This seminar is designed for doctoral/PhD students that are interested in learning about organizational theories and gaining hands-on experience with academic writing. The course comprises five modules, each covering a dominant organizational theory or theoretical perspective. The first part of each module will be focused on discussing selected readings and debating theoretical arguments in order to strengthen analytical skills and theorizing potential. The second part will then provide a practical hands-on component, where students will be asked to delve into one section of an academic paper (i.e., introduction, literature review, methods, results/findings, and discussion)—analyzing its structure and how it is written. Because of the cumulative nature of the modules, students are expected to attend every class and to actively participate in discussions and activities.

• Learn about dominant organizational theories and theoretical perspectives
• Gain a better understanding of theorizing and the structuring of theoretical arguments
• Develop practical analytical and academic writing skills for research papers
• Strengthen ability to think critically and debate theories constructively
• Learn how to provide and respond to reviewer feedback

Attendance is a firm requirement of this course, as the modules are cumulative and many of the learning experiences take place during class and through interactions with peers. According to WU regulations, valid reasons for missing scheduled sessions only include those outside the control of the student such as illness, accidents, or the death of a close relative. Professional and work obligations are not valid reasons, as students have the course schedule in advance and should be able to plan accordingly. The evaluation of this component of the course will be based on the level of preparation for, and active participation in, class discussions.

The course combines multiple teaching and learning approaches including input components, presentations, discussions, and group work.

Attendance and Participation (20%)

Individual Presentation (15%)
Each student will be assigned one module to “Chair”. As the Chair, the student will prepare a short presentation (~ 15-20 minutes), which provides a short overview of the organizational theory or theoretical perspective and the assigned readings. The presentation should conclude with some open-ended questions to kick-off a discussion.  

Individual Assignment (40%)
Part 1. Students will submit one section of a working paper or book chapter (i.e., introduction, literature review, methods, results/findings, and discussion) [~ 4-7 pages]. This section will then be assigned to another student in the course, who will provide ‘peer feedback’ (see below).
Part 2. Students will revise the submitted section based on the feedback received and write a short response letter detailing how the concerns were addressed. The instructor will then evaluate both parts of the assignment based on how well the feedback was incorporated and how well the concerns were addressed. Please note that students are free to disagree with the peer feedback—but that the point of disagreement should be noted and explained in the response letter.

Peer Feedback (25%)
Each student will act as a reviewer on another student’s work (see individual assignment, part 1). Students will provide constructive and detailed feedback—outlining main concerns about the submitted work and providing clear suggestions for how the concerns might be addressed [~ 2 pages]. It is important that students be specific in their feedback and provide examples (or page numbers) to illustrate their points.