We are a diverse group of academics who research many aspects of work and organisations.
These can be broadly understood as centring on organisation studies and organisational psychology; and management and organisational learning, processes, change and innovation. Members of the department also have an interest in academic practices like research ethics and the politics of knowledge production.
We seek to explore and shape the future direction of equitable futures, work and society with dedicated research into this area. In partnership with The People Space, this academic centre of excellence draws on the Department for People and Organisations' scholarly expertise on themes of identity, leadership, gender, bodies, ethics, power and learning to inform policy makers, organisational leaders, social practitioners and people from across contexts to work together to co-create innovative solutions for meeting these coming opportunities and challenges.
This research cluster takes feminist solidarity as a starting point to create a space where feminists of any gender can share insights and knowledge from academic study and practice. The cluster fosters continuous collaboration and exchange between practitioners and academics and provides a hub for those interested in developing equality through their research, but also for practitioners wanting to make their organisations more egalitarian and fairer places. Current areas of expertise include gendered working bodies, feminist organising and gender and sexuality.
Full details of our research publications can be found on Open Research Online and via our staff pages.
Members of the Department teach across undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education modules in areas such as organisational behaviour, management of learning and change, professional development, human resource management, creativity, leadership, innovation, organisational culture and organisational development. We also run the CIPD accredited MSc in Human Resource Management.
For all department-related enquiries, please email us.
For all other enquiries, including student and alumni, please visit our contact us page.
The Open University Business (OUBS) is pleased to announce two new External Advisor appointments. Dr Priya E. Abraham has been appointed as the External Industry Advisor and Professor Colin Beard joins as the External Academic Advisor.
In the West, we are all living longer. While this is undoubtedly a triumph in terms of advances in medicine, nutrition and lifestyle, at the same time, it has thrown up a huge challenge for families, communities and institutions who have to work out how to care for elderly people for much longer periods of time than ever before.
Today there is potentially an “always on workplace”, and this introduces exciting possibilities of better balance between work and leisure with many reporting increased levels of satisfaction. However, a potential increase in work intensification, and people’s struggles to detach from work, reminds us that with the possibilities come the problems.
The media and political establishment have been ready to write off Bernie Sanders for some time. Not so fast.
The Open University Business School has announced the launch of its first free online course as part of the newly established Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership.
This year’s edition is QS’s most comprehensive yet, with thirty online MBA’s being ranked. The Open University’s online MBA has risen two places from 2015 to stand sixth in the 2016 rankings.
Left-wing grassroots movements are swelling their ranks and winning elections – but their standard-bearers are same old, same old.
The OUBS is ranked joint sixth in the Global Online MBA Rankings, alongside IE Business School.
Systems thinking is a highly effective approach to managing organisations.To get the complete picture, leaders need an in-depth knowledge of the entire organisation, its various moving parts, and how each component impacts upon the rest. But there’s more to systems thinking than that.
The irascible, unassuming junior senator from Vermont is riding high – and the effect could echo for years to come.
More than 15 million women are in employment in the UK right now, which means menopause is undoubtedly a workplace issue. In this article, Jo Brewis, Professor of People and Organisations writes about how to design menopause leave policies that really support women in the workplace.