Unit Outline 2013
Faculty of Business, Government and Law
Royal Institute of Management
Organisational Performance G
Unit Number 7777
This Unit Outline must be read in conjunction with:
a) UC Student Guide to Policies, which sets out University-wide policies and procedures, including information on matters such as plagiarism, grade descriptors, moderation, feedback and deferred exams, and is available at (scroll to bottom of page)
http://www.canberra.edu.au/student-services
b) UC Guide to Student Services, and is available at (scroll to bottom of page) http://www.canberra.edu.au/student-services
c) Any additional information specified in section 6h.
1: General Information
1a Unit title: Organisational Performance
1b Unit number: 7777
1c Semester and year offered: Semester 2, 2013
1d Credit point value: 3
1e Unit level: G
1f Name of Unit Convener and contact details:
Assistant Professor Chris SadleirUniversity of Canberra
Telephone: 61 2 6201 2621
2: Academic Content
2a Unit description, learning outcomes and generic skills
This unit focuses on issues relating to managing organisations for outcomes. It includes concepts such as determining organisational goals and setting performance measures, performance indicators, benchmarking, evaluation, quality management, and the development of performance information systems. The unit approaches performance management with strong emphases on systems theory and on meaning and interpretation of performance measures.
On successful completion of this unit students will:
1 have a strong understanding of performance measures and their meaning as applied to organisations;
2 be in a position to construct mechanisms to monitor organisational performance including service delivery effectiveness and efficiency;
3 be able to demonstrate competencies in researching and presenting findings, both in writing and orally;
4 be able to demonstrate good team work skills in researching, analysing, assessing and presenting arguments on organisational performance.
The course will enhance your skills, confidence and attributes in:
1. Communication
The ability to present knowledge, ideas and opinions effectively and persuasively, orally and in writing, and to communicate within and across professional and ideological boundaries.
2. Analysis and inquiry
The ability to gather relevant information, and to analyse and evaluate information and situations in a systematic, creative and insightful way.
3. Problem solving
The ability to apply problem-solving processes in novel situations – identify and analyse problems and then formulate solutions.
4. Working independently and with others
The ability to plan your own work and be self-directed, and use interpersonal skills and attitudes to work collaboratively.
5. Professionalism and social responsibility
The capacity and intention to use professional knowledge and skills ethically and responsibly, for the benefit of others and the environment.
3: Delivery of Unit and Timetable
3a Delivery mode
There will be 5 days of workshops for this unit. Classroom hours will be 9:30am to 12:30pm and 1:30pm to 4:30pm each day. Workshops will comprise of a lecture component, presentations and exercises.
Lectures are an important way for the lecturer to out map key issues covered in the Unit and to provide examples to clarify main points. While powerpoint slides of the lectures will be posted on Moodle, they will only contain the ‘sign posts’ of the lecture and are in no way substitutes for lecture notes.
Specific exercises to do with organisational performance measurement will be included as part of the workshops. Preparing for each exercise will require reading and working through an exercise prior to the workshop. Time in the workshops will be provided to discuss findings from these exercises. Note that discussions within workshops will follow the Chatham House Rule where that which is discussed in class stays in class. This is designed to encourage students (and lecturers) to contribute their ideas even if they have yet to be fully formed.
The workshop schedule also includes specific readings from the de Bruijn text and other readings which will be discussed. More details on this as an assessment activity are included below in Section 5.
Day / Lecture / Cases and Events / ReadingDay 1 / Monday / Introduction to the Unit
The scientific rational approach to organisational control / 1 Introductory discussion about industrial internet and business performance
2.Philippines Health Intervention / Bolman and Deal Chapter 3
Day 2 / Tuesday / Measuring performance in the private sector.
The scientific rational approach to organisational control
Measuring performance in the public sector and the Inputs-Outputs and Outcomes framework / 3.The Case of the Yum Cha restaurant
4. Financial performance indicators: Case Study – BHP
Understanding myschool and Productivity Commission data
Syndicates formed and briefed / De Bruijn Chapter 1
De Bruijn Chapters 2 and 3
Day 3 / Wednesday / Establishing a performance measurement system (Part 1)
Performance measurement and performance indicators: replacing the scientific rational with the power political
Composite Indicators: Balanced Scorecard and the Triple Bottom Line / 5 Performance indicators: - Kids basketball as an example / De Bruijn Chapter 4, 5, and 6
Day 4 / Thursday / Establishing a performance measurement system (Part 2)
Systems theory and its application to organisational performance / Syndicate presentations (Basic)
6 Systems interdependence: Case Study – Logan Plains Health Centre / De Bruijn Chapter 7 and 8
Day 5 / Friday / Establishing a performance measurement system (Part 3)
Using and abusing performance information
Unit review / Syndicate presentations (Advanced)
4: Unit Resources
4a Text
In this Unit, there is one set text which will form the background to much of the course. This text is:
De Bruijn, H. (2007) Managing Performance in the Public Sector, Routledge, London
It is most important that you read widely if you wish to gain a good grasp of the unit and further, more specialised readings are provided on Moodle.
Also you may find the IBM Endowment for the Business of Government website useful for their many relevant reports on aspects of performance management: www.businessofgovernment.org.
4b Moodle
Moodle is an integral part of the way that this Unit is delivered. It is strongly advised that you adopt some working strategies to ensure that you keep in continual contact with the website.
You can login to Moodle from the following link: http://learnonline.canberra.edu.au/ which is also linked from the homepage of the University. Moodle allows you to access readings, print or save them, and to access any other materials we make available through semester from campus, home or work.
Your user code will be your student login and your password will be your student network password (the same one you use for OSIS, e-mail and any internet access). You can get help with any access issues (e.g. if you forget your password or need to obtain a password) from the Computer Centre Service Desk (http://www.canberra.edu.au/icts/students).
A student guide to Moodle is available and this should help you with most questions you will have: http://learnonline.canberra.edu.au/frontpage/Moodle_Student_Guide.pdf. Online help and support with Moodle is via http://learnonline.canberra.edu.au/studentSupport.php.
5: Assessment
5a Assessment overview
Assessment item / Due date of assignments / Weighting(total to equal 100%) / Addresses learning outcome(s) / Addresses generic skills
Completion of online exercises / By 13 September / 5% each / 1,3 / 1-5
Reading Presentation / As assigned one Day 1 / 10 / 1,2,3,4 / 1,2,4,5
Syndicate work-in-progress presentations on school performance / Day 4 and Day 5 / 20 / 1,2,3,4 / 1-5
Individual’s report on school performance / To be advised / 30 / 1,3 / 1-5
Exam / To be advised / 30 / 1,3 / 1-4
5b Details of each assessment item
Completion of online exercises (10 percent)
These two exercises are formative assessments. That is they, are seeking to review existing skills and build on those as preparation for more formal assessment work (such as the report to be completed by the end of the unit). The assessment for these two exercises is simple – you must complete both exercises. Each exercise is worth 5 percent of the overall semester mark for this unit and they are accessed online via moodle. These will be available for completion online via moodle from September 2 to September 13.
Reading and presentation (20 per cent)
Each student will lead discussion on at least one reading during the seminar series. Readings will be allocated on Day 1.
The reading and presentation will involve preparing and delivering the following material:
· A short powerpoint or visual presentation on the reading, using no more than 3 powerpoint slides.
· The powerpoint presentation on the day of your reading presentation.
Marking will be based on your individual contribution covering:
* correct interpretation and application of theory
* innovation and creativity in advancing understanding of theory
* structure and professionalism
* clarity and organisation of oral presentation.
Individual’s Report on School Performance (30 percent)
For this assignment you will be allocated a school to review. Your review will be presented in the form of a critical reflection in an essay format on the performance of that school based on information provided on the Myschool website, other information you find on that school’s performance and literature on organisational performance measurement. The critical reflection will be presented in the form of a 2000 word essay.
The purpose of critical reflection is to observe, describe, analyse and develop a deeper understanding of an experience or event, such as school performance, as an example of organisational performance measurement. In this case you will need to access and use the material on the Myschool website for your allocated school, test this experience against other sources of information you find on the performance of that school and analyse your observations on the performance of that school in the context of broader literature on organisational performance measurement.
As a guide, in preparing your critical reflection as a short essay you should be referring to at least 10 other sources in addition to the text book and the Myschool site. A marking rubric for this assignment will be posted to Moodle showing that better assignments will include a range of references and draw on theories on how organisational performance can be measured and assessed.
In writing the essay you must pay attention to the following directions and advice:
1. The Assignment, to be completed by each student as an individual, will be introduced on Day 2.
2. The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate your skills in research and presenting your findings in an academic essay. In doing so you will be developing your skills in research and in writing – two key skills expected by employers of university level graduates.
3. The Assignment is to be lodged electronically via Moodle date and time to be advised and must have a Faculty of Business, Government and Law cover sheet attached (see the unit’s Moodle site for this attachment).
4. Late submissions will be penalised at the rate of 3 marks (10 per cent of the assessment) per day from the due time. Extensions will only be granted where students have made a reasonable effort to meet the deadline but have been prevented from doing so by circumstances out of their control such as illness or misadventure. Students seeking an extension must provide supporting documentation (e.g. original doctor’s certificate, counsellor’s certificate or equivalent). All applications for extension should be made to your lecturer. Please note that work commitments are not considered exceptional circumstances and requests for extensions on this basis will not be granted.
5. The Assignment is worth 30 per cent of the marks for the Unit. The Assignment is to be written in essay format. As a minimum guide your essay should have an introduction, address each of the questions, using the Harvard Author-Date referencing system and provide a reference list of those sources actually cited in the text.
6. In terms of presentation the minimum font size should be 12, double spaced, pages should be numbered and any diagrams, illustration or tables included should be suitably labelled and referenced. Your assignment may include sub-headings.
7. A detailed marking rubric will be posted on Moodle. As a guide the marking criteria for this assignment will include the following:
a. Ability to link theory to practice
b. Evidence of knowledge of organisational performance measurement
c. Written presentation, layout and language including consistency with word limits of 2000, and referencing using the Harvard Author-Date method.
For details on how to apply the Harvard Author-Date method of citation see:
http://www.canberra.edu.au/library/attachments/pdf/1887-UC-reference-book-Fawcover.pdf, and
http://www.canberra.edu.au/library/attachments/pdf/Abridged_Guide-Harvard_Examples_EE_final-version.pdf.
Work-in-Progress Presentations (20 percent)
While you will be writing your report as an individual, seminars on Days 4 and 5 provide the opportunity to discuss and then present your preliminary findings on the schools you are investigating – this will also provide you with feedback on how well you are tackling the problem of assessing performance using a peer review process.
At the end of the Day 2 seminar you will be asked to form into groups of 4 people based on the kinds of schools you are working on. Each individual will be undertaking their own research into the performance of their allocated school. However, your syndicate group will provide the opportunity to compare your thinking and research with the goal of being able to discuss and present as a group your individual and group findings on Days 4 and 5.
Note that what you are presenting on Day 5 builds on your presentation work on Day 4. On Day 4 examples of questions to address are:
· What sources of information are you using?
· What issues are you discovering about your assigned schools?
· What perspective or perspectives are you using to understand the performance of the schools (a structural scientific view; a power political view, or a systems view?)?
On Day 5 the update you and your group are providing should answer the following questions:
· How well do you think your schools are performing?
· What information do you base your views on?
· How will you write up your findings?
On Days 4 and 5 you, within your group, can simply verbally explain to the seminar group what you are finding. Or you can make use of diagrams or graphs or tables to set out your findings and explain those. Or you can include views in a short (very short!) powerpoint presentation (or some other way of projecting your findings on a screen). Or you can use some other means to communicate your message as individuals and members of group to the seminar audience.