Communication, Organization and Management

Course Objective

After completion of this course, you will be able to:

• identify and discuss knowledge of, and theories on organisational structures, organisational behavior, organisational change, and change management;
  
• describe and conceptualise organisations as embedded in a wider system, and interpret these from a transdisciplinary perspective;
  
• obtain a deeper understanding of communication from the perspective of sharing and influencing results, and to learn how to deal with conflicts;
  
• identify and discuss theories on leadership and interpersonal behaviour;
  
• make an informed choice between statistical techniques commonly used in health and life sciences, applying these to conduct analyses while using statistical software (e.g., SPSS) and interpreting the results of these techniques (e.g., t-tests, chi-square tests) to inform decision making;
  
• practise analytical and advisory skills.

Course Content

Organisations need to respond and adapt to internal and external challenges. It is increasingly recognized that addressing these challenges is not an ‘isolated process’. Organisations (need to) collaborate with multiple stakeholders in these processes of (continuous) change. In-depth understanding of the structure of an organisation and the wider system it operates in is therefore important. Different forms of knowledge can be used to gain this understanding. It requires insights gained from the analyses of qualitative and quantitative data collected within organisations and their wider context. This course offers insights into these complexities, as well as practical (quantitative) methods to address these.

In interactive lectures, several (guest)speakers will discuss macro-aspects of organisational behavior, including designing organisations and managing them, thereby touching on the managerial skills and the strategic thinking required. In addition, concepts related to motivation, managing interpersonal behaviour, leadership, communication and developing and changing organisations will be explained. Furthermore, lecturers will discuss concepts of systems thinking, and the value of adopting multiple perspectives in analysing organisations and processes of organisational change. The (guest) speakers will illuminate concepts derived from the literature by relating them to their own experiences with informing and managing organisational change in practice. Furthermore, the role of quantitative data in managerial decision making will be explored (the role of qualitative data is covered in other courses). To that end, you will explore and discuss different statistical techniques (e.g., t-tests, chi-square tests) commonly used in health and life sciences. You will conduct analyses with these techniques in statistical software (e.g., SPSS), interpret the results and translate these to decision making processes, working towards an advisory report for a (fictive or real-world) organisation’s management.

In an assignment that runs through the course, practical cases of healthcare companies will be analysed and discussed, resulting in advisory reports for management. With the other students you discuss your experiences and a coach helps you relate the experiences to theory.

Additional Information Teaching Methods

Lectures: approximately 22 hours
Response lectures: 4 hours
Training workshops: 16 hours (attendance is mandatory)
Self-study and writing project assignment: remaining hours.

Method of Assessment

Written exam (60%) and assignment (40%). Grades of both components must be sufficient.

Entry Requirements

Participation in a Master program of the VU Science faculty. Additional background reading

might be required if the student comes from another Master program than MPA.

Literature

Additional Information Target Audience

Compulsory course within the Master programme Management, Policy Analysis and Entrepreneurship for the Health and Life Sciences (MPA) and the Societal differentiation of Health, Life and Natural Sciences Masters programmes.

This course is also part of the Studypath Science, Society and Communication. Students from the faculty of science can follow this course as an elective.

Additional Information

Attendance to training workshops / working groups is indispensable

Use of Generative AI (GenAI)

This course follows the BETA Faculty policy on GenAI use. Use

GenAI responsibly and in line with the VU academic integrity policy and the VU recommendations on responsible use of GenAI.

Custom Course Registration

Please note that Workgroups are formed through Canvas at the start of the course. It is not possible to enrol for workgroups otherwise unless announced via Canvas.