Introduction
This course provides the students with an in-depth understanding of key organizational processes and mechanisms. Organizations are the primary tool modern society uses to innovate and solve complex tasks. Understanding how to organize to solve the challenges organizations encounter is the main focus of this course. The first part of the course uses Scott and Davi's book, "Organizations and Organizing: Rational, Natural and Open System Perspectives" (2017), to chronologically review key theoretical developments in organization science. Another objective is to provide students with a background to understand the changes in organizational structures as a response to increasing environmental complexity, which we observe in both the private and public sectors. Therefore, the final part of the course focuses on understanding organizing in the face of the unexpected. Drawing on both classic and recent scientific articles, we examine how organizations navigate unforeseen challenges. The course offers advanced insights into how organizations manage deviations from the expected, with a particular focus on handling disruptions. To deepen this understanding, we explore both foundational and emerging theories of coordination within organizations and teams, shedding light on how they can better operate in complex, unpredictable and “wicked” environments.