NUS Business School
Department of Management and Organisation
MNO3303 Organizational Effectiveness
Course Instructor : A/P Chung Chi-Nien
Session : Semester 1, 2012/2013
Aims and Objectives
This course aims to introduce students to the field of organization theory -- which incorporates concepts from various disciplines such as management studies, sociology, psychology, political sciences and economics to study organizations. The course is designed to encourage students to actively and critically use these concepts to make sense, diagnose, manage and respond to the emerging organizational needs and problems. The emphasis of this course is on the practical value of organization theory for students as future managers and as members of organizations. Developing an understanding of how (should) organizations structure and operate is critical so that students, the future managers, will be able to fulfill their roles effectively.
Modes of Teaching and Learning
Each week we will explore a different topic of organization theory and show how it can be used to anticipate, understand, and resolve different problems that arise from business organizations in today's turbulent environment. Exemplary issues are organizational goals, strategies and design; fundamentals of organizational structure; organizational environment and analysis; organizations and technology; organizational culture and leadership; organizational politics and decision-making and so on. We will make the link between organization theory and the realistic world by using textbooks, class exercises, case/video discussions and other supplementary readings. Because actively applying organization theory concepts is the goal, case analysis and discussion are integral parts of the course. The cases are designed to test and sharpen students' ability to identify the theoretical concepts in actual organization settings and to apply these concepts in