INFORMAZIONI SU

Change Management

CORSO DI STUDIO: Corso di Laurea Magistrale in Economia aziendale                                                 a.a. 2015/2016

Denominazione insegnamento/Course Title

Change Management

Lingua dell’insegnamento: Inglese
Crediti e ore di lezione: 6 crediti; 48 ore di lezione

Moduli: NO

Settore/scientifico disciplinare: SECS/P-10

Docente: Giancarlo Lauto
Indirizzo email: giancarlo.lauto@uniud.it
Pagina web personale: http://people.uniud.it/page/giancarlo.lauto

Prerequisiti e propedeuticità/Requirements

There are no requirements. Students should be familiar with the content of the course of Organizational Theory and Design (Organizzazione Aziendale), taught in the undergraduate program. In addition, knowledge of some of the topics discussed in the courses of Operations Management (Economia e Gestione delle Imprese, BSc) and Business Strategy (MSc) may be helpful to better understand some themes of the course. The concomitant course of Organizational Behavior deals with connected and complementary issues; students may benefit from attending both courses.

Conoscenze e abilità da acquisire/Knowledge and skills

The course aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the subject of change management. Furthermore, it offers an overview of the theories, methods and techniques of Lean Management, in a perspective of organizational change.

Skills related to the discipline

The course aims to provide the fundamental concepts and knowledge on the topic of organizational change management, which is intended as the structural change of organizational structure, systems, culture and behavior.

The general goals of the course are to provide students with: fundamental knowledge about the characteristics of the organizational change, which is understood as a strategic response to the evolution of the external environment; the ability to analyze a process of organizational change, through the application of appropriate theoretical models; basic knowledge on Lean Management, which is conceived as a management approach aimed at organizational change; the ability to design a lean management intervention.

In particular, at the end of the course, students will:
• know the main theoretical models related to organizational change;
• know the main methodologies for the implementation of an organizational change project;
• be aware of the relationship between environmental and organizational factors in the process of organizational change;
• know the main theories, methodologies, techniques of Lean Management, conceived as a change management approach;
• be able to apply such theoretical knowledge to the diagnosis of business cases and problems of organizations of different size, sector, complexity;
• be able to apply such theoretical knowledge to formulate guidelines for the strategic and organizational redesign, with reference to case studies related to organizations of different size, sector, complexity;
• be able to design an intervention of lean management.

Soft skills

Students should be able to independently and critically formulate a diagnosis of organizational problems, and evaluate an intervention of organizational change. Students should be able to choose independently which tools to adopt in an organizational change intervention, given the environmental and organizational conditions.
Through teamwork, students should acquire the ability to work on projects, to manage independently a complex task, to manage conflicts, to manage independently their working time. Furthermore, they should acquire the ability to present oral and written analysis of a change project.
The themes of this course are related to those of the other courses in Organization Studies area, particularly with the course of Organizational Behavior. Joint activities, involving these two courses, will be organized to improve cross-disciplinary capabilities.

Programma e contenuti dell’insegnamento/Course description

In order to incorporate the latest development in the discipline, the program may change. Any changes will be communicated during the first lecture and published via the online platform. Students are invited to attend the first lesson, to refer to the online platform, or, alternatively, to contact the lecturer.
The course will deal with the following themes:
• Theoretical foundations of change management
• The nature and the level of organisational change
• The stages of organisational change
• Organisational diagnosis: steps and tools
• Designing an intervention strategy
• Implementing organisational change at structure, process, and identity level
• Leading change
• Resistance to change
• Organisational culture and change
• Technology and change
• Lean management: concepts and techniques

Attività di apprendimento e metodi didattici previsti/Teaching and Learning activities

Several teaching methods will be employed, including: frontal lectures, classroom discussions of business cases and assignments, presentations of managers and entrepreneurs, workshops, short-term projects.
A reference textbook will be suggested during the first class, and communicated via the online platform. In addition, teaching materials synthesizing the topics discussed in class will be distributed via the online platform. Other materials will be distributed via the online platform.
Students are recommended to study the reference book(s) and the other texts distributed through the online platform; studying the presentations synthesizing the topics discussed in class is insufficient to ensure a productive learning. It is possible that not all the arguments constituting the course program are covered in class; students are required to study individually these subjects.
Class attendance will not be systematically registered; however, attendance is recommended for a productive learning.
Participation in teamwork is optional; however, participation is recommended for a productive learning.

Modalità di verifica dell’apprendimento/Examination

The exam is designed to assess students’ knowledge of the contents of the course program and their ability to critically interpret and apply that knowledge to a business problem.
The exam is written. An oral exam may be held, on request of the lecturer or of the student, according to the rules specified during the course and communicated via the online platform.
The evaluation criteria of the written and oral tests are the following: breadth and depth of knowledge of the contents of the course program; relevance and appropriateness of the connections established among the topics covered in the course; correctness and originality in the critical analysis of a business problem; appropriateness in the use of the methods for the purpose of the analysis; effective communication.
The test is the same for attending and non-attending students.
The outcomes of short-term projects and participation in class will be evaluated as specified during the first lecture and communicated via the online platform.

Testi/Bibliografia/Bibliography

The references include:

• Cawsey T.P., Deszca G., Ingols C. Organizational Change. Sage, Thousand Oaks.
• Nicholas J.M. (2010). Lean Production for Competitive Advantage: A Comprehensive Guide to Lean Methodologies and Management Practices. CRC Press.
• Anderson D.L. (2012). Organization Development. The process of leading organizational change (2nd edition). Sage, Thousand Oaks.
• Burke W.W. (2011). Organization Change. Theory and Practice (3rd edition). Sage, Thousand Oaks.
• Jones D.J., Recardo D.J. (2013). Leading and Implementing Business Change Management. Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon.
• Sekaran U., Bougie R. (2013). Research Methods for Business: A Skill-Building Approach (6th Edition). Wiley.
• Compagno C. (2000). Il cambiamento e l’innovazione, in G. Costa, R.C.D. Nacamulli, Manuale di Organizzazione Aziendale, Volume 3.
• Kotter J.P, Cohen D. S. (2003), Al cuore del cambiamento. Come le persone cambiano le organizzazioni. Etas, Milano.
• Spector B. (2010). Implementing Organizational Change: Theory Into Practice (2nd Edition). Prentice Hall.

More readings and further instructions regarding the literature will be given during the course.

Strumenti a supporto della didattica/Further readings and support material

The online platform will be used for the virtual office hours, when such feature is implemented. Otherwise, email is the preferred medium of communication.
All communications related to the course will be published on the online platform.

Tesi/Thesis

Please contact: Giancarlo Lauto

Note/Remarks

The concomitant teaching of Organizational Behavior covers connected and complementary topics; therefore, students may benefit from attending both courses.
Students who do not attend the class, who have a special enrollment (for example: single courses), who take part in international mobility projects, or with special needs, are encouraged to contact the lecturer promptly, preferably via email or through the online platform, for requests regarding the program and the exam.