In order to meet the needs of Stage 1 of the BPS Qualification in Occupational Psychology, this module aims to promote critical thinking and develop insight into major theories and concepts relating to organisation design, development and change in today’s business and globalised markets. The module content aims to enable students to understand and diagnose organisational development and change, plan required interventions and measure and evaluate its effectiveness. Furthermore, the module aims to provide students with evidence-based knowledge and practical skills necessary for fostering work motivation and favourable job attitudes through a critical understanding of job and workplace design. The module also aims to enable students to recognise and anticipate risks when planning and managing change in organisations and understand the key principles of human error and workplace safety.

(LO1) Students will be able to recognise and critique the importance of motivation and organisational justice in the workplace, and develop practical skills in job and workplace design.

(LO2) Students will be able to critically evaluate research evidence examining the relationship between job attitudes and individual, team and organisational processes and outcomes.

(LO3) Students will be able to understand and practically appraise key models and theories of organisational development and change.

(LO4) Students will have critical insight into key concepts relating to organisational structure, design, culture and climate and the implications these have for individual and team outcomes.

(LO5) Students will be able to judge differences in organisational change and development across cultures.

(LO6) Students will be able to critically evaluate the strategies used for organisational change, identifying those that are effective for sustaining it, and how to evaluate it.

(LO7) Students will be able to appraise the importance of human factors, workplace safety, risk management, and error management in organisations.

(S1) Teamwork. Students will be required to work together as a team in seminars.

(S2) Problem solving. Students will be exposed to case studies and organisational problems and will develop solutions using module content.

(S3) Communication skills. Students will be expected to communicate effectively with their teammates in seminars.

(S4) Organisation skills. Students will be required to develop informed solutions to organisational problems, and will therefore need to effectively organise and apply knowledge and skills acquired on the module.

(S5) International awareness. Students will be exposed to different cultural perspectives, norms and values by considering module content from a globalised international perspective.

Mixed, hybrid delivery, with social distancing on campus

Face-to-face seminars x 12 hours
Asynchronous learning x 24 hours
Group study x 6 hours
Self-directed learning x 108 hours

The module will take a multi-level perspective to introduce new subject matter not yet considered in the programme. Indicative content will include:

Job design and work motivation – understanding the antecedents of job attitudes and extra-role behaviours in the workplace;

The design of work environments for fostering performance, creativity and innovation – the impact of team-based working;

The psychology of people and technology; Human factors and ergonomics;

Workplace safety, risk management, and error management;

Organisation design including structure, culture, and climate (linking to globalisation and international aspects);

Change at organisational and individual level (models, methods, diagnosis, interventions, and effectiveness).