José-Marie Griffiths, Ph.D.

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Fall 2002: INFSCI 2938 Special Topics: Leadership and Design of Organizations
Summer 2002: LIS 3100 Seminars in Professional Issues: Technology and Society

LIS 3100: Seminars in Professional Issues: Research as Rhetoric

Goals of the Course

The central focus of this course will be how to formulate, defend and evaluate claims in the general domain of human use of information systems. The intellectual agenda of the School of Information Sciences draws upon many referent disciplines. Consequently, this course will examine research designs, methods, results and conclusions, and their use in defending claims from a number of disciplines. Since our primary focus is on human use of systems, we will cover a variety of research methods from the behavioral sciences. But it will also be important for graduates of the School to be able to read, interpret and understand the literatures of such disciplines as computer science, economics, etc. which have quite different styles of discourse and persuasion.

Course Objectives

1. Encouragement of the adoption of a critical mental approach to reviewing research
2. Increased understanding of the principles and methods of research that are used to produce evidence
3. Increased awareness of the potential pitfalls that can compromise the research and cloud the evidence
4. Provide an opportunity to practice and refine your critical appraisal of research

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University of Michigan: School of Information
SI 610: Leadership and Design of Organizations

Goals of the Course

This course is intended to give students an understanding of leadership and organizational design in today's rapidly changing, knowledge- intensive, technologically enabled environment. The course will give students an opportunity to explore prevailing forces for change creating pressure on individuals and organizations alike. Understanding the nature of leadership; the roles expected of leaders; how leadership affects behavior, human relations and performance; and the implications of leadership styles on various constituencies are important for preparing students to take leadership roles in various aspects of their lives. Understanding how organizations work and how they can adapt to change to survive and thrive will help students prepare to participate in the reshaping of future organizations, identify the more difficult problems that must be managed along the way, and develop a sense of timing for the changes that lie ahead.

Course Objectives

1. To identify and explore trends and forces that call for leadership and organizational change in today's environment
2. To understand the evolution of leadership theories and models and their implications for the roles and characteristics of leaders
3. To become familiar with and use various instruments for leadership assessment
4. To understand the relationships among leadership styles, behaviors, human relations and performance
5. To introduce the concept of organizational architecture and approaches to designing/redesigning organizations
6. To understand the relationship between organizational design and performance
7. To explore and affirm professional values, mores and norms as they relate to leadership and organizational design
8. To recognize the importance of preparation and renewal for long-term success

Course Methods

Lecture, discussion (small group and full class), readings and critiques of readings, observation and workshop sessions. Weekly Assignments.

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University of Pittsburgh
School of Information Sciences
I35 North Bellefield Avenue, 601
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
(412) 624-9370
jmgriff@pitt.edu