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Online · School of Business · Graduate Business

Organizational Design and Structure
BUSI-610

  • CG
  • Section 8WK
  • 11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020
  • Modified 09/05/2023

Course Description

This course provides graduate-level instruction regarding the design, redesign, and implementation of effective organizations. Special emphasis is placed on the analysis, planning, implementation, and evaluation of both the social and technical systems of organizations with emphasis on the structural changes necessary to improve and maintain productivity and quality of work life.

Requisites

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

Organizations are collections of people working together under a defined structure for the purpose of achieving predetermined outcomes through the use of financial, human, and material resources. There are a number of approaches to the structuring and managing of organizations. This course will provide the student with a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical constructs regarding the field of organizational design and structure as well as strategies for moving from theory to practice.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Integrate a biblical worldview within the context of organizational design.
  2. Assess the dimensions of organizational purpose design and structure.
  3. Evaluate the open system organizational design elements, external environment international environment, and interorganizational relationships.
  4. Evaluate the internal organizational design elements manufacturing and service technologies information technology and organizational life cycle.
  5. Manage dynamic organizational design processes organizational culture ethical values decision making and organizational conflict power politics.

Course Resources

Click on the following link to view the required resource(s) for the term in which you are registered: Liberty University Online Bookstore.

Additional Materials for Learning 

  1. Computer with basic audio/video output equipment
  2. Internet access (broadband recommended)
  3. Canvas recommended browsers
  4. Microsoft Office

Course Assignments

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview. 

Discussions (4)

For this discussion, you will complete two parts as defined below:

Thread:

The student is required to provide a thread in response to the Discussion prompt. The thread must be 1,000–1,500 words, include at least 3 peer-reviewed references, and demonstrate course-related knowledge.

Replies

The student must reply to at least 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be a minimum of 400 words.

Literature Review Assignment

The student will research and write a scholarly Literature Review that will be submitted in parts through the course. The student will be required to select his/her topic, and submit a 3-tiered outline with a correctly-formatted title page, and an abstract. The student must also submit an annotated bibliography of at least 15 sources. All parts of the Literature Review must be in current APA format. The Literature Review: Final must be a minimum of 16 pages (not including the title page, abstract, and reference list) and must utilize a minimum of 15 scholarly references.

Quizzes (4)

Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the modules: weeks in which it is assigned. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 25 multiple-choice and true/false questions as well as 1 essay question, and have a 45-minute time limit.

Course Grading

Course Requirements Checklist

10

Discussions (4 at 60 pts ea)

240

Literature Review Assignments:

 

Literature Review: Outline and Title Page Assignment

50

Literature Review: Abstract Assignment

20

Literature Review: Annotated Bibliography Assignment

80

Literature Review: Final Assignment

250

Quizzes (4 at 90 pts ea)

360

Total

1010

Policies

Late Assignment Policy

Course Assignments, including discussions, exams, and other graded assignments, should be submitted on time.

If the student is unable to complete an assignment on time, then he or she must contact the instructor immediately by email.

Assignments that are submitted after the due date without prior approval from the instructor will receive the following deductions:

  1. Late assignments submitted within one week after the due date will receive up to a 10% deduction.
  2. Assignments submitted more than one week and less than 2 weeks late will receive up to a 20% deduction.
  3. Assignments submitted two weeks late or after the final date of the course will not be accepted outside of special circumstances (e.g. death in the family, significant personal health issues), which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the instructor.
  4. Group projects, including group discussion threads and/or replies, and assignments will not be accepted after the due date outside of special circumstances (e.g. death in the family, significant personal health issues), which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the instructor.

Disability Assistance

Students with a disability and those with medical conditions associated with pregnancy may contact Liberty University’s Online Office of Disability Accommodation Support (ODAS) at [email protected] for accommodations.  Such accommodations require appropriate documentation of your condition.   For more information about ODAS and the accommodations process, including how to request an accommodation, please visit https://www.liberty.edu/online/online-disability-accommodation-support/. Requests for accommodations not related to disabilities or pregnancy must be directed to the Registrar’s Office, which generally handles medical needs support.

If you have a complaint related to disability discrimination or an accommodation that was not provided, you may contact ODAS or the Office of Equity and Compliance by phone at (434) 592-4999 or by email at [email protected].  Click to see a full copy of Liberty’s Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy or the Student Disability Grievance Policy and Procedures.

Course Attendance

In an effort to comply with U.S. Department of Education policies, attendance is measured by physical class attendance or any submission of a required assignment within the enrollment dates of the course (such as examinations, written papers or projects, any discussion posts, etc.) or initiating any communication with one’s professor regarding an academic subject. More information regarding the attendance policy can be found in the Academic Course Catalogs. Regular attendance in online courses is expected throughout the length of the term. Students who do not attend within the first week of a sub-term by submitting a required academic assignment (such as the Course Requirements Checklist, an examination, written paper or project, discussion post, or other academic activity) will be dropped from the course. Students who wish to re-engage in the course are encouraged to contact Academic Advising to discuss their enrollment options. Students who begin an online course, but at some point in the semester cease attending, and do not provide official notification to withdraw, will be assigned a grade of “FN” (Failure for Non-Attendance). Students wishing to withdraw from courses after the official start date should familiarize themselves with the withdrawal policy.

Grading Scale

A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F
940-1010 920-939 900-919 860-899 840-859 820-839 780-819 760-779 740-759 700-739 680-699 679 and below

For courses with a Pass/NP final grade, please refer to the Course Grading section of this syllabus for the assignment requirements and/or point value required to earn a Passing final grade.

Add/Drop Policy

The full policy statement and procedures are published in the Policy Directory.

Honor Code

Liberty University comprises a network of students, alumni, faculty, staff and supporters that together form a Christian community based upon the truth of the Bible. This truth defines our foundational principles, from our Doctrinal Statement to the Code of Honor. These principles irrevocably align Liberty University’s operational procedures with the long tradition of university culture, which remains distinctively Christian, designed to preserve and advance truth. Our desire is to create a safe, comfortable environment within our community of learning, and we extend our academic and spiritual resources to all of our students with the goal of fostering academic maturity, spiritual growth and character development.

Communities are predicated on shared values and goals. The Code of Honor, an expression of the values from which our Doctrinal Statement was born, defines the fundamental principles by which our community exists. At the core of this code lie two essential concepts: a belief in the significance of all individuals, and a reliance on the existence of objective truth.

While we acknowledge that some may disagree with various elements of the Code of Honor, we maintain the expectation that our students will commit to respect and uphold the Code while enrolled at Liberty University.

Adherence to the principles and concepts established within facilitates the success of our students and strengthens the Liberty community.

The Code of Honor can be viewed in its entirety at https://www.liberty.edu/students/honor-code/.

Schedule

Course calendar and related activities
When Topic Notes
Course Overview
Student Acknowledgements

Course Requirements Checklist

Module 1: Week 1
Learn

Read: 1 item

Watch: 4 items

Review: 1 item

Apply

Discussion Thread: Introduction to Organizations and Organizational Theory

Quiz: Introduction to Organizations and Organizational Theory

Module 2: Week 2
Learn

Read: 1 item

Watch: 1 item

Review: 1 item

Apply

Literature Review: Outline and Title Page Assignment

Discussion Replies: Introduction to Organizations and Organizational Theory

Module 3: Week 3
Learn

Read: 1 item

Watch: 4 items

Apply

Discussion Thread: Open System Design Elements

Quiz: Open System Design Elements

Module 4: Week 4
Learn

Read: 1 item

Watch: 1 item

Apply

Literature Review: Abstract Assignment

Discussion Replies: Open System Design Elements

Module 5: Week 5
Learn

Read: 1 item

Watch: 4 items

Apply

Discussion Thread: Internal Design Elements

Literature Review: Annotated Bibliography Assignment

Quiz: Internal Design Elements

Module 6: Week 6
Learn

Read: 1 item

Watch: 1 item

Apply

Discussion Replies: Internal Design Elements

Module 7: Week 7
Learn

Read: 1 item

Watch: 5 items

Apply

Discussion Thread: Managing Dynamic Organizational Processes

Literature Review: Final Assignment

Module 8: Week 8
Learn

Read: 1 item

Watch: 1 item

Apply

Quiz: Managing Dynamic Organizational Processes

Discussion Replies: Managing Dynamic Organizational Processes