POAD8139 Organisational Politics, Culture and Management in the Public Sector

This topic aims to develop your critical understanding of the nature of organisational politics and the ways in which organisational cultures differ. The topic is also designed to provide you with an understanding of the sources of managerial power in organisations, the different types of power that managers can use and whether management may be understood as an art or a science. To achieve this, you will critically examine the question of whether management is an art or a science and distinguish between the different types of power that organisational actors are able to wield. You will also examine the question of why organisational politics exist, analyse their consequences for organisations and demonstrate an understanding of key dimensions of variation in organisational culture across both organisations and countries.

This topic aims to develop a critical understanding of:

• The question of whether management is an art or a science
• Why organisational politics exist and their consequences for organisations
• The types and bases of power within organisations
• Different types of organisational cultures
• The nature and sources of cultural diversity within and across both organisations and countries

1. Demonstrate an understanding of debates about whether management is an art or a science
2. Distinguish between the different types of power that managers can use and the sources of managerial power in organisations
3. Explain why organisational politics exist, how they manifest and their consequences for organisations
4. Identify the main typologies and key elements of organisational culture
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the different dimensions of variation in culture across organisations and countries