SOL3 Organisation and implementation

• Topics

  We are embedded in organizations from our time in the cradle until our time in the grave. Most of us are born in a hospital, run around in a kindergarten, receive education at a school and thereafter (or simultaneously) work in an organization, before we end up in a nursing home or a hospital for our final days. In other words, a lot of the things we do in life, we do in organizations. A basic understanding for organizations and how they function is therefore a prerequisite for maximizing the return from our efforts in life.

  Especially in work life, an understanding of organizational theory is essential in many contexts. For instance, it is difficult to manage a company without a very good understanding of how organizations function. And a good understanding for organization theory becomes even more important in an era where globalization, digitalization, and different aspects relating to sustainability increasingly influence organizations and our work lives.

  Organization theory is a comprehensive subject with an extensive history. In this course you will become familiar with a selection of essential terms, concepts and theories in organizational theory. We will focus on some well-established theories, but also on some more modern theories and perspectives. Much of our focus in this course, particularly in regards to the semester hand-in and the two case-solving gatherings, will be on understanding, explaining and creating organizational change. The purpose is, precisely, that you will acquire an understanding of organizational theory, which can aid you later on, both at NHH and in work life, but also more generally with the activities in life that happens in organizations.

  The course has, overall, a two-fold structure. In part 1 we will focus on what characterizes organizations, including structure, culture and environments, as well as what an organization actually is. In part 2 we will focus on processes in organizations. Change process is particularly central here, but also other processes such as learning, innovation, decision making and communication.

• Learning outcome

  After completion of this course the student will:

  Knowledge:

  • Be familiar with basic terms, concepts and theories in organizational theory
  • Be familiar with key developments in the organizational theory subject
  • Understand how their environments, including sustainability aspects, can influence organizations
  • Understand how and why many of today’s organizations are different from typical organizations in the 20th century
  • Have a high level of familiarity with, and understanding of common (i) causes, (ii) content, and (iii) outcomes of organizational change

  Skills:

  • Be able to view work life and organizational practices in connection with relevant organization theories
  • Be able to apply organization theory to analyze and explain different characteristics of different organizations
  • Be able to apply organization theory to analyze and explain different processes in organizations
  • Be able to communicate analyzes that rely on organization theory in an apt manner

  General competencies:

  • Understand how organizations function
  • Be able to apply relevant tools (terms, concepts and theories) from organization theory
  • Be able to contribute with constructive input in discourses relating to organizational change

• Teaching

  To learn how to apply theory to real-life cases, the students will be working on two group assignments. To fulfill the course requirements, the groups need to hand in a power point presentation and a case analysis for both assignments. In addition, the groups will be asked to present their case analysis in smaller lecture theaters or rooms.

  We will return to physical lectures in SOL3 this semester. All lectures are part of the curriculum, and the power point presentations will be posted on Canvas. In addition, we will record the introductory lectures for the five main parts of the course.

• Required prerequisites

  None

• Compulsory Activity

  The students need to have two assignments approved and present one of the assignments in class. In addition, all students need to be present at two case sessions.

• Assessment

  Six-hour individual home exam maximum 10 pages.

  RETAKES: Starting in autumn 2021, students will only be able to retake the exam in accordance with the new scheme.

• Grading Scale

  A-F

• Literature

  Collection of book chapters and articles which will be made available on Canvas

  The lectures are also part of the curriculum