Seminar: What's New about New Forms of Organizing - Adapting to the AI world

Course Description

Content

[CHECK SYLLABUS FOR DETAILS - attached under course documents below!]

Why do organizations exist – what purpose do they serve in today's world – and how will the emergence of Artificial Intelligence change the way we think about and handle the process of organizing?

AI was first introduced as a set of tools to make individual processes more efficient. But now, algorithms may act as independent co-workers and decision-makers, potentially upending long-established ideas on how organizations function. We therefore aim to understand how organizational structures and processes may (need to) change, and whether there is anything we can learn from previous technological shifts to help us design better organizations for a future in the AI-driven world!

This course introduces students to selected theories of organizing. Building on these ideas, we will address their relevance to the fundamental organizational challenge of today: The introduction of AI. Based on readings and real-world examples, students will learn how organizations function, how this might change with the use of AI, how some organizations have already mastered this challenge, and why others struggle. This will equip students with a thorough understanding of why organizations are run the way they are - and how managers can shape organizations to continue operating successfully.

The topics we will cover include:
- Introductions to the purpose of organizations and the process of organizing
- The role of structure in organizations
- The capabilities and limitations of AI in decision-making
- The intersection of AI and organizing
- Organizations according to key theories, esp. the Behavioral Theory of the Firm and Institutional Theory
- Effects of AI on business- and operating models; through the lens of Behavioral and Institutional Theory
- Leadership with AI tools vs towards AI-first firms
- Managing AI with centralized and decentralized structures
- AI agents in decisions, tasks, workflows, roles, and jobs
- The economic effects of AI and our responsibility
- Limitations and dangers of broad AI implementation and General AI

Readings and extensive in-class discussions based on the preparation by students will be complemented by field visits and expert guest speakers.

 

Previous Knowledge Expected

While there are no formal perquisites to attend this course, we very strongly recommend that you have previously attended an introductory course on management (such as “International Management”), economics (such as “Principles of Economics”), or strategy. These courses should have given you some insights into what organizations are and how they operate, i.e. how organizations are structured, and why they are structured in a certain way, building on microeconomic theory. Courses on leadership, HR, or marketing are likely not as helpful. While we will not block you from joining the course per se, we clearly point out that we will not re-explain some of the principles taught in such courses, but instead assume that you know them, or freshen up on them in your own time. It may indeed be one of the key learnings of this course to understand how the perspective on organizations in this course is different from the perspectives you have gotten to know in other courses.

 

Objective

Knowledge Objectives
After the course, students will be able to:
- Identify, define, and explain key theories of organizations
- Interpret, classify, and assess the conduct and structure of organizations working with AI
- Describe, compare, and appraise different existing organization design solutions for a given situation
- Evaluate how changes such as the introduction of AI may affect existing organization designs and theories
- Compose new organization designs to effectively make use of AI tools

Skills Objectives
- Improve diagnostic and analytical skills (i.e., structured problem-solving)
- Build up critical thinking and interpretation skills
- Enhance verbal and argumentation skills via presentations and group discussions

 

Language of Instruction

English

 

Teaching and Learning Method

Class sessions:

- Apr 24, Thursday; Kick-off, 9:00am-12:30pm
- Apr 30, WEDNESDAY; 9:00am-12:30pm
- May 08, Thursday; 9:00am-12:30pm
- May 15, Thursday; 9:00am-12:30pm
- May 28, WEDNESDAY; 9:00am-12:30pm Field Visit
- June 05, Thursday; 9:00am-12:30pm
- June 12, Thursday; 9:00am-12:30pm
- July 03, Thursday; 9:00am-12:30pm
- July 17, Thursday; 9:00am-12:30pm
- July 24, Thursday; 9:00am-12:30pm

The largest share of this course will be co-developed by all of us through discussions of course materials and newspaper articles, as well as short presentation. In such sessions, I will help facilitate and guide the course discussion by taking notes on whiteboards. I strongly encourage you to take notes yourselves, and to consider not bringing laptops [NO PHONES!]. Note how a large share of learning will occur through you preparing individually and in groups for the in-class session. Techniques to do so will be introduced in the first session of class. The materials you should prepare for each session of class are listed in the Syllabus.

 

Course Criteria & Registration

For registration you have to be identified in TUMonline as a student. Note: Given its highly interactive nature, this course is limited to 80 participants. Registration for this course will be facilitated via the online course registration tool. Attendance to the kick-off session is mandatory to secure your seat. If you are late to the kick-off, we reserve the right to re-allocate your seat to other interested students attending the kick-off.

We will not allow students to join the course after session 2, seeing as you will have missed significant content. If you know that you will not take part in this course after the kick-off, please get in touch as soon as possible, so that we may still invite interested students from the waiting list.

 

Further Information - Recommended Reading

For each week of class, students will need to prepare 1-2 readings. Those as well as an list of voluntary additional readings are provided in the course syllabus.