DBA 8104: Organizational Change
3 credits
Only open to DBA students
This DBA course provides an in-depth exploration of the theoretical foundations and contemporary theories of organizational change, focusing on their application within the context of entrepreneurial leadership. Designed based on the comprehensive review and synthesis of the organizational change literature by Stouten, Rousseau, and De Cremer (2018)*, the course integrates management practice with scholarly research to offer a robust understanding of successful organizational change.
Throughout the 13-week program, students will engage with seminal and current literature, examining key tenets of widely-used practitioner-oriented change models alongside empirical findings from organizational change research. The course covers crucial areas such as diagnosing the need for change, developing a vision and plan, effective communication strategies, empowering stakeholders, generating and consolidating short-term wins, and institutionalizing change. Each topic is designed to not only convey theoretical insights but also to provide practical applications, preparing students to manage and lead change effectively in entrepreneurial settings.
More importantly, the course will give students the opportunity to apply organizational change concepts to their dissertation topic and emerging insights and recommendations. What is the “so what” for managers, and how can they successfully implement and institutionalize dissertation recommendations into their organizations? Reflection in this area will help students with the Discussion and Implication sections of their dissertation, and course deliverables will be designed to help students make further progress on their dissertation.