Organizational Behaviour & Design

Course coordinator: prof. Mariacristina Bonti

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The purpose of this course is to give a realistic understanding of how the modern corporation functions.
In order to understand organizations, three objectives will be pursued:
a) develop basic knowledge of how organizations function, why are structured differently, how these differences impact on attitudes and behaviors of organizational member;
b) learn concepts and theories useful for diagnosing human behavior in organizations, deepening the links between individual behavior and its social and organizational context;
c) develop skills in using organizational control tools, carefully considering their influence on individual and group performance.

OBJECTIVES:

  • Skills:
    - Identify key structural variables for organizational design in different empirical contest and solve organizational design problems
    - Diagnose and develop constructive proposal for dealing with work issues, at individual and group level
    - Fit in different organizational control mechanisms with business goals and performance
  • Knowledge:
    - Critically assess, evaluate and compare design choices in various type of organizations
    - Understand interrelationships between individuals and groups and management implications of them
    - Know the characteristics of organizational control mechanism and evaluate individual behavioral impact
  • Attitudes:
    - To develop critical thinking, questioning attitude and analytical capabilities concerning organizational behaviour findings

MAIN CONTENTS:

  1. Foundations of organizational structure
    1. Key structural variables and contextual forces
    2. Classification scheme of organization structures
    3. Implications for performance and satisfaction
  2. Motivation and work organization
    1. Basic motivation concepts
    2. Motivations: from concept to application
    3. Group behavior and development
  3. Organizational control mechanism
    1. Control and discretionary behaviour
    2. Control and learning process
    3. Social control and commitment/identification processes
  • Pratical exercises
  • Case studies