Bachelor
2024/2025
Research Seminar "HR and Organizational Studies” (2024/2025 academic year)
Type:
Elective course (Sociology and Social Informatics)
Area of studies:
Sociology
Delivered by:
Department of Sociology
When:
2 year, 1-4 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of one campus
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
4
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The main goal of the research seminar is to give the students general understanding of academic reading and to provide support for the start of their own yearly essay/bachelor thesis. In the course of the research seminar, students will get acquainted with highly-cited academic articles and chapters from books in human research management and organizational research, consider problematic cases, elaborate on research questions and research design, and discuss research approaches and tools.Thematically, the research seminar “HR and organizational studies”is focused on the inner environment of the organization, the approaches to the research of human resources, people behavior in organizational environment and HR management issues.Students will learn about HR professional standards and career paths, current trends of qualitative and quantitative research in organizations, application of sociological research methods for the HR, and modern management approaches to the teamwork in applied projects. Since efficient teamwork in organizations requires skills of cooperation, effective interaction and collaboration, students will study methods of evaluating teamwork, team dynamics research and team coaching.
Learning Objectives
- • Gain skills in reading and analyzing academic literature • Study the key issues of current HR and organizational studies • Get an overview of major theories to apply them for solving practical problems and research questions in organizational studies • Practice research design development • Learn professional standards of personnel management • Explore current areas of research in organizational behavior • Researcher practical problems in the field of personnel management as a novice HR practitioner • Study the features of team dynamics • Learn methods of management at different stages of team development • Practice skills of team coaching
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Be able to find and analyze relevant academic publications
- Know core social problems in the HR and organizational studies and basic theories to tackle them
- Be able to analyze practical issues in the HR and organizational studies by applying sociological theories and conceptions
- Receive skills of designing their own research on the HR and organizational problems
- Find their personal carrier paths in HR
- Learn trends and goals of organizational behavior research
- Develop research tools for professional tasks
- Know the stages of team dynamics
- Be acquainted with the management methods necessary to work with a team at different stages
- Have practiced methods of working with teams
Course Contents
- Module 1. Academic readingand the basics of student scientific work
- Module 2. Methods of research and practice
- Module 3. Development of the students’ research proposals
- Module 4 (for 2nd and 3d year students): practical research projects.
Assessment Elements
- HomeworkHomework for module 1 is an individual assignment in the format of an extended abstract of an empirical or methodological paper.
- Сlass activity
- Class activity
- Homework
- Class activity
- Homework
- In class activityAll classes are held in an interactive format. Students will be assigned to mini-groups at the beginning of the module and perform the task together throughout the module. In the classroom, students receive and complete assignments.
- Project WorkThe project work is progressing throughout the entire 4 module. This is a team effort, so if a student is absent from the final presentation for a valid excuse, her or she gets their points if their team confirms their participation in the group work.
Interim Assessment
- 2024/2025 4th moduleFor each module: Class activity * 0.3 + Homework (Extended abstract) * 0.7 Module 1 grade + Module 2 grade + Module 3 grade + Module 4 grade / 4
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Klaus Weber, & Brayden King. (2013). Oxford Handbook of Sociology, Social Theory and Organization Studies. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.A3D65461
- Schneider, B., & Barbera, K. M. (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Organizational Climate and Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=761189
- The five dysfunctions of a team, Lencioni, P., 2002
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Alan Bryman, & The Programme Aims. (2001). Social research methods. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.151A861A
- Brewerton, P., & Millward, L. (2001). Organizational Research Methods : A Guide for Students and Researchers. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=251199