Course syllabus autumn 2021
Course syllabus autumn 2021
Title
Leadership and Organisation: Societal Changes - Power and Resistance
Swedish title
Ledarskap och organisation: Samhällsförändring - makt och motstånd
Course code
OL672E
Credits
15 credits
Grading scale
UA / Excellent (A), Very Good (B), Good (C), Satisfactory (D), Pass (E) or Fail (U)
Language of instruction
English
Decision-making body
Faculty of Culture and Society
Syllabus approval date
2021-06-21
Syllabus valid from
2021-08-30
Entry requirements
Bachelor's degree, consisting of 180 credits. The equivalent English B / English 6 in of Swedish upper secondary school.
Level
Advanced level
Main field
Leadership and Organization
Progression level
A1N
Progression level in relation to degree requirements
The course is included in the main area Leadership and Organisation at advanced level of 91-120 credits.
Course objectives
The aim of the course is for the students to develop knowledge and a critical understanding of the effects of major societal challenges such as globalization, environmental change and digitalization on organizations and leadership together with an understanding of changes and resistance within organizations.
Course contents
The course focuses on the effects of societal challenges in relation to Leadership and Organization. The course introduces and problematizes concepts such as change, power and resistance.
The course consists of two modules:
- Societal challenges – effects on Leadership and Organization (10 credits): In the first module the discourse concerning societal changes is deepened. This will be related to the effects of these changes on Leadership and Organization. Focus will be on questions such as new ways of working (time and space) and the effects of technical and enviromental changes.
- Change, power and resistance (5 credits): To meet the challenges which organizations are facing, there must be alternative ways of leading and organizing. In the second module the focus will lie on change, power and resistance in relation to societal changes. Concepts such as interorganizational cooperation (private, public and non-profit sectors) organizational changes and implementation of changes will also be discussed.
Learning outcomes
After finishing the course the students shall be able to:
- demonstrate the ability to apply alternative ways to lead and organize the work of an organization considering the effects of specific societal challenges.
- demonstrate knowledge and a deepened understanding of how power and resistance are expressed in relation to changes from the perspective of both management and employees in complex interorganizational contexts.
Learning activities
The course consists of the following learning activities: lectures, group projects, case projects, compulsory seminars and presentations (peer-teaching).
Assessment
- Module 1 (Learning outcome 1) is examined by means of an individual paper in which students investigate a concrete challenge and its effects from an international perspective (10 credits) (A-E, U).
- Module 2 (Learning outcome 2) is examined by means of a group project in which students identify a collaboration of interorganizational character on which they apply theoretical perspectives concerning change, power and resistance. This is examined as a written assignment (5 credits) (UG).
To pass the course the students need to pass all examinations of the course (15 credits). The course grade is based on the grade of the individual examination.
Course literature and other study material
Mandatory literature connected to the course:
- Edelenbos, J. & Van Meerkerk, I. (latest edition). Critical Reflections on Interactive Governance, Self-organizing, and Participation in Public Governance, Elgar Publication.
- Evans, J. (latest edition). Environmental governance. London: Routledge.
- Jørgensen, K. M. (latest edition). Power without Glory –A Genealogy of a Management Decision.Copenhagen: CBS Press.
- Wright, C. & Nyberg, D. (latest edition). Climate change, capitalism, and corporations. Cambridge University Press.
Articles and other material will be provided electronically.
Course evaluation
The University provides students who participate in or who have completed a course with the opportunity to make known their experiences and viewpoints with regards to the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarize the results of course evaluations as well as informing participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures initiated in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).
Interim rules
If a course is no longer offered or has undergone major changes, students will be offered two re-takesessions based on the syllabus in force at registration. This applies for the period of one year from the date that the changes were implemented.