AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims at introducing students to the main issues of organizational design and behavior, providing theoretical frameworks and managerial references for organizational analysis and design actions in work environments.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims at introducing students to the main issues of organizational design and behavior.

TEACHING METHODS

The course, after an introduction to the main schools of organizational thought, is divided into two fundamental parts: organizational design and organizational behavior.
In the first, we proceed in an essentially inductive way, starting from a case study that is discussed in several lessons, at the end of each of which the theoretical principles that constitute the organizational design model are derived. This is consistent with the expected result of knowing how to apply theoretical knowledge in order to be able to conduct an organizational analysis and propose solutions aimed at achieving certain results.
In the second, for each lecture, "incidents", short cases, and simulations (or "role models") are proposed in which students have the opportunity to touch each area of organizational behavior. This is consistent with the expected result of knowing how to apply theoretical knowledge in order to be able to understand the dynamics of actors' behavior in organized work contexts, and to propose decisions and actions aimed at influencing one or more outcome or "performance" variables.
Class attendance is therefore strongly recommended and encouraged. However, the "non-attending student" modality is envisaged, based on classic learning on texts, guided by the slides published on AulaWeb.
Working students and students with SLD, disability or other special educational needs are advised to contact the teacher at the beginning of the course to agree on teaching and examination methods that, in compliance with the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning methods.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Aims and methods of organizational analysis
• Design choice and organizational architectures
• People in organizations: personality, values, behaviour
• Organizational culture and cultural diversity
• Perception and decision processes
• Motivation and organizational performance
• Team management
• Power and leadership
• Conflict and negotiation
• Organizational change

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Attending students may refer to the section in Italian of this webseite. Foreign students may refer to the following textbooks:

• Burton R.M., Obel B., Håkonsson D. D., Organizational design. A step-by-step approach, Cambridge University Press, 2021 (for the organization design part)
• Robbins S.P. & Judge T.A., Organizational Behavior, any edition (for the organizational behavior part)

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LORENZO MIZZAU (President)

ANGELO GASPARRE

TERESINA TORRE

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Second semester

Class schedule

ORGANIZATION DESIGN AND BEHAVIOUR A

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The examination modes are divided into attending and non-attending students.
Attending students deliver an open-book test during the course (so-called "mid-term test"), aimed at ascertaining the ability to apply knowledge on organizational design and be able to propose solutions. In addition, they are compulsorily participating in group work, also to be developed outside the classroom, aimed at ascertaining the ability to apply the concepts of organizational behavior. Finally, they take a final written exam, reduced compared to non-attending students, focused on the part of organizational behavior.
The evaluation of attending students will result from the following calculation: (Final Exam Grade * 0.75) + (WorkGroup Grade * 0.25). In other words, the group work will account for 25% of the final evaluation, to which up to 2 points are added in case of correct conduct of the "mid-term test".
Non-attending students are required to study textbooks; the evaluation is based entirely on the final written exam.
More details are communicated on the Syllabus of the course delivered at the beginning of the lessons.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For attending students, the "mid-term test" is aimed at ascertaining the ability to apply knowledge on organizational design and be able to propose solutions. The group work is aimed at ascertaining the ability to apply the concepts of organizational behavior. The final written exam is aimed at ascertaining the basic knowledge on the part of organizational behavior. The group work is aimed at developing (and will be evaluated on the basis of: 1) accurate knowledge and understanding of theories and models of organizational behavior; 2) ability to apply theories and models to situations; 3) accuracy and clarity of exposition in a collective written document, in relation to the theories and concepts seen in the course.
For non-attending students, the final written exam is aimed at ascertaining, in a first part, the basic knowledge of the tools of organizational design, as well as the ability to apply this knowledge by proposing a viable solution aimed at achieving results (organizational performance). In a second part, the final exam is aimed at ascertaining the basic knowledge on the part of organizational behavior.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION