MGMT8003 Organisational Behaviour
MGMT8003 Overview
- ANU Research School of Management
- Second Semester, 2026 · Class 8133
- postgraduate management course
- 6 units
MGMT8003 Organisational Behaviour develops diagnosis of workplace behaviour through individual, group and organisational lenses, then asks students to turn research evidence into a feasible management response. It is taught within ANU Research School of Management. It is postgraduate management course. It carries 6 units.
- Two linked assignments AT1 establishes a workplace problem and its evidence; AT2 reviews relevant literature and proposes the response, so a weak diagnosis contaminates both tasks.
- Closed-book synthesis The 40% final uses handwritten short answers across all twelve weeks, making retrieval and concise mechanism explanations more useful than copied notes.
- Attendance status Lecture attendance is expected but the S2 summary explicitly says it is not compulsory; no attendance fail threshold is published.
- Evidence before solution A plausible intervention is not enough: the problem, explanatory mechanism and literature-backed change path must remain connected.
How MGMT8003 is assessed
| Component | Weight | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Problem Identification | 20% | Individual workplace diagnosis, maximum 500 words |
| Problem Solution | 40% | Individual literature review and evidence-linked intervention, maximum 1,500 words |
| Final Examination | 40% | In-person closed-book handwritten short answers across the twelve weeks |
AT1 Problem Identification is 20% and capped at 500 words; AT2 Problem Solution is 40% and capped at 1,500 words; the final is 40%, in person, centrally invigilated, closed book and handwritten. The summary publishes no hurdle or component minimum and affirmatively states that lecture attendance is not compulsory. The exam's 15-minute reading and 120-minute writing duration is marked to be confirmed, and ANU controls the exact sitting.
Current MGMT8003 dates
| Date | Item | Control |
|---|---|---|
| 21 August 2026 | Problem Identification due | The table gives 21 August as submission and 30 August as return; confirm the live submission time in Canvas. |
| 16 October 2026 | Problem Solution due | The table gives 16 October as submission and 30 October as return. |
Dates are as published in Only dates printed in the S2 2026 class summary are shown; ANU controls the examination timetable.. Confirm exact deadlines and submission settings in the live LMS.
What MGMT8003 covers
Read Work Behaviour and Multi-level Diagnosis as the foundation, Teams, Trust and Cohesion as the main change in method, and Closed-book Integration and Workplace Recommendation as the final application of the course.
Work Behaviour and Multi-level Diagnosis
organisational behaviour · level of analysis · workplace diagnosis · turn a manager's account into a testable multi-level diagnosis before proposing a remedyDefine organisational behaviour
The course material gives this chapter a concrete anchor: The opening week frames organisational behaviour as a multi-level discipline and AT1 requires evidence of a real managerial problem rather than an assumed cause.
- organisational behaviour
- level of analysis
- workplace diagnosis
- Applying organisational behaviour
- Limits of level of analysis and workplace diagnosis
Diversity, Inclusion and Unequal Opportunity
surface-level diversity · discrimination · inclusion · distinguish workforce composition from inclusion and trace how a policy or routine creates unequal opportunityDefine surface-level diversity
The course material gives this chapter a concrete anchor: The Week 2 cluster combines diversity concepts with age-discrimination and pay-gap materials that show how patterns, policies and treatment must be separated.
- surface-level diversity
- discrimination
- inclusion
- Applying surface-level diversity
- Limits of discrimination and inclusion
Job Attitudes, Commitment and Withdrawal
job satisfaction · organisational commitment · withdrawal behaviour · connect a specific work experience to an attitude and then to a bounded withdrawal predictionDefine job satisfaction
The course material gives this chapter a concrete anchor: Week 3 links attitudes to commitment and withdrawal, while the landed models distinguish forms of commitment and multiple paths into turnover.
- job satisfaction
- organisational commitment
- withdrawal behaviour
- Applying job satisfaction
- Limits of organisational commitment and withdrawal behaviour
Emotions, Affective Events and Work Judgement
affective event · emotion regulation · broaden-and-build theory · trace an event through emotional appraisal and regulation to a work judgement or interactionDefine affective event
The course material gives this chapter a concrete anchor: The Week 4 readings make emotion a process linking events, appraisal and behaviour rather than a stable label attached to a worker.
- affective event
- emotion regulation
- broaden-and-build theory
- Applying affective event
- Limits of emotion regulation and broaden-and-build theory
Personality, Values and Behavioural Consistency
personality trait · person-situation interaction · self-control · use traits and situational strength together to explain why behaviour is consistent in some settings and changes in othersDefine personality trait
The course material gives this chapter a concrete anchor: Week 5 materials connect personality and values with strategic behaviour and self-control, allowing trait explanations to be tested against situational demands.
- personality trait
- person-situation interaction
- self-control
- Applying personality trait
- Limits of person-situation interaction and self-control
Perception, Attribution and Managerial Decisions
selective perception · attribution · decision bias · audit how a manager selected evidence, attributed cause and moved from judgement to decisionDefine selective perception
The course material gives this chapter a concrete anchor: The perception and decision week teaches the inferential steps between observation and managerial action, and the practice exam shows the need for concise applied explanation.
- selective perception
- attribution
- decision bias
- Applying selective perception
- Limits of attribution and decision bias
Teams, Trust and Cohesion
team interdependence · team trust · group cohesion · connect task interdependence with the kind of trust and cohesion needed for reliable team performanceDefine team interdependence
The course material gives this chapter a concrete anchor: Week 7 uses team trust and multidimensional cohesion research to separate the quality of member connection from the direction of group norms.
- team interdependence
- team trust
- group cohesion
- Applying team interdependence
- Limits of team trust and group cohesion
Motivation, Goals and Perceived Support
expectancy · goal specificity · perceived organisational support · diagnose whether effort is constrained by expectancy, goal design, valued outcomes or perceived supportDefine expectancy
The course material gives this chapter a concrete anchor: The Week 8 motivation cluster combines goal and expectancy logic with reciprocal exchange and organisational-support evidence.
- expectancy
- goal specificity
- perceived organisational support
- Applying expectancy
- Limits of goal specificity and perceived organisational support
Fairness, Psychological Contracts and Motivation
organisational justice · psychological contract · contract breach · separate distributive, procedural and relational fairness from a perceived promise breach when explaining a responseDefine organisational justice
The course material gives this chapter a concrete anchor: Week 9 extends motivation into reciprocity, fairness and contract beliefs, where identical outcomes can be interpreted differently depending on process and promise.
- organisational justice
- psychological contract
- contract breach
- Applying organisational justice
- Limits of psychological contract and contract breach
Leadership, Followership and Influence
leadership · followership · charismatic influence · analyse leadership as a relational process and test how follower action and governance amplify or constrain influenceDefine leadership
The course material gives this chapter a concrete anchor: Week 10 pairs followership theory with the Theranos case so charisma can be examined alongside follower agency and failed control.
- leadership
- followership
- charismatic influence
- Applying leadership
- Limits of followership and charismatic influence
Power, Politics and Ethical Organising
power · organisational politics · ethical infrastructure · map resource dependence and influence tactics, then test whether organisational systems reward or constrain unethical political behaviourDefine power
The course material gives this chapter a concrete anchor: Week 11 links power and politics to ethics research that challenges individual-only explanations of misconduct.
- power
- organisational politics
- ethical infrastructure
- Applying power
- Limits of organisational politics and ethical infrastructure
Closed-book Integration and Workplace Recommendation
integrative diagnosis · evidence hierarchy · implementation signal · write a concise closed-book answer that diagnoses, supports and qualifies a workplace recommendation across multiple course topicsDefine integrative diagnosis
The course material gives this chapter a concrete anchor: Week 12 is an explicit final-exam review, and the current practice and assignment guidance provide distinct formats for concise integration and extended evidence use.
- integrative diagnosis
- evidence hierarchy
- implementation signal
- Applying integrative diagnosis
- Limits of evidence hierarchy and implementation signal
It is positioned as an advanced organisational-behaviour course open to interested students, with foundation management courses suggested for some 96-unit masters students.
The S2 class joins a two-part workplace-problem assignment with a closed-book short-answer examination covering the twelve teaching weeks.
Assessment in MGMT8003 is distributed as follows: 20% individual Problem Identification of no more than 500 words, 40% individual Problem Solution of no more than 1,500 words, and a 40% individual final examination.
The operational assessment conditions matter here.
The final examination is centrally organised, invigilated, in person and closed book.
It uses handwritten short answers, with 15 minutes reading and 120 minutes writing stated as to be confirmed; the exact sitting is announced by ANU.
What makes MGMT8003 demanding is concrete: Moving from a manager's description of a workplace problem to a defensible diagnosis, then using relevant organisational-behaviour literature to propose a solution whose mechanism and implementation match the evidence.
The S2 class summary publishes no hurdle or component minimum.
It also states affirmatively that lecture attendance is not compulsory, while attendance remains expected.
For enrolment planning, No formal prerequisite is published; the course page suggests completing named foundation management courses before this 8000-level course for students in specified masters programs.
Read Work Behaviour and Multi-level Diagnosis as the foundation, Teams, Trust and Cohesion as the main change in method, and Closed-book Integration and Workplace Recommendation as the final application of the course.
Coverage note: the exact examination date remains controlled by the ANU Examinations Office and is not guessed here.
Worked example · free
Diagnose before recommending
- 1Separate the reported errors from the manager's preferred explanation.
- 1Identify one individual, one team and one organisational mechanism that could produce the pattern.
- 1Specify evidence that would distinguish the competing mechanisms.
- 1Choose an intervention matched to the best-supported mechanism.
- 1Name a behavioural review signal and a condition that would trigger revision.
Key terms
- Organisational behaviour
- The systematic study of how individuals, groups and organisational systems influence behaviour and outcomes at work.
- Psychological contract
- An individual's beliefs about reciprocal promises and obligations between the employee and the organisation.
- Group cohesion
- The strength of members' attraction, commitment and connection to a group and its shared purposes.
- Perceived organisational support
- An employee's general belief that the organisation values their contribution and cares about their wellbeing.
- Job satisfaction
- A work attitude expressing a person's evaluative and emotional response to the characteristics and experience of a job.
- Affective events theory
- A theory explaining how workplace events trigger emotional reactions that shape attitudes and behaviour over time.
- Personality
- Relatively enduring patterns of thought, emotion and behaviour that influence how a person responds across situations.
- Perception
- The process of selecting, organising and interpreting information to form an understanding of people and events.
- Motivation
- The processes that determine the direction, intensity and persistence of effort toward a goal.
- Leadership
- A social influence process through which people shape direction, alignment and commitment toward collective purposes.
- Power
- The capacity of a person or group to influence another party's behaviour, choices or access to valued resources.
- Organisational politics
- Influence activities used to advance interests where goals, preferences or resource claims are contested.
MGMT8003 FAQ
Which current MGMT8003 dates are captured?
Problem Identification due: 21 August 2026; Problem Solution due: 16 October 2026. Confirm any change and the exact submission setting in the live LMS.
What is the MGMT8003 exam or final-task format?
The final examination is centrally organised, invigilated, in person and closed book. It uses handwritten short answers, with 15 minutes reading and 120 minutes writing stated as to be confirmed; the exact sitting is announced by ANU.
How is MGMT8003 assessed?
20% individual Problem Identification of no more than 500 words, 40% individual Problem Solution of no more than 1,500 words, and a 40% individual final examination.
Where do students usually lose marks in MGMT8003?
Moving from a manager's description of a workplace problem to a defensible diagnosis, then using relevant organisational-behaviour literature to propose a solution whose mechanism and implementation match the evidence.
Does MGMT8003 have a hurdle or component-level pass rule?
The S2 class summary publishes no hurdle or component minimum. It also states affirmatively that lecture attendance is not compulsory, while attendance remains expected.
What prerequisites or restrictions apply to MGMT8003?
No formal prerequisite is published; the course page suggests completing named foundation management courses before this 8000-level course for students in specified masters programs.
Which offering does this MGMT8003 guide cover?
It is aligned to Second Semester, 2026 · Class 8133; confirm your enrolled class and timetable in the current institutional system.
Is this MGMT8003 resource an official university guide?
No. It is an independent MGMT8003 study resource; current institutional instructions remain authoritative for assessment operation.
Questions students ask in each MGMT8003 chapter
- What is the main task in Work Behaviour and Multi-level Diagnosis?
- Turn a manager's account into a testable multi-level diagnosis before proposing a remedy. Chapter 01 · Work Behaviour and Multi-level Diagnosis
- What is the main task in Diversity, Inclusion and Unequal Opportunity?
- Distinguish workforce composition from inclusion and trace how a policy or routine creates unequal opportunity. Chapter 02 · Diversity, Inclusion and Unequal Opportunity
- What is the main task in Job Attitudes, Commitment and Withdrawal?
- Connect a specific work experience to an attitude and then to a bounded withdrawal prediction. Chapter 03 · Job Attitudes, Commitment and Withdrawal
- What is the main task in Emotions, Affective Events and Work Judgement?
- Trace an event through emotional appraisal and regulation to a work judgement or interaction. Chapter 04 · Emotions, Affective Events and Work Judgement
- What is the main task in Personality, Values and Behavioural Consistency?
- Use traits and situational strength together to explain why behaviour is consistent in some settings and changes in others. Chapter 05 · Personality, Values and Behavioural Consistency
- What is the main task in Perception, Attribution and Managerial Decisions?
- Audit how a manager selected evidence, attributed cause and moved from judgement to decision. Chapter 06 · Perception, Attribution and Managerial Decisions
- What is the main task in Teams, Trust and Cohesion?
- Connect task interdependence with the kind of trust and cohesion needed for reliable team performance. Chapter 07 · Teams, Trust and Cohesion
- What is the main task in Motivation, Goals and Perceived Support?
- Diagnose whether effort is constrained by expectancy, goal design, valued outcomes or perceived support. Chapter 08 · Motivation, Goals and Perceived Support
- What is the main task in Fairness, Psychological Contracts and Motivation?
- Separate distributive, procedural and relational fairness from a perceived promise breach when explaining a response. Chapter 09 · Fairness, Psychological Contracts and Motivation
- What is the main task in Leadership, Followership and Influence?
- Analyse leadership as a relational process and test how follower action and governance amplify or constrain influence. Chapter 10 · Leadership, Followership and Influence
- What is the main task in Power, Politics and Ethical Organising?
- Map resource dependence and influence tactics, then test whether organisational systems reward or constrain unethical political behaviour. Chapter 11 · Power, Politics and Ethical Organising
- What is the main task in Closed-book Integration and Workplace Recommendation?
- Write a concise closed-book answer that diagnoses, supports and qualifies a workplace recommendation across multiple course topics. Chapter 12 · Closed-book Integration and Workplace Recommendation
How to study for the exam
Retrieve the course map, practise the recurring method—separate the observed workplace problem from its proposed cause, compare individual, group and organisational mechanisms, select evidence that can distinguish them, and design an intervention with a measurable review signal—on changed scenarios, and verify every operational assessment detail in the live institutional system.
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