Topic outline

  • General

    Welcome to the course Organizing of Business 2023. We have redesigned parts of the course with the help of student feedback from last spring.

    Course scope

    This course will provide the students with a solid understanding of the foundations of organizing, organizational forms, and organizational phenomena of business, operations, and innovation at the macro and meso level. We will use economic, organizational, and strategy theories to analyze organizing. Theories are valuable for the analyst and manager because most meso and macro organizational phenomena’s and problems are unique and cannot be understood nor solved by simple rules of thumb. After participating in the course, students will (1) be able to distinguish between various forms of organizing of business, operations, and innovation at the macro and meso level; (2) know when a certain form is more suitable and how to organize this form; and (3) be able to assess the effectiveness of current organizing form and develop improvements. Students undertaking this course will become familiar with a series of real-world contemporary organizational phenomena, learn different theoretical perspectives that can elucidate these phenomena, and learn to apply these different ways of “seeing” and managing organizations to cases. As such this course bridges theory and practice, exposing students to a variety of conceptual tools and ways to evaluate novel situations.

    This course is for bachelor students in the field of industrial engineering management and information networks. Before taking this course you should have already completed the courses TU-A1100 Industrial Engineering and Management 1 as well as TU-C1030 Managerial accounting and finance for decision-makers.

    Course Objectives

    After participating in the course, students will:

    • be able to distinguish between various forms of organizing of business, operations, and innovation at the macro and meso level;
    • know when a certain form is more suitable and how to organize this form; and
    • be able to assess the effectiveness of current organizing form and develop improvements.

    Course Organization

    We follow the flipped classroom model, meaning that students read the module materials before the lecture.

    At the beginning of each module, students read a compendium chapter, an academic article and familiarize themselves with the group assignment materials.

    On Tuesdays, we have an interactive on-site lecture. Lecture attendance is voluntary. Lectures are not recorded.

    Next, students complete the group assignment. The deadline for assignments is always on Saturdays. 

    All groups work autonomously during the course. Students can form groups of 3 to 4 people on their own during the first week of the course. After this, course staff will randomly create groups of 3 to 4 students for the remaining students without self-formed groups.

    Course schedule

    (If the assignment deadlines are not visible on your browser, scroll the time table sideways)

    Module Topic Lecture date and time Assignment Assignment deadline
    1 Intro Tue 28.2. 9:15 - 12:00 No assignment - - -
    2 Markets and the formation of demand and supply Tue 7.3. 9:15 - 12:00 Group assignment Sat 11.3. 20:00
    3 Transaction costs and  the organizing of business Tue 14.3. 9:15 - 12:00 Group assignment Sat 18.3. 20:00
    4 Basics of platform economy (network effects and externalities) Tue 21.3. 9:15 - 12:00 Group assignment Sat 25.3. 20:00
    5 Modularity, standards, and interoperability
    Guest lecture by Timo Ali-Vehmas    		 Tue 28.3. 9:15 - 12:00 Group assignment Sat 1.4. 20:00
    6 Strategic decisions for organizing platforms Tue 4.4. 9:15 - 12:00 Group assignment Sat 22.4. 20:00
    7 The evolving digital economy (EU digital regulation)
    Guest lecture by Nomi Byström    		 Tue 25.4. 9:15 - 12:00 Group assignment Sat 29.4. 20:00
    8 Shared value creation Tue 2.5. 9:15 - 12:00 Group assignment Sat 6.5. 20:00



    Course material 

    The course material consists of a compendium, including an introduction to the module, the main ideas related to the module theme of organizing business, the key concepts, and the business implications.  For each module, in addition to the compendium, there will be 1-2 articles going more in-depth into specific aspects of the module.

    Course assignments 

    Each week there will be 1-2 articles and one assignment. The assignments are made in groups of 3 to 4 students.


    Course grading

    Grading
    Group assignments 60 %
    Exam grade 40 %

    To pass, you need to get at least one point from the exam (so you can’t pass just with group exercises, even if you get all points from them).

    The exam is on the 25th of May. Retake exams have been scheduled for 1.9.23 ja 12.12.23.

    Contacts

    The teachers of the course is Associate Professor Robin Gustafsson.

    The course assistant for the course is Sarri Nykänen. Email: sarri.nykanen@aalto.fi

    For inquiries that are relevant to other students as well, please ask through the MyCourses discussion forum. For personal inquiries, please contact the course assistant by e-mail.