Critical Reflection on and practice of Organizational Change

The objective of the course is to know about critical incidence-analysis and empowering processes in Organizations for people, relations and structures. The students will also be empowered to bring about such changes in one's own organization.

Students will learn how to critically evaluate an incidence and an organizational situation with a view to implement change, acquire the tools to initiate and facilitate it, and evaluate the process and outcome. This is relevant for both private and public organizations.

The course will focus on knowledge and skills for change and innovation in general and empowerment of bottom up changes in particular.

No prerequisites

Knowledge

The student has knowledge of

• Critical incidence analysis
• Power issues on individual, relational, organizational and political levels
• Understanding different organizational cultures
• Organizational change
• Methods and techniques for problem solving
• Project & team phases and cycles
• Team structures and team development (relations and tasks)
• Action Learning
• Communication & feedback
• Relational competence

Skills

The student can

• Apply critical incidence analysis on own practice
• Assess the current state of oneself/ relationships/ groups/ organizations/ society
• Project planning
• Initiate the change process
• Communicate and give feedback
• Contribute to team building

General competence to

• Applying critical incidence analysis as an ongoing process on own work within the organization related to change within the organization.
• Assess the need for change.
• Involve people in implementation of change.
• Reflect and learn from changes

There will be four full days of meetings and four three-hour sessions, combining tuition, training and group work.

In the beginning of the course, each student has to bring a case/incidence, which involved some discomfort from her or his experience from placement or workplace.

An in-group term paper, 3 to 5 students in each group. The assignment demands an in-depth analysis of one of the cases/incidents, of 8 - 10 pages. The paper will be peer-reviewed by another group of students. Accepted/not accepted. If the paper is not accepted, it must be improved according to peer-reviewed comments within one week. Internal evaluator must approve the new version in order for the student to sit for final exam.

The student`s learning outcome will be assessed on a written reflection (8-10 pages A4):

• Presenting their own learning during the course drawing on their own relevant case/incident
• Drawing on course material and possible other sources
• Giving recommendations for future work-engagements.

All written materials.

Grading scale A - F.

The written examination is assessed by an internal and an external examiner.