Analyzing Formal

Organizational Structure

Cornell Course

Have you ever wondered why any organization you are affiliated with — be it academic, nonprofit, governmental, or business — is set up the way that it is? Chances are that decisions about how to structure your organization were made in the distant past, under conditions that no longer exist, in response to concerns that are no longer relevant. These choices make a difference in terms of how an organization works as well as how it feels to be a customer or an employee.

In this course, you will take a look at the elements of formal structure — how an organization is set up in order to achieve its goals. Looking through the organizational design lens, you will begin to evaluate how each structural decision impacts the overall organization. How does the work get done? How do employees communicate — or fail to communicate? You'll dive down to the unit level to assess workplace challenges that may be the result of formal structural choices.

Finally, you will have the opportunity to address workplace challenges using an objective, analytical approach and create alternative design proposals to address these challenges.

You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

• Fundamentals of Organizational Design
• Assessing Organizations in Context