ADS710: Org. Theory, Development, & Strategic Change

In this course, candidates will study various organizations in the context of their environment, in order to understand the internal and external processes that promote and inhibit organizational change. The focus is the essential role that organizational leaders play in identifying these processes, guiding their development, filtering and disseminating challenges and other information to the organization. Special attention will be given to the development of the resources of the organization, especially the human resources. The use of  contemporary resources will be reinforced by extensive individual research investigations and interactions with library reference personnel throughout the course.

The theme around which the course will be delivered is that of cooperative behavior and organizational adaptation. In particular, we will examine organizational leadership's relation to successful change management and achievement of strategic outcomes in rapidly changing internal and external environments. There will be a special focus on public, non-profit, and cooperative organizations 

1. Develop an understanding of how organizational culture and design influence the operation of an organization.
2. Understand the political, ethical, legal, and multi-national contexts in which organizations function.
3. Understand how public polices, leadership visions, and external events influence the ability of an organization to be effective.
4. Develop a personal change perspective and pragmatic leadership approach for influencing the policies and outcomes associated with current and future organizations.
5. Further enhance the leadership skills necessary to communicate and share a vision for a complex organization.