Review of current knowledge on a particular people related area of interest linked to the overarching subject of People, Organisation and Culture at the student’s workplace.

MSc in Project Management

People, Culture, and Organisation

Need Help Writing an Essay?

Tell us about your paper and we will find the best writer for your essay.

Write My Essay For Me

Module Specification and Assignments Brief

Introduction

This module is designed to address those things in the management of projects that could generally be described as relating to people. We can consider management as being toward objectives in organisations, via techniques, through people. Organisations and people are a very important part of management.

Theories relating to people, culture, and organisation do not relate to an exact science. Sometimes words are rather inadequate and misleading. Contradictions should be viewed as interesting and valued as contributing to understanding. People and organisations are complex. Different theoretical perspectives may be used to explain, model and test similar observed situation, phenomena or scenarios in a project environment. The differences in perspectives tell us something of the nature of the variables with which we are dealing.

There are not usually any right answers; just appropriate answers. Solutions are appropriate, useful, workable, and economic. All these different solutions are judged by a number of criteria –both objective and subjective. There are moral issues too. That is why it is a good idea to question value terms which people use when describing approaches and solutions to problems involving people and organisations.

The intention of this Module is to introduce and develop a number of theoretical perspectives and applications in relation to people in project teams and project organisations. It is hoped that by the end of the Module you will have developed a personal agenda for further learning.

The attached module descriptor provides you with details of the module content and learning approaches

One individual assignment and one exam assessed assignments will count 70%, 30%. The first assignment is practice based requiring students to address a people related issue/problem and propose, based on a literature review exercise, a set of recommendations. The second is the final exam that will be in the form of multiple choice and short answers.

INDIVIDUAL REPORT (Assignment 1)

Students are required to submit 3000-word report as per the stated deadline. The report should provide a detailed review of current knowledge on a particular people related area of interest linked to the overarching subject of People, Organisation and Culture at the student’s workplace. The assessment will be based on the following:-

1. Identifying the context, organisation and its appropriateness to the study; Students are expected to lay particular emphasis on the applicability of established theoretical frameworks to the area of interest or problem/s that are identified.

1 Academic integrity is the key to academic success. Cheating is considered as a serious offence at the British University in Dubai. Please read the university policies and procedures carefully in the university student handbook so that you are aware of all university procedures and abide by them to avoid penalties. Please note that all written assignment will be checked using specified plagiarism detection software

2 The module tutor is “lead academic monitor” for ethical aspects of ‘routine research’ undertaken within learning activities and assignments. If these include research participation by third parties or other ethical dimensions, the tutor is responsible for initial guidance and the student is directed to use relevant approval forms and procedures. (see policy 9.3.2 Frame Work for Research Ethics Approval).

2. Using a developed framework to critically analyse the adopted approaches in the selected case and present recommendations for improvement, to confirm the following:-
3. The nature, structure and behaviour of the particular organisation, its micro and macro environment and other People, Organisation and Culture drivers.
4. Strategic considerations and value the opportunity for People, Organisation and Culture considerations presents.
5. Identifying People, Organisation and Culture considerations, approaches, methodologies and limitations; Students may collect ‘data’ through investigating documents and conducting interviews at the work place and/or surveys to support their analysis and recommendations.. [30%]
6. Critical analysis of its current People, Organisation and Culture approaches, strategic options that may be considered; lessons and limitations of your paper, conclusions. [20%].

Assignment Brief

Assignment Purpose: Are you as a project manager ready for the tomorrows world? Please choose an organization as a cases study and describe: its position to the world, its organization culture and climate.  Innovative Project Teams, Organisation culture and design, leadership, motivation and communication.

Brief

In this coursework, you are required to produce a report, which is designed to allow you to explore your own organisation’s approach to People and Organisation in relation to project management. You are expected here to provide a systematic review of the literature and provide a case study example linking theory to practice.

You must select an organstaion related to your interest

At the end of this review you are expected to provide the followings:

• Issues learned from the literature review
• Argumentations emerged from the literature review
• How the theory is linked to practice?
• organstaion key opportunities and challenges

Report structure

Abstract

Table of Contents

An introduction.

Literature review

Analysis and synthesis of how literature is applied in the business world

Challenges and opportunities

A set of Recommendations

Conclusion remarks

References and bibliography

Submission

You are to submit on the will be announced the followings. ( you are welcome to submit any date before the deadline)

The assignment  as word

Note: university guidelines for late submission and bad academic practice applies to this assignment

Your will need to submit a research report (3000 words) that includes

1. (30%) A critical analysis of the relevant literature on organization structure, environment and culture, teams, leadership,motivation and communication. Use examples and data to support the theory with the available data.
2. (30%) A critical analysis using the conceptual model above, the challenges and opportunities project team(s) are likely to face in their endeavour to manage a project. This case study approach is likely to be based on document examination
3. (20%) A set of recommendations on how company X could
4. (10%) A one page executive summary, Introduction, conclusion and reference list should be included. Referencing should follow the Harvard style.

References

1. McKenna, E. (2012). Business Psychology and Organisational Behaviour. 5th ed. Psychology Press.

Indicative Key Reading

1. Baiden, B. and Price, A. (2010). The effect of integration on project delivery team effectiveness. International Journal of Project Management, vol. 29 (2), pp. 129-136
2. Dulaimi, M. (2007). Case studies on knowledge sharing across cultural boundaries. Journal of Engineering, Construction, and Architectural Management, vol. 14 (6), pp. 550-567.
3. Dwivedulaa, R., Christophe N. & Bredillet, C. (2010). Profiling work motivation of project workers. International Journal of Project Management, vol. 28 (2), pp. 158-165.
4. Hargadon, A. and Sutton, R. (2000). Building an innovation factory. Harvard Business Review, May/June, pp. 157-166.
5. Kotter, J. P. and Schlesinger, L. A. (1979). Choosing strategies for change. Harvard Business Review, March-April, pp. 106-114.
6. Lane, P. L. and Lubatkin, M. (1998). Relative absorptive capacity and interorganizational learning. Strategic Management Journal, vol. 19, pp. 461-477.
7. Müller, R. and Turner, R. (2010). Leadership competency profiles of successful project managers. International Journal of Project Management, vol. 28 (5), July 2010, pp. 437-448.
8. Mullins, L. J. (2013). Management and organisational behaviour. 10th ed. England: FT/ Prentice Hall.

Recommended Reading

1. Bessant, J. and Tidd, J. (2011). Innovation and entrepreneurship. 2nd ed. West Sussex: Wiley.
2. Child, J. (2005). Organisation: contemporary principles and practice. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.
3. Clegg, S., Kornberger, M. and Pitsis, T. (2008). Managing and organisations: an introduction to theory and practice. 2nd ed. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

12

4. Dulaimi, M. and Langford, D. (1999). Job behaviour of construction project managers: determinants and effectiveness. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, July/August.
5. Dulaimi, M. and Kumaraswamy, M. (2000). Procuring for innovation: the integrating role of innovation in construction procurement. Proceedings of the Association of Researchers in Construction Management, Glasgow, UK.
6. Dulaimi, M. and Ang, A. F. (2009). Elements of learning organisations in Singapore’s construction industry. Emirates Journal of Engineering Research, vol. 14 (1), pp. 83-92.
7. Hammuda, I. and Dulaimi, M. (1996). Empowering the organisation: a comparative study of different approaches to empowerment. CIB Beijing International conference. 21-24 October. China: CIB.
8. Hammuda, I. and Dulaimi, M. (1997). The theory and application of empowerment: a comparative study of the different approaches to empowerment in construction, service, and manufacturing industries. International Journal of Project Management, vol. 5 (5), pp. 289-296.
9. Hammuda, I. and Dulaimi, M. (1999). A framework for customer-oriented organisation in the UK construction industry, in CIB W65, Customer satisfaction: a focus for research and practice in construction, vol. 1, pp. 388-398.
10. Handy, C. (1999). Understanding organisations. 4th ed. London: Penguin Books.
11. Hofstede, G. and Hofstede, G. (2010). Cultures and organizations: software of the mind: intercultural cooperation and its importance for survival. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw Hill.
12. Pettinger, R. (2000). Mastering organisational behaviour. England: Palgrave.
13. Robbins, S. & Judge, T. (2013). Organisational behaviour. 15th ed. Boston: Prentice Hall.