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LLSMA2006 « Theories of organizations»
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February - March 2021
Class meets Mondays, 9:30 - 12:30; 14:00-16:00
Team or Zoom
Prof. Régis Coeurderoy
Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain School of Management, Place des Doyens, 1;
B-1348 Louvain La Neuve (Belgium)
Tel: +32.10.47.84.24
Fax: +32.10.47.83.24
Email: regis.coeurderoy@uclouvain.be
Course objectives
Why do firms exist? And why markets and other arrangements among individual or collective actors exist? How can we explain the causes and consequences of interactions and collaborations between actors? How can we assess (and give sense to) performance evaluations (profit, efficiency, legitimacy...) at individual or organizational levels? Here are some of the core questions supporting a sizeable chunk of research works in management. To tackle seriously such issues, researchers need to develop intellectual frameworks that we call theories. Theories provide lens to analyse people actions and behaviors and to draw causal relations. Furthermore, theories create the common grammar that a community of researchers shares.
Albeit considered as a "practice matters at first" discipline, management also needs theories, not only to be accepted as an academic discipline, but also to create sound, replicative and cumulative knowledge. So far, theoretical approaches of organizations developed in management studies have been widely inspired by more old and established disciplines in social sciences – economics, psychology and sociology. More recently, researchers in management have developed efforts to create a more specific approach.
This course is an introduction to these theories of organizations widely used in the research field of management & organizations. We will review the main theoretical approaches through their disciplinary origin: economics (day 2), sociology (day 4) and psychology (day 5). We will also review the theories more “management based”: the competence approach (day 3) and the stakeholders approach (day 6). We will start by a brief introduction and an analysis of behavioural assumptions adopted in these social science theories.
The learning objectives are twofold. The very first learning objective will be focused on the basic features of each theoretical approach. We will help students (a) to acquire a helicopter’s view and a synthetic perspective on the different theories - useful knowledge to position your research on sound foundations (internal consistency); (b) to sort out concepts and frameworks and to be able to identify specific features of each theory and overlaps/contradictions between theories - other useful knowledge to position your research on sound foundations (external consistency). The second learning objective will be more oriented towards the development of a researcher’s skills. We will help students (a) to develop analytical reading skills – useful to manage huge volumes of articles; (b) to develop synthetic writing skills – useful to orchestrate discussion between papers and develop your own way.
The course is a PhD level course (1st year). Master students interested by a research course on theories of organization in management can access too.
Course format
The format of the course is centred on lectures and paper discussions, with a high level of participation expected from the students. In a typical one-day (five hours) session, we will proceed in three steps:
(1) 2h (before the session) General introduction of the theoretical lens (“Foundations”) In this first part, the instructor will provide an overview of the foundations. A certain number of key articles are mentioned. Students will be able to use the cited references to further explore the theories. These readings are useful for appropriation and discussion of the theories. In 2021, the course will be on-line. The “General introduction of the theoretical lens” will be pre-recorded and the students will have the possibility to self-organize and study the videos;
(2) 45 mn (on-line) – inversed Q&As The instructor will question the students about the video content and potentially some developments. The students will be randomly questioned and will answer the questions;
(2) 2 h “Challenge accepted!”
ü Analysis of a key paper
We will work in class on a key paper, with a list of questions. Each student will be required to read the paper before the class. The students will have limited time to answer the questions. Each student will individually post her/his short analysis on Moodle;
ü Team work & discussion on a recent development of the theory on a recent debate on the theory (“Debates” or “Developments”) Each team of student will have the opportunity to prepare a presentation for the class about a recent development or a debate on the theory. Readings to be analysed are provided in the syllabus.
The course format is indicative. The final format will be presented in class 1. The same of the class will have an impact on the format.
Grading (Master students)
• Individual analyses of key papers: 35%
- Class attendance
- Clarity of analysis
- Quality of problematisation
• In-class presentations: 35%
- Quality of problematisation
- Critical analysis of the theory
- Capability of theoretical developments
• Research note on the theoretical foundations of the PhD topic: 30%
- Maximum deadline: end of the term
- 2/3 pages
- Synthetic note on the theoretical foundations of the Master thesis topic re: theories of organizations (what is the meaning of “organizations” in your theoretical perspective)
- Research gap and expected contribution
Grading (PhD students)
• Individual analyses of key papers: 35%
- Class attendance
- Clarity of analysis
- Quality of problematisation
• In-class presentations: 35%
- Quality of problematisation
- Critical analysis of the theory
- Capability of theoretical developments
• Research note on the theoretical foundations of the PhD topic: 30%
- Maximum deadline: mid-June 2019
- 3/4 pages
- Synthetic note on the theoretical foundations of the PhD topic re: theories of organizations (what is the meaning of “organizations” in your theoretical perspective)
- Research gap and expected contribution
Course topics
1. The theories of the organizations: same concern, multiple lens
2. The economic approach: organizations through the lens of coordination
3. The sociological approach: organizations through the lens of institutions
4. The stakeholder approach: organizations through the lens of relationships
5. The psychological approach: organizations through the lens of behaviors
6. The managerial approach: organizations through the lens of competence
Session Programming
February 1st, 2021
ü Course introduction (2h)
ü Opening session: The theories of the organizations: same concern, multiple lens (videos, 2h)
ü Discussion & group organizations (1h)
February 8th, 2021
ü The economic approach: organizations through the lens of coordination (videos, 2h)
ü Inversed Q&As (45 mn)
ü Challenge accepted! (individual work; 1h30)
ü Discussion (30 mn)
February 15th, 2021
ü The sociological approach: organizations through the lens of institutions (videos, 2h)
ü Inversed Q&As (45 mn)
ü Challenge accepted! (individual work; 1h30)
ü Discussion (30 mn)
February 22th, 2021
ü The managerial approach: organizations through the lens of competence (videos, 2h)
ü Inversed Q&As (45 mn)
ü Challenge accepted! (individual work; 1h30)
ü Discussion (30 mn)
March 1st, 2021
ü The stakeholder approach: organizations through the lens of relationships – with Prof. Flore Bridoux, Erasmus University Rotterdam, NL (3h)
ü Team presentations on developments/debates (2h)
March 8th, 2021
ü Learning in organizations – with Prof. Louis Mulotte, Tilburg University, NL (3h)
ü Key research topics in the entrepreneurship field – with Prof. Frank Janssen (2h)
- Teacher: Coeurderoy Régis