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. Current monitoring of performance comprises regular in-class activities in a team-based seminar format, a first team project of a diagnostic nature, and a second team project of an interventional nature, each project defended at a dedicated seminar; the interim assessment takes the form of a written examination.

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. The organization or case on which the project is based may be proposed by the team or offered by the instructor, including cases provided by partner organizations of the University; the specific arrangement for each cohort is announced on the LMS before the project begins.
• Written exam
  The exam is held at the end of the module in test format and covers all topics of the course. Students take it individually, electronically on the LMS platform, in a computer classroom. A minimum of 45 minutes is allocated for the procedure, including instructions on the examination process. Three question formats are used: multiple-choice, open-ended questions, and short case studies. Each question carries a weight of one point. The use of any electronic or printed materials during the exam is prohibited; the use of artificial intelligence services constitutes a breach of academic integrity. Detailed instructions regarding the procedure are published on the LMS in advance of the exam.
• Regular In-Class Activities
  In-class activities are conducted primarily in a team-based seminar format, in which teams prepare and present analyses of academic materials and engage in structured discussion; individual and group formats — exercises, discussions, presentations — allow students to apply knowledge and to develop the skills required by the learning objectives of each theme. 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. The grounds are those set out in the university regulations on interim assessment, and the content of this component is not included in the assessment materials used at retakes. Missing an assessed class results in a score of 0 for the corresponding control, not for the component as a whole. At the instructor's discretion, a student may be permitted to complete a substitute assignment for a missed class, with a completion deadline agreed with the instructor; the decision takes account of 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. 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. The organization or case on which the project is based may be proposed by the team or offered by the instructor, including cases provided by partner organizations of the University; the specific arrangement for each cohort is announced on the LMS before the project begins.

Interim Assessment

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

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