Masteropleiding Philosophy of Management and Organizations Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - Faculteit der Wijsbegeerte - M Philosophy of Man. & Org.

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1 Masteropleiding Philosophy of Management and Organizations Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org I

2 Studiegids informatie voor de masteropleiding Philosophy of Management and Organizati[Missing ITEM: wbr]ons. Klik op de onderstaande links om informatie over de vakken te bekijken. Of download de volledige studiegids als pdf met de knop Maak pdf van gehele opleiding. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org II

3 Inhoudsopgave Master Philosophy of Management and Organizations Fulltime 1 Master Philosophy of Management and Organizations Parttime 1 Master Philosophy of Management and Organizations Parttime year 1 1 Master Philosophy of Management and Organizations Parttime year 2 2 Vak: Approaches to Business Ethics 2 Vak: Epistemological Aspects of Management and Organization 3 Vak: Philosophical Reading 4 Vak: Philosophical reading of classical texts of management and organization (part 1) 5 Vak: Philosophical reading of classical texts of management and organization (part 2) 5 Vak: Philosophy of Management and Organization: An introduction 5 Vak: Practical Guidelines for Philosophical Conversations in Organizations 6 Vak: Responsibility, Technology and Organizations 7 Vak: The Economy and the Organzation as Culture 8 Vak: Thesis 9 Vak: Thesis 10 Vak: Thesis PMO (fulltime) 10 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org III

4 Master Philosophy of Management and Organizations Fulltime Vakken: Naam Periode Credits Code Approaches to Business Ethics Epistemological Aspects of Management and Organization Semester W_PMO_BUSETH Semester W_PMO_EPISAS Philosophical Reading Semester W_PMO_PHREAD Philosophy of Management and Organization: An introduction Practical Guidelines for Philosophical Conversations in Organizations Responsibility, Technology and Organizations The Economy and the Organzation as Culture Semester W_PMO_PHILMA Semester W_PMO_PRAGUI Semester W_PMO_RTO Semester W_PMO_ORGCUL Thesis PMO (fulltime) Semester W_PMO_THESIS Master Philosophy of Management and Organizations Parttime Opleidingsdelen: - - Master Philosophy of Management and Organizations Parttime year 1 Master Philosophy of Management and Organizations Parttime year 2 Master Philosophy of Management and Organizations Parttime year 1 Vakken: Naam Periode Credits Code Epistemological Aspects of Management and Organization Semester W_PMO_EPISAS Philosophical Reading Semester W_PMO_PHREAD Philosophical reading of classical texts of management and organization (part 1) Philosophy of Management and Organization: An introduction 3.0 W_PMO_READ1 Semester W_PMO_PHILMA Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org Pagina 1 van 10

5 The Economy and the Organzation as Culture Semester W_PMO_ORGCUL Thesis 9.0 W_PMO_THES1 Thesis PMO (fulltime) Semester W_PMO_THESIS Master Philosophy of Management and Organizations Parttime year 2 Vakken: Naam Periode Credits Code Approaches to Business Ethics Approaches to Business Ethics Semester W_PMO_BUSETH Philosophical Reading Semester W_PMO_PHREAD Philosophical reading of classical texts of management and organization (part 2) Practical Guidelines for Philosophical Conversations in Organizations Responsibility, Technology and Organizations 3.0 W_PMO_READ2 Semester W_PMO_PRAGUI Semester W_PMO_RTO Thesis 9.0 W_PMO_THES2 Thesis PMO (fulltime) Semester W_PMO_THESIS Vakcode W_PMO_BUSETH (164018) Periode Semester 2 prof. dr. P. Koslowski Docent(en) prof. dr. P. Koslowski Discussion of central approaches to business ethics. Inhoud vak Business and management ethics is one of the central topics in which management and philosophy interact. Ethical dilemmas develop in business which cannot be solved by economic analysis alone. There is, however, disagreement as to what constitutes a moral problem and what not. Questions that have not been considered ethically relevant develop into questions that solicit heated debate. The methods of ethics are also not undisputed: which criteria should be used to analyze ethical questions. There are several approaches to business and management ethics: deontological, consequentialist, and discourse theoretical approaches. They are linked to the Kantian, utilitarian, and Habermasian tradition of ethics. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org Pagina 2 van 10

6 It is often the interest of business to push back ethical questions to a zone outside of business, as it is often the strategy of those critical of business to moralize questions of economic action that might not be moral. The question as to what are the limits of morals in business is a central problem of business ethics. Ethics must be relevant to concrete questions and give support for making good decisions. The same holds for business ethics. It cannot shy away from casuistry. Case studies are an integral part of business ethics. Is the market a morals free zone? Or can its cooperation be increased by ethical standards? Business ethics is also a theory as to the limits of economics in human decision-making and coordination. Combination of lectures, short presentations by students, and discussion of both. Final paper written by students. To be distributed (Blackboard). Epistemological Aspects of Management and Organization Vakcode W_PMO_EPISAS (164019) Periode Semester 2 Voertaal Engels Docent(en) Understanding the relevance of epistemology for the practice of M&O. Inhoud vak Generally speaking, epistemology concerns finding an explication of what it means to know something, i.e. understanding what knowledge is, how we come to know, and getting a normative insight in the validation of knowledge claims. As such, it is about potentially different types of knowing, their characteristics, meaning, strengths/limitations, relationships and criteria by which claims are to be judged. Among others, it is also about the relationship of knowledge, reality and society, values involved in getting something to know, the role of the knowing subject, inter-subjectivity, language, skills and the human body, the cognitive meaning of emotion, modes of rationality, the meaning of creativity. In the course attention will be given to knowledge as a normative relation, which points to matter of justification, epistemic variety, connections with rationality and the place of creativity. Among the philosophers discussed are Polanyi, Dewey, Popper. Matters of justification involve references to epistemic Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org Pagina 3 van 10

7 virtues (Sosa). Now, the course further explores epistemological issues which might be involved by organizational practice The first line to be followed refers to knowledge management, the second to epistemological issues related to good, responsible, governance. Among the themes to be addressed are auditing, transparency and integrity. Mixture of lectures and interactive reflection with students; 8 meetings. Final paper concerning relevant subject matter. - reader of texts by philosophers (see for instance above), and relevant material from management and organization; - I. Nonaka& H. Takeuchi, The Knowledge-Creating Company. Hoe Japanese Companies Create the Dynamics of Innovation. Oxford University Press. Oxford 1995; - A. Henriques, Corporate Truth. Earthscan, London, Philosophical Reading Vakcode W_PMO_PHREAD (164015) Periode Semester 1 Docent(en) Fundamental understanding of M&O and skills in philosophical reading of non-philosophical texts. Inhoud vak During the last 15 years there has been a growing interest in the philosophy of management and organization. This interest is not only confined to academics. Also among practitioners there is an increasing consciousness of some matters for example, the meaning of responsibility and freedom for/in organizations, the proper role of management, etc., being so intricate, that philosophical reflection might be helpful in clarifying relevant issues. Moreover, during the rise of management as a practice and theory of its own (second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century) often the expression philosophy of management has been used, which can be considered as the philosophy of a particular discipline. Indeed, early writers on management considered what they did as the development of a new philosophy, sometimes referring to particular philosophers and philosophy in general. Some of their works are classical in the sense that they have been constitutional of the field at issue and still of interest. The indicated texts deserve a philosophical reading. Every philosophy of a particular discipline has to give attention to epistemological and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org Pagina 4 van 10

8 ontological matters, as well as to ideas related to what might be expected from responsible action in connection with the practice involved. In course we will be looking at crucial distinctions or demarcations (conceptual or ontological), fundamental presuppositions and un-clarities concerning, inter alia, knowledge, the relation between theory and practice, the value of management in connection with the wider society. This might perhaps also be of interest for those who want to make a contribution to the historiography of management, yet, it is not itself such a contribution. The emphasis lies on an immanent and transcendental analysis of the views and arguments presented, what is said and how it is said, what is left out of consideration, etc. A historian once said the past still thinks in us. When this is the case, and classical texts are part of that past, the attempted philosophical reading might be relevant for our own critical selfunderstanding too. Interactive reflection with students on material at issue; 7 meetings throughout the year. Short papers during course and final paper concerning one of the texts. - F. Taylor, Principles of Scientific Management; - H. Fayol, General and Industrial Management; - Ch. Barnard, The Functions of the Executive; - M. Parker, Follett Dynamic Administration; - Choice of additional texts with students. Philosophical reading of classical texts of management and organization (part 1) Vakcode W_PMO_READ1 () Credits 3.0 Voertaal Nederlands Philosophical reading of classical texts of management and organization (part 2) Vakcode W_PMO_READ2 () Credits 3.0 Voertaal Nederlands Philosophy of Management and Organization: An introduction Vakcode W_PMO_PHILMA (164013) Periode Semester 1 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org Pagina 5 van 10

9 Docent(en) prof. dr. P. Koslowski prof. dr. P. Koslowski An introduction to the philosophy of management. Combination of lectures, short presentations by students, and discussion of both. Final paper written by students. See course description at Blackboard. Overige informatie For a more detailed course description, see Blackboard. Practical Guidelines for Philosophical Conversations in Organizations Vakcode W_PMO_PRAGUI (164017) Periode Semester 1 Docent(en) - Getting acquainted with practical guidelines to conduct philosophical conversations in organizations; - Gaining insight in the theoretical background of philosophical practice; - Developing ones own vision on the added value of philosophy for organizations; - Creating ones own style in conducting philosophical conversations; - Learning to design formats for philosophical conversations. Inhoud vak This course focuses on philosophizing in organization instead of philosophizing about organization. How to seduce managers and professionals to critically examine their leading assumptions, like Socrates did on the marketplace of Athens? The Liberal Arts, that formed the curriculum for the education of free citizens during two millennia, provide many exercises to do so. Especially the Trivium, the three language arts Rhetoric, Dialectic and Grammar. Following the handbook 'Free Space' students will learn to work with a broad selection of guidelines derived from the Liberal Arts Dialectic, Retoric and Grammar. During the classroom sessions the teacher will demonstrate the methods. In between the sessions students will practice Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org Pagina 6 van 10

10 in small groups. In the final conversation with the teacher the students will be assessed on: - Their attendance of the classroom sessions; - Their contributions during these sessions; - The assignments during the course; - The reflections on the classroom sessions and their own experiments; - Their reflection on their individual assignment; - Their philosophical diary; - Their understanding of the used literature. - Free Space: philosophy in organizations (Jos Kessel, Erik Boers, Pieter Mostert, Boom Amsterdam, 2004, isbn ); - Free Space: fieldguide to conversations (Jos Kessel, Erik Boers, Pieter Mostert, Boom, Amsterdam, 2009, isbn ); Philosophy as a way of life (Pierre Hadot, Blackwell Publishers, Oxford UK, 1995, isbn ). Responsibility, Technology and Organizations Vakcode W_PMO_RTO (164014) Periode Semester 1 dr. J. van Diest Docent(en) dr. J. van Diest Frequently we reflect on questions about the accountability of organisations and their management. Without the operation of organisations modern society is not conceivable; to a large extent they determine the quality of life of people living in it. In this course, we explore the meaning of an embedded concept of responsibility of management and organisations in the context of society as a whole. Inhoud vak In a broad sense we define the concept of responsibility as the duty of men to respond to given situations appropriately. This appropriateness implies two issues (at least). First of all, an understanding is needed of the concept of freedom. Without this understanding it is impossible to make sense of the concept of responsibility. We will make a distinction between (at least) five concepts or ideal types of freedom. In doing so, we develop an analytical instrument for analyzing responsibility in specific situations. Secondly, to be able to give appropriate answers it is necessary to have an insight into the domain of management and organisation. From a historical perspective it can be argued that the concrete Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org Pagina 7 van 10

11 development of freedom - in a broad sense- was interconnected with technological developments. This will be exemplified via the study of some (more or less) classical texts of modern philosophers. In this context it can be argued too that organisations were/are designed from a technical point of view -at least to a great extent. For this reason we introduce some issues in the domain of philosophy of technology. We will make a distinction between technical and instrumental rationality. With the help of this distinction we are able to discriminate between the technical and economic aspects of organisations. Two kinds of technology are discussed: the machinery and the information technology. Some philosophical reflections on these technologies will be related to two (important) concepts of organization: the mechanical and organic concept (of organization). We will discuss implications for the concepts of freedom and responsibility by studying important parts of Hans Jonas philosophy of responsibility. Management and organisations as well as technology and economy are dimensions of the social/cultural. To get a hold on this, we introduce a third concept of organisation: the social/cultural concept. By introducing some results of contemporary social/philosophical analyses on our (so called) high- or postmodern society and its (reflexive) culture, we discuss the meaning of this third concept. In this way we get a better understanding of questions concerning responsibilities of nowadays management and organisations. Key issues: Responsibility as a duty - concepts of freedom - freedom and (the philosophy of) technology - organizing as a kind of technology (human engineering), theory of responsibility of Hans Jonas - mechanic and organic concepts of organizations postmodern reflexive culture, risk society - responsibility and actions in/by organizations and their leaders. - colleges: overview and structural analysis; - close reading (some selections of texts); - (short) presentations students (study report; reflection and evaluation); - discussions. A final paper written by students.in advance, a proposal of the paper will be offered by the students to the lecturerl. The paper has to witness a digestion ofand reflection on the course literature in a personal way. The course literature will be offered in digital format. In this presentation are taken in (explicating, analyzing, structural and joining) remarks by the arranger (lecturer). The Economy and the Organzation as Culture Vakcode W_PMO_ORGCUL (164016) Periode Semester 1 dr. C.H. Krijnen Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org Pagina 8 van 10

12 Docent(en) dr. C.H. Krijnen Discussion of central approaches to economic culture and business culture. The student will come to know the connection of culture, values, and the cultural determinants of the economy on the macro level of the economic system and on the level of management and organization. Students will learn about the cultural and aesthetic factors of management. Inhoud vak The economy is part of the culture of a society and in itself a cultural phenomenon. On the other hand, the economy is also the exchange of humans with nature. Between nature and culture, economic action is determined by natural laws and cultural rules. The philosophy of culture aims at the understanding of cultural phenomena as the rules and customs as well as the aesthetics, design, and art of a given societal order. The insights of cultural philosophy are applied to the economic system as well as to management and the organization. The philosophy of culture and aesthetics are a central part of the philosophical approach to the theory of the economy and of management. In the firm, the philosophical understanding of the economic culture is used for the design of a corporate culture and identity as well as for product aesthetics and the practice of business culture in highly organized business organizations of service oriented industries. Many firms elaborate their corporate culture and give it a foundation in a corporate philosophy. Like philosophy, management is an activity that is normative and analytic, value related and scientific, art and culture related and empirical. The cultural theory of the economy and the organization extends and improves the cultural understanding and design of products and production conditions by the philosophical theory of culture and the aesthetics of objects. It also applies the philosophy of art to the aesthetics of business and products. Combination of lectures, short presentations by students, and discussion of both. The learning success is examined by an essay the student writes about a topic chosen by the student and lecturer together from the topics of the course. To be announced at Blackboard. Thesis Vakcode W_PMO_THES1 () Credits 9.0 Voertaal Nederlands Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org Pagina 9 van 10

13 Thesis Vakcode W_PMO_THES2 () Credits 9.0 Voertaal Nederlands Thesis PMO (fulltime) Vakcode W_PMO_THESIS (164020) Periode Semester 2 Credits 18.0 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - - M Philosophy of Man. & Org Pagina 10 van 10