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Strategic errors in organizations

Objectives

This course stands at crossroads of the disciplines of Strategy and OB/Leadership. Students should a) draw insights on the phenomenon of errors in organizations, why and how they occur and how they can be managed, in particular from the perspective of senior management, CEO?s and boards; b) develop approaches on how to detect, acknowledge and act upon organizational errors; c) develop skills for analyzing cases of organizational errors and strategic error management; and d) present original research work, to be carried out in a teaming context, in an attractive yet rigorous manner on a real-life organizational error of their own choice (in consultation with course leader). 

 

General characterization

Code

2654

Credits

7

Responsible teacher

Paul Verdin

Hours

Weekly - Available soon

Total - Available soon

Teaching language

English

Prerequisites

n/a 


Bibliography

These articles and resources must be read or watched before classes. They are needed for the comprehension and active participation and interactions during the sessions.


Teaching method

The value of the course hinges on active participation and interaction by students in class, in group work and in particular also in their field project groups. It will be mostly 'hands-on' that is, based on in-class case studies and discussions, in-class exercises, and in-class presentations. Readings must be done ahead of class, in particular of the cases to be analysed and discussed. Lectures will complement the interactive parts of the sessions, as well as some potential guest lectures from colleagues and executives. 

 

Evaluation method

The weight of the final exam should not be less than 30% nor exceed 70%.


Subject matter

The course consists of a number of in-class sessions, mostly active case discussions complemented with lectures/discussions, on errors in organisations across a variety of industries, comopanies, organisations and will focus on the issues involved in the management of errors, as distinct from - even if often partially overlapping with - error prevention, crisis management and learning from errors. We will start from the role of error management in high risk environments and the HRO (High Reliability Organizations) to the general and strategic management of errors as they happen and appear in organisations of all kinds. In so doing, the purpose is to bring error management as an additional and fruitful perspective to the attention of every manager and leader in any kind of organisation or company, in both public and private or non-profit sectors.