Indian Institute of Management Rohtak

Course Outline

Course Duration: September – December 2020

Credit Load: 0.75 (12 sessions)
Course Title: Understanding People and Organizations II
Course Level: EPGPX

Course Instructors: Prof. Ankur Jain, IIM Rohtak

email: ankur.jain@iimrohtak.ac.in

Course Synopsis:

The nature of work in organizations has undergone a sea change following the tide of
globalization and intense competition. Along with the traditional focus on designing the
organizational structure, hierarchy, reporting relationship, work culture and values (for
instance GE, Unilever, Southwest Airlines, Microsoft, 3M, IBM etc.) new dimensions like
rapid change and innovation, social impact, boundary spanning etc. have been added to the
core of organizational effectiveness and sustainability in the long run (for instance Tesla,
Google, IKEA, Flipkart etc.). Such trends and practices are clear from various surveys and
studies conducted in Global Fortune 500 firms. This course aims to orient the participants
develop a global mindset in order to lead the global enterprises with simultaneously balancing
the parent, domestic, and host country units of the organization in an integrated manner. The
course places due emphasis on organizational learning and innovation, and meeting
expectations of social stakeholders in alignment with the organization’s structure, culture and
processes.

Teaching and Learning Strategy:

Lectures, case studies, discussions, exercises, simulations, team-based presentations and term
projects would form part of this course.

1
 Assessment Criteria

Application of problem solving and decision-

Case Analysis and Submission 20%
making skills in the case context

Case Writing Project, Understanding practitioner issues in organizations,

20%
Presentation and Submission application of concepts covered in class

End Term Examination Exam 60% Integrated assessment of the course

Main Textbook:

Understanding the Theory and Design of Organizations, Richard L. Daft, Cengage Learning, Latest Ed.
(ebook version).
Note: The chapters mentioned in the session plan refer to chapters from the main textbook.

Instructions:

Reading materials and case studies will be provided by EPGP Office in soft copy form at the beginning
of the course. Students are expected to go through the Cases and Readings before the session. The case
analysis needs to be prepared in groups and submitted to the instructor prior to each class. In addition,
each group needs to work on a case writing project. The case can be written about a problem in an
organizational context that involves an organization design intervention. Each group will be required to
submit the case (approximately 3000 words) in the last session and make a brief class presentation. Each
participant will also have to submit an individual report summarizing his/her learning from the group
project a day after the last class.

Session Plan

Sessio
Topic Reading Materials and Cases
n No.
Case 1: Joy of Running *
Nature of decisions in
1 Reading 1: Organizational Alignment: The 7 S Model (HBSP)
organizational design
Chapter 1: Introduction to Organizations

Case 2: The Decision Dilemma *

Organizational
Reading 2: How do the environmental factors affect an
2 structure and
organization (Technical Note - IIM Rohtak)
environment
Chapter 6: The Impact of Environment

Fundamentals of Case 3: Appex Corporation - HBSP

organization structure
3 Reading 3: Understanding the Design of Organizations (IIMA)
and structural
variations Chapter 2: Structural Design for Organizations

2
 Case 4: Sharma Industries *
Organization Design Reading 4: Fundamentals of Organization Structure (Technical
4
for Global firms Note - IIM Rohtak)
Chapter 5: Global Organization Design

Case 5: 3M in India for India

Organizational strategy Reading 5: Organizational Ambidexterity in Action: How
5
and structure Managers Explore and Exploit (California Management Review)
Chapter 3: Strategy and Effectiveness

Case 6: Cunningham Motors *

Market based
6 Reading 6: Why some platforms thrive and other don't. (HBR,
Organizing
2019)
Case 7: Insite India *
Reading 7: Understanding Organizational Culture and Values
Organizational Culture: (Technical Note - IIM Rohtak)
7 Concept and
components Reading 8: What Holds the Modern Company Together (HBR)

Chapter 9: Corporate Culture and Values

Managing Culture, Case 8: Merger Management *
Conflict, and Control in
8
Mergers and Chapter 7: Organizational Conflict and Politics
Acquisitions
Case 9: Nucor Rochelle India Limited (NRIL) – IIMA
Managing Change in Reading 9: Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail
9
Organizations (HBR)
Chapter 10: Organizational Innovation

Case 10: Mrs. Fields’ Cookies Inc. - HBSP

Organizational
Reading 10: Balanced Scorecard: Measures that Drive
10 Information and
Performance (HBR)
Control Processes
Chapter 11: Information and Control Processes

All groups are required to make a brief presentation of the case

11 Project Presentation
developed by them

Case 11: Opening the Valve: From Hardware to Software (A)

Future Ready HBSP
12
Organizations
Reading 11: Note on Organizational Structure HBSP
*KRC can take the cases from the instructor if they are already not available with the library.