OR6-403 Leadership and Change in Organizations

Contents and structure

The course gives an introduction to a selection of topics relevant for all types of organizations. The relevance for one’s own organization must be shown through the students' practical approach to the curriculum. Basic themes and issues are: perspectives on organizations, particularities of public organizations, reforms in organizations and organizations as a framework for leadership.

Learning Outcome

Learning Outcomes

After completing the course, the students will have the following learning outcome, as defined by knowledge, skills and general competence

Knowledge

• Have thorough knowledge about different perspectives on organization and management
• Have advanced knowledge about special features of public management
• Have insight into how reforms in the public sector influence ideas about management and organization

Skills

• Be able to apply different perspectives on organization in order to analyze complex management challenges
• Be able to critically appraise different theories about management and understand how special features of public organizations constitute context for management
• Be able to independently formulate scholarly reasoning regarding how public sector reform influences ideas about organization
• Be able to apply relevant theories to identify what type of management ideals dominate in ones own organization and how organizations structure activities for change.

General competencies

• The ability to apply theoretical concepts and perspectives to issues in one’s own organization
• Being able to utilize aquired knowledge and skills when participating in processes of change in one's own organization.

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Teaching methods

The students' experiences and existing organizational understandings will be challenged by working with relevant theory and alternative perspectives. During the seminars, there is a mix of lectures, assignments and discussions.

Compulsory learning activities

Short text where the student presents expectations and goals for the course and the program

Take part in oral presentation of group work about organizational analysis.

Assessment

A term paper where an organizational problem or challenge in one’s own place of work is discussed based on the curriculum. The work can be individual, or in groups of 2 students. As a rule of thumb, the length of an individual work will be up to 4000 words, while a group work will be up to 8000 words.

The exam will be assessed on an A - F grades scale, where F is failed.

Students who have failed or have a legitimate leave of absence can hand in a revised version of the paper for new assessment the following semester.

Examination support material

All materials allowed

More about examination support material

Course reductions

• OR6-403 - Leiing og endring i organisasjonar - Reduction: 15 studypoints
• OR6-401 - Leiing og endring i organisasjonar - Reduction: 13.5 studypoints
• OR6-404 - Organisasjon, leiing og læring i kommunal sektor - Reduction: 10 studypoints
• OR6-405 - Samarbeid, fornying og leiing i kommunal sektor - Reduction: 5 studypoints