93786 - PROCESSI ORGANIZZATIVI

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students:

- are familiar with the theoretical and analytical instruments for the comprehension of organizational phenomena;

- are able to analyze organizations and their social, political and economic contexts;

- have acquired specific knowledge related to organizational dynamics such as decision-making processes, individual and collective behaviour, criticalities in organizational innovation and learning;

- have acquired conceptual and methodological skills to independently analyze and discuss examples and empirical cases.

Course contents

The first part of the course will focus on some prominent issues related to design and management of complex organizations: organizational structures; formal norms, power, and control; organization and environment; decision-making processes; organizational culture and sensemaking; innovation and change.

The second part of the course will address the “dark side” of organizations, i.e. the unintentional and negative consequences of organizational action. Through the analysis of some case studies, the course will cover the following topics: how elements and processes presented in the first part of the course may generate organizational failures, accidents and breakdowns; how organization may (or may not) learn from negative events.

Readings/Bibliography

Part I

Catino, M. (2012), Capire le organizzazioni, Bologna, il Mulino, capp. 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,10.

Bonazzi, G. (2008), Storia del pensiero organizzativo, Milano, Franco Angeli, capp: 1. L’OSL, ovvero il taylorismo; 3. Chester Bernard. L’azienda come sistema cooperativo; 8. Max Weber: la burocrazia come apparato del potere legale; 10. Alvin Gouldner: la pluralità dei modelli burocratici; 12. Michel Crozier: sistema burocratico e strategie degli attori.

Part II

Catino, M. (2006), Da Chernobyl a Linate. Incidenti tecnologici o errori organizzativi?, Bruno Mondadori, cap. 1 (Teorie sulle cause degli incidenti); cap. 2.2.1 (L’incidente del Challanger, pp. 96-107); cap. 2.6 (L’incidente del Mann Gulch, pp. 182-193); cap. 2.4.3 (L’incidente di Linate, pp. 134-145); cap. 3 (Per una teoria organizzativa degli incidenti).

Heath, C. e Staudenmayer, N. (2000), Coordination neglect: How lay theories of organizing complicate coordination in organizations, Research in Organizational Behavior, Vol. 22, pp. 153-191.

Rivkin, J. e Roberto, M. (2007), Federal Bureau of Investigation, Harvard Business School Strategy Unit case no. 707-500, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2022208 .

Weick, K. E. (2005), Organizing and failures of imagination. International Public Management Journal, Vol. 8, pp. 425-438.

Some of the readings above will be uploaded to VIRTUALE.

Teaching methods

Lectures, analysis and discussion of case studies.

Attendance is highly recommended.

Assessment methods

Attending students

• Analysis and discussion of a case during the course
• Written exam (60 minutes) with three open questions (0-20 points).

Not attending students

Written exam (60 minutes) with three open questions. The evaluation is based on 30 points scale.  

Teaching tools

Powerpoint and videos.

Office hours

See the website of Sara Rocchi