Lecturer: Giorgio Greco  

Course name: Organization Theory and Design
Course code: 501362
Degree course: Bioingegneria, Ingegneria Elettrica, Ingegneria Informatica
Disciplinary field of science: ING-IND/35
The course relates to:
University credits: CFU 6
Course website: n.d.

Specific course objectives

This course aims at the more updated and advanced knowledge and criteria which allow to establish relationships between Organization Theory and to Organization Design. Starting by the definition of Excellence as the outstanding practice in managing the organization and achieving results. Truly Excellent organizations are those that strive to satisfy their stakeholders by what they achieve, how they achieve it, what they are likely to achieve and the confidence they have that the results, by systematic and continuously reviewed and improved, will be sustained in the future. Focus will be on the impact of the Information and Communication Technology

Course programme

ORGANIZATION AND ORGANIZATION THEORY
Organizations as Open Systems. Organizational Configuration. Dimensions of Organization Design: Structural Dimensions; Contextual Dimensions. The evolution of Organization Theory and Design. The Role of Organization Theory and Design.

STRATEGY, ORGANIZATION DESIGN AND EFFECTIVENESS
Top Management Strategic Direction. Organizational Purpose: Mission; Operative Goals. Organizational Strategies and Design. Porter’s Competitive Strategies. Miles and Snow’s Strategy Tipology. Organizational Effectiveness.

DESIGN OF ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE
Organization Structure Information-Processing Perspective on Structure: Vertical Information Linkages; Horizontal Information Linkages. Fundamentals of Organization Design. Organization Design Alternatives: Functional Structure; Divisional Structure; Matrix Structure; Horizontal Structure; Modular Structure; Hybrid Structure. Structural Contingencies. Structural Alignment. Strengths and Weacknesses. Symptoms of Structural Deficiency.

THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
Task Environment. General Environment. International Context. Environmental Uncertainty. Simple-Complex Dimension. Stable- Unstable Dimension. Adapting to Environmental Uncertainty. Buffering and Boundary Spanning. Differentiation and Integration. Organic Versus Mechanistic Management Processes. Planning and Forecasting. Resource Dependence. Controlling Environmental Resources. Establishing Interorganizational Linkages.

MANUFACTURING AND SERVICE TECHNOLOGIES
Organization-Level Manufacturing Technology. Manufacturing Firms. Computer Integrated Manufacturing. The Lean Enterprise. Organization-Level Service Technology. Service Firms. Designing the Service Organizations. Departmental Technology. Variety and Analyzability. Workflow Interdependence among Departments. Types of Interdipendece: Pooled; Sequential Reciprocal. Structural Priority. Structural Implications Impact of Techology on Job Design.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
Information Technology Evolution. Operations and Business Resource Applications. Executive Information System. Enterprise Resource Planning. Decision Support System. Information Technology as a Strategic Weapon. Strategic Use of Information Technology. Business Intelligence. E-commerce. Business to Business. Business to Customer. Customer Relationship Management. E- Business Organizational Design. New Options for Organization Design. Intranet. Extranet. Dynamic Network Structure. Knowledge Management. Mechanisms for Explicit Knowledge Management. Mechanisms for Tacit Knowledge Management.

ORGANIZATION SIZE, LIFE CYCLE, AND CONTROL
Organizational Life Cycle. Stages of Life Cycle Development. Organizational Characteristics During the Life Cycle. Organizational Bureaucracy and Control. Size and Structural Control. Types of Control: Bureaucratic Control; Market Control; Clan Control The Balanced Scorecard.

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND ETHICAL VALUES
Organizational Design and Culture Types of Culture: The Entrepreneurial Culture; The Mission Culture; The Clan Culture; The Bureaucratic Culture; Culture and the Learning Organization. Ethical Values in Organizations. Corporate Culture in a global Envinronment.

INNOVATION AND CHANGE
Incremental Change and Radical Change. Strategic Types of change. Elements for Successful Change. Technology Change. Ambidextrous Approach. Techniques for Encouraging Technology Change. New Products and Services. Achieving Competitive Advantage with Rapid Product Innovation. Strategy and Structure Change. The Dual-Core Approach. Culture Change. Reengineering and Horizontal Organization. Total Quality Management. The Learning Organization. Strategies for Implementing Change. Barriers to Change. Techniques for Implementation.

DECISION MAKING PROCESSES
Individual Decision Making. Rational Approach. Bounded Rationality Perspective. Decision Styles Organizational Decision Making. Management Science Approach. Carnegie Model. Incremental Decision Process Model. The Learning Organization: Combining the Incremental Decision Process and Carnegie Model. Garbage Can Model. Contingency Decision –Making.

ATTIBUTES OF ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE
The Fundamental Concepts of Excellence: Results Orientation; Customer Focus; Leadership and Constancy of Purpose; Management by Processes and Facts; People Development and Involvement; Continuous Learning, Innovation and Improvement; Partnership Development; Corporate Social Responsibility. The EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) Excellence Model.

Course entry requirements

Course structure and teaching

Lectures (hours/year in lecture theatre): 40
Practical class (hours/year in lecture theatre): 10
Practicals / Workshops (hours/year in lecture theatre): 0

Suggested reading materials

Slides and lectures will be available during the Course

Richard L. Daft. Organisation Theory and Design, tenth edition. Thompson South-Western Cengage Learning. .

Testing and exams

Grading • Seven tests along the learning process 70% • Homework & Course Project 30% NOTE for students that cannot take tests during the course: these students are expected to take all the tests in any exam session and to submit homework project one week before the exam session.