Dr Xiaoran Hu

This course is available on the BSc in Management, International Exchange (1 Term) and International Exchange (Full Year). This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit and to General Course students.

This course has a limited number of places (it is capped). Students who have this course as a compulsory course are guaranteed a place. Places for all other students are allocated on a first come first served basis.

Is conflict always detrimental to team and organizational performance? Can subtle changes in resume or job advertisement wording influence hiring outcomes? Does the type of food people consume shape different cultures? Science of People in Organizations aims to help students gain a science-based understanding of some of the most intriguing phenomena in the workplace and society. This course is designed to help students develop analytical skills that are crucial for both academic and industry careers. Students who are interested in understanding the Asian business environment are especially encouraged to take this course. It will draw upon scientific research from various disciplines, including psychology, sociology, history, and anthropology, to critically examine topics such as creativity and innovation, emotions at work, leadership, cross-cultural differences, and management in an Asian context

Teaching hours will be commensurate with a usual half unit undergraduate course but note that teaching may take a different format and/or structure in 2023/24

Students on this course will have a reading week in Week 6, in line with departmental policy.

Students will be expected to produce 2 pieces of coursework (1 mini report and 1 presentation)

The course relies heavily on journal articles (for example, Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Journal of Applied Psychology, and Harvard Business Review). An extensive reading list is provided at the start of the course.  Indicative readings include:

• Ashforth, B. E., & Humphrey, R. H. 1993. Emotional Labor in Service Roles: The Influence of Identity. Academy of Management Review, 18(1): 88–115.
• Bendersky, C., & Hays, N. A. 2011. Status Conflict in Groups. Organization Science, 23(2): 323–340.
• Bitterly, T. B., Brooks, A. W., & Schweitzer, M. E. 2017. Risky business: When humor increases and decreases status. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 112(3): 431.
• Greer, L. L., & Chu, C. 2020. Power struggles: When and why the benefits of power for individuals paradoxically harm groups. Current Opinion in Psychology, 33: 162–166.
• Kakkar, H., & Sivanathan, N. 2017. When the appeal of a dominant leader is greater than a prestige leader. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 201617711.
• Parke, M. R., Seo, M.-G., Hu, X., & Jin, S. 2021. The Creative and Cross-Functional Benefits of Wearing Hearts on Sleeves: Authentic Affect Climate, Information Elaboration, and Team Creativity. Organization Science.
• Shin, J., & Grant, A. M. 2021. When Putting Work Off Pays Off: The Curvilinear Relationship between Procrastination and Creativity. Academy of Management Journal, 64(3): 772–798.
• Wang, L., Restubog, S. L. D., Shao, B., Lu, V., & van Kleef, G. A. 2017. DOES ANGER EXPRESSION HELP OR HARM LEADER EFFECTIVENESS? THE ROLE OF COMPETENCE-BASED VERSUS INTEGRITY-BASED VIOLATIONS AND ABUSIVE SUPERVISION. Academy of Management Journal.

Project (100%) in the WT.

Assessment is based on a 3,000 word project which will be due at the beginning of WT and will account for 100% of the final grade in this course.