21910 Researching Organisations and Management
UTS: Business: ManagementCredit points: 6 cp
Subject level: Undergraduate
Result Type: Grade and marksHandbook description
This subject provides the critical skills, methodological judgment, and theoretical sophistication for students to be able to design a competent research project.
Subject objectives/outcomes
On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
- identify the criteria for doing exemplary research
- apply and defend exemplary criteria to their own choice of excellent research
- develop critical interrogative skills vis-à-vis doing, interpreting and evaluating research
- use exemplars as templates for the research they will follow in their own research
- write elegant and pleasing prose.
Contribution to graduate profile
Researching Organisations and Management is designed to develop research students' ability to define the parameters, requirements and appropriateness of a topic that interest them as their research area. The subject aims to prevent a number of common mistakes that research students typically make at the beginning of their career. By doing this subject students will improve the quality and better the progress of research projects to enable them to better complete their research and thesis writing.
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject is delivered through a variety of face-to-face teaching strategies. Lectures involve face-to-face content delivery, employing highly interactive approaches to enhance the theoretical delivery of the subject tailored to specific student needs and interest. The subject is delivered though a seminar program which utilises intensive modes of teaching, based on case studies of exemplary research that link the theory and practice of doing research. Throughout the subject students are required to present papers and be involved in peer learning activities.
Content
- Learning the science, art and craft of research — by mastering exemplary research
- Managing organisations research — understanding quantitative and qualitative approaches to knowledge
- Introducing diverse research approaches — developing ability to accomplish excellent writing, conceptualisation and communications skills.
Assessment
Assessment item 1: Semester Assessment (Individual)
| Weighting: | 35% |
| Length: | 500 words |
| Task: | The semester assessment consists of a series of small take-home exercises given to reinforce material presented in class, which include an appreciative 500 word essay setting out their understanding of the essentials of good writing; critiques of journal articles, and evaluation of an academic presentation. |
Assessment item 2: First Assignment (Individual)
| Objective(s): | 3 |
| Weighting: | 25% |
| Task: | Students are required to write an appreciation and critique of a piece of official exemplary research from the book Doing Exemplary Research, Frost, P and Stablein, R, (1992), London, Sage. This addresses objective 3. |
Assessment item 3: Second Assignment (Individual)
| Objective(s): | 4 |
| Weighting: | 40% |
| Task: | Students are required to write an appreciation and critique of a research exemplar that they have chosen to fit their own research agenda and interest. This addresses objective 4. |
Required text(s)
Peter Frost and Ralph Stablein (eds) Doing Exemplary Research, Thousand Oaks, Sage.
Indicative references
Barley, Stephen et al (1988) 'Cultures of Culture: Academics, Practitioners and the Pragmatics of Normative Control', ASQ, 33, 24-60.
Barron, James N, et al (1986) 'War and Peace: The Evolution of Modern Personnel Administration in US Industry', AJS, 92: 350-383.
Clegg, Stewart R (ed.) (2002a), Central Currents in Organization Studies: Contemporary Trends – Volume Five: Political Relations and Arenas both in and around Organizations, London: Sage.
Clegg, Stewart R (ed.) (2002b), Central Currents in Organization Studies: Contemporary Trends – Volume Six: Discursive Subjects and Qualitative Research, London: Sage.
Clegg, Stewart R (ed.) (2002c), Central Currents in Organization Studies: Contemporary Trends – Volume Seven: The Social Construction of Organization Realities, London: Sage.
Clegg, Stewart R (ed.) (2002d), Central Currents in Organization Studies: Contemporary Trends – Volume Eight: Paradigms of Theory; Paradigms for Practice, London: Sage.
Clegg, Stewart R (ed.) (2002e), Central Currents in Organization Studies: Frameworks and Applications – Volume One: Historical Perspectives and Emergent Tensions, London: Sage.
Clegg, Stewart R (ed.) (2002f) Central Currents in Organization Studies: Frameworks and Applications – Volume Two: The Foundations, London: Sage.
Clegg, Stewart R (ed.) (2002g), Central Currents in Organization Studies: Frameworks and Applications – Volume Three: Central Debates, London: Sage.
Clegg, Stewart R (ed.) (2002h), Central Currents in Organization Studies: Frameworks and Applications – Volume Four: Institutions and Economics, London: Sage.
Gersick, Connie JG (1988) 'Time and transition in Work teams: Towards a New Model of Group development', Academy of Management review, 11, 67-80.
Jermier, John (1985) 'When the Sleeper Awakes: A Short Story extending themes in Radical Organization Theory', JOM, 11, 2, 67–80
Latham, Gary P et al (1988) 'Resolving scientific disputes by the joint design of crucial experiments by the antagonists: Applications to the Erez-Latham dispute regarding participation in goal-setting', JAP, 73, 753–772.
Meyer, Alan D (1982) 'Adapting to Environmental Jolts', ASQ, 27, 515-537.
Stablein, Ralph (1996) 'Data in Organization Studies', pp 507–525 in Clegg R et al (eds) Handbook of Organization Studies, London: Sage.
Sutton, Robert I and Rafaeli, Anat. (1988) 'Untangling the relationship between displayed emotions and organizational sales: the case of convenience stores', AMJ, 31, 461–487.
