Main Content
Syllabus
PADM 511: Organizational Change and Development (3 credits). Theory of organizational change and development; case analysis of applications in actual situations.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Policies
Overview
Public and nonprofit organizations are in permanent white water with ever-increasing demands for change and flexibility. As you advance in your career and assume greater responsibilities in public and nonprofit organizations, you will experience this pressure for change and flexibility and need to be able to manage the work processes and the people (your subordinates, peers, and supervisors). Organizational change may be required by innovations; new and shifting service/client forces; work force values; and demands, diversity, or regulatory and ethical constraints from the various communities in which an organization participates. However, while the necessity for change may seem obvious, methods for managing it are elusive. P ADM 511 Organizational Changes and Development will focus on theories, research and practices of both “planned” and “unplanned” change with emphasis on the development of change techniques in terms of procedural and mental frameworks with which to diagnose, implement, and evaluate organizational change processes.
Topics in this course include a general introduction to organization development (the nature of the planned change, the organization development practitioner); the process of organization development (entering and contracting, diagnosing organizations, diagnosing groups and individuals, collecting and analyzing diagnostic information, feeding back diagnostic information, designing interventions, managing change, evaluating and institutionalizing interventions); human process interventions (interpersonal and group process approaches, organization process approaches); techno-structural interventions (restructuring organizations, employee involvement, work design); human resource interventions (performance management, developing talent, managing workforce diversity and wellness); strategic change interventions (transformational change, continuous change, transorganization change); and the special applications of organizational development (organization development in global settings, organization development in health care, family businesses, school systems, and the public sector, the future of organization development).
For most of these lessons, the following main elements of your learning plan have been developed:
- Learning Objectives: Indicate the knowledge and skills that you are expected to obtain.
- Learning Blueprints: Lay out the readings, activities, and study questions.
- Learning Content: Present essential and/or additional learning topics and concepts.
- Learning Quiz: Online quizzes to examine your grasp of the basic knowledge and concepts.
- Learning Case Discussions: Apply topics and concepts in context via case analysis; sharing and expanding your thoughts and ideas between classmates from different perspectives.
- Learning Reflections: Reflect what you have learned and acquired in the week, and describe what are the most interesting or practical aspects you think you picked up in the week.
Course Objectives
The basic objectives of this course include the following:
- Develop the ability to use different lenses to understand organizations.
- Develop an understanding of the complexity and dynamics of change in complex organizations. This includes your ability to identify the different variables (technology, social structure, interpersonal relations, external demands, and internal driving forces) and their interrelationships that create or impede change.
- Discuss and evaluate different change techniques and different tools that are used to diagnose organizations as well as interventions used to bring about change through hands-on experience.
- Enhance skills in facilitation, group process, communication, and collaboration, all of which are necessary when leading a change process.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Using the Library
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
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| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
One of the benefits of being a registered Penn State student is that you are eligible to receive educational discounts on many software titles. If you are interested in learning more about purchasing software through our affiliate vendor, please visit the Technology and Software page.
Course requirements and grading structure are based on the following activities:
- bi-lesson case studies,
- bi-lesson learning reflections, and
- a final term paper.
Requirement 1: Bi-lesson Case Studies (Individually Graded Based on Individual Analysis and Whole-Class Discussion)
For every two lessons in this course, there will be a case study designed for your discussion. Cases prove valuable in this course for several reasons.
- First, cases provide you with experience of organizational problems that you probably have not had the opportunity to experience firsthand. In a relatively short period of time, you will have the chance to appreciate and analyze the problems faced by many different organizations and to understand how managers tried to deal with them.
- Second, the knowledge you have gained is made clearer when it is applied to case studies. The theory and concepts help reveal what is going on in the organizations studied and allow you to evaluate the solutions. It is important to remember, after all, that no one knows what the right answer is. All that managers can do is make the best guess. In fact, managers say repeatedly that they are happy if they are right only half the time in solving problems. Management is an uncertain game, and using cases to see how theory can be put into practice is one way of improving your skills of diagnostic investigation.
- Third, case studies provide you with the opportunity to participate in class and to gain experience in presenting your ideas to others. Your classmates may have analyzed the issues differently from you, and they will want you to argue your points before they will accept your conclusions, so be prepared for debate. This is how decisions are made in the actual organizational world.
In general, you need to consider three sets of concerns as you analyze a case:
A. What: Identifying the Essential and Most Important Issues
Use your own words to point out the most important issues described in the case. When you identify these issues, you should focus on problem that are
- Identify the key issues. Start by carefully reviewing the case to pinpoint the most urgent and important problems. Recognize that multiple issues may be present, but not all carry the same weight. Focus on those that are both pressing and critical.
- Prioritize. Among the issues you identify, determine which are:
- Urgent: Require immediate attention.
- Important: Have significant long-term implications.
- Both Urgent and Important: Demand immediate and high-priority action.
- Clarity and Precision. Use your own words to describe these issues. Avoid simply listing everything that seems problematic; instead, emphasize the major problems that substantially affect the organization’s performance or strategic position.
B. Why: Understanding the Root Causes and Factors
- Diagnose symptoms and causes.Look beyond surface-level challenges to understand why these issues have arisen. Distinguish between symptoms (the visible problems) and their underlying causes.
- Determine fundamental causes. Ask: What factors are producing the current situation? Are they rooted in organizational behavior, leadership style, communication failures, structural inefficiencies, or cultural misalignment?
- Use theories and concepts. Apply relevant theories and frameworks—such as leadership theories, motivational models, decision-making processes, or organizational structure and culture concepts—from this course and related coursework. Show how these frameworks explain the dynamics and linkages among the identified issues.
- Show causal linkages. Consider whether the issues share a common root cause or are interconnected in some other way. You may find it helpful to visually map out relationships or draw a causal diagram to illustrate how the factors interact and influence one another.
C. How: Developing and Justifying a Course of Action
- Establish decision criteria. Identify three or four key criteria that will guide your selection of a solution. These criteria should be:
- Pertinent and relevant to the identified issues.
- Quantifiable or at least measurable, so you can differentiate among alternatives.
- Clearly prioritized. Some criteria may be more important than others.
- Generate alternative solutions. Propose several realistic, plausible courses of action that address the root causes you identified. Avoid “strawman” solutions—every alternative should be a genuine contender.
- Evaluate alternatives against criteria. Use your decision criteria to assess how well each proposed solution addresses the urgent and important issues. This evaluation should help you determine why one alternative is more suitable than another.
- Select and justify a recommended solution. Present the solution you consider best, explaining why it outperforms other options based on your decision criteria. Show how it addresses the fundamental causes and resolves the urgent and important issues identified.
- Implementation plan. Outline a clear, concrete plan for putting your recommendation into practice. Consider:
- Feasibility and steps involved in implementing the solution.
- Potential failure points or obstacles that might arise, and how you would mitigate these risks.
- Monitoring and measurement. Explain how you will track progress, measure success, and ensure that the solution is achieving its intended outcomes.
- Contingency planning. Anticipate what you will do if the proposed solution does not work as intended. Identify backup plans or adjustments you can make based on new information or changing circumstances.
- Validate assumptions. Acknowledge the assumptions underlying your chosen course of action. Are they reasonable? If an assumption fails, do you have a fallback strategy?
By following this integrated set of requirements, your case analysis will provide a comprehensive and well-reasoned examination of the most critical issues, their root causes, and the most effective, actionable solutions.
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Lesson |
Textbook Chapters |
Case |
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1 and 2 |
Chapters 1 & 16 Chapters 2 |
Building the Cuyahoga River Valley Organization (from the 12th edition, pp. 411-419) |
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3 and 4 |
Chapters 3 Chapters 4 | Peppercorn Dining (from the 12th edition, pp. 105-123) |
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5 and 6 |
Chapters 5 Chapters 6 | Lincoln Hospital: Third-Party Intervention (from the 12th edition, pp. 179-187) |
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7 and 8 |
Chapters 7 & 8 Chapter 9 | City of Carlsbad, California: Restructuring the Public Works Department (from the 10th edition, on E-reserve) |
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9 and 10 |
Chapters 10 Chapters 11&12 | Employee Benefits at HealthCo (from the 10th edition, on E-reserve)
|
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11 and 12 |
Chapters 13 & 14 Chapters 15 |
Leading Strategic Change at DaVita: The Integration of the Gambro Acquisition (from the 10th edition, on E-reserve) |
Participation Evaluation: For each case, you will be asked to provide your own analysis individually by the end of the first assigned week. The case discussion forums are open to the entire class and are located in each of the assigned weeks. Then, each of you has to read all the posts written by your peers and choose at least THREE posts to make comments on in the case discussion forums by midnight on Sunday of the second assigned week (11:59 p.m. ET). If you successfully finished these two tasks, you will get 20 points each week (a total of 120 points for six cases).
Also, you are encouraged to respond to any comments/questions made by other students on your own case analysis no later than a week after the case analysis is completed.
Requirement 2: Bi-lesson Learning Reflections (Individually Graded)
For each two-lesson period, you will need to write a reflection (about 500 words) on what you have learned and acquired during the two lessons. Include the most interesting or practical aspects you think you picked up during the two lessons that might help you to gain new insights, knowledge, skills, and so on. The learning reflection forums are open to the entire class and are located in each of the assigned weeks. You also need to read all of the reflections made by your peers to compare their reflections with yours and make comments on theirs. (There is no maximum number of comments required, so please comment on as many as possible.) If you successfully finish this task, you will get 10 points for each bi-lesson reflection (a total of 60 points for six reflections).
Requirement 3: Final Term Paper (Individually Graded)
The purpose of this term paper is to provide you with an opportunity to examine and research the complexity of organizational change in the public or non-profit sector. What you need to do is to write a case study report on one innovative change (policy or managerial technique) in a public agency or a non-profit organization. You need to research one situation in which an innovative policy or managerial technique was developed and implemented.
In this report, you should have the following sections:
- describe the background information regarding the related organization (its history, the environments it operates in, and the current challenges it faces);
- provide detailed information about the reasons, the scope, and the context for the change;
- explain how the innovative policy or managerial technique addressed the need and why the change is innovative;
- identify the actual and/or planned outcomes from the change;
- evaluate the effectiveness of the innovative change;
- identify what the organization either should have done differently or what it should do next;
- include an analysis of the processes used to influence people to support the change;
- identify opponents of the change (describing their actions and how they were handled);
- analyze the change process; and
- identify the use of effective and ineffective practices in implementing the innovative change.
You will need to collect information by various means, such as through interviews and an archival information search. It is highly recommended that you discuss an innovative change in your current organization since you have the first-hand information regarding the change. If your current organization is not appropriate for this term paper, you should choose another public agency or non-profit organization. In that case, you might need to google to find an appropriate organization for the term paper. When you do google on the keywords such as “innovative policy or managerial technique changes in public sector”, please pay attention to real life examples embedded in the google results. Find one example that you feel most interesting and develop a case report on that example.
Since you are likely to get information from various sources, you need to be very careful in referencing and quoting them. Please consult the Academic Integrity section of this syllabus.
Your term paper should be not less than 3000 words and no more than 4000 words. There is no specific requirement on the layout of the paper. You should submit your term paper as a Word file (.doc or .docx) through the corresponding Canvas Assignment page. You could receive up to 120 points for the term paper based on whether or not you have covered all the required sections and the quality of your writing.
For all tasks, please use the reference guide for the American Psychological Association (APA) for proper form. Be sure to include citations for all direct quotes and paraphrasing. Check out the APA Quick Citation Guide at the University Libraries for some examples of common citation formats in APA.
Disclaimer: E-mails sent by students pertaining to a topic that can benefit the entire class will be forwarded to the entire class.
Grading Scheme
All facets of your performance are taken into account for grading purposes. The graded activities and the percentage of your course grade associated with the activities are as follows.
|
Graded Activities |
Grade Points |
|---|---|
|
Bi-lesson case study discussions (6 @ 20) |
120 |
|
Bi-lesson learning reflections (6 @ 10) |
60 |
|
Final term paper |
120 |
|
Total |
300 |
Based on the points earned on each of the graded activities, your course grade will be determined by the scales presented in the table below:
|
Percentage |
Grade |
|---|---|
|
94.00 and above |
A |
|
90.00–93.99 |
A- |
|
87.00–89.99 |
B+ |
|
83.00–86.99 |
B |
|
80.00–82.99 |
B- |
|
77.00–79.99 |
C+ |
|
70.00–76.99 |
C |
|
60.00–69.99 |
D |
|
below 59.99 |
F |
Performance is evaluated on the basis of your work on the tasks listed in the syllabus. Your course grade depends on the points accumulated during the semester. Use the table above to keep a record of your progress.
Note: Submit your work on time as scheduled. Your grade on assignments will be reduced by 20% for each day late, until the grade is a zero (five days late).
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
The topics and learning activities scheduled for each of the 12 lessons in the course are listed in the Course Schedule. Each lesson covers one week. As you study each week's lesson, please focus on the specific list of learning activities for that lesson.
- Course length: 16 weeks
Note: The due dates for the assignments are noted in the Course Schedule section of this syllabus, below. Deadlines will be defined as 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the last day of the lesson time frame, unless noted otherwise.
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| Activities: |
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Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please refer to Graduation at the Chaiken Center for Student Success.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
University Policies
- Accommodating Disabilities:
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities, including World Campus. The Disabilities and Accommodations section of the Chaiken Center for Student Success website provides World Campus students with information regarding how to request accommodations, documentation guidelines and eligibility, and appeals and complaints. For additional information, please visit the University's Student Disability Resources website.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
- Registration: All students in "Registration Not Complete" status must resolve issues on or before the 10th day after classes begin. Students who do not complete registration by paying tuition and fees by this deadline will not be able to remain in nursing clinical courses. University policy on completing registration can be found at Completing Your Registration: Frequently Asked Questions.
- Procedures for Resolution of Problems: For procedures pertaining to a range of concerns and disagreements involving graduate students and other members of the University community (e.g., faculty, staff, or undergraduate student), please see the Procedures for Resolution of Problems (Appendix II) website.
- Additional Policies:
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
- In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.
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- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
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Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
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For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Values.
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Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.