MGT 327: Organizational Change

Course Description

This course will focus on planned organizational change, defined as a set of activities and processes designed to change individuals, groups, and organizational processes, systems, and structures. The focus of the course is on "how" to change (not "what" to change), and how managers are in ideal positions to anticipate, influence, and generate said change. (3 credits)

Prerequisites

  • MGT 101: Principles of Management
  • ENG 101: English Composition 1
  • ENG 102: English Composition 2

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Explain the changing opportunities in organizations.
  2. Develop a plan of the processes through which planned change may be accomplished: the development of the need for change, the creation of vision, the analysis and influencing of stakeholders, and managing the transition.
  3. Develop change agent competencies by requiring participants develop and execute plans to achieve meaningful, useful organizational change.
  4. Analyze change from the perspective of the person initiating change, the person receiving change, and the broader social context.
  5. Analyze social, demographic, technological, political, and economic forces affecting change today.
  6. Explain the differences between how to create organizational change, its process, and what should be changed, the content.
  7. Apply learning theory on the importance of the change vision and how to create a meaningful vision that energizes and focuses action.
  8. Analyze how change leaders can diagnose the strengths and weaknesses of existing systems and structures.
  9. Explain how people respond to change.

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeight

Discussions (Weeks 1-8)

25%

Article Review Summary - 1 page (Weeks 1-3 & 5-7)

20%

Leader Interview Assignment (Week 4)

30%

Book Review or Movie Review (Week 8)

25%

Total

100%

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle

  • Cawsey, Tupper, Gene Deszca & Cynthia Ingols. Organizational Change An Action-Oriented Toolkit. 5th ed. Sage Publishing, 2024. [EBook]

Additional Resources

Course Schedule

Week

SLOs

Readings and Exercises

Assignments

1

2,5,6

Topic: Changing Organizations in Our Complex World

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 1
  • Read assigned chapter
  • View Powerpoint Lecture
  • Participate in the Discussions (1 original post and 2 responses to peers)
  • Submit Article Review Summary
  • Begin working on Interview Assignment (due week 4)

2

1,4,7

Topics: Frameworks for Leading the Process of Organizational Change: “How” to Lead Organizational Change AND Frameworks for Diagnosing Organizations:“What” to Change in an Organization:
  • Readings:
    • Chapter 2
    • Chapter 3
  • Read assigned chapters
  • View Powerpoint Lecture
  • Participate in the Discussions (1 original post and 2 responses to peers)
  • Submit Article Review Summary
  • Continue working on Interview Assignment (due week 4)

3

2,3,5,8

Topic: Building an Energizing the Need for Change
  • Readings:
    • Chapter 5
  • Read assigned chapter
  • View Powerpoint Lecture
  • Participate in the Discussions (1 original post and 2 responses to peers)
  • Submit Article Review Summary
  • Continue working on Interview Assignment (due week 4)

4

2,3,4,9

Topics:Navigating Change Through Formal Structures and Systems
  • Readings:
    • Chapter 6
  • Read assigned chapter
  • View Powerpoint Lecture
  • Participate in the Discussions (1 original post and 2 responses to peers)
  • Submit Interview Assignment

5

1,3,4,5

Topic: Navigating Organizational Politics and Culture
  • Readings:
    • Chapter 7
  • Read assigned chapter
  • View Powerpoint Lecture
  • Participate in the Discussions (1 original post and 2 responses to peers)
  • Submit Article Review Summary
  • Begin working on Book Review (due week 8)

6

2,3,4,5,10

Topic: Managing Recipients of Change and Influencing Internal Stakeholders
  • Readings:
    • Chapter 8
  • Read assigned chapter
  • View Powerpoint Lecture
  • Participate in the Discussions (1 original post and 2 responses to peers)
  • Submit Article Review Summary
  • Continue working on Book Review (due week 8)

7

1,2,3,4,5

Topic: Becoming a Master Change Agent
  • Read assigned chapter
  • View Powerpoint Lecture
  • Participate in the Discussions (1 original post and 2 responses to peers)
  • Submit Article Review Summary
  • Continue working on Book Review (due week 8)

8

2,3,5

Topic: Action Planningand Implementation
  • Readings:
    • Chapter 9
  • Read assigned chapter
  • View Powerpoint Lecture
  • Participate in the Discussions (1 original post and 2 responses to peers)
  • Submit Book Review or Movie Review
  • Complete Course Evaluation

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.