MSOD 617 Foundations of Large Systems (2)

The purpose of this course is to introduce concepts and theories related to complexity and large systems. To achieve high performance, an organization’s strategies, structures, and processes must be designed to support each other and to fit appropriately into its environmental context. The focus of this course is on the systemic, normative, and diagnostic considerations associated with designed an organization’s strategic orientation. Building on the open systems perspective introduced earlier, this course extends the understanding of the relationship among organization environments, strategy, organization design, groups, technology, and culture and effectiveness. Students are expected to reflect on their performance and learning in Practicum 1 as a contribution to their point of view portfolio, integrate those learnings in the frameworks explored in this course, and mobilize for class and field assignments in Practicum 2.