Organizational Behavior

2026/2027

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

3

ECTS credits

Delivered at:

Department of Management

Course type:

Compulsory course

When:

1 year, 1 module

Instructor

Borisov, Igor G.

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course equips students with essential knowledge and practical skills in organizational behavior (OB) within a contemporary global context. Students are encouraged to leverage AI resources to support their research, whilst prioritising their own efforts, critical thinking, and the cultivation of soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and leadership. Through case study analyses, group discussions, and practical tasks, students will develop the capacity to analyze both traditional and innovative approaches to organizational behavior and to apply them in explaining and predicting behavior in organizations. Beyond the core textbook, the course draws on additional academic materials, including research articles, monographs, and case materials, which are made available to students through the LMS. This preparation equips them for successful and adaptable careers in the dynamic business environment, regardless of their prior experience.

Learning Objectives

• To provide students with a rigorous theoretical foundation, practical competencies, and the analytical capacity to explain and predict behavior in contemporary organizations operating in both Russian and international contexts.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Outline techniques for effective teamwork in solving organizational tasks and achieving group objectives.
• List key applications of OB concepts and frameworks in organizational contexts.
• Design and execute research projects on organizational behavior phenomena.
• Validate, analyze, and justify conclusions about organizational behavior, including approaches to assessing organizational effects.
• Adapt communication strategies for diverse organizational stakeholders and purposes.
• Demonstrate autonomous learning through critical engagement with OB discipline materials.
• Explain and predict individual, group, and organizational behavior using core OB theories and frameworks.
• Demonstrate responsibility and strengthen self-discipline through consistent attendance and adherence to collaborative and submission requirements.

Course Contents

• Organizations as Authorisation Machines (Part 1, 2)
• Identity, Cognition, and AI (Part 1, 2)
• Motivation Reconsidered (Part 1, 2)
• Groups, Teams, and Productive Conflict (Part 1, 2)
• Leadership as Authorisation (Part 1, 2)
• Organizational Culture and the Distribution of Authority (Part 1, 2)
• Future of Work and Disruption-in-Place (Part 1, 2)

Assessment Elements

• Team Project 2
  This is the second team project, building on the problem the team diagnosed in the first. Where the first project focuses on identifying and analyzing an organizational behavior phenomenon, the second is synthetic and interventional in nature: student teams move from diagnosis to designing a targeted course of action. Working with a real organization (or a documented case), teams propose a grounded intervention intended to address an organizational behavior challenge and address how its effect could be assessed. The expected depth of this component is specified in the course materials on the LMS. The content and terminology should incorporate course materials, academic literature, and additional academic and/or media resources independently sourced by the team. The project findings and their discussion take place during a dedicated seminar. The assessment consists of a grade for the written report (summary plus appendices), a PowerPoint presentation, and the subsequent discussion.
• Written exam
  At the end (or near the conclusion) of the course, an exam in test format is administered, covering all included topics. A minimum of 45 minutes is allocated for the exam procedure, including instructions on the examination process. The question formats include multiple-choice, open-ended questions, and short case studies. The weight of each question is indicated directly next to the task on the exam. Students take this exam individually. Detailed instructions regarding the procedure will be provided in advance through the Smart-LMS system prior to the exam.
• Regular In-Class Activities
  In-class activities are conducted primarily in a team-based seminar format, where teams prepare and present analyses of academic materials and engage in structured discussion. Practical assignments enable students to apply knowledge through individual and group work formats (exercises, discussions, presentations). These activities develop skills essential for achieving learning objectives in each thematic module. Instructional tasks are implemented on a regular basis. Collectively, this assessment component is NOT eligible for retake. It cannot be repeated as it incorporates in-class participation, seminar discussions, case/problem-solving activities conducted at specific times, and other interactive elements. Missing an individual seminar results in a score of 0 for that component. At the instructor's discretion, a student may be permitted to complete a substitute assignment to compensate for missed seminar(s). In such cases, the following factors are considered at the instructor's discretion: the average score of the student's team and the student's individual performance at the time of evaluation. As in-class activities are conducted outside the examination period, the reason for an absence is not assessed and no external confirmation of its grounds is required or collected. Depending on circumstances, students may be assigned an individual make-up task for the missed seminar(s), with a completion deadline agreed upon with the instructor. Important: No make-up opportunities will be granted after the module concludes — regardless of the circumstances. The detailed format, preparation requirements, and conduct rules for in-class activities are set out in a separate course guide available on the LMS.
• Team Project 1
  This is the first team project aimed at developing students' knowledge and competencies in the field of organizational behavior. Students will be given at least two weeks to complete the project. The first project is diagnostic in nature: through interaction with a real organization (or a documented case), student teams study and analyze organizational behavior phenomena (e.g., authorisation and structure; identity and cognition; motivation; team dynamics; leadership; culture). The content and terminology used should incorporate course materials, academic literature, as well as additional academic and/or media resources independently sourced by the team. The research findings and their discussion take place during a dedicated seminar. The assessment consists of a grade for the written report (summary plus appendices), a PowerPoint presentation, and the subsequent discussion.

Interim Assessment

• 2026/2027 1st module
  0.3 * Regular In-Class Activities + 0.25 * Team Project 1 + 0.25 * Team Project 2 + 0.2 * Written exam

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Essentials of organizational behavior, Robbins, S. P., 2022

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Новокшонова, Е. Н. Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior / Основы организационного поведения : учебное пособие / Е. Н. Новокшонова, О. Е. Стеценко. — Сыктывкар : СГУ им. Питирима Сорокина, 2023. — 96 с. — ISBN 978-5-87661-822-1. — Текст : электронный // Лань : электронно-библиотечная система. — URL: https://e.lanbook.com/book/410792 (дата обращения: 00.00.0000). — Режим доступа: для авториз. пользователей.

Authors

• Borisov Igor Gennadevich