Managing People: Psychological Foundations

Course Objective
ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH SKILLS – STUDENTS CAN CONDUCT A BASIC INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT FROM START TO FINISH ACADEMIC SKILLS (THREE AS)
After successfully completing this course, the student:
• can analyze and demonstrate an understanding of problems from different perspectives (Analysis)
• is able to recognize fundamental structures and to leave out irrelevant information (Abstraction)
• is able to put forward well-founded, substantiated points of view, both in spoken and written format (Argumentation)
RESEARCH SKILLS
After successfully completing this course, the student:
• is able to translate academic research into practically relevant outcomes

BRIDGING THEORY AND PRACTICE
KNOWLEDGE
Demonstrates theoretical and empirical knowledge concerning the relevant areas in international business administration
After successfully completing this course, the student:
• can explain basic psychological theories, models and concepts relevant for managing people
• is able to relate, contrast, and compare between theories, models, and concepts
APPLICATION
Can propose a solution to an international real-life business problem by applying relevant theories and methodologies.
After successfully completing this course, the student:
• Is able to provide practical solutions to a case by applying psychological theory relevant for managing people

SOCIAL SKILLS – STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL ROLES IN A CROSS-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT
After successfully completing this course, the student:
• is able to debate about basic aspects of managing people based on scientific arguments.
• can work well in a team and reflect on his/her own role in the team
• is sensitive to cross-cultural differences and is able to deal with those differences in social interactions

SELF-AWARENESS – STUDENTS CAN EVALUATE OWN LEARNING, KNOWLEDGE AND ACTIONS
After successfully completing this course, the student:
• is able to recognize the results of his/her own actions
• can reflect on his/her personal development

Course Content
This blended course is about you. Managing People: Psychological Foundations deals with the human factor in organizations. All business functions in the IBA curriculum, like Marketing, Supply Chain Management, and Strategy, can impossibly exist without people executing them. Ever wondered why people in organizations behave the way they do? Ever wondered why people change their behavior as soon as they enter an organization? You may already have formed your own theories regarding how people behave in social situations. But here is the “million dollar question”: is there any scientific evidence that supports your theories?
This course will help you test your own theories, and question them by comparing them to other theories on social behavior in organizational contexts. We will look at behavior in organizations from three different levels of analysis: the individual, the group, and the organization. The individual level focuses on the employee and his or her job. You will study topics such as personality, work attitudes, motivation, and stress. The group level deals with teams or departments and the interaction within and between groups in organizations. You will take a look at topics such as group development and behavior, diversity, and conflicts and negotiation. Finally, the organizational level examines the interaction between managers, employees, groups, and the organization as a whole. Examples of relevant topics are organizational change and leadership. These three levels will be integrated using an HRM perspective: how to effectively use the available human capital to make employees flourish and organizations thrive?

Additional Information Teaching Methods
In this course, online teaching methods will be blended with on campus
classes to provide an optimal learning environment.
(Guest) lectures (online)
Knowledge clips and podcasts (asynchronous)
Interactive Q&A sessions (on campus)
Tutorials (on campus)

Method of Assessment
Individual assignment
Group assignment (group paper + group presentation)
Individual written exam

Entry Requirements
n/a

Literature
We will work with a textbook [Human Resource Management and
Organizational Behavior. Custom Edition for Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
based on Kinicki & Fugate; and Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart & Wright.
Complied by J. Akkermans. Boston: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 13: 9781307048377]
and some selected academic articles that will be announced well in
advance to the course on CANVAS.

Explanation Canvas
CANVAS

Recommended background knowledge
This course builds on the knowledge provided during People in Business and Society 1.1, and Organizational Theory 1.2. Furthermore, the skills obtained during Academic Skills 1.3 are crucial for the assignments
during the tutorials.