2009 Fall SOCIOL 144-01
Bulletin Course Description How organizations (governments, private corporations, and non-profit organizations) are affected by the social, technological, and cultural environments in which they operate. Emphasis on how United States and Japanese cultures generate different modes of organization and differing environmental facilitators and obstacles. Competitive strategies (for example, mergers and takeovers) and the impact of technology on organizational structures (for example, the rapid diffusion of information technology). Research paper required, using either quantitative evidence or a case study approach. Instructor: Gao or staff
(Instructor named in bulletin description above may not be current. For current instructor, see listing below.)
Title TECH AND ORG ENVIRONMENTS Department SOCIOL Course Number 2009 Fall 144 Section Number 01 Primary Instructor Gao,Bai Prerequisites
Synopsis of course content
All modern organizations--large corporations and small shops, profit and nonprofit, schools and hospitals, governmental agencies and churches--do not exist in vacuum. They operate in social, economic, legal and political environments (the term environment used here does not refer to natural environment which is conventionally understood). Environments are comprised of other organizations, such as buyers, suppliers, competitors, regulatory agencies, and courts. Environments not only provide organizations with opportunities, they also constrain the actions of organizations. The goal of this course is to explore how modern organizations interact with their environments and to examine various perspectives to our understanding the relationship between organizations and environments and their consequences. Classes combine lectures, discussions, and case studies, designed to apply sociological approach to the analysis of the real-world problems.
Textbooks
To be decided.
