Managing Change --- Planning, managing, evaluating, and surviving organizational change are challenges that you will confront as an employee, manager, consultant or analyst. In this course, we will explore the forces that have been driving organizations to change, examine the impediments to change, and survey a range of approaches for making organizational change more effective. We will ask why organizational change is often so difficult, how organizations institute and institutionalize change, and what organizations might look like in the future. Case studies, articles from the popular press, videos, and research papers provide our course material. The practical implications of this understanding will be underscored by a 6-week action project, in-class case discussions, and participative exercises. In research projects, students will test and extend their understanding of change by analyzing an organization's experience with the change process.
Prior to Fall 2014, this course was offered as MO 314.
Taken by all first-year MBAs at no additional tuition cost, you’ll work full-time with fellow classmates to tackle a real business challenge for a sponsor company. The MAP experience is designed to help students hone their analytical, project management, and leadership skills. It’s a true action-based approach to learning, where the stakes are high and the impact is real.
The Art and Science of Designing Your Life to Thrive in the New World of Work --- As you launch your post-Ross journey you will experience a great deal of change. Some of this change you can anticipate (new geography, new schedule, and new dress code, new boss, new coworkers). Other changes may sneak up on you (personal impact of evolving business landscape, job loss, challenging relationships with managers and colleagues, changing personal priorities). The course will introduce you to the science to help you learn to thrive for personal and professional success in the new world of work. The new world of work might be characterized by more flexibility and uncertainty. More people are switching jobs and careers at a more frequent clip. Sometimes this is by choice to learn new skills or move up the career ladder. Other times, employees may be choosing a more freelance or entrepreneurial career path. And for others, the choice to change jobs may be forced through corporate restructuring or displacement due to technology. Through this course you will reflect upon and synthesize your academic studies and action learning experiences to proactively crafts a meaningful career and life. Specifically, you will learn to apply your research-based management knowledge to adapt to your evolving professional and personal priorities, and the changing business world.