Course 2012-2013 a.y.

Course Objectives

This course provides an undergraduate-level introduction to organization theory. The course has two main objectives:

• First, the course aims to give a broad overview of the main theoretical elements of organization theory. The course does not attempt, however, to cover every facet of the literature or to provide a complete intellectual history of the subject.
• Second, the course aims to give a practical understanding of how organization theory is applied in the real world.

Course Content Summary

The course begins at the individual level, embedding individuals in organizations, and embedding organizations in inter-organizational arrangements.
At each level, it examines various streams of research in organization theory.
More precisely at the individual level the course examines:

• Managerial cognition
• Management teams
• Power & dependence
• Resources

At the organization level it examines:

• Organization architecture
• Organizational change
• Governance
• Networks
• Governance change

At the inter-organizational level it examines:

• Alliances
• Ecological models
• Learning
• Legitimacy
• Categories

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

Attending students and Non-attending students
Grading is based on (1) in class participation, (2) a group project, and (3) a final written exam in the first two exam sessions (December 2012 and January/February 2013) and an oral exam (as non attending students) for the remaining exam sessions.
The written exams are open to both attending and non attending students, the oral exams are open to non attending students only.

Textbooks

• Case collection for the course 30153 Organization Theory 2012/2013, Egea
• A set of readings selected and uploaded on the Library Course Reserves (http://lib.unibocconi.it/screens/course.html) and on the Learning Space