Working and Organizing in a Digital Age

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/E_DBI_WODA

Course Objective

Academic and research skills:
- Be able to (empirically) investigate a theoretical perspective within the themes related to new ways of working/organizing, which for example could be: mobility and changing work practices, open office spaces and collaboration, enterprise social media and transparency, algorithmic management and gig work, crowdsourcing communities, sharing economy and platforms, robotics and AI in the workplace. Bridging theory and practice (knowledge):
- Have a sound theoretical understanding of the themes related to new ways of working/organizing and the interplay between technology and work/organizing practices and be able to analyze and demonstrate that interplay. Broadening your horizon:
- Be able to critically reflect on the consequences and implications of "new ways of working/organizing" for the work practices of individual and groups of knowledge workers and how people organize.

Course Content

This course is all about the implications of implementing/using (digital) technology for how people work and organize. At an individual and group level, technology for instance allows for increased mobility, either in (open/home) offices, in co-working spaces or while people act as ‘digital nomads’, and increased virtuality, such as in online communities or when using robotics in the workplace. At the organization level, technology causes new organizational ‘forms’ to emerge, such as online communities, sharing economy, crowdsourcing platforms, open and citizen science. The digital technologies that give rise to these changes can range from mobile devices and robotics to social media, artificial intelligence and (VR/AR) platforms, but also more 'common' types of technologies. The possible consequences and implications of these new ways of working/organizing are often predicted but not yet fully and academically understood. And under influence of the worldwide lockdowns caused by Covid-19, working and organizing have even become more digitally supported. In one part of the course, students discuss and critically reflect on different theories and perspectives related to new ways of working/organizing. In a second part, students conduct an (online) empirical study related to a selected new way of working/organizing, providing them hands-on experience and an understanding of how relevant theories are in a real business case.

Teaching Methods

One element of the course includes interactive discussions and critical reading of the literature. This is tested in an individual written assignment. The other element consists of an empirical study that students do in small teams in/for an (online) organizational setting that they have found themselves. For this, teams report on their progress, receive feedback and write a research paper.

Method of Assessment

Individual assignment/examination Group assignment

Literature

A reader with academic articles will be distributed via Canvas.

Target Audience

This course is only open for students in the Digital Business and Innovation master’s programme.

Custom Course Registration

This course is only open for students in the Digital Business and Innovation master’s programme.

Additional Information

This course is only open for students in the Digital Business and Innovation master’s programme. During the course, students will conduct an empirical study with an organization of choice.
The course has a very tight schedule and requires flexibility in terms of 
availability during the complete course. It could potentially involve some travelling (within the Netherlands) and/or have an online alternative.