LDRS 516 Organizational Culture: Mission, People, and Purpose

Organizational culture is a critical driver of institutional health, performance, and employee vitality, yet it is often misunderstood or overlooked. Culture is intangible—absent from financial statements—yet it shapes every function of an organization, connecting highly specialized departments under an overarching organizational “way of life.” This course explores the foundations of organizational culture, the forces that shape it, and the leadership character required to cultivate it. Students will develop a theoretical and applied framework for understanding how mission, people, and purpose interact to create thriving organizational environments.

Credits

3

Offered

Fall, Spring, Summer

Outcomes

1. Construct a theoretical and applied framework for understanding organizational culture (PSLO 1, 4).
2. Differentiate among culture types and analyze the internal and external forces that shape organizational health (PSLO 1, 2, 4).
3. Analyze the relationship between leadership character, organizational effectiveness, and employee engagement (PSLO 1, 3, 4).
4. Reflect on how culture is experienced and expressed across organizational settings to build awareness of alignment, dissonance, and leadership influence (PSLO 1, 2, 4).
5. Evaluate culture-based initiatives to drive character-informed, mission-aligned organizational change (PSLO 1, 2, 3, 4).