Quality Organisational Design

All short courses are completed individually through technology-enhanced distance learning. You do not need to attend any classes. You have access to your lecture videos and other material on a weekly basis, and all your assignments are submitted online.

The fee is R 6, 900.00, which includes your online study material. Persons based outside South Africa can pay in US Dollars, Euros or GB Pounds. Payment of fees must be effected before access to the course.

English

Short courses are available internationally. A new cycle of short courses starts every first Monday of each month from February to November.

After completing this course you will be able to:

• Define the terms “organisation structure” and “organisation design”.
• Explain how effective organisational transformation and change are accomplished through organisational development (OD) practices, including leadership excellence.
• Describe the relationships among the four characteristics of organisational development common to all organisations.
• Identify the threat posed by signs of organisational decline.
• Discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of centralisation and decentralisation of authority.
• Compare the characteristics of mechanistic and organic designs of organisations.
• Grasp the important role played by programme management in the effective and efficient leadership and management of modern cross-functional organisation designs.
• Explain why virtual organisations are becoming more popular.
• Understand the profound importance of achieving a high degree of collaboration, integration, and coordination in cross-functional processes of modern matrix organisational designs.
• Discuss the profound importance of abolishing bureaucratic organisational designs and paradigms in favour of knowledge-based learning organisations.

You will complete weekly online exercise assignments that combine to yield your final mark. The questions may involve multiple choice, a brief discussion of an important issue, or solving a short case study. Your final course mark will be based on the average of the weekly scores achieved. The final pass mark is 50%. A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of the course. Should you achieve a distinction (75% or higher), this will be so indicated on your certificate.

The course is open to anyone who is basically proficient in English and has internet access.