Management in the Context of Global Development

The field of global development is evolving rapidly amid shifting geopolitical realities, fiscal constraints, technological change, and mounting environmental pressures. In this environment, effective management is central to whether development organizations succeed or stall. This course provides a rigorous foundation in management and organizational theory for students who seek to lead, design, or operate within complex development settings. It is intended both for current and aspiring managers and for individual contributors who want to better understand how organizations function, how incentives shape behavior, and how culture and leadership influence outcomes. Students explore the design and management of organizations engaged in addressing complex social, economic, and environmental challenges. The course integrates classical and contemporary organizational theory with the practical realities of development work. Core themes include organizational design and decision architecture, incentive structures, culture building, leadership roles, systems thinking, stakeholder engagement, and adaptive strategy in uncertain environments. Key topics include organizational structure and accountability, theory of change mapping, participatory design, project and program management, monitoring and evaluation, and the role of leadership in aligning mission, incentives, and performance. Students examine how misaligned incentives, unclear authority, and cultural blind spots can undermine even well-funded initiatives, and how thoughtful design can enable durable impact. The course is built around three mastery levels, allowing students to choose their challenge. Whether pursuing conceptual understanding, applied managerial competence, or deeper analytical and design-oriented rigor, students engage with frameworks and tools calibrated to their goals and experience level. Through case analysis, applied exercises, and collaborative design work, students develop the capacity to navigate and shape complex organizational ecosystems. By the end of the course, they are equipped not only to manage development projects effectively, but to diagnose organizational challenges, design better incentive systems, foster healthy cultures, and lead with clarity in mission-driven contexts.