Organizational Theory 2600-GlobMBAOT

International business requires the ability to analyse and address challenges in multinational context. The diversity of organization, as well as the diversity of concepts and methods of management requires analytical skills and understanding of systemic character of organizations and their relations with environment. Therefore the course presents main principles and concepts of contemporary management and organization theory. It aims to improve the understanding of organizations, their relations with complex environment, and main problems and dilemmas they face.
Following topics are addressed during the course:
 Organizations and management – basic concepts. The nature of managerial work.
 Management and organizations – past and present
 the evolution of management theory,
 what can we learn from the past?
 The diversity of organizations. Metaphors and images of organizations and their practical implications.
 Context – environment of contemporary organizations. Globalization. Organization and environment: interrelations. How to deal with uncertain environment?
 Managers in contemporary organizations. Managerial work in uncertain world – typical mistakes of managers. Learning from experience.
 Systems approach to organizational analysis: mainstream in contemporary management. Counterintuitive behavior of complex systems. Feedback loops and archetypes. Learning organizations. What blocks organizational learning?
 Power and politics in organizations – why is it often neglected in organizational analysis? Fundamental bases of power in an organization. Faces of power. Games people play – examples and consequences of power games in organizations.
 Organizing: organization design. How organizations change over time? Corporate entrepreneurship.

In addition, participants are required to prepare presentations on selected concepts (e.g. holocracy, learning organizations, organizational change etc.).