Theories of Organizations in Management

Teacher(s)

Coeurderoy Régis;

Language

English

Prerequisites

None

Main themes

This course will review the main theories in management that explain the existence of firms as specific institutions. The course includes both theories based upon the economic approach (agency; transaction cost approach and RBV) and theories based upon more sociological approaches (social interactions; institutional; networks). Emphasis will be put on how these theories explain the determinants of the size and scope of firms, or, in other words, on the main reasons why coordination of activities within a firm is preferred to coordination on a market.

Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	On successful completion of this program, each student will acquire the following skills : Develop Communicate At the end of this course, the student will be able to : Undertand the different perspectives on organizations and to mobilize concepts in a sound rationale on managerial issues.

The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.

Content

1.  Introduction to the theories of the firm
2. Firms, markets and other organizations: theoretical foundations for a puzzle
3. Behavioural assumptions: rationality and motivation
4. Theoretical foundations 1: the coordination issue
5. Theoretical foundations 2: the competence issue
6. Theoretical foundations 3: the institutional issue
7. Theoretical foundations 4: the network issue

Teaching methods

Continuous evaluation

• Date: During 6 weeks
• Type of evaluation: Presentations by paired student of texts on one of the themes of the course
• Comments: No

Evaluation week

• Oral: 4 students/hour
• Written: No
• Unavailability or comments: No

Examination session

• Oral: No
• Written: No
• Unavailability or comments: No

Evaluation methods

Assessment is two part :

1. Critical analysis of theoretical papers (team work) 50%
2. Individual exam 50%

Other information

La commission d'enseignements de la LSM ajoute des informations complémentaires, i.e.

• si l'activité est accessible à un public ne maîtrisant pas la langue d'enseignement
• les équivalences reconnues avec d'autres activités offertes dans des programmes UCL 2...

Online resources

Moodle

Bibliography

• Readings on moodle
• Douma S. and Schreuder H. (2013) Economic Approaches to Organizations, 5th Edition, Pearson.

Faculty or entity

CLSM