MGMT 445 Organizational Design & Change
MGMT 445 Syllabus Organizational Design & Change
Winter 2023
Welcome to MGMT 445For personal questions or issues specific to you, email is the quickest way to reach me. Please put the course number into your subject line for a faster response. I am also happy to arrange a video chat appointment at a mutually convenient time. Have a great term!Required Text
Jones, G. R. (2013). Organizational theory, design, and change. Upper Saddle River: Pearson. (7th Edition). The e-version is fine!!
ISBN 13:978-0-13-272994-9
ISBN 10:0-13-272994-6
Course Description
Study of organizations from a macro perspective. Emphasis will be on the implications of dynamic environments, innovation, and technology for organizational structure, design, and processes. Management of change from a multilevel perspective will also be addressed. This is a research paper class. You will spend the term researching a company and writing an academic research paper that answers assigned research questions. Read the paper requirements carefully before you start!
Course Objectives
After successful completion of this course, students will be able to…
Explain the professional implications of organizational change and articulate the importance of seeing organizational design and change management from multiple perspectives.
Defend the notion that a firm’s effectiveness depends on the fit between organizational design and the organization’s goals and larger environment.
Categorize the roles of differentiation and integration in a firm’s structure and offer conclusions about the design implications of such fundamental tensions as centralization vs. decentralization, standardization vs. mutual adjustment, and innovation vs. control.
Draw or diagram representations of the broad types of organizational structure and summarize how these types reflect and influence the functional demands of strategies and environments.
Evaluate the role that culture plays in fostering organizational capability, and discuss how culture both reflects, and helps to reproduce the structural features of firms.
Technology Requirements
There are several moving parts in an SBA online course, and they differ from class to class. The following list of tools encompasses every type of technology you will encounter in this course, and all others. It is your responsibility to obtain access to these in advance of your first assignment.
If you have technical questions/problems related to using D2L contact the OIT Help Desk at help@pdx.edu or by calling (503) 725-4357.
Assignments & Grading
Grade Item
Point Value
Due Date by Week
Weekly Quizzes
10
Wednesdays by 11:59 pm of each week
4 Discussion Posts
40
Weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8
Midterm Exam
50
Week 5
Research Paper
100
Week 10
Final Exam
50
Week 11
TOTAL
250
Extra Credit
10
Watch Announcements!
10 Weekly Quizzes (drop the lowest score)1 pt. each
Each week there will be a quiz on the readings due Wednesday by 11:59 pm. Each individual quiz is worth just 1 point (1/10 point/question) and you have 20 minutes to complete the quiz. The quizzes are multiple choice, based upon the textbook only and are graded automatically. You may use your own notes on the quizzes.
Due: Wednesday by 11:59pm of each week.Discussion Posts10 pts. each
Discussions Posts will be used in this class as an opportunity to engage with classmates as you gain knowledge! You must be knowledgeable about the course material in the prior weeks AND the company you are studying in order to answer the questions. In addition to your own post, you are required to reply/respond to at least 3 classmates’ posts.
Week 2 – Discussion Post 1, Written + image, 500 words minimum: Introduce your classmates to the company you have chosen. What does it do? Why did you choose it? How does it fit into the industry (i.e., Who are competitor companies? How does your company stack up in comparison?)? Include the company logo and any other images you feel represent the company.
Week 4 – Discussion Post 2, Written + image, 500 words minimum: Tell us about the CEO of your company. What other jobs have they had? What industries have they worked in? What is their leadership style? What have you learned about their personalities, preferred work environment, or anything else that has impacted the company? Include at least one photo of your CEO.
Week 6 – Discussion Post 3, PowerPoint or other presentation software, 4-5 minutes minimum: Create a narrated or video presentation about the culture of your company. How does the hierarchical structure serve/not serve the culture? Using culture and structure as a starting point, discuss how your company has evolved over time. There are a lot of YouTube videos on how to create an audio PPT if you have never done so.
Week 8 – Discussion Post 4, Written + image, 500 words minimum: Identify one of the most innovative practices or products and explain how/why it was developed and with what results. Include at least one visual of your own design that is relevant to this discussion post and explain what it is.
Due: Sunday 11:59pm of Week 2, 4, 6, and 8.
Research Paper100 pts.
In this paper, you will consider all concepts and theories discussed up to week nine in the class and integrate them into one document that demonstrates you understand the concepts and you can link them together to show some deeper thinking about them. You will choose a company from the spreadsheet provided and spend the term researching it in relation to the research questions below. Your paper must include at least three diagrams, charts, or visual representations of related data or information CREATED BY YOU. Do NOT choose a company you have researched before in other classes. Choose a company that is new to you.
Remember, this is an ESSAY. Do not just answer the research questions in order. Use transitions between sections so it flows as a cohesive document.
The final paper should be a minimum of 5000 words long (not including visuals or bibliography) with 1-inch margins, double spaced. The following sections are required:
Title Page
Table of Contents
At least three visual representations of data or information that YOU create (i.e., not copied from other sources) either in the body of the paper or as appendices.
An Introduction and Conclusion
List of references in APA citation format (google it if you are not familiar with APA style)
Cited sources within the body of your paper
You must use at least eight sources (in addition to your textbook). The company website and does not count as one of the eight sources, but feel free to use it! You can have more than eight.
Note: If you choose a large company, consider narrowing down your research to one specific division, product line, or portion of the overall company. The more specific and deep you can get, the better.Research Questions – Address all of them in your paper:
1. Give a short history of your company. How has it changed over time? How has the company been impacted by COVID-19? Provide specific examples.
2. Who is the current CEO and what is their approach to leadership?
3. Who are your company’s internal and external stakeholders? (HINT: refer to concepts in Chapter 2)
4. Create an organizational chart of your company (this counts as one of your required visuals). Describe the hierarchical structure, differentiation, and levels of bureaucracy. (HINT: see examples in chapter 4 and 5)
5. Describe the company’s culture. Where does the culture come from? Does your company’s culture differ from its closest competitor? Why or why not? Include the values and internal and external forces that shape the organization. (HINT: use concepts from Chapter 7)
6. Describe your company’s domain. What goods, products, or services does it produce/provide? What core competencies give the organization a competitive advantage? Any disadvantages? How well does the company’s structure and culture match its strategy? (HINT: refer to Chapter 8 concepts)
7. What is the most innovative product, strategy, or technology your company has employed to date? What drove the innovation? What were the results? (HINT: use concepts from Chapter 9)
8. If you could invest in one company, would you choose this one? Why or why not?
Due: Sunday 11:59pm of Week 10
Midterm and Final Exams50 pts. each
Both exams are multiple choice and consist of 50 randomly generated questions. Everyone will receive different questions from the test bank. The Midterm and Final are CLOSED BOOK, CLOSED NOTES, and monitored by Proctorio. Make sure you have the Proctorio extension installed prior to starting your exam. You will have two hours to complete the exam and will not be able to restart of you stop.
Midterm Exam is Week 5 and covers Chapters 1,2,3,4, and 5
Final Exam covers is Week 11 and covers Chapters 6,8,9,11, and 12
Late Assignment Policy
All assignments and projects for this course will be submitted electronically through Desire2Learn unless otherwise instructed. Assignments must be submitted by the given deadline. Extensions will not be given beyond the next assignment except under extreme circumstances. Late or missing discussion assignments will affect your grade.
