97114 - Organization

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to provide students with the basic knowledge to understand the organization as cognitive synthesis, the evolutive path of the organizational theory in its different phases of methodological development together with the analysis of business management from the organizational point of view. At the end of the course students are able to: (a) understand the organizational issues of different business functions; (b) know how to evaluate the organizational structures and processes; (c) use specific softwares dedicated to analysis and solutions of organizational problems. The course is part of the integrated course in “Organization and management”. This module along with the Management Skills lab aims at providing students with a good understanding of the main organizational-related challenges firms are encountering and the ability to practically evaluate organizational structures and processes.

Course contents

This course is divided in two modules.

The content of module 1 will be the following:

1. Introduction to the Organization

2. History of Management and Theory of Paradoxes

3. Relationship with the environment: An analysis of environmental complexity and principal stakeholders.

4. Relationship with the environment: Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibilities.

5. Case study on Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibilities.

6. Organizational culture and norms.

The content of module 2 will be the following:

7. “The evidence-based and organizational context for the study and application of organizational behavior”.
8. “Environmental Context: Diversity, and Ethics
9. “Personality, Perception, and Employee Attitudes”
10. “Motivational Needs, Processes, and Applications”
11. “Effective Leadership Processes”

Readings/Bibliography

Module I

Material distributed on Virtuale by the professor.

Module II

The readings to prepare are: F. Luthans, 'Organizational Behavior', 12th Edition, MacGraw-Hill. Chapters to study: 1,2, 5, 6,8; Peter G. Northouse, 'Leadership. Theory and Practice', 8th Edition, Sage. Chapters to study: 1(Introduction), 2,4,5,6,7,12,14

Teaching methods

Teaching methods consist of face-to-face lecturing, role plays, case studies, video analysis and simulations

Assessment methods

The final examination consists of 5 open ended question related to module I (20 minutes) and 10 open ended questions related to Module II (40 minutes). Module I test will be possible to complete also at the end of first cycle of lessons and then back in the January-Feb session.

Final grading table:

•<18 insufficient
• 18-23 sufficient
• 24-27 good
• 28-30 excellent
• 30 cum laude honors

Teaching tools

All material used in this course will be published on the Virtuale platform and will consist of the handbooks, slides and articles to go deeper in the study of a subject'.

Office hours

See the website of Marcello Russo

See the website of Filippo Ferrari