ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN AND CHANGE
Daniele Mascia, Mario Baglietto, Gaia Urso, Leila Ahmadpour
Instructional goals
The course offers key conceptual tools to design and change organizational models and structures in a global, complex and uncertain environment. This course provides advanced knowledge and analytical resources that will enable students to understand the processes, content and consequences of organizational decisions to be implemented on a global scale, both in public and private organizations. This course offers theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of organizational design and change, therefore enhancing more effective decision making in all organizations in need of (re)designing their internal organizational structure.
Prerequisites
None
Intended learning outcomes
At the completion of this course, students will be able to:
Knowledge and understanding
compare pros and cons of different organizational models
assess under what conditions organizational models should be used in business practice
assess the efficacy of actions to be implemented in change programs
evaluate and manage risks and resistances related to change programs
identify the role of people and cultural dimensions in change programs
analyze how and why organizations make decisions to face an evolving environment
Applying knowledge and understanding
apply foundations of organizational design and change to the project work to be developed during the course
Making Judgements
dissect complex organizational issues, analyze them and propose solutions
discuss and evaluate key organizational choices and leadership issues related to change
critically analyze when, how and why certain organizational choices are needed and what are the key drivers of success for organizational design and change programs
Communication Skills
acquire and understand major terms and concepts in order to communicate ideas, proposals, analysis and critical reasoning in the field of organisational design and change in organizations
Learning Skills
Apply a variety of methods that allows them to understand the relevance of organizational design and change strategies which impact companies’ longevity and survival
use the acquired knowledge to gain access to prominent job positions within companies and institutions and/or to access further advanced learning programs such as a PhD.
Course Contents
Introduction and the “One-Best-Fit" Paradigm"
Matrix Design
Project-based Models Agile Organising and The “Spaghetti” Model
Networks
Crowd-based Models and Holacracies
Change is the only constant in life
There is nothing more practical than a good theory
Houston we have a problem
Culture eats (change) strategy for breakfast
In search of (change) leadership
Be the Change you Want to See in the World
Reference Books
The key textbooks for the course are:
Burton, M. R., Obel, B., & DeSanctis, G. (2011). Organizational Design: A Step by Step Approach, Cambridge.
Kesler, G., & Kates, A. (2015). Bridging Organization Design and Performance: Five Ways to Activate a Global Operation Model. John Wiley & Sons.
Kotter, J., Rathgeber, H. (2013). Our Iceberg is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions. Pan Macmillan.
Teaching Methods
Mix synchronous and asynchronous
TA consultations
Group work
Case Studies
Flipped Classroom
Project Work
Assessment Method
Students will be evaluated on the following activities:
Final project includes 30 percent of final grade. The project-based activities will be assessed based on a formal “in presence presentation” that students will deliver during the exam session at the end of the semester. More details will be provided by instructors at the beginning of the course.
Class activities include 70 percent of final grade detailed as follows (see detailed table in Canvas):
WEEK 3: Collaborative reading in Perusall. Case study (group activity) discussion in TA session (15%)
WEEK 4: Students' created video. Case study (group activity) discussion in TA session (10%)
WEEK 6: Two minutes essay related to video 2 and 3.Case study (group activity) discussion in TA session. (10%)
WEEK 8: Students’ presentations: Let's delve into a theoretical model on Organizational Change! (15%)
WEEK 10: Assessment Quiz about the Book Chapter Changing Organizational Culture (10%)
WEEK 11: Prepare an Infographic (10%)
Thesis assignment criteria
1) students must not have refused a grade above 23;
2) Master thesis assignment is based on a project presented by the student.
The project (2/3 pages) must include:
• Table of contents
• Abstract
• Main references
Does the syllabus cover sustainability topics?
Yes
Week 1 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Week 1- Introduction and the “One-Best-Fit" Paradigm"
Asynchronous or synchronous lesson
Overview of organizational design topics
The centrality of "FIT" in organization design
"FIT” and contingency theory
E-tivities
Self-check quiz
two-minutes essay
Collaborative reading
Discussion forum
Group discussion- TA session
Related Material
Video
Academic paper
Lecture slides
Week 2 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Week 2- Matrix Design
Asynchronous or synchronous lesson
Overview of the matrix model
Power balance in the matrix model
Pros and cons of the matrix model
E-tivities
Self-check quiz
two-minutes essay
Collaborative reading
Discussion forum
Group discussion- TA session
Related Material
Video
Podcast
Academic paper
Case study
Lecture slide
Week 3 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Week 3- Project-based Models
Asynchronous or synchronous lesson
Temporary Organising and Project-based Models
Introduction: projects, project organizations, and project-based organizations (PBOs)
Designing project-oriented organizational processes
Project governance and multi-project coordination
E-tivities
Self-check quiz
two-minutes essay
Collaborative reading
Discussion forum
Group discussion- TA session
Related Material
Video
Academic paper
Case study
Lecture slides
Week 4 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Week 4- Agile Organising and The “Spaghetti” Model
Asynchronous or synchronous lesson
Agile Organising and “Spaghetti” Model
The principles of self-organizing: “Spaghetti Organization”
Agile team-based organizing
Teams and Squads in organizations
E-tivities
Self-check quiz
two-minutes essay
Collaborative reading
Discussion forum
Group discussion- TA session
Related Material
Video
Academic paper
Case study
Lecture slides
Week 5 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Week 5- Networks
Asynchronous or synchronous lesson
Informal Networks and Open-boundary Organisations
Coordination mechanisms: market, authority and networks
Organizational social networks and community of practices
Outsourcing, virtual organizations and open-boundary organizing
Pros and cons of open-boundary organizations
E-tivities
Self-check quiz
two-minutes essay
Collaborative reading
Discussion forum
Group discussion- TA session
Related Material
Video
Podcast
Academic paper
Case study
Lecture slides
Week 6 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Week 6- Crowd-based Models and Holacracies
Asynchronous or synchronous lesson
Crowd-based organising
Crowd-open organizing
Pros and cons of crowd-based organizing
Holacracies
E-tivities
Self-check quiz
two-minutes essay
Collaborative reading
Discussion forum
Group discussion- TA session
Related Material
Video
Academic paper
Case study
Lecture slides
Week 7 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Week 7- Change is the only constant in life
Asynchronous or synchronous lesson
characteristics of modern scenarios of change (VUCA model)
pros and cons implied by organizational changes
implications of a real major change in organization: the new ways of working (hybrid, work from home, work from anywhere)
E-tivities
Group discussion - Making connections
Creation of an Infographic
Collaborative reading
One minute essay
Related Material
Managerial Articles
Lecture slides
Week 8 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Week 8- There is nothing more practical than a good theory
Asynchronous or synchronous lesson
Characteristics of the principal Organizational Change Theoretical Models
E-tivities
Self-check quiz
Group activity: in-depth study of a theoretical model
Collaborative reading
Related Material
Scientific article
Chapters 1 and 2 of the textbook "our iceberg is melting"
Lecture slides
Week 9 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Week 9- Houston we have a problem
Asynchronous or synchronous lesson
characteristics of an effective Change Resistance strategy model
how resistance to change occurs on a personal level
Case study
E-tivities
Discussion forum
Individual reflection
Collaborative reading
Group discussion
Related Material
Chapters 3 and 4 of the textbook "our iceberg is melting"
scientific paper
Case study
Lecture slides
Week 10 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Week 10- Culture eats (change) strategy for breakfast
Asynchronous or synchronous lesson
characteristics of the different types of Organizational Culture
pros and cons of an organizational Cultural Change
obstacles and facilitations with respect to cultural change
E-tivities
KWL Exercise
Collaborative reading
Assessment quiz
Related Material
Chapter 5 of the textbook "our iceberg is melting"
Book chapter: Changing organizational culture
Managerial article
Lecture slides
Week 11 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Week 11- In Search of (Change) Leadership
Asynchronous or synchronous lesson
the strategic value of Leadership for successful Organizational Change Programmes
real-life cases of inspiring Change Leaders
effectiveness of Purpose Based Leadership for the success of Organizational Change Programmes
E-tivities
Podcast
Creation of an infographic
Collaborative reading
Related Material
Managerial article
Chapter 6 of the textbook "our iceberg is melting"
A leader's biography
Lecture slides
Week 12 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Week 12- Be the Change you Want to See in the World
Asynchronous or synchronous lesson
multiple focus of a Change Leader: not just Team Leadership and Business Leadership, but also Self Leadership
importance of Emotional Intelligence as a key characteristic to be an effective Change Leader
“People Side of Change” from a “Personal Perspective”
E-tivities
Individual reflection
Group discussion - Making connections
One minute essay
Group Assignment
Related Material
Chapters 7-12 of the textbook "our iceberg is melting"
Managerial articles
Lecture slides