Relevance within study programme

Elective course within the bachelor programme in innovation and leadership (bachelor i innovasjon og ledelse)

Introduction

The course focuses upon organisational change processes of change taking place within both commercial and ideal organisations. Students will confront the need for, opportunities with and problems related to change processes, in addition to understanding and investigating models with regard to exploring how to lead and manage change. Ethical issues and related decision making are central to such processes. Focus is placed upon research and practice within the Nordic context. Students will work in groups to analyse a teacher-assigned or self-chosen case of change management.

Learning outcomes descriptors

After completion of the course the students will have achieved the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The candidate

• has broad knowledge of the theory of strategic change processes
• understands theory concerning diagnosis of problems that demand organisational change
• understands how to plan, communicate and manage such processes within different organisational contexts (business, volunteer and non-profit organizations etc.)
• has knowledge concerning theory of the assessment and evaluation of change processes.

Skills

The candidate

• can identify and critically reflect over processes of change management
• can diagnose organisational opportunities and challenges that require processes of change
• can identify success factors and barriers to change within change management processes
• can evaluate the effectiveness of previously completed change management processes
• can contribute to the planning, implementation and evaluation of organisational change processes

General competence

The candidate

• can identify and assess ethical issues and problems within organisational change processes

Content

• Varied perspectives on organisational change
• Leadership theories and related perspectives on organisational change
• Leading and organising change processes
• Process-oriented change management
• Diagnosis of challenges requiring organisational change
• Change processes and change strategies
• Models of change management related to planned change
• Barriers to and success factors within change processes
• Evaluation of change processes
• Change and motivation at the individual level
• Specific issues within volunteer and non-profit organisations
• Ethical issues within change processes

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures, class-based discussion and group activities

Scope

The expected workload assigned to this course is 210 hours.

Coursework requirements

The following continuous assessment tasks must be approved within the given deadline before students can present themselves for final assessment:

• Group project outline. Write a 1500 word (+/- 15 %) memorandum based on teacher-assigned or self-chosen case of change management.

In the event of the group project outline being categorised «Not approved», students will be given one new possibility in the same semester to deliver an adapted version for assessment.

Grading, coursework requirements

Approved/Not approved

Final assessment

Project-based examination (7500 words, +/- 15 %) based upon a teacher-assigned or self-chosen case of change management.

Permitted aids under examination

All

Grading, examination

The final examination is graded from A to E to demarcate a passing grade and F for a fail.

Assessment language

English

Course evaluation

The course will be evaluated in accordance with NLA University Colleges’ system for quality assurance.

Reading list and academic resources

French, W.L, and Bell, C.H (1999). Organization development: behavioral science interventions for organization improvement. 6th edition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall