The Interdisciplinary Program in Organizational Studies in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan seeks applicants for the following positions
GSI - OS201 - FALL 2018
ORGSTUDY 201. Leadership and Collaboration (Prof. Ashley Harrell)
Leadership is essential to the success of groups, organizations, and societies. To be effective, leaders must possess a clear understanding of human behavior and social processes. This course is an introduction to the study of leadership from the perspective of the social sciences (e.g. psychology, sociology, economics, political science). We will draw on a range of classical and contemporary social science research to address key questions about the process and practice of collaborative leadership and followership. Principal questions we will consider include: Why does leadership exist at all? What is good leadership? Are leaders born or made? Do leaders tend to possess certain traits like intelligence, extraversion, generosity, or greater physical stature? When and why does leadership fail? How can leaders, followers, and institutions on the whole improve the practice of leadership? The goal of the course is not only to expose students to the empirical study of leadership and followership, but also to stimulate them to think critically about human behavior.
GSI - OS305 - FA18
ORGSTUDY 305. Inside Organizations (Prof. Stephen Garcia)
(Note that this description is a draft from previous terms – it represents the general content of the course but may be modified by the instructor.) This course offers an overview of the psychology of people in organizations, broadly defined. Topics will focus on social dynamics in organizations, including employee motivation, influencing others, decision-making, cooperation, culture, leadership, and teams, to name a few. The format of the course will comprise lectures, general discussions, and smaller seminar discussions. To complement the standard reading material, case studies will also be read as a common touchstone for analyzing and discussing psychological phenomena in a real world organizational context.
GSI - OS310 - FA18
ORGSTUDY 310. Formal Organizations and Environments (Prof. Mark Mizruchi)
Survey of theory and research on formal organizations from sociological and economic perspectives. Emphasizes multiple levels of analysis in organizational theory from internal structure and practice to organization-environment relationships. Students apply theories to existing case studies and develop original case research over the course of the term.
GSI - OS410 - FA18
ORGSTUDY 410. Advanced Research Methods in Organizational Studies (Prof. Jeremy Levine)
This course focuses on the use of social science research methods to study organizational adaptation, problem solving, and change. The course emphasizes interview, observational and survey methods, while also highlighting data analysis and communication skills. The primary purpose of this course is to provide you with an actionable toolkit of research methods that can be used to uncover organizational challenges and recommend potential changes. The secondary—but no less important—purpose of this course is to make you a more informed consumer of research.
This hands-on course emphasizes learning by doing. You will learn how to conduct organizational research from start to finish. You and your team will be charged with finding a focal organization and carrying out a field research project there. I expect that each project will provide you with an opportunity to experience an in-depth study that includes designing and administering appropriate interview, observational and survey data collection techniques; planning and conducting data analysis; interpreting the data; and communicating the results in written and oral presentations. I am excited to work with you throughout this process. Class sessions will be a mix of lecture, discussions, and workshops. Readings will focus on research issues, methods and theories, and will include articles to enable you to gain first-hand experience in reading and processing organizational research. The assignments have been designed to help you develop research skills and apply them to your field research project.
