on individual basis. The synopsis itself is meant as a discussion paper and does not enter into the assessment
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal examiners
Exam period
Handing in of papers: 12.00 o’clock in the secretariat (16.1.34) Submission dates will be available on Absalon.
Criteria for exam assesment
See course aims
Credit
10 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Assesment: The exams are marked according to the 7-points- scala
Examiner: Internal examiner.
Group/individual: The Free written take-home essay may be written individually or by group (max 4 persons)
Attention: When handing in as a group, the contribution of each student must be pointed out
Size: An Free written take-home essay of maximun 15 pages of 2400 characters each page. If written by a group, the Free written take-home eaasy may be 7½ pages of 2400 characters each page longer per additional student.
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal examiners
Exam period
Handing in of papers: 12.00 o’clock in the secretariat (16.1.26) Submission dates will be available on Absalon.
Criteria for exam assesment
See course aims