Organizational Structures and Processes: Conceptual Models, Assessment and Diagnosis

Recommended Prerequisites

Organizational Psychology I/Organizational Psychology II.

Teaching Methods

Lectures. Debates. Individual and group activities (e.g, case studies, analysis / discussion of texts, simulations, exercises based on questionnaires).

Learning Outcomes

This course focuses on the structure and on some important organizational processes and aims to develop skills of analysis and reflection on the relevant topics. In the end, students should be able to:

- Identify the basic components of an organizational structure, describe the impact of its main determinants and identify the organizational configurations proposed by Mintzberg.

- Explain the origin and development of groups, indicate types and roles of groups within organizations, identify the main lines of research on group effectiveness;

- Discuss approaches to leadership;

- Define conflict and types of conflict, perceive it as a process, recognize its stages and identify strategies to tackle conflict;

- Recognize some instruments for measuring organizational processes.

Learning Outcomes
Skills of analysis and intervention in the field of Organizational Behavior, in particular regarding issues related to Organizational Structure and some organizational processes (work group/team, leadership, conflict).

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Structure and Organizational Settings
- Basic components, the main determinants of an organizational structure;
- Mintzberg’s organizational settings
2. Organizational Processes
2.1. Groups in Organizations
- The group as a system, its basic driving forces and its founding subsystems;

- Types and functions of groups in organizations;
- Development, effectiveness and leadership in group/team work;  
2.2. Power and Conflict
- Conflict and conflict management: types of conflict, conflict as a process, strategies to address conflicts;
2.3. Leadership
- Approaches to leadership: the ‘features’ perspective and approaches based on leadership styles, context and contingency approaches, models of charismatic leadership and transformational leadership.

Head Lecturer(s)

Paulo Renato Martins Ribeiro Silva Lourenço

Bibliography

Jehn, K. A.,Bendersky, C.(2003).Intragroup conflict in organizations: a contingency perspective on the conflict outcomerelationship. Research in Organiz. Behaviour,25,187-242
Lourenço, P.R., & Dimas, I.D.(2011).O Grupo revisitado: considerações em torno da dinâmica e dos processos grupais. In A. D. Gomes (Coord.), Psicologia das Organizações, do Trabalho e dos Recursos Humanos (pp. 133-199). IUC
Mintzberg, H.(1983).Structure in fives:Designing Effective Organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Salas, E., Stagl, K., Burke,C.,& Goodwin, G.(2007).Fostering team effectiveness in organizations: Toward an integrative theoretical framework. Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, 52, 185-243.
Thomas, K. (1992).Conflict and Negotiation Processes in Organizations. In M. Dunnette (Ed.) Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, vol.3, (pp. 651‐717). Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press.
West, M., Tjosvold, D. & Smith, K. (Eds.) (2003).International Handbook of Organizational Teamwork and Cooperative Working. Chichester:John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Yukl, G. & Van Fleet,D.D. (1992).Theory and Research on Leadership in organizations, In Dunnette M & Hough, L.M. (eds), Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Vol 3, Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press.