SHARIF UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
Graduate School of Management and Economics
MBA Program
Course Outline
Course Name:
Course Number:
Managing Organizational Change
44252
Instructor:
E-mail:
Dr. Mahdieh Mahdavinia
mmahdavinia@alumni.utoronto.ca
Semester:
Class Time:
Room:
Fall term, 1389-1390
Wednesdays: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
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
A. 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 of the 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?
6. Develop a paper of at least 10 pages (due on the day of the presentation)
7. Create a presentation for the class to facilitate the class discussion around the case (45 minutes)
B. 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
1
2
3
31/6/88
7/7/88
28/7/88
Topics
Readings
- Introduction: Stories
Managing Organizational Change,
of Change
Ch1
- Images of Managing
Managing Organizational Change,
Change
Ch2
- Why Organizations
Managing Organizational Change,
Change
Ch3
- What Changes in
Organizations
- Diagnosis for Change
4
5/8/88
Managing Organizational Change,
Ch4
Managing Organizational Change,
Ch5
Managing Organizational Change,
- Resistance to Change
Ch6
Dance of Change, Ch (3,4,5,6)
Case Studies from
Case studies from
textbook
practice
Kodak
IBM
TBA
- Green Mountain
TBA
Resort (Dis)solves the
Turnover Problem
- Chipping Away at
Intel
TBA
- 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
Managing Organizational Change,
7
3/9/88
- Vision and Change
Ch9
Dance of Change, Ch12
8
10/9/88
17/9/88
Communicating Change
- Skills for
Communicating Change
10
1/10/88
The British Airways
Swipe Card Debacle
- Sustaining Change
Managing Organizational Change,
Final Exam – 9:00 AM
TBA
Ch10
Role of Vision at
Managing Organizational Change,
Mentor Graphics
Ch11
Dance of Change, Ch11
Managing Organizational Change,
Ch12
Dance of Change, Ch7,8,9
25/10
TBA
Guest Speaker
- Strategies for
9
Change at DuPont
- Cheryl Ways and
Agilent Technology’s
layoffs
- Tyco
TBA
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.