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Daniel A. McFarland
In this introductory, self-paced course, you will learn multiple theories of organizational behavior and apply them to actual cases of organizational change.
Organizations are groups whose members coordinate their behaviors in order to accomplish a shared goal. They can be found nearly everywhere in today’s society: universities, start-ups, classrooms, hospitals, non-profits, government bureaus, corporations, restaurants, grocery stores, and professional associations are some of many examples of organizations.
Read more
In this introductory, self-paced course, you will learn multiple theories of organizational behavior and apply them to actual cases of organizational change.
Organizations are groups whose members coordinate their behaviors in order to accomplish a shared goal. They can be found nearly everywhere in today’s society: universities, start-ups, classrooms, hospitals, non-profits, government bureaus, corporations, restaurants, grocery stores, and professional associations are some of many examples of organizations.
Read more
In this introductory, self-paced course, you will learn multiple theories of organizational behavior and apply them to actual cases of organizational change.
Organizations are groups whose members coordinate their behaviors in order to accomplish a shared goal. They can be found nearly everywhere in today’s society: universities, start-ups, classrooms, hospitals, non-profits, government bureaus, corporations, restaurants, grocery stores, and professional associations are some of many examples of organizations.
Organizations are as varied and complex as they are ubiquitous: they differ in size and internal structure; they can entail a multiplicity of goals and tasks (some of which are planned and others unplanned!); they are made up of individuals whose goals and motivations may differ from those of the group; and they must interact with other organizations and deal with environmental constraints in order to be successful. This complexity frequently results in a myriad of problems for organizational participants and the organization’s survival.
In this course, we will use organizational theories to systematically analyze how an organization operates and can best be managed. Organizational theories highlight certain features of an organization’s structure and environment, as well as its processes of negotiation, production, and change. Each provides a lens for interpreting novel organizational situations and developing a sense for how individual and group behaviors are organized. Theories are valuable for the analyst and manager because most organizational problems are unique to the circumstances and cannot be solved by simple rules of thumb. Armed with a toolset of organizational theories, you will be able to systematically identify important features of an organization and the events transforming it; choose a theoretical framework most applicable to the observed mode of organizing; and use that theory to determine which actions will best redirect the organization in desired directions.
In sum, the course has three goals: to become familiar with a series of real-world organizational phenomena; to learn different theoretical perspectives that can elucidate these phenomena; and to apply these different ways of “seeing” and managing organizations to cases. In such a fashion, the course is designed to actively bridge theory and practice, exposing students to a variety of conceptual tools and ways to negotiate novel situations.
Register for this course and see more details by visiting:
OpenCourser.com/course/tplrfm/organizational
What's inside
Syllabus
Module 1 - Introduction
Module 2 - Decisions by Rational and Rule-based Procedures
In this module, we will present a general introduction and discussion to decision-making in organizations. We will relate various rational system views of organizations that tend to focus on administrative units, or leaders of organizations.
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Syllabus
Module 1 - Introduction
Module 2 - Decisions by Rational and Rule-based Procedures
In this module, we will present a general introduction and discussion to decision-making in organizations. We will relate various rational system views of organizations that tend to focus on administrative units, or leaders of organizations.
Read more
Module 3 - Decisions by Dominant Coalitions
This module will give a more elaborate depiction of that model, and focus on its core process of exchange and coalition formation. Within organizations, you will frequently confront coalitions of interests, and you will come to realize that collective action and organizational reforms are impossible if you do not build and manage a coalition to get things done. Therefore, we turn now to Coalition theory. To relate this theory, throughout this chapter we will draw heavily on the writings by James G March (1962, 1994: chapter 4) and Kevin Hula (1999) concerning coalition formation.
Module 4 - Organized Anarchy
This module introduces you to the basic features of decision making in organized anarchies, or what some call a “garbage can theory’ of organizations. What do we mean that the decision process resembled an organized anarchy? Well, for example, some of them have a hard time coming up with their group’s platform and identity. Also, some of the group’s proposed solutions changed over the course of bargaining – some initially proposed universal vouchers only to promote targeted vouchers in the end. Almost all of the groups thought in terms of an identity and what that entailed. And they also thought about other’s identities and interests when trying to manipulate the situation in their favor.
Module 5 - Organizational Learning
In this module, we will describe the theory of organizational learning and what it entails. In the most general terms, the organizational learning perspective concerns adaptation and learning from experience. But how does an organization learn? Organizations learn by encoding inferences from history into organizational structures (so best practices into rules, routines, and roles), people, technologies (curricula), and culture (norms, beliefs) that guide behavior. That is, organizations reflect on what works well or not, and then encode that knowledge into its organizational elements (participants, technology/tasks, social structure) so it can remember.
Module 6 - Organizational Culture
In this module, we will cover organizational culture. We will look carefully at Gideon Kunda’s book, Engineering Culture, to put into question the organizational culture ideal. Within an organizational culture, actors make sense of their existence according to identities and norms, and these are often constructs afforded by the organization they are in. Think of the culture at firms like Apple or Facebook – all have an identity and norms surrounding their performance of it. As such, the motive in an organizational culture is the expression and fulfillment of an identity – a strong intrinsic motivator! An organizational culture entails normative (valued) and cognitive (implicit) aspects of organizational social structures. These are deep structural facets that guide interaction.
Module 7 - Resource Dependency Theory
The theory we will discuss in this chapter is Resource Dependence Theory, and it views an organization in terms of its resource dependencies with other firms in the environment.
Module 8 - Networks
In this module, we will describe how organization’s researchers look at social networks within organizations. In addition, we will describe how some theorists contend there is a network form of organization that is distinct from hierarchical organizations and markets. So we will relate two perspectives: a purely analytic one that describes networks within organizations, and a theoretical one concerning a prescribed form of inter- organizational association that can result in better outputs.
Module 9 - Institutional Theory
In this module, we will continue our discussion of organizations as open-systems whose survival depends on their relation with the environment. In particular, we will discuss one of the prevailing organizational theories stemming from sociology, called “neoinstitutional theory.” In oversimplified terms, one can think of neoinstitutional theory as arguing that an organization’s survival de- pends on its fit with the cultural environment. That is, a firm’s success depends on whether it adopts structures that are deemed rational and legitimate in the external environment; that the firm mirrors environmental beliefs about what a legitimate organization of that type should look like. Neoinstitutional theory has always been one of the harder theories for students to fully grasp, so we have organized the chapter to be a little repetitive. We will discuss many of the core concepts twice and relate them in different ways so you get a better sense for what this theory conveys.
Module 10 - Population Ecology and Course Summary
In this module, we conclude our study of organizations as open systems whose survival and success depends on their reaction to the environment. We introduce a 10th and final theory called “Population Ecology”. There is a long history of work that applies biological and natural selection metaphors to organizations (Scott 2003:117; Davis and Powell 1992:342-354), let alone to the study of society.
Final Exam
Final exam for the course.
Good to know
Good to know
Know what's good ,
what to watch for , and
possible dealbreakers
Geared towards organizational research, practice, and learning
Provides a solid understanding of organizational theory
Taught by respected instructors with expertise in organizational behavior
Involves applying theory to real-world organizational cases
Examines various frameworks for organizational analysis, broadening learners' perspectives
Suitable for individuals interested in enhancing their understanding of organizational behavior and management
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Reviews summary
Sharp eye for success
learners say this course dives deep into the many
qualities of effective organizational analysis.
Outside of theories and strategies, learners say it
has plenty of case studies for context. Past students
specifically praised the course's depth, saying it's
challenging but well worth the time and effort for
anyone interested in organizational analysis or
management.
Excellent and very well-developed course.
"Excellent and very well-developed course."
Excellent course, the content is adequate and clear, also the weekly forums are very interesting.
"Excellent course, the content is adequate and clear, also the weekly forums are very interesting."
This course was very challenging but completely relevant and provided many theories that can be applied to any Organisational Setting.
"This course was very challenging but completely relevant and provided many theories that can be applied to any Organisational Setting."
Excellent course with detailed videos, relevant reading material.
"Excellent course with detailed videos, relevant reading material."
The course is wonderful. full of insights, with logic , cases, cadence and strong theoretical basis.
"The course is wonderful. full of insights, with logic , cases, cadence and strong theoretical basis."
Activities
Be better prepared
before
your course. Deepen your understanding
during
and
after
it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered
in Organizational Analysis with these
activities:
Review basic statistics concepts
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Strengthen your foundation in statistics to enhance your ability to analyze and interpret data in the course.
Browse courses on
Statistics
Show steps
-
Review your notes or textbooks on basic statistics concepts.
-
Take practice quizzes or solve practice problems.
Follow online tutorials on organizational decision-making
Show steps
Supplement your understanding of organizational decision-making through interactive and guided online tutorials.
Show steps
-
Identify reputable online platforms or resources that offer tutorials on organizational decision-making.
-
Select tutorials that cover topics relevant to the course.
-
Follow the tutorials and complete the associated exercises.
Participate in a study group to discuss course concepts
Show steps
Enhance your understanding of course concepts through collaborative learning and discussion with peers.
Show steps
-
Find a group of classmates who are interested in forming a study group.
-
Meet regularly to discuss course readings, assignments, and concepts.
-
Work together to solve problems and prepare for exams.
-
Provide support and motivation to each other.
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Read and summarize “Organizations” by James G. March and Johan P. Olsen
Show steps
Gain a comprehensive understanding of organizational theory and its application to real-world organizations.
Show steps
-
Read the book thoroughly and take notes.
-
Identify the key concepts and theories presented in the book.
-
Summarize the book in your own words.
-
Discuss the book with classmates or colleagues.
Practice applying organizational theories to case studies
Show steps
Reinforce your understanding of organizational theories by applying them to real-world scenarios.
Browse courses on
Organizational Behavior
Show steps
-
Identify the key organizational theories covered in the course.
-
Select a case study that you find interesting.
-
Apply the selected organizational theories to the case study.
-
Analyze the results of your analysis.
-
Write a report that summarizes your findings.
Compile a comprehensive study guide for the course
Show steps
Create a valuable resource that will help you review and retain course materials.
Show steps
-
Organize your lecture notes, readings, and assignments into a logical structure.
-
Identify key concepts and theories covered in the course.
-
Summarize the most important information from each topic.
-
Include practice questions and exercises to test your understanding.
Create a presentation on the impact of organizational culture on employee behavior
Show steps
Develop a deeper understanding of the influence of organizational culture on employee behavior and how to present your findings effectively.
Browse courses on
Organizational Culture
Show steps
-
Research the topic of organizational culture and its impact on employee behavior.
-
Gather data and evidence to support your research.
-
Create a presentation that clearly communicates your findings.
-
Practice presenting your findings.
Conduct a case study analysis of an organizational change initiative
Show steps
Gain hands-on experience in analyzing and evaluating organizational change initiatives.
Browse courses on
Organizational Change
Show steps
-
Identify an organizational change initiative that you are interested in studying.
-
Gather data on the initiative through interviews, surveys, and document analysis.
-
Analyze the data to identify key factors that contributed to the success or failure of the initiative.
-
Write a report that presents your findings and recommendations.
Review basic statistics concepts
Show steps
Strengthen your foundation in statistics to enhance your ability to analyze and interpret data in the course.
Browse courses on
Statistics
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Review your notes or textbooks on basic statistics concepts.
- Take practice quizzes or solve practice problems.
Follow online tutorials on organizational decision-making
Show steps
Supplement your understanding of organizational decision-making through interactive and guided online tutorials.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify reputable online platforms or resources that offer tutorials on organizational decision-making.
- Select tutorials that cover topics relevant to the course.
- Follow the tutorials and complete the associated exercises.
Participate in a study group to discuss course concepts
Show steps
Enhance your understanding of course concepts through collaborative learning and discussion with peers.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Find a group of classmates who are interested in forming a study group.
- Meet regularly to discuss course readings, assignments, and concepts.
- Work together to solve problems and prepare for exams.
- Provide support and motivation to each other.
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Read and summarize “Organizations” by James G. March and Johan P. Olsen
Show steps
Gain a comprehensive understanding of organizational theory and its application to real-world organizations.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Read the book thoroughly and take notes.
- Identify the key concepts and theories presented in the book.
- Summarize the book in your own words.
- Discuss the book with classmates or colleagues.
Practice applying organizational theories to case studies
Show steps
Reinforce your understanding of organizational theories by applying them to real-world scenarios.
Browse courses on
Organizational Behavior
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify the key organizational theories covered in the course.
- Select a case study that you find interesting.
- Apply the selected organizational theories to the case study.
- Analyze the results of your analysis.
- Write a report that summarizes your findings.
Compile a comprehensive study guide for the course
Show steps
Create a valuable resource that will help you review and retain course materials.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Organize your lecture notes, readings, and assignments into a logical structure.
- Identify key concepts and theories covered in the course.
- Summarize the most important information from each topic.
- Include practice questions and exercises to test your understanding.
Create a presentation on the impact of organizational culture on employee behavior
Show steps
Develop a deeper understanding of the influence of organizational culture on employee behavior and how to present your findings effectively.
Browse courses on
Organizational Culture
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Research the topic of organizational culture and its impact on employee behavior.
- Gather data and evidence to support your research.
- Create a presentation that clearly communicates your findings.
- Practice presenting your findings.
Conduct a case study analysis of an organizational change initiative
Show steps
Gain hands-on experience in analyzing and evaluating organizational change initiatives.
Browse courses on
Organizational Change
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify an organizational change initiative that you are interested in studying.
- Gather data on the initiative through interviews, surveys, and document analysis.
- Analyze the data to identify key factors that contributed to the success or failure of the initiative.
- Write a report that presents your findings and recommendations.
Career center
Learners who complete Organizational Analysis will develop knowledge and skills
that may be useful to these careers:
Management Consultant
Management Consultant
Management Consultants help organizations improve their performance. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and change management, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to diagnose organizational problems, and how to develop and implement effective change interventions.
Organization Development Consultant
Organization Development Consultant
Organizational Development Consultants help organizations improve their effectiveness. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and change management, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to diagnose organizational problems, and how to develop and implement effective change interventions.
Organizational Psychologist
Organizational Psychologist
Organizational Psychologists study the behavior of individuals and groups in organizational settings. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and behavior, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to motivate employees, and how to create a positive and productive work environment.
Human Resources Manager
Human Resources Manager
Human Resources Managers are responsible for managing the human capital of an organization. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and behavior, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to motivate employees, and how to create a positive and productive work environment.
Change Manager
Change Manager
Change Managers help organizations implement change initiatives. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and change management, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to diagnose organizational problems, and how to develop and implement effective change interventions.
Project Manager
Project Manager
Project Managers are responsible for planning, executing, and completing projects. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and project management, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to manage projects effectively, and how to lead and motivate teams.
Business Analyst
Business Analyst
Business Analysts help organizations improve their business processes. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and business analysis, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to identify business problems, and how to develop and implement effective solutions.
Training and Development Manager
Training and Development Manager
Training and Development Managers are responsible for developing and delivering training programs for employees. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and learning theory, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to design and deliver effective training programs, and how to evaluate the impact of training.
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officers are responsible for the overall management of an organization. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and change management, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to make strategic decisions, and how to lead and motivate employees.
Compensation and Benefits Manager
Compensation and Benefits Manager
Compensation and Benefits Managers are responsible for developing and administering compensation and benefits programs for employees. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and human resources management, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to design and administer effective compensation and benefits programs, and how to attract and retain top talent.
Employee Relations Manager
Employee Relations Manager
Employee Relations Managers are responsible for managing employee relations and resolving employee disputes. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and human resources management, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to manage employee relations effectively, and how to resolve employee disputes fairly and equitably.
Corporate Social Responsibility Manager
Corporate Social Responsibility Manager
Corporate Social Responsibility Managers are responsible for developing and implementing corporate social responsibility initiatives for organizations. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and corporate social responsibility management, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to create a socially responsible organization, and how to improve the organization's social impact.
Diversity and Inclusion Manager
Diversity and Inclusion Manager
Diversity and Inclusion Managers are responsible for developing and implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives for organizations. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and diversity and inclusion management, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to create a diverse and inclusive workplace, and how to attract and retain a diverse workforce.
Recruiter
Recruiter
Recruiters are responsible for finding and hiring qualified candidates for organizations. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and human resources management, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to attract and hire top talent, and how to build a strong and diverse workforce.
Sustainability Manager
Sustainability Manager
Sustainability Managers are responsible for developing and implementing sustainability initiatives for organizations. This course provides a foundation in organizational theory and sustainability management, which are essential skills for success in this role. The course will help you understand how organizations operate, how to create a sustainable organization, and how to reduce the organization's environmental impact.
For more career information including salaries, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/tplrfm/organizational
Reading list
We've selected 12 books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Organizational Analysis .
Save
Provides a comprehensive overview of organizational theory and design, covering topics such as organizational structure, culture, and change. It would be a valuable resource for students who want to learn more about the theoretical foundations of organizational behavior.
Save
Provides a framework for understanding how organizations can become learning organizations. It valuable resource for leaders who want to learn more about how to create organizations that are innovative and adaptable.
Save
Provides a framework for understanding what makes a good strategy. It valuable resource for leaders who want to learn more about how to develop and implement effective strategies.
Provides a framework for understanding why large organizations often fail to innovate. It valuable resource for leaders who want to learn more about how to create organizations that are innovative and adaptable.
Provides a framework for understanding how startups can use continuous innovation to create successful businesses. It valuable resource for entrepreneurs who want to learn more about how to build and grow successful startups.
Provides a framework for understanding how to market and sell technology products to mainstream customers. It valuable resource for marketers and entrepreneurs who want to learn more about how to reach and acquire new customers.
Provides a comprehensive overview of organizational behavior. It valuable resource for students and practitioners who want to learn more about the different factors that affect organizational behavior.
Provides a framework for understanding what it takes to build a successful business. It valuable resource for entrepreneurs who want to learn more about how to overcome the challenges of building and growing a business.
Provides a framework for understanding how to build a successful startup. It valuable resource for entrepreneurs who want to learn more about how to create and scale a successful business.
Provides a framework for understanding the challenges that startups face. It valuable resource for entrepreneurs who want to learn more about how to avoid the pitfalls that can sink a startup.
Provides a framework for understanding how to use minimum viable products and rapid customer feedback to innovate. It valuable resource for entrepreneurs who want to learn more about how to build and grow successful startups.
Save
Provides a framework for understanding how to get customers for a startup. It valuable resource for entrepreneurs who want to learn more about how to build and grow successful startups.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/tplrfm/organizational
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Daniel A. McFarland
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Good to know
Geared towards organizational research, practice, and learning
Provides a solid understanding of organizational theory
Taught by respected instructors with expertise in organizational behavior
Involves applying theory to real-world organizational cases
Examines various frameworks for organizational analysis, broadening learners' perspectives
Suitable for individuals interested in enhancing their understanding of organizational behavior and management
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