60919 Additional

UVM School of Business Administration course proposals 2009

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Designing and facilitating complex systems change in organizations BSAD 376 - Management of Change in Organizations Professor: Merryn Rutledge, Ed. D

Description This course uses an applied behavioral science perspective to understand the layers of complexity in a change process and teaches students how to diagnose, design and implement change in organizations. We examine alternative intervention strategies in light of organizational culture, structure and power dynamics in order to understand factors that contribute to successful and failed change initiatives.

Learning methods This is an interactive course based upon discussion, group and individual projects and personal reflection on organizational changes students have themselves participated in. The goal of discussion of readings and case studies is to learn frameworks and strategies that can be applied in practice as leaders, influencers and change agents in organizations. Beginning in the first week of the course, students will create their final project, in which they propose and design a change project, stage by stage.

Audience MBA, MPA, Ed.D, Ph. D and other graduate level students

Reading Articles and excerpts CBAM project, University of Texas Bartunek, J., Rousseau, D., Rudolph, J., & DePalma, J. (2006). On the receiving end: Sensemaking, emotion, and assessments of an organizational change initiated by others. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 42(2), 182-206. Bridges, W. (1991). Managing Transitions. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., Inc. Gajda, R. (2004). Utilizing collaboration theory to evaluate strategic alliances. American Journal of Evaluation, 25(1), 65-77. Kotter, J. P. (1995). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, 59-67. Marcus, L. J., Dorn, B. C., & Henderson, J. M. (2005). Meta-leadership and national emergency preparedness.Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. case studies from Harvard Business School and Kennedy School of Gov't Books Merryn Rutledge, Ed. D, Principal

802 863 7084 [email protected] www.revisions.org

UVM School of Business Administration course proposals 2009

Marshak, R. J. (2006). Covert processes at work, managing the five hidden processes of organizational change. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. Schein, R. (1999). Process Consultation Revisited. Reading, MA: AddisonWesley Publishing Co, Inc. Straus, D. (2006). How to make collaboration work, powerful ways to build consensus, solve problems, and make decisions. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.

Course topics, by week Week 1: Layers of complexity in organizational change  Issues to consider in change management  Parts of the organizational system to consider in change management Week 2: Beginning a change effort  Using case studies to diagnose need  Choosing levels in the system where you can intervene  Considering and choosing from alternative change strategies Week 3: Covert processes and power dynamics  Using case studies and student projects to identify priorities for change  Identifying power dynamics and covert processes that affect change in organizational systems Week 4: Design and implementation of a change project  Designing and planning a change project  Challenges in and keys to sustaining change

Merryn Rutledge, Ed. D, Principal

802 863 7084 [email protected] www.revisions.org

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