ORGANIZING IN A DIGITAL WORLD

The course will develop students’ understanding of organizational design and its challenge in companies involved in digital transformation. It will provide theoretical and practical knowledge on what organizational design is, which are the main decisions, organizational solutions at different levels of analysis and intervention: organizational , group and individual level of analysis. A specific focus will be provided on Automation, AI and the future of work

The course will help students to develop an integrated set of frameworks and tools for understanding and making decisions regarding organization that can influence innovation and ultimately the effectiveness of organizations. A special attention will be given also to ethics. Today’s manager can create an ethically healthy climate for his or her employees and encourage employees to behave with integrity.
Specifically students :
- will learn what organizational design means , what are the main dimensions of organizational design based on the main organization theories
- will understand key decisions of organizational design at different levels of analysis: inter-organizational, organizational, teams and individuals ones
- will able to comprehend what are the key challenges posed by the digital transformation to organizational design in a variety of sectors
- will learn analytical frameworks to managing the main challenges in designing organizations
-Will develop a critical thinking approach to the future of work and AI

It is a prerequisite to have passed the course of Digital management

The course will develop a robust in-depth analysis of organizational design and will stimulate critical discussion about it.
The course is structured in the following sections

0. introduction of the course

1. Organizations, environment and technologies
- Organizations: why and how do they exist? – Jones Ch. 1 pag. 23-41
- Organizing in a Changing Global Environment – Jones Ch 3 pag.81-90
- Understanding digital technologies – Joerges & Czarniawska (1998) & Flyverbom et al. (2016)

2. Designing organizational structures
- Designing Organizational Structures - Jones Ch 4-5
- Digitizing organizational structures: case studies – Raviola & Norbäck (2013) & Plesner & Raviola (2016)
- Challenges of structure and control - Jones Ch 6 pag .114-140
-Designing Organizational Structure: Specialization and Coordination - Jones Ch 6 pag 170 – 192

3. Organizational culture and change
- Organizational culture – Jones Ch 7 pag 201-221
- Organizational change – Jones Ch 10 295 – 302 & Robbins and Judge, Chapters 9-10 (Bruni&Comacchio 2023)

4. Automation, AI and the future of work
- An introduction to AI -
- Automation, AI and work – Fleming (2019); Dall’Acqua et al (2024)

The course material will consist of case studies, journal articles and book chapters.
Most of the material will be available online.
For each section there will be selected further readings useful for deepening the analysis.

Mandatory reading
Gareth R. Jones, 2013, Organizational theory, design and Change, Pearson (7th ed.) CH. 1-3-4-6-7-10
Robbins Stephen P., Judge Timothy A., 2017, Organizational Behavior -Prentice Hall . CH. 9-10

Other mandatory readings will be communicated the first lesson and the list will be available in moodle

Written exam

Written exam is structured in 30 questions (20 multiple choice and 10 structured questions) - 1 hour
A simulation of the exam will be delivered during the course

Interactive approach based on:
Simulations/role playing
Online self-assessment exercises
Assignments
Case Studies
Visual supported training
Key note speakers

English

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Circular economy, innovation, work" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development