Organizational Sciences (ORSC)

ORSC 1000. Dean's Seminar. 3 Credits.

The Dean’s Seminars provide Columbian College first-year students focused scholarship on specific intellectual challenges. Topics vary by semester; see department for more details.

ORSC 1109. Introduction to Organizational Sciences. 3 Credits.

Introduction to organizations, systems theory, and organizational characteristics; structure, leadership, culture, strategy, and organizational life cycles in the context of modern and dynamic environments. Organizational theory as a tool for developing strategic thinking.

ORSC 2000. Sophomore Colloquium. 3 Credits.

Sophomore colloquia are small, seminar-type classes that deeply engage CCAS second-year students in a discipline, focus on a narrow issue of high interest and impact, and require independent research projects. May be repeated provided topic differs. See department for more details. Restricted to CCAS sophomores.

ORSC 2046. Global Organizations. 3 Credits.

The globalization of organizations as the engine for the global movement of talented and skilled professionals; the increasing focus of organizations on attracting, utilizing, and developing such individuals. Issues related to the formulation of global strategy and the leadership of global talent. Prerequisites: ORSC 1109.

ORSC 2046W. Global Organizations. 3 Credits.

Focus on global organizations, entities in the global public, private, and civil society sectors that conduct activities across multiple national boundaries. Prerequisites: ORSC 1109. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement.

ORSC 2099. Variable Topics. 1-36 Credits.

ORSC 2116. Leading Change. 3 Credits.

An in-depth introduction to and analysis of concepts and techniques of leadership, including motivation, goal alignment, incentives, teamwork, and communication. Conceptual and empirical background of the management of change. Prerequisites: ORSC 1109.

ORSC 2123. Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. 3 Credits.

Theories in psychology, management, and communication as applied to individual-, group-, and organizational-level contexts of negotiation and conflict resolution. Prerequisites: ORSC 1109.

ORSC 2143. Leadership and Performance. 3 Credits.

Leadership from an organization system perspective. Theory, research, and applications pertaining to how leaders can reduce uncertainty through appropriate adaptive change. Prerequisites: ORSC 1109.

ORSC 2544. Industrial/Organizational Psychology. 3 Credits.

Psychological concepts and methods applied to problems of personnel management, employee motivation and productivity, supervisory leadership, and organizational development. Prerequisites: ORSC 1109 or PSYC 1001. (Same as PSYC 2544)

ORSC 2560. Group Dynamics. 3 Credits.

Relationship of the individual to groups, collectivities, and larger social systems. Theory, research, and applications of group and organizational processes. Prerequisites: ORSC 1109 or PSYC 1001. Same As: PSYC 2560.

ORSC 3099. Variable Topics. 1-12 Credits.

ORSC 3141. Strategy in Organizations. 3 Credits.

Processes and theories of strategic management in the profit and nonprofit sectors. Analysis of behavioral, sociopolitical, and economic forces underlying strategy formulation. Strategic competitive advantage; corporate diversification; multinational corporations; evaluation and choice; and implementation of functional and corporate strategies. Prerequisites: ORSC 1109.

ORSC 3159. Extreme Decisions. 3 Credits.

Processes in organizational decision making and group behavior. Topics include group and individual decision-making approaches, decision aids and support systems, performance and decision effectiveness, and risk analysis. Prerequisites: ORC 1109.

ORSC 3165. Organizational Network Analysis. 3 Credits.

A relational view of organizations, emphasizing the ways in which business, nonprofit, public, and governmental entities engage with a multitude of actors in pursuit of their goals. Organizational embeddedness and how an organization’s position in a web of relations helps or hinders it. Prerequisite: ORSC 1109.

ORSC 3190. Special Topics. 1-3 Credits.

Topics to be announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs. Prerequisites: ORSC 1109.

ORSC 3195. Occupational Health Psychology. 3 Credits.

Overview of popular topics and theories in organizational and occupational health. Evaluating and implementing occupational health theories and methods. Analysis of behavioral, psychological, and social factors underlying health and well-being. Restricted to majors and minors in the organizational science and psychology programs, or with the permission of the instructor. Prerequisites: ORSC 1109 or PSYC 1001. Recommended background: Knowledge of organizational science, psychology, public health, business management/human resource management. Same As: PSYC 3195.

ORSC 4161. Research Methods in Organizational Sciences. 3 Credits.

Fundamentals of qualitative, correlational, quasi-experimental, and experimental research design in organizational settings. Defining a research question, designing a research study, conducting and interpreting statistical analyses, and communicating results of a variety of research efforts. Prerequisite: STAT 1053 and ORSC 1109. Restricted to organizational science majors.

ORSC 4195. Independent Study. 1-3 Credits.

Opportunity for work on individual research projects. Open to qualified students by permission; arrangements must be made with the sponsoring faculty member prior to registration. A list of participating faculty members and their research specialties is available from the department. Prerequisites: ORSC 1109.

ORSC 4197. Senior Research Seminar. 3 Credits.

Capstone course limited to organizational sciences majors in their senior year. Real world applications of organizational research. Students work on an individually designed research project with results presented in a major paper. Restricted to seniors in the organizational science program. Prerequisites: ORSC 1109 and ORSC 4161. Same As: ORSC 4197W.

ORSC 4197W. Senior Research Seminar. 3 Credits.

Capstone course limited to organizational sciences majors in their senior year. Real world applications of organizational research. Students work on an individually designed research project with results presented in a major paper. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement. Prerequisites: ORSC 1109 and ORSC 4161. Same As: ORSC 4197.

ORSC 5099. Variable Topics. 1-99 Credits.

ORSC 6104. Statistics in Management, Administration, and Policy Studies. 3 Credits.

Introductory study of statistical techniques for research problems. Restricted to graduate students in fields other than statistics who have no previous statistics training.

ORSC 6165. Organizational and Communication Networks. 3 Credits.

The application of tools of social network analysis to organizational settings and behavior as well as communication processes, both within and among organizations. Restricted to graduate students. (Same as COMM 6165)

ORSC 6209. Management Systems. 3 Credits.

An overview of theoretical frameworks, evolution, concepts, and methods of complex organizational systems. Modern organization theory using systems thinking and concepts. Organizational and management systems paradigm shifts. Problem solving and decision making, stakeholder theory, organizational environments, organizational effectiveness.

ORSC 6212. Current Issues in Personnel Testing and Selection. 3 Credits.

Psychometric, legal, and organizational issues in personnel employment testing and selection, reliability and validity of selection instruments, and the utility of selection systems. The legal environment, including test fairness in selection, adverse impact, and statistical models of test fairness and specific selection techniques. Prerequisite: STAT 2104.

ORSC 6214. Personnel Training and Performance Appraisal Systems. 3 Credits.

Management training programs and training evaluation techniques. Performance appraisal techniques, appraisal systems, relationship of rewards to performance and the appraisal interview. Training and rating systems that satisfy legal requirements and stimulate employee productivity.

ORSC 6216. Theories and Management of Planned Change. 3 Credits.

A systems view of organizational change and development, including intervention strategies, data collection, diagnosis, and the integration and management of system-wide organizational change.

ORSC 6217. Productivity and Human Performance. 3 Credits.

Definitions and measurement of individual, team, and organizational productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency. Models for the analysis of organizational and individual productivity and productivity growth in industrialized nations. Techniques for increasing productivity.

ORSC 6219. Managerial Economics. 3 Credits.

Intermediate microeconomic theory; production and costs, market structure and pricing, risk analysis, and investment theory and capital budgeting. Students who receive credit for this course can receive credit for only one of ECON 6217 or ECON 6219. Restricted to graduate students.

ORSC 6222. Theory and Practice of Compensation Management. 3 Credits.

Analysis of contemporary compensation systems from both theoretical and practical perspectives, including the latest decisions of courts and regulatory agencies. Examination of motivational theories of pay, determinants and effects of salary structures on performance, incentive plans, performance-based compensation, and managerial compensation systems.

ORSC 6223. Collective Bargaining. 3 Credits.

Analysis of federal and state employee relations laws and regulations. Topics include the bargaining environment, wage and benefit issues in arbitration, arbitration of grievances, employee relations in non-union organizations, and behavioral theories of labor negotiations.

ORSC 6224. Persuasion and Negotiation. 3 Credits.

Theories drawn from the psychology, management, and communication literature pertaining to core concepts of social influence, persuasion, and negotiation. Critical assessment of proposals within organizations that use these strategies.

ORSC 6241. Strategic Management and Policy Formation. 3 Credits.

Processes and theories of strategic management in the profit and not-for-profit sectors. Analysis of behavioral, sociopolitical, and economic forces underlying strategy formulation. Issues of strategic competitive advantage; corporate diversification; multinational corporations; evaluation and choice; and implementation of functional and corporate strategies.

ORSC 6242. Organizational Communication and Conflict Management. 3 Credits.

Theories drawn from the communication psychology and management literature pertaining to core concepts of social influence, persuasion, and negotiation. Critical assessment of proposals within organizations that use these strategies. (Same as COMM 6242)

ORSC 6243. Seminar: Leadership in Complex Organizations. 3 Credits.

The view of leadership taken in this seminar extends theories beyond the interpersonal, near-immediate time frame toward an organizational perspective in which cause-and-effect linkages are traced. The leadership role as an attribute of a system. How effective leaders reduce uncertainty through appropriate adaptive change.

ORSC 6245. Seminar: Organizational Behavior. 3 Credits.

Analysis of organizational behavior; emphasis on motivation and productivity. Recent research on employee attitudes, primary group, supervisory leadership, formal and informal organization, job design.    Restricted to graduate students. Same As: PSYC 8245.

ORSC 6246. Comparative Management. 3 Credits.

International dimensions of management over a broad spectrum of topics, including cross-national transfer and management practices in a global economy; cross-cultural interaction; business–government relations; expatriation and repatriation processes; international strategic management; technology transfer; globalization of human resources management.

ORSC 6248. Strategic Human Resource Planning. 3 Credits.

Overview of the principles of human resource planning. Model for determining human resource requirements, including forecasting, goal setting, human resource auditing, and environmental scanning. Analysis of the interfaces between human resource planning and personnel selection, job design, training, compensation, and related functions.

ORSC 6250. Leadership Coaching: Principles and Practices. 3 Credits.

An introduction to leadership coaching, including behavioral sciences roots: communication and conflict resolution skills, motivation, personality and performance assessments. Coaching vs. related practice areas; business coaching vs. personal coaching. Professional and ethical standards.

ORSC 6251. Team Coaching and Facilitation. 3 Credits.

Application of the fundamentals and governing values of leadership coaching to the development of productive work groups and communities. The art and practice of facilitation as applied to team learning and the encouragement of breakthrough thinking and team problem solving. Prerequisites: ORSC 6242 and ORSC 6250.

ORSC 6259. Behavioral Economics and Group Decision Making. 3 Credits.

Examination of processes in organizational decision making and group behavior. Topics include group and individual decision-making approaches, decision aids and support systems, performance and decision effectiveness, and risk analysis. Restricted to graduate students. Credit cannot be earned for this course and PSYC 8259.

ORSC 6261. Research Methods in Organizational Sciences. 3 Credits.

Fundamentals of qualitative, correlational, quasi-experimental, and experimental research designs. Defining a research question, designing a research study, conducting and interpreting statistical analyses, and communicating research results.

ORSC 6262. Action Research. 3 Credits.

A qualitative approach to action research problems. Students work with a client on an action research project and produce a research report.

ORSC 6295. Directed Research. 1-12 Credits.

Supervised research in selected fields within organizational sciences. Permission of the faculty advisor and instructor required prior to enrollment.

ORSC 6297. Special Topics. 3 Credits.

Special topics in human resource strategic planning, computer-based learning, human–computer interaction, management information technology, knowledge management, coaching, and organizational design.

ORSC 6298. Directed Readings. 1-12 Credits.

Supervised readings in selected fields within organizational sciences. Permission of the faculty advisor and instructor required prior to enrollment.

ORSC 8261. Research Methods in Organizational Sciences. 3 Credits.

Fundamentals of qualitative, correlational, quasi-experimental, and experimental research designs. Defining a research question, designing a research study, conducting and interpreting statistical analyses, and communicating research results.

ORSC 8265. Current Issues in Organizational and Occupational Health. 3 Credits.

Contemporary topics and theories in organizational and occupational health. Evaluation and implementation of occupational health theories and methods. Analysis of behavioral, psychological, and social factors underlying health and well-being. Recommended background: Organizational science, psychology, business management (human resource management).