Overview
Organisational behaviour is the study of human behaviour at work. The complexity of human behaviour means that this inter-disciplinary field of study draws upon the literature from psychology, sociology, anthropology and political science. In this unit you will examine theories and the research base from the social sciences that inform the way in which individual level factors (e.g. personality, attitudes, emotion and motivation), team level factors (e.g. leadership and group dynamics) and organisational factors (e.g. structure and culture) combine to explain behaviour. You will learn about the role of workplace behaviour and its critical role in organisational outcomes such as productivity, innovation and absenteeism.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 3 - 2020
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Unit evaluation.
Students enjoyed the assessment structure.
Retain the current assessment structure.
Feedback from Unit evaluation.
Teaching team offers timely help.
Strive to maintain our quick response to student enquiry.
Feedback from Unit evaluation.
Learning resources were helpful.
Review the learning resources to ensure they are fun and meet learning outcomes.
- Evaluate a number of theories that explain human behaviour
- Critically appraise the inter-relationship between individual, team and organisational systems
- Apply the study of organisational behaviour to work practices and arrangements in organisations.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | |
1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 20% | |||
2 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||
3 - Online Test - 50% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | |
1 - Communication | |||
2 - Problem Solving | |||
3 - Critical Thinking | |||
4 - Information Literacy | |||
5 - Team Work | |||
6 - Information Technology Competence | |||
7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||
8 - Ethical practice | |||
9 - Social Innovation | |||
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 20% | ||||||||||
2 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
3 - Online Test - 50% |
Textbooks
Organisational Behaviour
Edition: 9th (2019)
Authors: Stephen P. Robbins, Timothy A. Judge, Marissa Edwards, Peter Sandiford, Martin Fitzgerald, James Hunt
Pearson
Melbourne Melbourne , VIC , Australia
ISBN: 9781488620683
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- PC, Laptop, tablet or hand-held device with a camera and audio
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.mullin@cqu.edu.au
t.whan@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
What is organisational behaviour?
Chapter
Chapter 1, Robbins, Judge, Edwards, Sandiford, Mitchell & Hunt
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1 - Every quiz is available from 9am AEST on the 9th November 2020. Quiz 1 closes in Week 2.
Assessment 2 - You must choose an essay topic by 9am AEST on 1st December 2020.
Module/Topic
Diversity in organisations.
Chapter
Chapter 2, Robbins, Judge, Edwards, Sandiford, Mitchell & Hunt
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1 - Quiz 1 closes 20th November 2020 AEST at 10 pm.
Assessment 2 - You must choose an essay topic by 9am AEST on 1st December 2020.
Module/Topic
Attitudes and job satisfaction; Personality and values
Chapter
Chapters 3 & 4, Robbins, Judge, Edwards, Sandiford, Mitchell & Hunt
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1 - Quiz 2 closes 27 November 2020 at 10 pm AEST.
Assessment 2 - You must choose an essay topic by 9am AEST on 1st December 2020.
Module/Topic
Emotions and moods
Chapter
Chapter 5, Robbins, Judge, Edwards, Sandiford, Mitchell & Hunt
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1 - Quiz 3 closes 4th December 2020 at 10 pm AEST.
Assessment 2 - You must choose an essay topic by 9am AEST on 1st December 2020.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Review of material from previous weeks
Module/Topic
Perception and individual decision making; Motivation
Chapter
Chapters 6 & 7, Robbins, Judge, Edwards, Sandiford, Mitchell & Hunt
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1 - Quiz 4 closes 18th December 2020 at 10 pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Foundations of group behaviour
Chapter
Chapter 8, Robbins, Judge, Edwards, Sandiford, Mitchell & Hunt
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1 - Quiz 5 closes 24th December 2020 at 10 pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Review of material from previous weeks
Module/Topic
Communication
Chapter
Chapter 10, Robbins, Judge, Edwards, Sandiford, Mitchell & Hunt
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1 - Quiz 6 closes 8th January 2021 at 10 pm AEST.
Assessment 2 - Topic 1 is due 8th January 2021 at 10 pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Leadership
Chapter
Chapter 11, Robbins, Judge, Edwards, Sandiford, Mitchell & Hunt
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1 - Quiz 7 closes 15th January 2021 at 10 pm AEST.
Assessment 2 - Topic 2 is due 15th January 2021 at 10 pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Power and politics
Chapter
Chapter 12, Robbins, Judge, Edwards, Sandiford, Mitchell & Hunt
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 2 - Topic 3 is due 22nd January 2021 at 10 pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Conflict and negotiation
Chapter
Chapter 13, Robbins, Judge, Edwards, Sandiford, Mitchell & Hunt
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 2 - Topic 4 is due 29th January 2021 at 10 pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Foundations of organisational structure
Chapter
Chapter 14, Robbins, Judge, Edwards, Sandiford, Mitchell & Hunt
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Organisational culture
Chapter
Chapter 15, Robbins, Judge, Edwards, Sandiford, Mitchell & Hunt
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Test commences at 7pm AEST 19th February 2021.
Online Test Due: Exam Week Friday (19 Feb 2021) 7:00 pm AEST
1 Online Quiz(zes)
This assessment comprises seven (7) online quizzes. Only the best five (5) scores will be used to determine your overall result for the online quizzes.
Each quiz is based on a chapter from the textbook. The quizzes can be accessed from the “Assessment" Tab at the top of the unit Moodle site. Each quiz comprises of 10 multiple choice questions (MCQs) to be completed in one sitting of 20 minutes.
Once a quiz closes, it cannot be reopened for any reason. There are no alternatives or extensions for quizzes due to CQUniversity policy.
Quiz | Content | Quiz Closure |
1 | Chapter 1 | Friday 20 November, 2020; 10.00 p.m. AEST |
2 | Chapter 2 | Friday 27 November, 2020; 10.00 p.m. AEST |
3 | Chapter 3 | Friday 4 December, 2020; 10.00 p.m. AEST |
4 | Chapter 5 | Friday 18 December, 2020; 10.00 p.m. AEST |
5 | Chapter 6 | Thursday 24 December, 2020; 10.00 p.m. AEST |
6 | Chapter 8 | Friday 8 January, 2021; 10.00 p.m. AEST |
7 | Chapter 10 | Friday 15 January, 2021; 10.00 p.m. AEST |
7
Other
See details in the above table under task description for due dates and times.
Score is shown when the test closes.
Each quiz has 10 questions and each correct answer earns one (1) point. At the end of the final quiz, your results will be scaled to a score out of 20. While this assessment has seven online quizzes, only the best five scores (of those seven) will contribute to your Online Quiz result. The 'extra' quizzes are there in case you did not do so well in some quizzes and wish to increase your overall score or because you missed some quizzes for whatever reason.
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
- Evaluate a number of theories that explain human behaviour
- Critically appraise the inter-relationship between individual, team and organisational systems
- Apply the study of organisational behaviour to work practices and arrangements in organisations.
2 Written Assessment
This written assessment is designed to assist students to demonstrate their understanding of concepts, theories, and models related to ‘Organisational Behaviour’.
It also provides an opportunity for students to enhance their research, analytical, critical thinking, and written communication skills.
You are required to choose one (1) of the four essay tasks provided to you in the Unit Moodle site and prepare an Academic Essay of 1500 words (+/- 10%).
In your essay, you should establish your key argument(s) and provide evidence from academic literature and other appropriate sources to support your argument(s).
This task requires you to engage in extensive research within the academic literature, peer reviewed academic journal articles in particular.
You should refer to a minimum of six (6) scholarly references including the prescribed text book.
Note: Before commencing this task, please carefully read the "Assessment Task Description" and the "Marking Rubric" available in the Unit Moodle site.
Essay Topic/ | Chapter alignment | Due Date |
1 | 3 | Friday 8 January, 2021 at 10.00 pm |
2 | 6 | Friday 15 January, 2021 at 10.00 pm |
3 | 10 | Friday 22 January, 2021 at 10.00 pm |
4 | 12 | Friday 29 January, 2021 at 10.00 pm |
See details in the above table
We will make every attempt to return on-time submitted assessments within two weeks of the submission date.
Assessment 2 - Marking Criteria for Essay - An essay is more than a 'descriptive' response to the question - a good essay argues a case; it demonstrates that you have critically thought about the question and recognises there are different views on the topic.
Analysis (25%): The essay demonstrates detailed understanding and critical analysis of the topic. It presents a clearly integrated and well‑developed argument throughout to address all parts of the assessment task.
Application of literature/theory (25%): The essay demonstrates application of the relevant concepts, frameworks, and theories in relation to the topic.
Research (20%): The essay demonstrates extensive research and understanding of the topic. The essay should have a minimum of six (6) scholarly references, which must include the prescribed textbook, plus five (5) relevant academic peer reviewed journals (to be eligible for a pass [10/20] on this criterion). The research is used in an integrated manner throughout the essay to support the argument.
Presentation (20%): The essay is appropriately structured with no headings, has relevant information order and flow, paragraphs are used effectively, and includes a well-formulated introduction and conclusion.
Referencing (5%): The references list and the in-text referencing complies with the exact detail of the CQU APA Referencing Guide. The references are appropriate and sufficient throughout the essay.
Communication (5%): The essay uses clear and concise communication, appropriate language, grammar, spelling (Australian English), and punctuation.
Late penalties will be applied as per CQU Policy at the rate of 1.5 marks per day (5%) deducted from your academic essay score for each day late.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Evaluate a number of theories that explain human behaviour
- Critically appraise the inter-relationship between individual, team and organisational systems
- Apply the study of organisational behaviour to work practices and arrangements in organisations.
3 Online Test
The Online Test will be based on:
Part A: 40 Multiple Choice questions, and
Part B: Six (6) short answer questions where the student will write no more than 200 words.
This is a closed book test where students will be unable to use any physical or electronic resources to assist completion of the Online Test.
Full details of accessing the Online Test will be provided on moodle.
Exam Week Friday (19 Feb 2021) 7:00 pm AEST
Students must be available at this time and day to complete the online test
Final results will be available on certification of grades
Part A of the Online Test is equal to 40 marks with one mark awarded per correct answer and no mark deducted for an incorrect answer. Part B of the test is equal to 10 marks per question. Then the addition of results from Part A and Part B are added together to give a result out of 100 and then the result is halved to obtain a mark out of 50. This equates to the weighting for this Assessment item.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Ethical practice
- Evaluate a number of theories that explain human behaviour
- Critically appraise the inter-relationship between individual, team and organisational systems
- Apply the study of organisational behaviour to work practices and arrangements in organisations.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.