Katoliški inštitut
    Katoliški inštitut

    Introduction to Understanding Organisation

    SubjectIntroduction to Understanding Organisation
    Semester3rd semester (autumn)
    Typecompulsory
    ECTS6 ECTS
    Study programme:Economics / 1st Bologna cycle
    Primary language:Slovene
    Lecturer Bobek, Vito
    Introduction
    The course is delivered in Slovenian and is compulsory under the officially approved curriculum of the undergraduate Business Studies programme. The updated delivery connects core organisation theories with organisational design, digital transformation, sustainability and the analysis of current cases.
     
    Prerequisites
    Students must have a sufficient command of Slovenian to communicate with the lecturers and fellow students, to follow the lectures and to understand the study materials.

    Content (Syllabus outline)
    1. Organisation as an open socio-technical system: purpose, stakeholders, environment and levels of analysis.
    2. Development of organisational thought: classical, behavioural, systems and contemporary approaches.
    3. Core organisation theories: transaction cost, contingency, resource-based view, population ecology, institutional, network and principal–agent theory.
    4. Organisational design: division of labour, coordination, centralisation, formalisation, mechanistic and organic structures.
    5. Organisational forms: functional, divisional, matrix, project-based, process, network, virtual, platform and hybrid organisations.
    6. Organisational culture, power, politics, ethics, responsibility and diversity inclusion.
    7. Individuals and groups in organisations: motivation, communication, decision-making, teams, conflict and leadership.
    8. Organisational change, learning, innovation, resilience and crisis management.
    9. Digital transformation of organisations: data, artificial intelligence, automation, remote work and cyber risks.
    10. Sustainable and responsible organising: economic, social and environmental dimensions and evaluation of organisational solutions through case studies.
    Objectives and competences
    The course enables students to understand an organisation as an open socio-technical system and to connect classical organisation theories with contemporary challenges of organisational design. Students develop the ability to identify how environment, technology, strategy, culture and stakeholder interests influence organisational structure and functioning. The course strengthens analytical assessment of organisational problems and the design of evidence-based, ethical, sustainable and feasible solutions.

    Intended learning outcomes
    Competences: analytical and systems thinking; application of organisation theories to problem-solving; decision-making based on qualitative and quantitative information; reasoned written and oral communication; teamwork; ethical and sustainability assessment; independent learning; and responsible use of digital tools. Intended learning outcomes – after successfully completing the course, the student will be able to:
    • explain key concepts, levels of analysis and the development of organisational thought;
    • compare the assumptions, explanatory power and limitations of core organisation theories;
    • analyse how environment, strategy, technology, size, culture and stakeholders affect organisational design;
    • diagnose an organisational problem using an appropriate theoretical framework and evidence;
    • compare organisational structures and justify a suitable solution for a specific case;
    • evaluate the organisational implications of digitalisation, artificial intelligence, networked work and sustainability requirements;
    • design and present a feasible organisational improvement proposal that considers economic, social, ethical and environmental dimensions.
    Learning and teaching methods
    Interactive lectures with discussion and formative checks of understanding. Analysis of current case studies and problem-based learning. Short individual and group assignments in the online classroom. Seminar/project work on a concrete organisational problem and presentation of results. Independent study of open-access literature and reflection on the responsible use of artificial intelligence.

    Assessment

    Assessment consists of:

    • a seminar/project assignment analysing an organisational problem and its presentation (25%);
    • active participation, case studies and short continuous assignments (25%);
    • an oral final examination (50%).

    To receive a positive overall grade, the student must pass the final examination and complete all compulsory course components. All submissions must transparently acknowledge sources and any use of artificial-intelligence tools in accordance with institutional rules.

    Readings

    Required readings (open access):

    • Bright, D. S., and Cortes, A. H. (2019). Principles of Management. Houston: OpenStax. Selected chapters 4, 10 and 15. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/1-introduction
    • Black, J. S., and Bright, D. S. (2019). Organizational Behavior. Houston: OpenStax. Selected chapters 1, 5, 9–12, 14, 16 and 17. https://openstax.org/books/organizational-behavior/pages/1-introduction

    Supplementary readings and current sources (open access):

    • OECD (2021). The Digital Transformation of SMEs. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/bdb9256a-en
    • OECD (2019). Going Digital: Shaping Policies, Improving Lives. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264312012-en
    • Current scholarly articles, case studies and materials posted by the lecturer in the e-classroom; sources must be available online to students.
    Lecturer's references
    • BOBEK, Vito, GIALI, Paraskevi, HORVAT, Tatjana. Navigating cultural and structural barriers to leadership: a comparative analysis of gender equality in Austria and Greece. International Journal of Innovation and Learning. 2026, vol. 39, no. 4, str. 361–379. ISSN 1471-8197. COBISS.SI-ID 285631235.
    • BOBEK, Vito, MAJCHRZYK, Gabriela, HORVAT, Tatjana. Integrating human resource information systems: a comparative study of efficiency and user perceptions in Poland and Austria. Naše gospodarstvo. 2026, vol. 72, no. 2, str. 55–65. DOI: 10.2478/ngoe-2026-0011. COBISS.SI-ID 285862147.
    • BOBEK, Vito, NAMBASA, Hellen, HORVAT, Tatjana, COLARIČ-JAKŠE, Lea-Marija. Digital transformation and workforce dynamics: an empirical analysis of blue-collar and white-collar workers in Austria. Journal of Landscape Governance. 2024, vol. 9, no. 1, str. 83–94. COBISS.SI-ID 223153667.
    • BOBEK, Vito, TERNULLO, Gabriele, HORVAT, Tatjana. Exploring the role of cultural intelligence in mitigating expatriate stress: strategies for enhancing wellbeing in cross-cultural contexts. Organizacija. 2024, vol. 57, no. 3, str. 218–237. DOI: 10.2478/orga-2024-0016. COBISS.SI-ID 206659075.
    • AKANDE, Adebowale, BOBEK, Vito, HORVAT, Tatjana, et al. Organizational behavior unveiled: past milestones, present realities, future visions. V: AKANDE, Adebowale (ur.). Organizational Behavior: Current Science, Models, and Applications. Cham: Springer, 2025, str. 3–55. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-85803-1_1. COBISS.SI-ID 250168579.
    • BOBEK, Vito, COLARIČ-JAKŠE, Lea-Marija, HORVAT, Tatjana. Motivation and group dynamics. V: AKANDE, Adebowale (ur.). Organizational Behavior: Current Science, Models, and Applications. Cham: Springer, 2025, str. 109–152. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-85803-1_3. COBISS.SI-ID 250192387.
    • BOBEK, Vito, COLARIČ-JAKŠE, Lea-Marija, HORVAT, Tatjana. Leadership, structure, and change. V: AKANDE, Adebowale (ur.). Organizational Behavior: Current Science, Models, and Applications. Cham: Springer, 2025, str. 153–193. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-85803-1_4. COBISS.SI-ID 250205699.
    • AKANDE, Adebowale, BOBEK, Vito, KELLNER, Douglas, GOODMAN, Mark, COKER, David C. Leadership, organizational behavior, and adaptive HR strategies: ensuring seamless quality integration in the AI era. V: AKANDE, Adebowale (ur.). Organizational Behavior: Current Science, Models, and Applications. Cham: Springer, 2025, str. 415–457. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-85803-1_13. COBISS.SI-ID 250627331.
    • AKANDE, Adebowale, BOBEK, Vito, NAMBASA, Hellen, HORVAT, Tatjana. Influence, managerial networking, and conflict management. V: AKANDE, Adebowale (ur.). Organizational Behavior: Current Science, Models, and Applications. Cham: Springer, 2025, str. 803–851. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-85803-1_26. COBISS.SI-ID 250645763.
    • BOBEK, Vito, et al. Power and political skill in the workplace: navigating leadership, followership, and management through influence and organizational politics. V: AKANDE, Adebowale (ur.). Power, Politics and Influence: Exercising Followership, Leadership, and Practicing Politics. Cham: Springer, 2024, str. 3–34. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-69610-7_1. COBISS.SI-ID 224443139.
    Office hours
    • Before and after lectures
    • By arrangement

    Lecturer:

    Bobek, Vito
    Bobek_copy_1.jpg