The Executive MBA course (EMBA) at the University of Geneva, recently led an enriching masterclass on Organization Design for prospective and enrolled students. The morning workshop was led by one of our EMBA professors, Dr. Robert Langan, who shared his expertise on this pivotal subject, emphasizing its relevance and profound impact on business success.
The masterclass, which included interactive elements and group activities, provided an introduction to organization design and explored different aspects of this field, from organizational culture and why it matters to various trends within organization design. Dr. Langan’s expertise provided invaluable insights into how organizational culture can be shaped around different areas of focus, from employee well-being and flexibility to passion, purpose or Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
One of the highlights of the workshop was the discussion on culture alignment and misalignment, where participants gained practical knowledge on assessing and addressing the alignment of organizational culture with business objectives.
Through interactive activities and discussions, attendees delved into the advantages and disadvantages of cultural alignment, guided by Dr. Langan’s experience and the Spencer Stuart framework, a model used to assess and align organizational culture with business strategy. Students were shown how the framework helps companies understand their current culture and identify areas where alignment or misalignment may exist, and how to evaluate various cultural dimensions such as values, behaviours, and norms, and compare them to an organization’s strategic objectives.
With its highly practical focus, the masterclass was a great success, with participants leaving equipped with actionable strategies to enhance organizational effectiveness and foster a culture of innovation and inclusivity. This enriching experience exemplified the calibre of learning opportunities available within the EMBA programme at the University of Geneva.
Key takeaways
- The master class took place at Uni Mail on Tuesday, April 23, from 8:00 to 10:00. The session began with a welcome breakfast at 8:00, followed by the workshop from 8:30 to 10:00.
- It was attended by 20 individuals interested in the EMBA programme and those already enrolled for the upcoming year.
- Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing appreciation for the valuable insights gained during the master class; similar sessions will now be organized periodically throughout the year.
To learn more about the Geneva EMBA, please click here.
