Organization Theory 2.1: Strategic Management and Organizational Structure

Managers get things done through other people. They make decisions, allocate resources and direct the activities of others in order to attain goals. Managers do their work in organisations of any size which operate in an increasingly complex international environment. In this course, students will be introduced to the latest theories of organisations in an international, Western-oriented environment, with the objective of improving their knowledge and understanding of organisations, primarily from a managerial perspective.

This course will build knowledge and insight of students in the application of theories and practices from the perspective of contingency theory. According to the textbook used in this course (Daft, Murphy, Willmott, 2017): "There is no single best way to design an organisation, and no single best way to manage. These are contingent on (meaning: it depends on circumstances, capacities and in no small measure, on chance." It is therefore important that students develop an ability to intuitively understand and respond more skilfully to change, looking for answers that provide the ‘best fit’ for a particular situation rather than relying upon techniques and procedures in which a single view of ‘best practice’ tends to be emphasised.

Management may also be translated as 'influencing human output', measurable in indicators such as productivity and work satisfaction. We will look more thoroughly at the work of the managers who design the organisation, in the context of the environment and the strategy. HR professionals are required to have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the organisations in which they are operating. There is an increasing awareness that the human factor in organisations has become the important factor for operating effectively. HR professionals will be closely working together with managers in organisations to influence and direct human behaviour in such a way that the organisational goals can be attained more readily.

This course gives students an introduction to the discipline of management and the organisation. Students will practice their knowledge in case studies and will improve their basic analytical and conceptual skills in solving organisational problems.