PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY

THE GEORGE L. GRAZIADIO

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

MSOD 619

Foundations of Collaboration
(2 units)

Julie A Chesley, PhD

Graziadio School of Business and Management
310-568-2385 or 703-389-3287
jchesley@pepperdine.edu

Introduction

This foundations course in the MSOD program is designed to reflect on and bridge from MSOD
618 International OD and Large Scale Change, provide inputs and learning regarding
collaboration, and prepare the community for the MSOD 620 session. The over-arching goal of
this class is to expose students to the broad range of concepts, frameworks, and theories that
guide the design, development, and change of alliances, networks, and other collaborative and
transorganizational systems in a global context. These concepts should, in turn, support the
development of an individual “point of view” regarding change in organizations.

Course Description

The purpose of this course is to introduce concepts and theories related to collaborations and
other forms of transorganization development. Continuing and expanding on the open systems
and complexity perspectives developed earlier, collaborative systems describe the relationships,
motivations, and drivers of effectiveness among organizations, governments, citizens, non-
governmental organizations, and shared domains (e.g., poverty, climate change, water quality) of
interest. Students are expected to reflect on their performance and learning in OD and Large Scale
Change as a contribution to their point of view portfolio, integrate those learnings into the
frameworks explored in this course, and prepare for class and field assignments in Trans-
organization Systems and Strategies.

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session, students will be able to:

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 1. Articulate 2-3 different perspectives on globalization and the role networks and
collaborations play in those perspectives.

2. Compare and contrast models of global strategy with traditional, domestically-oriented

perspectives.

3. Describe the key differences between your own country culture and the culture of the
country where we are working.

Course Materials (in order of the syllabus)

1. Watts, D. (2003). Six Degrees. (New York: W.W. Norton and Company). (Every student
to read).

2. Books: Each learning group should cover the following books:

a. Chua, A. (2003). World on Fire. New York: Anchor Books. (You may want to read
her more recent analysis: (2007) Day of Empire: How Hyperpowers Rise to Global
Dominance--and Why They Fall – Either is fine.)
b. Stiglitz, J. (2012). The Price of Inequality. New York: W. W. Norton. (Or you can
rea his older book (2002) Globalization and its Discontents.)
c. Rifkin, J. (2014). The Zero Marginal Cost Society. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
d. Klein, N. (2009). No Logo. New York: Picador
e. Schumacher, E.F. (1973). Small is Beautiful. New York: Harper. (You can also read
the newer editions as they are reprints of the original –and they are cheaper!)
f. Baldwin, R. (2016) The Great Convergence. Boston: The Belknap Press.
g. Wolf, M. (2004) Why Globalization Works. Yale University Press.

3. Ted Talks (Each student watch both)

a. Ron Finley: A Guerilla Gardner in South Central LA
https://www.ted.com/talks/ron_finley_a_guerilla_gardener_in_south_central_la?l
anguage=en

b. Mike Rowe: Learning from Dirty Jobs

https://www.ted.com/talks/mike_rowe_celebrates_dirty_jobs?language=en

4. Each student watch at least 3 of the Ted Talks on China listed below. (You may find all
of them interesting and helpful):
a. Eric Z. Li: A Tale of two political systems
http://video.ted.com/talk/podcast/2013G/None/EricXLi_2013G-480p.mp4

b. Martin Jacques: Understanding the Rise of China

http://www.ted.com/talks/martin_jacques_understanding_the_rise_of_china

c. Michael Anti: Behind the Great Firewall of China

http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_anti_behind_the_great_firewall_of_china

d. Leslie T. Chang: The Voice of China’s workers

http://www.ted.com/talks/leslie_t_chang_the_voices_of_china_s_workers

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 e. Yang Lan: The Generation that’s remaking China
http://www.ted.com/talks/yang_lan

f. Abigail Washburn: Building US China relations – by banjo

http://www.ted.com/talks/abigail_washburn_building_us_china_relations_by_ba
njo

g. Joseph Nye: Global Power Shifts

http://www.ted.com/talks/joseph_nye_on_global_power_shifts

h. Lui Bolin: The Invisible Man

http://www.ted.com/talks/liu_bolin_the_invisible_man

i. Kevin Rudd: Are China and the US doomed to conflict?

https://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_rudd_are_china_and_the_us_doomed_to_conflict

j. Dambisa Moyo: Is China the new idol for emerging economies?

https://www.ted.com/talks/dambisa_moyo_is_china_the_new_idol_for_emerging_econo
mies

5. Each student watch two voice threads on Chinese Capitalism: Rules, Restraints and
Results by Dr. Sean Jasso. Please note he made these for the cohort that went to China 2
years ago so a few of the references are for that timeframe. He also provided a handout
to go along with the voice threads that is posted in Sakai.
a. Understanding China Part One: The Ethics and the Politics
http://www.screencast.com/t/cVUJTWu1MwAG
b. Understanding China Part Two: The Economics and The
Predictions http://www.screencast.com/t/g28kqdiG5

6. Each student watch one Ted Talk: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The Danger of a Single Story
https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story

Course Assignments

Due Date Tasks Assignments

Feb 7th, Attend Syllabus/China Read Syllabus and prepare any questions
2018 webinar Feb 7th, 12:00
pm Pacific Standard
Time
Feb 14th, Complete the SDI A link will be sent to you to complete the SDI prior to Feb 14th.
2018 Inventory
Feb 20th, Read your chosen book Prepare notes for your upcoming discussions (book club and
2018 and Watt’s book, Six learning group)
Degrees.

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Feb 23rd, Watch the Ted Talk: What are your reactions to this video? What went through your
2018 Guerilla Gardner (Link mind as this presentation unfolded? How would the author of the
posted on MSOD 619 book you read on globalization react to this video?
Sakai site) Prepare your thoughts for the group discussion.

Feb 23rd, Watch the Ted Talk: What are your reactions to the Dirtiest job video? What went
2018 Mike Rowe: Learning through your mind as this presentation unfolded? How would the
from Dirty Jobs author of the book you read on globalization react to this video?
(Link posted on MSOD Prepare your thoughts for the group discussion.
619 Sakai site)

Feb 27th Attend webinar on SDI. Before the Webinar, download and review your results. Please
4:00 pm note this is designed to be a highly interactive webinar so please
PDT try and be in front of your computer and connected so you can get
the most of the webinar! Additional background information will
be provided for you to review prior to the webinar.

March 2nd, Before March 2nd, Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the book you read
2018 convene a virtual “book • What “spoke” to you?
club” meeting (people • What frustrated you?
who read the same • What excited you?
book ~ 1 from each • What is the primary message of the book?
learning group). • What are the secondary messages? (In other words, most books
have a “core” message, but also some other assertions or
meanings or insinuations that the author(s) are trying to make.
What is it “between the lines” that you pick up from the book?
• In what ways do you expect to see these issues manifest during
the session? Generate a list of things you might look for during
the week in China.
• How would your author react to the 2 videos you watched?

Deliverable due March 2nd: A summary document that addresses

all of these questions and an agreement regarding individual
contribution. (I want to make sure that everyone contributed to the
dialogue and the document.) Send this to
jchesley@pepperdine.edu.

March 9th, Watch 3 of the Ted Watch 3 or more of the Ted Talks on China as well as the voice
2018 Talks on China (posted threads on Chinese Capitalism. Take notes on what questions you
on MSOD 619 Sakai have about doing business/consulting in China. Also, note what
site) and watch the you expect to find when you are working in China.
voice threads on
Chinese Capitalism.

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 Mar 16, Before March 16th, As a learning group discuss:
2018 convene a learning  Why and how is our world changing (and do I like that)?
group meeting where  What role and how much influence do individuals and
each person presents individual organizations have in this evolution?
his/her book club  What evidence of “network” issues (a la Duncan Watt’s book)
group’s summary and are in play? What’s your evidence?
you discuss the Ted  What role is China playing in all this?
Talks and Voice  What specific questions do you have about doing
Threads business/consulting in China?
(Anticipate that this Deliverable due March 16th: A summary document that addresses
will be at least a 90 min each of the questions and agreement that all group members
interaction) participated. Please send to jchesley@pepperdine.edu

Mar 23rd, Watch Ted Talk: Reflect on the question, “Do I have a single story of China?”
2018 Danger of Single Story
Then, based on what you have learned about China in your
readings and Ted Talks, as well as your experiences in entering
other countries and what you know about national cultural
differences, update your individual global entry model. Send it by
March 30th to jchesley@pepperdine.edu. Bring a hard copy
with you to China. Also post to your e-portfolio.

Mar 26th, Attend a Q and A Before the webinar please read the bio of our guest Dr. Celia
2018 webinar on China Young who will be talking about consulting in China. (Her bio is
4:00 pm posted in Sakai). I will forward your learning group questions to Celia
PDT before the webinar so she knows what you are interested in.

Grading & Measuring Achievement

The grade for this course is Pass/No Pass. A passing grade is given for satisfactory (B level)
performance on written assignments and field/project work. In addition, students are expected to
attend all sessions, be an active contributor to others' learning, and participate in experiential and
other applied projects.

Notices: The University and MSOD program policies concerning plagiarism, conduct, and
disabilities are made an explicit part of this syllabus.

Directed Instruction Activity Hours

In-Class Instruction 0

Synchronous Instruction 9

5
Asynchronous Instruction 21

TOTAL 30