This course has three objectives:

1. To provide basic tools to analyze the main mechanisms for the functioning and design of organisations, with a  focus on main organisational mechanisms and on organisational change and innovation; 

2. To examine in depth the variety of organisational configurations based on different goals (profit and non-profit objectives), sectors (manufacturing and services, traditional and innovative industries),  company sizes (small, medium and large firms),  locations (companies with international profile, industrial districts/business clusters). 

3. To develop capabilities in using tools and methodologies to analyze and manage organizations.

The course is structured into five main parts.

Part I. Organisation and organizational architecture. In this part the main focus is the understanding of the basic elements of organisations and organisational structures, in connection with the main organisational theories. The main topics are the following ones:

•Main elements of organisations

•The evolution of organisational design

•Features and variety of organisational configurations

•Inter-organisational relationships

Part II: Internal organisational design. In the second part the main focus is on the elements of internal organisational design, with a main emphasis on the role of digital technology and on the features of organisational growth. The main topics are the following ones:

•Design of organisational units

•Digital technologies and organisations

•Organisational life-cycle

Part III: Management of organisational processes. In the third part the main focus is on the main organisational processes and their key features, with a main emphasis on the possible policies and tools for promoting organisational change. The main topics and the following ones:

•Organisational culture and ethical values

•Innovation and organisational change - role of Project Management

•Decision-making processes in organisations

•Conflict, power and politics in organisations

Part IV: Human Resources Management. In the fourth part the focus is on the policies and tools for human resource management. The main topics are the following ones:

• Role of Human Resources function in organisations

• Human resources management processes (HR recruiting and training)

• Management of team-work - creativity management

• Remote/smart working processes

Part V: Organisation and coordination of international firms

• Organisational structures in international firms 

• Organisational coordination of activities in international firms

• Human resource management in international firms (expatriate personnel, international personnel and workforce, intercultural teams)

None

Knowledge and understanding: students have to gain adequate knowledge and effective comprehension capacity of the main elements of organisations and of the main organisational configurations and processes. 

Applying knowledge and understanding: students have to be able to apply acquired knowledge and to analyze specific problems related to a variety of different organisational contexts.

Making judgements: students have to be able to use acquired knowledge both in conceptual and operational terms, with autonomous judgement capacity and exploiting various competences in different organisational contexts.

Communication skills: students have to master the technical language of organisation discipline in order to communicate in a clear way with specialized actors (managers, experts, academics), while at the same time developing relational and communication skills with non-specialized actors.

Learning skills: students have to develop adequate learning skills in order to pursue autonomous study - in their working contexts - of the main themes of the organisation discipline.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Interactive teaching, case-study analysis, seminars held by managers and experts, group exercises, team projects (optional).

Innovative teaching methods

Business case analysis in combination with team work

Attendance

Students are strongly encouraged to attend classes. Students are involved in project working groups on business cases and in seminars held by managers and experts on relevant topics of the course.

Course books

Richard L. Daft, "Organizzazione Aziendale", Maggioli Editore (2021 -seventh edition), capp. 1-3-5-6-9-10-11-12-13-14.

Assessment

Expected learning objectives will be assessed through a written exam (whose duration is one hour and fifteen minutes) and an oral exam, with the addition of an optional team project work. The written exam is based on three open questions (10 marks each). The assessment criteria are the following: degree of knowledge, ability in providing well structured answers, ability in using concepts and models. The written exam is assessed over 30/30. If the written exam reaches a minimum mark (18/30), each student is subject to the oral exam which is assessed in the range between -2 and +2, to be added to the written exam mark. The final report of the team project work (which is optional) is assessed in a range between 0 and 2. Therefore the final evaluation is composed by the assessment of the written exam and of the oral exam, with the possibile addition of the mark related to the project work report.  

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Non-attending students are invited to contact the Course Teacher in order to gain a better understanding of the final exam structure and content. 

Course books

In order to allow non attending students to gain an in-depth understanding of the content of the course, the following material is required to cover the main topics of the course program:

Richard L. Daft, "Organizzazione Aziendale", Maggioli Editore (2021 - seventh edition - whole book).

Assessment

Expected learning objectives will be assessed through a written exam (whose duration is one hour and fifteen minutes) and an oral exam, with the addition of an optional team project work. The written exam is based on three open questions (10 marks each). The assessment criteria are the following: degree of knowledge, ability in providing well structured answers, ability in using concepts and models. The written exam is assessed over 30/30. If the written exam reaches a minimum mark (18/30), each student is subject to the oral exam which is assessed in the range between -2 and +2, to be added to the written exam mark. The final report of the team project work (which is optional) is assessed in a range between 0 and 2. Therefore the final evaluation is composed by the assessment of the written exam and of the oral exam, with the possibile addition of the mark related to the project work report. 

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.