If the content you are seeing is presented as unstyled HTML your browser is an older version that cannot support cascading style sheets. If you wish to upgrade your browser you may download Mozilla or Internet Explorer for Windows.

Organizational Behaviour
(ORGB) 300
Organizational Culture (Revision 2)

Revision 2 closed, replaced by current version.

View previous syllabus

Delivery mode: Individualized study online or
grouped study.**

Credits: 3 - Applied Studies

Prerequisite: None.

Precluded course: ORGB 400. ORGB 300 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained for ORGB 400.

Centre: School of Business

ORGB 300 has a Challenge for Credit option.

**Note: Students registering in grouped study, or grouped study international mode are advised that there may be some differences in the evaluation and course materials information indicated below. To obtain the most up-to-date information, contact the School of Business Call Centre at 1-800-468-6531.

Overview

ORGB 300 explores issues and concepts in organizational culture, and focuses on the impact of organizational culture on individuals and groups in North American work organizations. This course adopts the basic premise that organizational culture is the fundamental driving force behind the decisions and actions that take place in work organizations. As such, culture affects everyone and is relevant to everyone.

Outline

The first part of the course looks at how culture is learned and internalized in organizations. It introduces the concept of culture and examines its impact on members of work organizations. The second part uses a practical approach to highlight the relevancy and impact of culture on everyday work activities and concepts such as communication, corporate ethics, leadership, supervisor-subordinate relations, and motivation. This section of the course deals with the practical implications of culture on the behaviour of subordinates, colleagues, and managers.

Part 1

Lesson 1: Introduction

Lesson 2: The Substance of Organizational Culture

Lesson 3: Cultural Forms

Lesson 4: Organizational Passages and Cultural Continuity

Lesson 5: Subcultures Within Organizations

Part 2

Lesson 6: The Socialization Process

Lesson 7: The Influence of Culture on Motivation and Decision Making

Lesson 8: Leadership, Communication and Culture

Lesson 9: Power, Stratification and Mobility

Top

Evaluation

To receive credit for ORGB 300, you must complete and submit three assignments and pass a Final Examination. The passing grade for the Final Examination is D (50 percent). In addition, you must achieve an overall grade of at least “D” (50 percent) on your written assignments. The chart below provides the credit weight associated with each of these activities.

Assign 1 Assign 2 Assign 3 Final Examination Total
25% 25% 25% 25% 100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Note: Examinations for this course are taken online, and must be taken at an invigilated location. It is your responsibility to ensure a computer with an Internet connection and Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher is available for your use at the invigilation centre.

Course Materials

Textbooks

Trice, H. M., & Beyer, J. M., with contributions by Dupuis, C. J. (2003). The cultures of work organizations custom edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing.
ISBN 0-536-72320-6.

Ritti, R. R., & Levy, S. (2003). The ropes to skip and the ropes to know: Studies in organizational behavior (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ISBN 0-471-41571-5.

Top