Readings

The readings for the course come from a "modular" textbook, Managing for the Future: Organizational Behavior and Processes, written by a team of Sloan School faculty members Deborah Ancona, Thomas Kochan, Maureen Scully, Eleanor Westney, and John VanMaanen. Each "module" includes an introductory note that synthesizes material from the research literature as well as the business press, drawing on the research of the authors and contributors. Following the introductory note, there are cases for students to prepare and/or selected readings from the business press to help students assess critically the emerging patterns. In this syllabus, we distinguish Required readings from Recommended readings and include a description of what you need to do to prepare for each class.

I. Organizational  Processes for the 21^st Century

Class 1-New Organizations in a Changed Context

Required Readings

Kochan, Thomas, Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, and Wanda Orlikowski. Beyond McGregor's Theory Y: Human Capital and Knowledge-Based Work in the 21st Century Organization.

Required Readings

Module 2 of Managing for the Future

• Introduction: Three Perspectives on Organizational Processes, pp. 4-9.
• The Organization as a Strategic Design. Pp. 12-26.
• The Organization as a Political System, pp. 40-49.
• The Cultural Perspective on Organizations, pp. 64-75.
• Applying the Three Lenses in an Organizational Setting, pp. 94-96.

• Stewart, Thomas. The Search for the Organization of Tomorrow, pp. 32-40.
• Kanter, Moss Rosabeth. Power Failure in Management Circuits, pp. 50-63.
• Schein, Edgar. Organizational Culture, pp. 76-93.
• Dyancorp Case Transcript. (We will see this in video form in class)

Class 3-Team Processes

Assignment #1 due

(Note: We will be analyzing a classic film and as with most classics, this film requires a larger block of time to see and discuss.)

Modules 3 & 5 of Managing for the Future

• Module 3 Overview, pp. 1-2.
• A Team Primer, Module 3, pp. 4-11.
•  Module 5 Overview, pp. 1-3.
• Team Process Observation Guide. Module 5, pp. 6-14.

• Team Handbook. Module 3, pp. 14-33.
• Team Assessment Survey. Module 3, pp. 35-37.
• Team Decision Making. Module 5, pp. 16-24.
• Dumaine, Brian. The Trouble with Teams. Module 5, pp. 25-29.

Required Readings

Module 6 of Managing for the Future.

• "Outward Bound: Linking Teams to their Organizations." pp. 1-9.
• Case: Aston-Blair Inc., pp. 13-23.

Required Readings

• Barrett, Betty, Arthur Wheaton, Cutcher-Gershenfeld, Cheryl Coutchie, Joel, Iwao Ishino, Jennifer Mulder, Michio Nitta, Nejib Belhedi, Seepa Lee, Stacia Rabine, Shobha Rammanand, Takashi Inaba, Wen-Jeng Lin, and William Mothersell. "Japanese Team-Based Work Systems in the United States:  Explaining the Diversity." California Management Review 37, 1 (Fall,1994).
• Cutcher-Gershenfeld, Joel, "Passing the Point of No Return." MIT/Sloan Foundation Industry System Study-with simulation module.

Class 6-Negotiation and Conflict Management

Required Readings

• Module 12, Negotiations and Conflict Resolution. Pp. 1-21.
• New Forward from Cutcher-Gershenfeld, Joel, Robert McKersie, and Richard Walton. Strategic Negotiations: A Theory of Change in Labor-Management Relations. Boston:  Harvard Business School Press, 1994. New Forward in paperback: Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2000.
  Mango Systems Case. (handout)

• Rubin, Jeffrey. Some Wise and Mistaken Assumptions about Conflict and Negotiations. Pp. 24-31.
• Lax, David, and James Sebenious. Interests: The Measure of Negotiation. Pp. 32-48.

Assignment #2 due

Required Readings

• "Managing Cultural Diversity." In Module 11 of Managing for the Future. Pp. 1-15
• Background memo on Diversity Research Network. (Handout)

Required Reading

• Background materials for role-play simulation.

Class 9-Workforce Flexibility

Required Readings

• "Managing a Changing Workforce in Turbulent Times." In Module 7 of Managing for the Future, pp. 9-23.
• Heckscher, Charles. "The Changing Social Contract for White-Collar Workers." Pp. 24-28.
• Case: "The Case of the Part-Time Partner," pp. 63-66 of Module 7. plus "Part-Time Partner Redux-So didn't we Solve that Problem?" (Posted on Sloanspace).

Required Readings (all readings for this class will be handed out)

• Kaiser-Permanente Case and Collective Bargaining Agreement. (Handout)
• Stepp, John, and Thomas Schneider. "A Model for Union-Management Partnerships" In Perspectives on Work.

Required Readings

• "Managing Change in Organizations." In Module 8 of Managing for the Future. Pp. 1-10.
• "A Short Note on Organizational Change." (Handout)
• "Kotter, P. John. "Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail."  (Handout)
• "Organizational Initiative Analysis Guide for the LFM Internship Project." (Handout)

Class 12-Public-Private Partnerships and Institutional Change

Required Readings

• "Organizational Action in Complex Environments." In Module 9 of Managing for the Future. Pp. 1-37
• Building a 21st Century Aerospace Workforce: Policy White Paper for the Commission on the Future of the Aerospace Industry. (handout)

Assignment #3 due