e-TC: Systems Approach to Organizational Change
TEXAS COLLEGE > e-TC >Systems Approach to Organizational Change (BUOM 43120) > Weekly Assignments

WEEK ONE

• Read the “Introductory Essay” in the Adult Learner’s Guide.
• Read “Systems Theory: A Holistic Approach to Management” in the Adult Learner’s Guide.
• Read Schein, Organizational Psychology, Chapter 2, “Human Problems inOrganizations,”Chapter 11, “The Organization as a Complex Open System,” and Chapter 12, “The Organization as a Dynamic Developing System.”
• Read “The Modern View: Systems and Contingency Concepts” in the Adult Learner’s Guide.
• Write the purpose of your organization. Why does it exist? What does it want to accomplish? This answer may be in a policy statement, company brochures, annual reports or simply “understood” by the members. Interview a subordinate, a colleague, and a superior in your organization and ask them what they think the purpose is. The selection of the organization and department the adult learner will be using for his/her Research Project is very helpful.

WEEK TWO

• Read Schein, Chapter 5, “A Developmental and Situational View of Motivation” (Pay close attention to pp. 87-92); Chapter 9, “The Structure and Function of Groups” (pp. 145-153 only); review Chapter 11, “The Organization as a Complex Open System.”
• Complete Worksheet #4 (Input-Output Model) for the organization and department or subsystem, in the Adult Learner’s Guide.
• Prepare a boundaries and environment chart for the organization. Be sure to read assignments #4 and #5 of Week One first.
• Complete Worksheet #6 (Patterns of Organizational Relationships).
• Prepare two organizational charts showing:
• The structure of the larger organization
• The subsystem in which the Research Project is located.

WEEK THREE

• Read Schein, Chapter 5, “Developmental and Situational View of Motivation,” Chapter 7, “Why Is It Difficult to Analyze Leadership?” and review Chapter 12, “The Organization as a Dynamic Developing System.”
• Read Hersey, Blanchard, & Johnson, Management of Organizational Behavior, Chapter 3, from the section titled “Motivation-Hygiene Theory” pp. 45-61.
• Read from Pierce and Newstrom, The Manager’s Bookshelf, Senge’s “The Fifth Discipline,”; and Case’s “Open-Book Management: The Coming Business Revolution,”.

WEEK FOUR

• Read Hersey, Blanchard, & Johnson, Chapter 7, “Situational Leadership,” pp. 131-157, and briefly summarize the basic concepts or ideas presented in the chapter.
• Read Schein, Chapter 13, “Increasing Organizational Effectiveness.”
• Read “Corporate Culture” in the Adult Learner’s Guide.
• Complete the “Organization Climate Questionnaire” in the Adult Learner’s Guide.
• Complete the “Change Agent Checklist” in the Adult Learner’s Guide.
• Complete “Planning for Your Changes” in the Adult Learner’s Guide (Force-Field Analysis).

WEEK FIVE

• Read Hersey, Blanchard, & Johnson, Chapter 9, “Situational Leadership, Training and Development,” pp. 181-196
• Review Schein, Chapter 2, pp. 12-38; and Chapter 13, pp. 230-238; Read Schein, Chapter 3, “Human Nature: Why Is It Elusive?”
• Read from Pierce and Newstrom, The Manager’s Bookshelf, Kouzes and Posner’s “Credibility,”; and Badaracco’s “The Discipline of Building Character,”
  

NOTE:   Any and all change(s) will be promptly communicated to students via e-mail.