MSOD 618 Practicum 2: International OD and Large-Scale Systems Change (6)

Building on Small Systems Assessment and Change, this course continues the focus on international situations and builds the capacity to manage planned change accordingly. Recognizing that organizations exist in social, political, and economics environments that change rapidly and unpredictably, this course deals with planned change in an organization’s strategy, organization design, and other large-scale and multi-organizational systems. Understanding that unpredictable and volatile environments can create significant impacts on organizations, this course places emphasis on the use of complexity and chaos theory as a means of navigating change in such environments. Assessments models, intervention theories, intervention design, survey and other data collection and analysis methods, planning of complex change, and political processes in complex systems are examined. Additionally, managing strategic reorientations, mergers and acquisitions, and technological change are considered. Finally large-scale interventions are explored including employee involvement, work design, organizational learning, trans-organization development, and effective use of large group dialogue methodologies.