97506 - Organizational Psychology

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will know: •the main theories in Organizational Psychology •the main principles of organizational structure and design •the social-psychological processes underlying teamwork •the main theories of leader-members relationships, conflict management and development of creativity-innovation outcomes •the main psychosocial processes related to organizational behavior •the main goals of psychologists’ professional activity in such domains

Course contents

The course examines the themes of Organizational Psychology in-depth, explaining the theoretical, research and professional aspects that characterize the discipline. The course involves the following integrated and complementary modules.

The course aims to develop knowledge and skills on the following areas:

- Type of organizations in a global perspective

- Training in organizations: communication and other non-technical skills

- KPI in organizations

- System Design, Human Performance and Organizational productivity

- Organizational Downsizing, Mergers and Acquisitions

Readings/Bibliography

Papers for the preparation of the written exam (30 multiple-choice questions) are given in class

Teaching methods

Teaching methods are:

A) Lectures where the lecturer gives a review of the literature, shows conceptual issues and empirical findings and opens up for questions and comments. The slides presented during the lectures will be made available on the virtual platform after the lectures.

B) Student-active teaching methods: flipped classroom, in-class activities to be performed in pairs or in small groups, role-play and case work. Flipped classroom is the process of moving lecture content from face-to-face class time to before class by assigning it as homework. This allows for more interactive forms of learning to take place during class. This approach supports instructors playing their most important role of guiding their students to deeper thinking and higher levels of application.

Ethical code. All students are expected to follow the ethical code of the University of Bologna. In addition, students are expected to treat each other, themselves and the course instructor and teaching assistant with respect and courtesy, including respecting diversity of all types.

Assessment methods

The final assessment is based on the evaluation of the acquired knowledge and skills and is carried out adopting various evaluation methods.

Assignments. By means of assignments, the knowledge and skills acquired in class in writing, presenting and researching relevant scientific documents are assessed. The assignments must be submitted via the virtual platform (virtuale.unibo.it). The instructions for each assignment are provided on the virtual platform. The assignments require individual work at home for the following lesson. This may also include the preparation of an oral presentation. The assignment will be awarded the maximum number of points if: the assignment fully complies with the instructions; is structured with clear and logical sections; offers original and thoughtful insights; thoroughly develops the objective with well-argued arguments supported by specific, concrete, and appropriate details; is written entirely in Standard English and contains no significant errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar; fully adheres to the conventions of academic prose; and references meet the standards of APA. Contribution to the final grade: up to 16/30 points in total.

Assignment 1 “An intervention in an organization”. Describe a specific type of intervention to promote wellbeing and/or productivity in a specific sector. Interview one manager in your country and ask her or him to illustrate the type of intervention, the components/ingredients, the modality (digital, hybrid, in-person or environmental), the organizational context, and the effects of the intervention. Summarize the organizational context, the profile of the interviewee, contents and quotes from the interview. Conclude with some personal considerations about the working mechanisms, the strengths and the weaknesses of the organizational intervention.

Assignment 2 “The future of work and implications for organizations”. Read a recent Report on the “The Future of Work” (select the Report McKinsey OR the Report Capgemini – available in virtuale.unibo.it). Review and elaborate the main psychological concepts included in the Report. Discuss how WOP psychology in understanding transformations at work considering the different type of organizations and cultural differences. Conclude with some recommendations for organizations. How can organizations manage effectively these shifts and future change? What steps should organizations take to effectively implement new organizational practices and leverage their benefits?

Format and style: Word document (.docx or pdf) ; The name of the file should be “NameSurname_Option.docx” (e.g., “LucaPietrantoni_2.docx”); Paper should be uploaded on virtuale.unibo.it (do not send the document by email); Indicate clearly at the top of the document name, surname, and the option you have selected; Max 2000 words, Min 1500 words (including front page and references); Times New Roman 11, spacing 1; at least 1 figure and 1 table; max 10 references from papers or books (no websites)

Active participation. Active participation will be assessed by the following behavioural indicators: Asking questions, taking notes, not engaging in secondary tasks, building on prior knowledge and personal experience, participating in group activities in class and flipped class. Attendance will also be taken into account. Contribution to the final grade: up to 4/30 points.

Written exam. Written exam with 30 questions with closed answers. The questions have a multiple-choice format with four options (one answer is correct, three answers are not correct). A correct answer is worth 0.25 points, an incorrect answer 0 points. Questions are based solely on the papers and chapters read (not on slides). Each student is required to find the full text versions of the papers and chapters listed. The written exam will take place on a specific date one week after the last class. It will last 45 minutes. Contribution to the final grade: 50%, up to 10/30 points.

Office hours

See the website of Luca Pietrantoni

See the website of Monica Rubini