This independent study in Organizational Theory provides an
immersive experience into the multifaceted dynamics of
organizational behavior, change, and development through the
lens of individual impact and professional development.
This independent study is not just about acquiring knowledge;
it’s about transforming that knowledge into action. It offers a
structured yet flexible learning environment that focuses on
personal and professional growth, preparing students to not only
adapt to organizational challenges but also to drive progressive
changes that align with strategic organizational goals and
personal and professional developmental aspirations.
Anchored by three transformative texts—Think Again by Adam
Grant, Switch by Chip and Dan Heath, and The Friction Project
by Robert Sutton and Huggy Rao—this course offers students an
opportunity to dissect and apply organizational theories within
the context of their own professional experiences and
aspirations.
Learning Objectives
This course is designed to help you understand organizations of
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all types and to develop your abilities to deal with individuals
and groups in complex formal (or informal) settings. During the
course, you will be introduced to multiple theories of
organizational effectiveness and will become acquainted with
various tools that can help you understand the dynamics within
organizations. You will also gain knowledge and skills that will
better enable you to diagnose organizational fitness and make
appropriate decisions for addressing organizational problems
and managing emerging opportunities.
Exploration through Think Again: Adam Grant’s Think Again
encourages a culture of mental flexibility and the power of
questioning established norms. Students will explore how the
ability to rethink and unlearn is critical in responding to
evolving organizational challenges and will apply these insights
to reconsider existing practices and policies within their own
workplaces. This segment aims to develop critical thinking skills
that challenge the status quo and foster innovative solutions.
Insights from Switch: In Switch, Chip and Dan Heath examine
the complexities of change within organizations through
psychological and situational lenses. This book provides
frameworks for understanding resistance to change and
strategies for overcoming it. Students will identify change
initiatives within their own roles and utilize the Heaths’
principles to draft actionable plans that facilitate smooth
transitions and acceptance of new practices.
Learning from The Friction Project: Focusing on identifying
and alleviating friction points that hinder efficiency, The
Friction Project by Sutton and Rao equips students with
methodologies to diagnose and remedy inefficiencies. This
segment will involve a thorough analysis of the students’ work
environments to pinpoint friction sources and propose tailored
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Required Texts
Grant, A. (2021). Think again: The power of knowing what you
don’t know. Viking, Penguin Random House; New York, New
York
Heath, D. & Heath, C. (2010). Switch: How to change things
when change is hard. New York: Crown Business.
Sutton, R. I., & Rao, H. (2024). The friction project: How smart
leaders make the right things easier and the wrong things
harder. St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing
Group.
Integrated Approach and Application: The student will
engage in a continuous process of synthesis and integration,
where insights from all texts are interwoven with personal work
scenarios. This involves detailed discussions, reflective
journaling, and strategic planning sessions, guided by the
instructor’s expertise in organizational theory. The aim is to
construct a comprehensive understanding of how theoretical
approaches can be practically applied to real-world
organizational problems and personal development.
Outcome-Oriented Assignments: The two major assignments
—a detailed proposal for organizational change and a reflective
essay on career impact—serve as capstones that require students
to concretely apply their learning. These assignments encourage
students to think deeply about their roles as agents of change
within their organizations and the broader professional world.
Optional Reading
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Additional readings may be available on Brightspace.
Requirements
- Paper 1: Analytical Application Paper (50%, about 20
pages)
o Due: May 28 - Paper 2: Research Application Paper (50%, about 20 pages)
o Due: May 31
Description of Assignments
Paper 1: Analytical Application Paper
You will identify a personal organizational experience you that
did not turn out as you would have hoped. Your paper will
apply theory and concepts from the course to address what you
might have done differently with 20/20 hindsight. What would
you have done differently to achieve a better process or a more
desirable outcome? Re-examine the major learnings and
integrate them into a conclusion which reports new insights and
a wider perspective on the problem or situation than the
perspective with which you began. You should consider being
sufficiently specific as to provide a re-crafted conversation. In
other words, briefly write out a hypothetical dialogue that
reflects what you wish you had said or what you would have
said and done if you had it to do over again.
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- Include both “personal” insight and “organizational” insight.
- Be sure to look at your case/situation from the standpoint of
each of the participants in your “drama.” Do not stay locked
into your own perspective as the only way to explain and
examine the case. Openly consider and acknowledge your
possible contribution to the problem and what you should
have done differently. - Avoid attributing feelings, motives or moods to people or
organizations without providing the evidence in your paper to
support your inferences. Check for attributions throughout
your paper.
Paper 2: Research Application Paper
Your paper will examine and synthesize current academic
research on a course topic that is of interest to you. Prior to
writing your paper, you will confirm with the professor that your
topic and approach are suitable for this course paper.