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EFIMM0136

Sustainable Work Futures in the Digital Economy

Brief unit overview

This unit focuses on the challenges and opportunities raised by two intertwined grand challenges – the rise of the digital economy and the greening of our economies – and their impact on Human Resource Management and the Future of Work. In a rapidly changing world, digital innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI), internet platforms, algorithms, robotics, and Big Data are swiftly changing how we live and work and, in many cases, widening inequality and increasing precariousness. As these digital technologies continue to evolve at an exponential rate it is critical to understand their impact on contemporary and future work practices.

At the same time, work cannot be understood independently from the natural environment in which it takes place. Indeed, two major trends related to the natural environment – current and future environmental degradation on the one hand, and the push towards environmental sustainability on the other – will define the future of work. In short, these alternative work futures raise important questions. What new disruptive technologies are on the horizon? How will jobs change? What challenges will organisations and workers confront in the face of a climate crisis? What could the future of work look like and what could go wrong?

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

The overall aims of this unit are to:

Teaching Details

The unit will be taught through lectures and seminars. The unit structure offers 30 contact hours in total (10 x 2-hour lectures and 10x1 hour seminars). The remaining 170 learning hours will be spent in independent study and in the preparation of assessment. The Unit will be team-taught by a range of academics in the school, with each week tailored to a particular ‘grand challenge’ associated with their research on work and digital technologies.

Lectures will have the principal purpose of introducing the content of the course, providing students with an opportunity to test their understanding of the key concepts and developing their analytical skills through discussions based on key readings. A variety of teaching methods will be utilised in the Unit, including discussions based on readings and student experiences; case study work involving analysis, problem-solving and decision-making; group and individual exercises; presentations, discussion, and debate. The Unit will be structured around key weekly topics.

Student participation in the lectures and seminars is fundamental, so you should prepare by reading the assigned text(s).

Texts and audio-visual materials should be approached through critical-analytical reflection, focussing on how theory can help solve empirical issues. What is your assessment of the described situation? Are there alternatives to the observed examined phenomena? What problems lie at the interface of organisations and society? How would you act in the context or place of other people?

The Unit is based on active learning and is best viewed as a process of interaction between ‘reflective practitioners’ (students) and ‘facilitators’ (lecturers/tutors). Three basic principles guide this approach:

1. Reflection enables us to take the meaning out of our experiences

2. Empirical data helps us to contextualise and compare our experiences

3. Theory enables us to understand and explain our experiences

Active learning involves a combination of teaching methods, including: sound-bite size lectures, case studies, role-play exercises and small-group work, oral and written presentations. Reading and guidance on preparation will be provided in advance of each lecture. The key to active learning is participation.

Prior to each lecture/seminar, you are required to:

· Read/listen/view the key texts/audio-visual material for that session;

· Engage with any additional materials that are put on Blackboard;

· Make notes on the reading(s); and

· Complete all asynchronous activities for that week.

During each each lecture/seminar, you are expected to:

· Arrive on time and with the preparation tasks completed;

· Be willing to ask questions and engage in class activities and discussions; and

· Be prepared to work individually and in groups to develop ideas.

After each live each lecture/seminar, you should:

· Carry out further reading(s);

· Identify relevant case studies or examples where necessary; and

· Consolidate your notes.

All the online activities have been developed such that they support your continuous learning and your engagement with the material. Time management and scheduling are key to remaining on top of your studies. If you do not schedule sufficient time on each activity, you risk finding yourself falling behind.

Be sure to take note of the key weeks in the unit overview and plan accordingly. At the beginning of each week, set aside time to review the tasks and materials for the week and plan when you will work through them. Planning will allow you to learn in an efficient and organised manner and can also prevent you from stress and anxiety in the long run.

Some further advice to assist you in your learning journey is as follows:

· Read all unit-related information on Blackboard and in the unit handbook;

· Read the key and recommended readings outside of the lectures, to study concepts and build on each week’s content;

· Engage fully in each week’s activities;

· Attend the sessions;

· Summarise key concepts each week after watching/listening to any recordings and attending the sessions;

· Reflect critically on weekly key concepts; and

· Reflect on your learning for the week and how your understanding of the topic/s has developed.

Readings

There is no core textbook for this unit. Instead, each week you will be assigned you a set of journal articles, chapters, websites, podcasts, videos and newspaper articles. All of the readings are available via the University Library.

You are expected to read at least the key/essential texts before class. The readings are expected to form the core of your learning and will be the key to completing your summative assignments.

Optional readings

Additional readings are optional, and the key readings alone will not be sufficient for gaining a good mark in the assessments. Make sure that you set aside enough time to read at least some of these.

Recommended Academic Journals

You are encouraged to read extensively around this subject to inform your knowledge and integrate such reading into your discussions. This means you must read good quality scholarly literature that you have sourced independently, i.e. perform your own literature searches in conjunction with using some of the references provided in this handbook. Doing so will significantly enhance your chances of success in the summative assessments.

You should draw from a range of sources, which may include academic texts and papers, practitioner books and journals, market reports and online sources (available via the library by utilising your student login credentials).

Key academic journals include (but are not limited to):

· New Technology, Work and Employment

· Work, Employment & Society

· Gender, Work & Organization

· Organizations

· Organisation Studies

· British Journal of Industrial Relations

· British Journal of Sociology

· Capital & Class

· Sociology Compass

· New Media and Society

· China Perspectives

· Socio-Economic Review

· Big Data & Society

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of relevant journals. There are many more you can use, but this sample will provide you with an indication of the types of academic journals that we expect to see referenced in your assessment(s). Learning to identify high-quality academic texts is a key skill, if you are unsure about whether a journal not listed above is reputable check with the Unit Director.

Preparatory work each week

Each week, you will be required to complete readings or exercises ahead of attending the weekly lectures/seminars. Please place your full attention on these. These readings and exercises will form the basis of discussions with your peers. You will not be able to fully and actively participate if you do not prepare in advance.  Please keep in mind that the benefit you receive from these activities is directly related to the effort you put in.