Required prerequisite knowledge

Higher Education Entrance Qualification.

For exchange students from NLA’s partner institutions: The students must be studying business administration or a related field of study.

Relevance within study programme

Elective course in Bachelor of Business Administration and in Bachelor in Innovation, Marketing and Management.

Introduction

The course gives students a theoretical and practical introduction to organization development (OD) with special focus on the operational components of OD, such as diagnosis and intervention. Key topics include different types of resistance to change, organizational learning as a foundation for OD, organizational development consultant as a key player in the OD process, different leadership styles for managing OD processes, and power and politics in OD processes. The course will also focus on how to lead processes of change in both commercial and not-for-profit organizations.

Learning outcomes descriptors

On completion of the course, students will have acquired the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

Students

• have broad knowledge within the concepts of diagnosis and intervention, and can give an account of the relationship between the two concepts
• have broad knowledge within the action research model as a way of driving OD processes forward
• have knowledge about how to evaluate the results of OD processes
• have broad knowledge within relationship between OD and learning in organisations, including learning processes that block/promote OD
• have a broad understanding on the interaction between a consultant and client, and explains how to achieve a healthy helping relationship
• have broad knowledge within special OD challenges that have been identified in recent research, e.g., "interpersonal mistreatment"
• have knowledge on how to plan, communicate and lead OU processes in different types of organisations (businesses, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations.)
• have knowledge on the significance of Hauge’s contribution to develop the Norwegian society

Skills

Students

• can provide valuable advice in OD processes and assist with the planning, implementation, and evaluation of such processes
• can identify factors that either block or promote OD processes
• can promote motivation and team spirit in OD processes
• can diagnose internal organisational processes with a view to identifying strengths and weaknesses
• can facilitate the use of intervention techniques to improve internal organisational processes
• can identify resistance to change and provide advice on how to handle this type of barrier
• can evaluate the effectiveness of implemented organisational interventions

General competence

Students

• can analyse problems associated with the relationship between leadership and OD in a critical, reflective manner
• can identify and assess ethical issues in OD processes
• can present analyses associated with OD in an academic written presentation
• can give an account of the key actors in OD processes and of their roles in the process

Content

• Definitions of OD
• Basic assumptions and values associated with OD
• Leadership of OD processes with special emphasis on the action research model for planning, implementing and evaluating the OD process
• The operational components in processes of change
• Diagnostic methodologies for organizations
• Intervention techniques to achieve change/improvement through value-adding processes
• Contributors to the OD process and their roles within the process
• External consultants as designers of OD processes
• Barriers and critical success factors in OD processes
• Measurement and evaluation of OD processes
• Power and politics in OD processes
• The importance of organizational learning in OD processes
• Barriers to organizational learning
• Establishing a learning organization
• The dark side of leadership: consequences for OD

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures, group discussions, group presentations, test, and guest lecturer who presents OD processes as a basis for reflection and learning.

Scope

Expected workload in this course is at least 250 hours

Coursework requirements

The following mandatory learning activities must be approved before students can present themselves for final assessment:

• Group assignment, max. 3 students per group: Analysis of a set problem associated with organisation development, max. 1500 words (except bibliography).
• 80% attendance in class.

Should a group fail their assignment, they will be given a second opportunity, in the same academic term, to hand in an improved answer for assessment.

Grading, coursework requirements

Approved/ Not approved.

Final assessment

Project group examination based on a set case. Max. 3 students per group.

Scope of assignment is 7000 words (+/- 15%) and 4 weeks deadline. The bibliography is not included in the number of words.

Grading, examination

Project examinations are graded from A to F with A being the top grade and F being Fail. Group grading.

In working with a group exam, all participants in the group must contribute to the common product. If there is any doubt as to whether a student contributes or has contributed sufficiently to gain credit for a joint product, the routine described in the study plan will be implemented.

Permitted aids under examination

None.

Assessment language

English and Norwegian

Course evaluation

The course is evaluated according to the quality system for NLA University College.

Available as Single Course

Yes