Applying Deep Business Knowledge to Real-World Organizational Challenges (NN1)

Study Board HA (psyk.)
Course title Organizational Theory 
Course type/size Mandatory (approx. 200 students) 
Teaching format Face-to-face

Learning consultants’ refection on NN connection of this activity

This activity directly supports Nordic Nine 1 by helping students develop deep business knowledge within a broad context. Through the use of multiple case studies, students apply classical organizational theories to real-world business scenarios, gaining a deeper understanding of both theory and practice. By comparing and analyzing these cases, they develop insights into the complexities of organizational challenges.

Teaching philosophy

For me, it’s not about teaching theories in isolation. Instead, I encourage students to continuously think about how they can apply theoretical concepts to gain deeper insights into societal events, real-world cases, and business contexts. My aim is to guide students toward that “aha” moment, where they realize they can apply theories to what is happening within actual organizations or businesses on a more profound level.

(Karen Boll, Associate Professor at the Department of Organization)

Key objective(s) aligned with this activity

  • Describe and demonstrate detailed professional knowledge of fundamental organizational theories.
  • Compare cases and theories across, discussing the differences and similarities between cases and theories.

Description of the activity

This activity helps students apply classical organizational theories to real-world situations. The course starts by teaching foundational concepts like ‘motivation,’ ‘leadership,’ and ‘institutional theories,’ giving students a solid understanding of organizational management.

To connect theory with practice, the course introduces three detailed case studies. These cases are used throughout the course as the main way for students to apply what they’ve learned. Instead of lots of small examples, these cases are explored in depth, allowing students to dive deep into each one to analyze and compare them. This way, students can see how the theories work in practice and understand the complexities of real business situations.

The goal is to help students gain both a strong knowledge of organizational theory and the ability to apply it in different business contexts. This approach aligns with Nordic Nine 1 by encouraging deep business knowledge and showing how to use theory in a broad, practical setting.