The course presents various theories of organizational designs in a behavioral approach to organizational effectiveness.  Topics include diagrammatic representations of systems, organizational typology, expectancy theory of motivation, and the causal-effect relationships that exist within the organization.

UPON COMPLETION OF THE COURSE, THE STUDENT WILL BE COMPETENT IN:

• Discussing the implications of “theory” for organizational design.
• Examining leading organizational theories in terms of basic tenets and implications for organizational structure and processes.
• Preparing a diagrammatic representation of a systems approach to organizational design.
• Explaining the relationship between various organizational designs and the selection of information processing systems.
• Examining the similarities and differences among goals at various levels of the organization.
• Describing a strategy for managing interdepartmental goal conflict.
• Describing the following processes of integrating individual and organizational goals: exchange, socialization, process and accommodation.
• Evaluating the future merit of MBO programs as a methodology for structuring work and measuring performance.
• Defining the types and critical dimensions of contemporary organizational environments, including the effects of joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions.
• Describing organizational strategies for managing boundary personnel.
• Defining organizational typology and specifying ways in which it affects organizational effectiveness and climate.
• Discussing the causal-effect relationships that exist between values of organizational members and the organizational structure and technology.
• Describing the basic premises of the expectancy theory of motivation and elaborating upon related implications for management.
• Listing the general questions to be asked by management in structuring specific job/work assignments.
• Comparing the strengths and weaknesses of the major approaches of control within contemporary organizations.
• Identifying dimensions of the organizational structure and discussing their interrelationships as they relate to overall effectiveness.