LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this course,
a) The student can demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of the seminal and latest academic research in organizational design, organizational culture, organizational practices, and strategic entrepreneurship.
b) The student can analyze, evaluate, and reflect on how established companies and start-ups are able to design and implement processes and practices that allow them to adapt to changing environments.
c) The student can analyze, evaluate, and reflect upon the mindset, skills, and capabilities employees and managers need to possess to work and design, respectively, adaptive and creative organizations.
d) The student can reflect upon how she/he personally can act as a designer of organizational practices that foster creativity and change within existing companies or start-ups.
Credits: 5
Schedule: 11.01.2022 - 04.03.2022
Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):
Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Marina Biniari
Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):
CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):
Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):
Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English
CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD
Content
valid for whole curriculum period:
In this course, the focus is on developing knowledge, competences, and practical experience on how established and nascent companies can foster their adaptability and creativity by reconfiguring their structures, and practices toward value-creating and value-protecting opportunities. Drawing on the perspectives of organizational design, organizational culture, organizational practices, and strategic entrepreneurship students will learn to apply frameworks and tools needed to: a) analyze the impact of organizational structures, organizational cultures, and practices on organizational adaptability and creativity, b) design organizational structures and cultures that foster and maintain adaptive and creative ways of working, and c) organize and coordinate bottom-up initiatives to facilitate change. The course acknowledges that and explores how both employees (bottom-up processes) and managers (top-down processes) are equally involved in this process by employing their agency.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
valid for whole curriculum period:
Attendance is not compulsory, but it is rewarded as part of the individual assessment. There are two forms of assessment:
a) Individual-level assessment based on class contribution through individual essays and class participation (50% of the final grade)
b) Group-level assessment based on contribution and participation in a group project (50% of the final grade)
The evaluation criteria of the submitted work (individual essays and deliverable of the group project) for the assessment of this course include four areas: Understanding, depth of knowledge, structure, and overall evaluation. Each criterion is of equal importance and weight in calculating the final grade of each assessment. Each criterion is assessed on a scale from 0(0-49%) to 5(90-100%).
Workload
valid for whole curriculum period:
Attendance is not compulsory, but it is rewarded as part of the individual assessment.
- Contact hours: 23 hours (10x2 hours of teaching sessions; 1x3 hours workshop)
- Group assessment: 55-60 hours
- Individual assessment: 15-20 hours
- Self-study: 30-35 hours
DETAILS
Study Material
valid for whole curriculum period:
The course draws on the literature on organization design, organizational structures, and organizational culture.
Substitutes for Courses
valid for whole curriculum period:
Prerequisites
valid for whole curriculum period:
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals
8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further Information
valid for whole curriculum period:
Although a variety of pedagogical methods are used, classroom time will revolve primarily around the evaluation and application of theoretical concepts and frameworks (assigned readings) on the group project and through case studies. As a result, class attendance and participation are advised but are not mandatory.
Information on how the evaluation criteria are applied to students' assessments, and how and when feedback is provided:
1. For the group project, students will be given a breakdown of how they performed on each evaluation criterion when they receive the final grade for the group project. However, during the project, the students will receive continuous feedback on the project through two formal coaching sessions that will be offered during the length of the course. Groups are highly recommended to engage with the responsible teacher and seek feedback while working on the group project to improve their progress and their performance.
2. For the individual assessment, students will receive shortly after the submission of each individual essay a grade on their essay and generic feedback that is drawn on how all students have performed on the same essay and on general suggestions on how students can improve on their performance. An individual breakdown of each evaluation criterion on individual essays can be requested and will be provided when requested, but individualized feedback will be provided after students have provided some reflections on how they compare their performance in relation to the generic feedback provided. Generic feedback on how to improve on individual assessment is also provided in each teaching session, verbally. So students who attend the teaching sessions can also benefit in this way.
Teaching Period:
2020-2021 Spring III-V
2021-2022 Spring III-V
Course Homepage: https://mycourses.aalto.fi/course/search.php?search=TU-E3050
Registration for Courses: In the academic year 2021-2022, registration for courses will take place on Sisu (sisu.aalto.fi) instead of WebOodi.
The number of students is limited due to the case teaching approach and the requirements of the group project. Students have given priority as follows: 1) students of the Master s Programme in Industrial Engineering and Management, 2) students of the Master s Programme in Information Networks 3) students minoring in Creativity and Venturing and Entrepreneurial Leadership. All other students will be chosen through a separate application process in December and before the course starts. Bachelor students will be considered only if they have completed their bachelor thesis. A limited number of places are available for exchange students. More information on the application process can be found on the website of the course. Please note that it is not sufficient to enroll in Oodi.
- Teacher: Biniari Marina