BUS 54202 - Managing Cognition In The Leadership of Complex Adaptive Systems

This course integrates and utilizes new insights from neuroscience, management science, behavioral economics, positive psychology, philosophy of mind, systems theory, system dynamics, and related fields to provide an overview of the leadership and management of organizations as complex adaptive systems operating interdependently within larger systems that ultimately include the global economy and society. Emphasis will be given to the theories and practices that enable leaders to manage their cognition, improve their mental models, learn-by-doing, and continually progress in their knowing, doing, and being, which provides the foundational abilities to lead and manage organizational thinking, learning, development, and strategic management. In this context, some treatment will be given to a variety of endemic topics such as unity and diversity, personal and corporate ethics, effective communication, edifying motivation, managing conflict, and empowering positive change.

Cr. 3.
Notes
You must be admitted to the MBA program or secure approval from the department before enrolling in any graduate-level business or economics course.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Describe individuals as living systems and organizations as social systems that are by nature complex adaptive systems that progress through cognition (thinking) and learning-by-doing responses to stimuli from external systems.
2. Apply a student-selected course concept to their current life or work experience using a learning-by-doing method that integrates scientific, systems, historical, and hermeneutical thinking and fosters progress in the student’s knowing, doing, and being.
3. Integrate insights from neuroscience, management science, behavioral economics, positive psychology, philosophy of mind, systems theory, system dynamics, and related fields into a new approach to lead and manage organizational thinking, learning, development, and strategic management.
4. Explain how managing individual and organizational cognition and cultivating individual and organizational learning-by-doing skills facilitates effective leadership and management in an environment of never-ending systemic change.
5. Create individual statements of purpose, values, vision, mission, and long-term goals that can be used to lead and manage their strategic journey like effective leaders and managers of organizations iteratively do for their areas of responsibility.