Duration
30h Th, 15h Lect.
Number of credits
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Our intention is to provide conceptual keys to be able to observe and understand organizations, their functioning in its complexity, their internal structures and their environment, as well as the interactions and power games (cooperation and tensions) that take place there.
More generally, the analysis of organizations concerns the study of the different modes of functioning of organized human groups (companies, markets, associations, etc.). The understanding of these human groups must take into account their complexity and their environment. The concepts and methods of analysis that will be seen during the course will aim to raise awareness among students of their listening, observation and analysis skills of the realities of the world of work.
Table of contents:
1. General introduction to the founding works of the sociology of organizations
2. The bureaucratic phenomenon (the case of Monopoly) - Crozier
3. The local political-administrative system - Dupuy and Thoenig
4. Power and rule - Crozier & Friedberg
5. The sociology of translation - Callon
6. The sciences are long chains of references - Latour
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
Our goal is for students to master the organizational grids presented in class, via the founding concepts, and to be able to apply them to the world around them. At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
- Master the organizational grids presented in the course;
- Carry out research in certain scientific journals;
- Read, use and master scientific articles;
- Discuss scientific articles collectively;
- Summarize scientific articles;
- Identify key players and analyze their positions and rationales for action;
Demonstrate analytical neutrality and methodological reflexivity; - Present orally, in a group, a reading summary and produce a Powerpoint;
- Issue a critical reading, argue;
- Establish links between original texts and concepts seen in class.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
None. The course is aimed at a bachelor's or bridge student audience. It provides an important basis for following the "Sociologie de l'action organisée" course, offered in the master's program.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Teaching methods are divided into 3 categories:
- Sessions dedicated to the presentation of theoretical elements and key concepts of the sociology of organizations;
- Scientific readings, based on the reading portfolio;
- Group work to prepare presentations in front of the class.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Further information:
CALENDAR:
- 17/09 : Concept-based in-person course
24/09 : Concept-based in-person course
08/10 : Concept-based in-person course
15/10 : Concept-based in-person course
22/10 : Collective presentation
05/11 : Collective presentation
12/11 : Concept-based in-person course
19/11 : Concept-based in-person course
26/11 : Concept-based in-person course
03/12 : Collective presentation
10/12 : Collective presentation
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
- MyULiège
Further information:
All the texts in the reading portfolio as well as the distribution will be posted in ECampus (2 scientific papers, a few (short) news articles, and reports)
We advise students who wish to do so to obtain the following book: KUTY, O. & DUBOIS, C., De la valeur à la norme, Brussels, De Boeck, 2019 (pages 115 to 200). It covers the content of the theoretical sessions and can be found at the university presses (building B8).
The following books are optional:
- NIZET J., PICHAULT F., Introduction to the theory of configurations, De Boeck, 2001
- LATOUR, B., Enquête sur les modes d'existence : Une anthropologie des modernes, Paris, La Découverte, 2012
Written work / report
Continuous assessment
Further information:
In the first session:
We operate in continuous assessment via group work during the term, then a final personal assessment in January.
- Continuous assessment: During the four-month term, two types of group assignments will be completed. Through these group assignments, students will be asked to (A) read and analyze one scientific text, which they will then present to the class. These texts will be related to the preceding theory lectures, and (B) create a map of controversies. For the presentations, we ask students to provide a PowerPoint-style presentation, which must be uploaded by 9:00 a.m. on the day of the presentation to the dedicated ECampus page. These two presentations are graded out of 20 and together account for 50% of the final grade in January.
- In-session assessment: As an individual assignment of no more than 2 pages, we ask students to ask ChatGPT a question of their choice. This question may relate to the course, a specific concept, or be more general in nature, but it must be connected to the sociology of organizations in the broadest sense. The idea is for students to then revisit ChatGPT's response to refine, critique, and improve it. The evaluation criteria for this assignment are the originality of the question asked, the critical analysis of ChatGPT's response, and the student's writing style and spelling. This individual assignment must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, January 4, 2027, exclusively via the dedicated page on the ECampus platform. The final assignment accounts for 50% of the January final grade.
We ask students to read, analyze and comment on an unpublished text. The requested format will no longer be a PowerPoint but a Word document, but the idea is to draw inspiration from what was done during the group work, individually.
Then, we ask, as in the first session, to ask ChatGPT a question. Here, the instructions remain the same as in the first session.
Both parts of the work must be submitted by August 16, 11:59 p.m. at the latest. They each represent 50% of the final grade.
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Changes compared to the year 2025-2026 :
- La nature du second exercice (cartographie des controverses) a été modifié,
- The schedule of sessions has been modified
Contacts
laura.beuker@uliege.be
f.schoenaers@uliege.be