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OEL 643: Leading Organizational Change (Graduate Level)

Course Description

This course will provide a conceptual frame of organizational change theories, concepts and models. Students will have an opportunity to practice implementing organizational change processes; and to examine critical leadership competencies necessary to lead a strategic change initiative. This course will also allow students to gain a broad understanding of issues associated with implementing a change process at the individual, group, and organizational levels. Students will critically examine different types of change incremental, transitional, transformative, and strategic and the various implementations in performing systems change. (3 credits)

Prerequisite

  • OEL 501: Learning Community

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  1. Describe various theories, concepts and models associated with organizational change processes to apply to and organizational dilemma.
  2. Assess the pros and cons of the various organizational change theories, concepts and models.
  3. Evaluate the importance of organizational change and illustrate the role that learning plays in an organization change process.
  4. Explain the roles and relationships of information technology in organizational design, decision-making, and culture as a part of the change.
  5. Design an organizational change strategy and assess the effectiveness of the process from a leadership perspective.
  6. Evaluate the critical role of leadership in guiding organizational change.

Applicable Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

  • PLO 1. Assess and design learning communities in organizations.
  • PLO 5. Construct organizational leadership strategies.
  • PLO 6. Explain the complexities of organizational design and the interconnection between organizational structure.
  • PLO 7. Design and implement organizational change processes.
  • PLO 9. Develop strategies that support the advancement of organization's vision and mission.
  • PLO 13. Conduct research utilizing online sources and databases and write research papers that analyze and synthesize information and data gathered.

Course Activities and Grading

Assignments

Points

Discussion Questions:15 Discussion Questions @ 20 points each (Weeks 1-8)

300

Writing Assignments: 5 @ 60points each (Weeks 1,2,3,4 & 6)

300

Midterm Exam (Week 4)

100

Team Project

100

Final Project (Proposal @ 50 pts. AND Final Paper@150pts)

200

Total

1,000

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's online bookstore

  • Spector, Bert. Implementing Organizational Change. 3rd ed. Prentice Hall. ISBN-13: 978-0-132-72984-0

Supplemental Required Readings/Resources

  • Links to the supplemental readings and articles are provided in the course shells.

Course Schedule

Week

PLOs

SLOs

Readings and Exercises

Assignments

1

7

1

Topic: Organizational Change-Overview

  • Readings:
    • Read Chapter 1
    • Read case study
    • Watch Video: "Change Management Overview”
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Review lecture materials
  • Watch video
  • Complete written assignment
  • Take the Practice Quiz (not graded)

2

7

1,2

Topic: Implementing Change

  • Readings:
    • Read Chapter 2
    • Watch Videos - Implementing Change: Outside 45, Ted Hiro’s implementation, & Kotter’s 8 Step Change Model
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Review lecture materials
  • Watch videos
  • Conduct research web hunt
  • Complete written assignment

3

1,5,6,7

3,4

Topic: Engagement & Diagnosis

  • Readings:
    • Read Chapter 3
    • Watch video-McKinsey on Change Management & Diagnosis for Change
    • Reading-“Change Frameworks for Organizational Diagnosis”
    • Read National Computer Operations case study
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Review lecture materials
  • Watch video
  • Complete Case Study Analysis

4

1,5,6,7

3

Topics: Organization Redesign

  • Readings:
    • Read Chapter 4
    • Watch Videos-What is Organization Design? & What Every Leader Needs to Know about Organizational Change.
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Review lecture materials
  • Watch video
  • Prepare capstone proposal
  • Take midterm exam

5

1,5,6,7

3,4

Topics: People Alignment & Change

  • Readings:
    • Read Chapter 5
    • Read Change-Capable Leadership Article
    • Watch Videos- Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant on Resilience & 7 Strategies for Overcoming resistance to Change
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Review lecture materials
  • Team Assignment: Powerpoint presentation preparation

6

1,5,7,9

3,5

Topic: Reinforcing New Behaviors

  • Readings:
    • Read Chapter 6
    • Watch Video - Strategic Management: Organizational Structure & All it Takes is 10 Mindful Minutes
    • Read Navigating Change: A Leader's Role Article
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Review lecture materials
  • Watch video
  • Continue with team assignment: Powerpoint presentation preparation
  • Write analytical response paper

7

7,9

6

Topic: Leading Change

  • Readings:
    • Read Chapter 7
    • Watch videos - Change Management vs.Change Leadership - What's the Difference?; What it Takes to be a Great Leader, & 5 Ways to Lead in an era of Constant Change
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Review lecture materials
  • Complete team assignment: Powerpoint presentation

8

1,5,6,7,9,13

1-6

Topics: Final Project & Course Wrap-up

  • Readings:
    • Read Chapter 8 (Optional)
  • Participate in a Discussion
  • Review lecture materials
  • Watch videos - “Who Moved My Cheese” & Leading in Times of Transition
  • Submit Final Capstone Research Paper
  • Complete Team Evaluation

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.