OEL 530: Organizational Development (Graduate Level)

Course Description

This course will focus on allowing students to gain insights into the history and development of the principles of organizational structure and design. Students will explore the complexities associated with achieving a high performing organization and consider the influence of such factors as organizational goals, life cycle, culture, and environment on organizational design and decision making. This course will place emphasis on the roles of key business disciplines in achieving the organization's mission. Formerly tilted: Organizational Development Landscape (3 credits)

Prerequisite

  • OEL 501: Driving Organization Adaptability through Learning Organizations

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  1. Explain the differences between organizational structure and design.
  2. Assess the influences of globalization and culture on the 21st Century organization.
  3. Examine the complexities associated with achieving a high performance organization.
  4. Explain different leadership styles, including their own, impacts the performance of an organization.
  5. Demonstrate how the roles of key business disciplines assist in the achievement of an organization's mission and goals and identify the points of intersection.
  6. Explain the nature of the open systems approach.
  7. Analyze the stages of an organization's growth.

Applicable Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

  • PLO 2. Evaluate and formulate an individual leadership style.
  • PLO 3. Develop professional communication skills.
  • PLO 4. Recommend how one develops effective groups.
  • PLO 5. Construct organizational leadership strategies.
  • PLO 6. Explain the complexities of organizational design and the interconnection between organizational structure.
  • PLO 7. Design and implement organizational change processes.
  • PLO 8. Create strategies to support intercultural/global inter-relationships.
  • PLO 9. Develop strategies that support the advancement of organization's vision and mission.

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeights

Discussions (Weeks 1-8)

40%

Learning Activities (Weeks 2, 3, 5, 6)

40%

Final Project (Week 8)

20%

Total 

100

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle

  • Cummings, T.G. and C.G. Worley (2025). Organizational Development and Change. 12th ed. Cengage Learning. 

Supplemental Required Readings/Resources

  • Links to the supplemental readings and articles are provided in the course shells.

Course Schedule

Week

PLOs

SLOs

Readings and Exercises

Assignments

1

4,5,6,7,8

1,2

Topics: Organizational Structure and Organizational Development

  • Read and Review:
  • Cummings, T. G. & Worley, C. G. Organizational development and change., Chapters 1 and 2
  • Chandler, A. D., Jr. (Jan/Feb 1998). Corporate strategy and structure: some current considerations. Vol. 35. Iss. 2. P. 347-350.
  • Hernaus, T., Aleksic, A., & Klindzic, M. (2013). Organizing for Competitiveness -- Structural and Process Characteristics of Organizational Design. Contemporary Economics, 7(4), 25.
  • (Optional) Laing, A., & Bacevice, P. A. (2013). Using design to drive organizational performance and innovation in the corporate workplace: implications for interprofessional environments. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 2737-45 9p
  • (Note: articles are in the Charter Oak State College Virtual Library)

 

  • Read the assigned chapters and articles
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussions

2

3,5,6,7,9

1,5,7

Topics: Organizational Interventions & Organizational Growth

  • Read and Review:
  • Cummings, T. G. & Worley, C. G. Organizational development and change, Chapters 5 and 10
  • Read the assigned chapters
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Submit the Week 2 Learning Activity

3

2-5,7,9

4,5,6

Topic: Open System's Approach

  • Read and Review:
  • Cummings, T. G. & Worley, C. G. Organizational development and change, Chapters 4 and 8
  • Read the assigned chapters
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Submit the Week 3 Learning Activity

4

3,5,6,7,9

3,5

Topic: Aligning the Disciplines

  • Read and Review: 
  • Cummings, T. G. & Worley, C. G. Organizational development and change, Chapters 11 and 12
  • Weiser, J. R. (1997). Organizational alignment: Are we heading in the same direction? Hoosier Banker, 81(13), 10-14. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.cosc.idm.oclc.org/docview/195286528?accountid=26762
  • Eaton, D., & Kilby, G. (2015). Does Your Organizational Culture Support Your Business Strategy? Journal for Quality & Participation, 37(4), 4.
  • (Note: articles are in the Charter Oak State College Virtual Library)
  • Read the assigned chapters and articles
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussions

5

5,6,7

1,3

Topic: Types of Organizational Structures

  • Read and Review: 
  • Cummings, T. G. & Worley, C. G. Organizational development and change, Chapters 13, 14, and 15
  • Read the assigned chapters
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Submit the Week 5 Learning Activity

6

2,3,5,6,7,9

3,4,5

Topic: Leadership Behavior and Its Impact on Organizational Performance

  • Read and Review: 
  •  Cummings, T. G. & Worley, C. G. Organizational development and change, Chapters 6 and 8 (revisited)
  • Buell, J. M. (2008). What it takes to be an authentic and transparent leader: Living the organization's mission, vision and values. Healthcare Executive, 23(6), 21-4. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.cosc.idm.oclc.org/docview/200342303?accountid=26762
  • Cady, S. H., Wheeler, J. V., DeWolf, J., & Brodke, M. (2011). Mission, vision, and values: What do they say? Organization Development Journal, 29(1), 63-78. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.cosc.idm.oclc.org/docview/862094651?accountid=26762
  • Lillis, B., & Macaulay, S. (2015). The skills of sustaining change. Training Journal, 52
  • (Note: articles are in the Charter Oak State College Virtual Library)
  • Read the assigned chapters and articles
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Submit the Week 6 Learning Activity

7

2,3,5,6,7,9

3,4,5

Topic: High Performance Organizations

  • Read and Review:
  • Read the assigned chapters and articles
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussions

8

2-9

1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Topic: Organizational Development Implementation

No readings for this week.
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Submit the Week 8 Final Project
  • 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.