Diane Burton is a professor in the ILR School at Cornell University. Her primary appointment is in human resource studies, with courtesy appointments in organizational behavior and sociology. Prior to joining the Cornell faculty in 2009, Professor Burton was a faculty member at the MIT Sloan School of Management. She began her academic career at the Harvard Business School teaching leadership and organizational behavior. Professor Burton earned her Ph.D. in sociology at Stanford University and served as a lecturer and researcher in organizational behavior and human resources management at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Assessing Organizations in ContextCornell Course
Course Overview
An organization doesn't exist in a vacuum. In most cases, every organization is part of a larger industry, engaged in collaborative and competitive interactions with other organizations. Organizational designers rely on a common nomenclature to describe how organizations fit within their ecosystem.
In this course, you'll take a look at the broader contexts — the ecosystems — in which organizations function. You'll articulate and analyze the different dimensions of this bigger picture. You'll also explore the various strategies that organizations tend to rely on for growth as well as the design implications of these strategic choices. The course brings together perspectives from different and complementary disciplines to provide a multifaceted approach which you will use to assess your own organization and where it fits within the larger context.
You are required to have completed the following course or have equivalent experience before taking this course:
- Fundamentals of Organizational Design
Key Course Takeaways
- Analyze organizational scope and differentiate among types of organizations
- Compare organizational ecosystems and interorganizational relationships
- Examine organizational growth strategies
Download a Brochure
Not ready to enroll but want to learn more? Download the course brochure to review program details.How It Works
Course Authors
Pedro Pérez is Senior Lecturer of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business. He has taught large-format introductory courses to business management and entrepreneurship at Cornell since 2001. Dr. Pérez has degrees in chemical and industrial engineering, as well as an MBA and a Ph.D. in management.
Who Should Enroll
- Organizational design managers
- Executives (CEOs, VPS, division leaders, functional leaders)
- Merger and acquisition managers
- Corporate consultants
100% Online
cornell's Top Minds
career