SHARIF UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Graduate School of Management and Economics

MBA Program

Course Outline

Course Name:Managing Organizational Change

Course Number:44252

Instructor:Dr. Mahdieh Mahdavinia

E-mail:

Semester:Fall term, 1389-1390

Class Time:Wednesdays: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm

Room:4

Meeting Hours:Before the class by appointment

COURSE OBJECTIVES

This course makes an enquiry into the field of organization change. Identifying the need for change, framing the problems/issues, influencing the choice of what to do, and implementing the changes with minimal negative reaction are key managerial skills, especially in these increasingly turbulent times.

The course will provide:

-An overview of change management processes and types of changes

-A knowledge of the drivers of change

-Models of improving and rebuilding organizations

-A variety of factors which affect successful change management

-Some live stories of organizational change efforts

-An opportunity for the students to frame their own orientation to change management

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The course grade will be based on:

Group Assignment (30%)

Individual Assignments (20%)

Final Exam: Case + Test (40%)

Participation (10%)

Group Assignment

  1. Analyze and present the case study of organizational change that is assigned to your group. This assignment is intended to provide an opportunity to analyze an actual change process through a systematic and concrete application ofthe theories you have learned so far. You are expected to apply the readings and class experience to provide an analysis.
  1. Put yourself in the role of the decision makers and identify the situation they are faced with
  2. Describe the change process
  3. Bring in more information about that particular change process and the company itself
  4. Answer the case questions
  5. Explain which of the frameworks that you have learned in the class thus far apply to the case

For example, you may discuss the following:

-What was the type of change?

-What were the driving forces behind the change?

-What challenges to change were encountered? How were the challenges dealt with?

-How well was the change implemented?

  1. Develop a paper of at least 10 pages (due on the day of the presentation)
  2. Create a presentation for the class to facilitate the class discussion around the case (45 minutes)
  1. Write and present a case study of organizational change based on your own experience. (20 minutes presentation and a paper of 3 pages)

Individual Assignments

Submit the analyses of four (out of eleven) case studies of the textbook, Managing Organizational Change. Each analysis must:

  1. Be submitted in paper at the beginning of the session it will be discussed e.g. the analysis of the case study of chapter 2 (Green Mountain) should be submitted at the beginning of the third class session.
  2. Answer the case questions within a minimum of 2 pages.

Class Participation

The students must read the assigned readings, in particular the case studies before the class and be prepared for active participation in the case discussions. Passive presence in the class by itself is not considered participation.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Week / Date / Topics / Readings / Case Studies from textbook / Case studies from practice
1 / 31/6/88 / - Introduction: Stories of Change / Managing Organizational Change, Ch1 / Kodak
2 / 7/7/88 / - Images of Managing Change
- Why Organizations Change / Managing Organizational Change, Ch2
Managing Organizational Change, Ch3 / IBM / TBA
3 / 28/7/88 / - What Changes in Organizations
- Diagnosis for Change / Managing Organizational Change, Ch4
Managing Organizational Change, Ch5 / - Green Mountain Resort (Dis)solves the Turnover Problem
- Chipping Away at Intel / TBA
4 / 5/8/88 / - Resistance to Change / Managing Organizational Change, Ch6
Dance of Change, Ch (3,4,5,6) / - Nestlé
- Boeing / TBA
5 / 12/8/88 / - Implementing Change / Managing Organizational Change, Ch7 / Problems at Perrier / TBA
6 / 19/8/88 / - Implementing Change / Managing Organizational Change, Ch8 / Change at DuPont / TBA
7 / 3/9/88 / - Vision and Change / Managing Organizational Change, Ch9
Dance of Change, Ch12 / The British Airways Swipe Card Debacle / TBA
8 / 10/9/88 / Guest Speaker
9 / 17/9/88 / - Strategies for Communicating Change
- Skills for Communicating Change / Managing Organizational Change, Ch10
Managing Organizational Change, Ch11
Dance of Change, Ch11 / Role of Vision at Mentor Graphics / TBA
10 / 1/10/88 / - Sustaining Change / Managing Organizational Change, Ch12
Dance of Change, Ch7,8,9 / - Cheryl Ways and Agilent Technology’s layoffs
- Tyco / TBA
25/10 / Final Exam – 9:00AM

Instructional method

Each session is divided into three sections.

  1. An analysis of a case related to the topic of the previous session. This will help students develop a better understanding of the frameworks and skills that we had discussed in the previous session.In each session, the case analyses and discussions will be facilitated by one group of students.
  2. A presentation of a case from Iran. This will be based on the students’ personal experience of an organizational change.
  3. A seminar on a new topic. The seminar will be carried in a participatory manner allowing for discussion. Class exercises, videos and activities are used to deepen the learning.

ASSIGNED TEXTBOOK

Palmer, I., Dunford, R., Akin, G. (2009). Managing Organizational Change: A Multiple Perspectives Approach. (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

OTHER COURSE REFERENCES

Bolman, L. G. & Deal, T. E. (2003). Reframing organizations: artistry, choice, and leadership. (3rd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Burk, W. W. (2002). Organization change: Theory and practice. Thousand Oak: Sage.

Gallos, J. V. ed. (2006). Organization development: a Jossey-Bass reader. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Schein, E. H. (2004). Organizational culture and leadership. (3rd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Senge, P. M., Roberts, C., Ross, R., & Smith, B. (1999). The dance of change: The challenge of sustaining momentum in learning organizations. New York: Doubleday Currency.