OVERVIEW

The goal of this subject is to present, discuss and criticize a number of outstanding organizational theories, enlightening their value and their limits in the framing process of a wide range of organizational problems. Students are expected to develop critical understanding of organization theories and their use in the framing process of a wide range of organizational problems.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The subject is aimed at developing learning skills and critical thinking thus enhancing autonomy and consciousness in the use of organizational theories in the analysis of managerial problems and readiness for further development of knowledge

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The goal of this subject is to present, discuss and criticize a number of outstanding organizational theories, enlightening their value and their limits in the framing process of a wide range of organizational problems. Students are expected to develop critical understanding of organization theories and their use in the framing process of a wide range of organizational problems.

TEACHING METHODS

Seminar-style discussions. Students are expected to actively attend lessons and regularly partake in class discussions. Papers need to be studied before coming to class.

Rather than “studying theories”, class work is mostly devoted to “playing with theories”: everybody read the texts before coming to class so that we can discuss issues like: “What are the main organizational issues on which the author concentrate?” “What is the vision of the world behind this theory?” “Do you agree with the author?”, “Do you think that this theory is well equipped in order to interpret contemporary organizational problems?”, and then we can sketch out together specific managerial problems and try to use theories for framing solutions. 

Each seminar is structured in two parts: 

• in the first part each student presents his own point of view on the basis of a common framework; 
• the second part is devoted to general discussion: students interact each other and with the instructor and different points of view are discussed and clarified. 

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

All the main approaches to organization theory are covered: The Scientific Management, Functionalism, Contingency Theory, the work of James Thompson, the various contribution in the field of decision making (Herbert Simon, James March, etc.) and the ones that focus on ambiguities in decision making; the approach of Karl Weick, the Critical Management School, New-Institutionalism, etc. (see text list of articles for details).

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

• F.W. Taylor, The Principles of Scientific Management, 1911: Introd. + Ch. 1
• H. Fayol, Administration industrielle et générale, Dunod, Paris, 1916 (trad. en. General Principles of Management): Ch. 1
• H.A. Simon, The Proverbs of Administration, in "Public Administration Review", 6:1, 1946, pp. 53-67.
• T. Parsons, Suggestions for a Sociological Approach to the Theory of Organization, in "Administrative Science Quarterly", 1:1, 1956
• H.A. Simon, Bounded Rationality in Social Science: Today and Tomorrow, in "Mind & Society, 1, 2000, 1:1, pp. 25-39
• P. R. Lawrence, J.W. Lorsch, Organization and Environment, Harvard University, 1967: Ch. 8-9
• J.D. Thompson, Organizations in Action. Social science bases of administrative theory, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1967: Ch. 10
• M.D. Cohen et alii, A Garbage Can Model of Organizational Choice, in "Administrative Science Quarterly", 17:1, 1972, pp. 1-25
• K.E. Weick, Organizations as Loosely Coupled Systems, in "Administrative Science Quarterly", Vol. 21, No. 1, 1976
• P.J. DiMaggio, W.W. Powell, The Iron Cage Revisited: Institl. Isomorph. and Collect. Ration. in Organiz. Fields, in "Am. Sociol. Rev., 48:2, 1983, pp. 147-160
• C. Grey, The Fetish of Change, in "Tamara: Journal of Critical Postmodern Organization Science"; 2003; 2, 2
• D. Kahneman, The Surety of Fools, New York Times Magazine, Oct 23, 2011
• B. Maggi, Can we transmit knowledge? in "TAO Digital Library", 2010

(*) Minor changes to this list may apply during the course. All materials will be available on Aulaweb.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ANGELO GASPARRE (President)

TERESINA TORRE

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Second semester

From Feb 2024

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Course grades for attending students are based on both weekly assignments (required), and attendance to class and active contribution to class discussions (required). If the assignment and attendance evaluation is solid, students get a final grade /30. If assignment and attendance evaluation is weak, students are required to take an oral exam at the end of the semester. If assignment and attendance evaluation is very weak, the course is failed and students are required to take a written exam at the end of the semester, which consistes of six open questions on the course material.

Non attending students take a written exam which consistes of six open questions on the course material.

Exam schedule