Leading Strategic Change

The course Leading Strategic Change, is a course within the Master of Science programmes at the Graduate School, School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg.

To be eligible for the course Leading Strategic Change, the participant must fulfil the entrance qualifications for one of the Master of Science programmes at the Graduate School.

Organizational learning and change are essential aspects of a manager's role due to the dynamic nature of the business environment. External factors, such as technological advancements, market shifts, and sustainability challenges, constantly influence organizations. Managers must navigate these challenges and manage organizational attempts to learn and change to ensure that their organizations can adapt effectively. Furthermore, fostering a culture of continuous learning and change is critical for gaining a competitive advantage. Effective leadership play a pivotal role in shaping this culture. Managers also play a crucial role in ensuring that organizational learning and change initiatives are in sync with the overall strategy of the company. Such alignment is important to ensure that learning and change contribute to the organization's long-term strategic direction.

The ambition of the course is to prepare students to critically analyse, discuss and evaluate different dimensions of change management through reading academic literature and working with cases and real life examples. Within this course, the participants are given the possibility to develop their theoretical understanding in relation to the central themes of the course. There will be a mixture of lectures and seminars providing opportunity for reflection and discussion on change processes focusing on themes such as organizational learning, technology and leadership.

On successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

1. critically account for, discuss and apply various theories on leading organizational learning and change
2. discuss, analyze and evaluate organizational learning and change processes
3. critically reflect on different perspectives on leading organizational learning and change
4. discuss, analyze and evaluate sustainability aspects of organizational learning and change processes.

Lectures, seminars and group work.

Language of instruction: English

Learning outcome 1-4 will be assessed through an exam, written assignments and oral discussions at seminars.

A failed assignment can be supplemented to a pass grade.

The seminars are mandatory, and students are assigned to take active part. Absence from seminars can be replaced with alternative assignments.

Individual exams shall be written individually, cooperation in formulating text, tables, figures etc. is not allowed.

If a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

If a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course’s intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment.

If a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed.

The number of examinations is limited to five.

If a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local rules regarding RIU students at the University of Gothenburg.

The grading scale comprises: Excellent (A), Very good (B), Good (C), Satisfactory (D), Sufficient (E) and Fail (F).

Pass is required on all examination forms. The grade (A-E) corresponds to the total score a student obtains on the exam. Assignments and seminars will be graded pass/fail. To receive a pass grade (A-E) >= 50% points is required. The scale is tied to fixed score intervals:

A: 85-100%
B: 75-84%
C: 68-74%
D: 60-67%
E: 50-59%
F: <50%

The course will be evaluated upon completion. The results of and possible changes to the course will be shared with students who participated in the evaluation and students who are starting the course.