Students explore theory and practice relating to change in social systems, including groups, organizations, and communities. The focus is on organizational change to strengthen adaptation, quality of working life, and effectiveness of organizations. A range of organizational change theories will be studied, along with their foundational assumptions, values, processes, practices, and evaluations. Though the planned change will be the main focus, the course will also explore unplanned, emergent, and continuous change in organizations.

This course is designed to obtain scholarly answers, at the doctoral level, to four key dilemmas in the field of organization development and change (ODC).
1. Why do all organizations need to adapt and respond effectively to the challenges of external forces and environments?
2. Why do all forms of organizational adaptation involve a change in several organizational components or features (independent variables) within organizations?
3. Why does organizational change usually need a process (planned by design) to effectively produce positive organizational transformation and improved performance?
4. Why do all change processes require effective and inspiring change leadership to achieve the intended transformations?