Organizational Sociology

Course overview and objectives
This course is composed by three different parts: part 1 deals with the major contributions fromorganizational theory; part 2 addresses cross cultural management and part 3 the networksociety.
The main aims of this subject are as follows:
• To make Management degree students aware, as early as possible, of the importanceof Sociology when analysing organisational phenomena;
• To contribute towards the development of the students’ analytical skills so as to enable them to analyse the various situations and problems which commonly occur inorganisations using a critical approach;
• To familiarise the students with different visions of the organisation, not only from ahistorical perspective but also in terms of their relevance today;
• To develop an approach to the organisation (and therefore to the company orcorporation) which allows the students to fit all the pieces together, not only withsubjects related to micro and macro organisational behaviour but also with the other subjects which form part of their degree course.

Course Content
I. Introduction (1 class)
1. What is Organisational Sociology?
2. The conceptual limits of the Organisation
II. Different Visions of the Organisation (9/10 classes)
1. Technology: the Organisation as a “factory”. Taylor and the ScientificOrganisation of Labour.
2. “Humanism”: Interpersonal Relations and Job Satisfaction. Elton Mayo and theHuman Relations Movement.
3. Structure: Organisation, functions and roles. Fayol and the Functions ofManagement. Max Weber and the Bureaucratic Model. Bureaucratic Dysfunction and Adaptive Bureaucracy. The McDonaldisation of Society.
4. Objectives: Management by Objectives. Neo-Classical Economics. Diversity and Complexity.
5. Quality of Working Life. Task Enrichment. Commitment and Autonomy. The Study of Industrial Relations.
III. Culture and Organizations (3 classes)
1. National Culture and its effect on Organizational Culture. The Organization as asystem of shared values.
2. Cross-Cultural Management. The Hofstede Model. Other forms of approach.
3. The Components of Portuguese society.
IV. New Formsof SocialOrganization andmain Social Challenges(8 / 9 classes)Groupprojectspresentedby students

Grading
• Marks will be calculated as follows:
Progress Test 1 – 35%
Progress Test 2 – 35%
Group Project – 30%
• The mark attributed to the Group Project will be reduced by 50% if the student has beenabsent in more than 30% of the classes.
• Students with average marks of between 7,5 and 9,4 will sit a final exam,
• Students with average marks equal to or lower than 7, 4 will automatically fail thissubject.
• Students with average marks equal to or higher than 9, 5 will be exempted from thefinal exam, except in the case mentioned above.
MARKS FOLLOWING A FINAL EXAM
The final marks of students who sit the final exam will be calculated as follows:
• Final Exam Mark: 70%
• Group Project Mark: 30%

Bibliography
Recommended Bibliography:
• Cadernos de Leituras e Casos para Sociologia das Organizações – Centro dePublicações da UCP.
Additional Bibliography:
• Hofstede, Cultures Consequences – Comparing values, behaviours, institutions and organizations across Nations, Sage Publications, 2nd edition 2000