SYLLABUS

BSNS 2710

Principles of Management

Three Semester Hours

Spring Semester 2009

Section 01, MWF 10:00 AM

 

Doyle J. Lucas, Ph.D., Instructor

Office:   Hardacre Hall, Room 115

Office Hours:                       M            11:00 – 11:50, 1:00 – 1:50

                                                T             11:00 – 11:50, 1:00 – 2:50

                                                W            11:00 – 11:50, 1:00 – 1:50

                                                Th           11:00 – 11:50, 1:00 – 1:50

                                                F              11:00 – 11:50

                                                Other hours available by appointment

 

Phone:                   Office:   641 – 4367

                                Home:   642 – 5738

                                Email:    djlucas@anderson.edu

 

Course Description:

 

This is an introductory course in management theory and practice.  Areas of study will include: the historic development of management thought; decision making; the management functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling; and the skills demanded of contemporary managers.  An international context and consideration of ethical issues in managing people and resources will be emphasized throughout the study.

 

Required Text:

 

Robbins, Stephen and DeCenzo, David A. (2008).  Fundamentals of Management, 6th Edition.  Prentice Hall Publishing.

 

Current Reading Supplements:

 

The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Forbes, Fast Company, Internet sources

 

Course Objectives:

 

1.       To acquaint you with the challenges and opportunities you’ll face when managing your own life, the time and skills of other people, and the resources of an organization.

 

  1. To assist you in developing an informed personal philosophy of management and the ability to articulate it to others.

 

  1. To help you build and practice using a diverse “toolbox” of managerial skills.

 

  1. To consider the implications of contemporary management theory and practice from a perspective of biblical faith in Jesus Christ.  To then examine Christ’s mandate that His followers be “salt” and “light” in the world in which they live and work.

 

Course Requirements:

 

1.       Attendance/Participation:  To paraphrase Woody Allen: Ten percent of success is due to talent and preparation; the other ninety percent is due to just showing up on time.  If he’s right, all academic success comes from being in class, on time, prepared to discuss the topics of the day.  To help you succeed I will regularly take attendance and call on you to lead class discussions.  Your final grade will be determined not only from your achievement on exams but also from my subjective evaluations of your preparation and your contributions to the learning environment of our class. Please turn off cell phones in class.  No texting during our class time.  I need your attention to be on what we’re doing in the classroom

 

  1. Reading:  You are expected to complete all reading assignments by the dates noted in this syllabus.  I have designed our daily class discussions, quizzes, and in-class application exercises with the assumption that you will come to class well prepared.  So, no open textbooks will be allowed in this class.  You should, however, bring a notebook with your handwritten or word-processed notes taken from the assigned readings.  You may use these notes for quizzes, exercises, discussions or any other class activity except exams.

 

  1. Quizzes, etc.: Over the course of the semester we will have a number of graded assignments.  These may take the form of projects done outside of class, quizzes over the terminology and concepts introduced in reading assignments, or in-class exercises.  As noted above, you may use your notebook for any in-class assignments.  There will be no make-ups for missed assignments.

 

  1. Exams: There will be six unit exams given over the course of the semester.  Your text, class lectures and discussions, videos, guest speakers, and assigned supplementary readings are all sources that may be covered on exams.  Dates for the exams are noted on the class schedule at the end of this syllabus.

 

  1. Organization Analysis Project:  This project may be completed alone or, if you prefer, in a group of not more than three persons from our class.  Your assignment is to do an in-depth study of the operating environment and managerial practices of an organization that you admire and might want to work for.  You should, then, choose your organization carefully and plan to impress the firm’s managers with your skills in research, analysis and communication.

 

Your research should include several well-structured interviews of managers, employees, and perhaps even customers.  These interviews and other research should be completed over the entire semester.  We will discuss topics and research methods each week in class.

 

Think about it.  Managers that you hope to impress will only be impressed if you call early to make an appointment, show up on time, dress professionally, and speak maturely.  You should have an interview sheet prepared with the questions you need to ask and space available to briefly write your notes.

 

The best project reports (those wishing to earn an “A”, take note) will also include library research of the industry trends, challenges, and opportunities for your organization.  Ask the reference librarians to help you find resources.  Search the Internet.  Think broadly and creatively.  Make this project a central part of your professional portfolio that you will be proud to show to potential employers in the future.

 

Anytime before the beginning of class on Friday, April 17, 2009, you may submit your project report. 

 

It must be in the following format with each section labeled clearly and specifically:

 

Cover Page:

 

Overview of the Management Practices of (name of organization studied)

Prepared for Dr. Doyle J. Lucas

BSNS 2710 Principles of Management

Falls School of Business

Anderson University

 

A Study Conducted by (your name or names of the members of your group)

Submitted April 17, 2009

 

Section I.  General description of the enterprise and its environment.  Discuss the organization’s legal name, its form of ownership, its management and reporting structures, its workforce size and demographics, its products and/or services, its location(s) and layout of facilities, its important resources and technologies, its competitors, its customers and clients, and any other information necessary to make the operating environment clear to your reader.

 

Section II. Description of managerial functions.   For each of the four managerial functions below, give a detailed description of the issues this organization faces and the procedures its managers use to deal with those issues.

 

    1. Planning – This function includes defining the organization’s goals, establishing an overall strategy for achieving these goals, and developing plans to coordinate their activities.  In this organization, what must managers plan for? (Products, human resources, inventories, financing, facilities, advertising, seasonal demand, etc.)  What information and procedures do they utilized to do this planning?  Who is involved?

 

    1. Organizing – This function includes determining what tasks must be done to meet their goals, how the tasks are grouped into jobs, who is to do them, who reports to whom, and where decisions are to be made.  It also includes the location and layout of facilities and equipment.  In this organization, what issues must managers consider when they design their structures of people and facilities?  How have they chosen to delegate authority?  In this section be sure to demonstrate your understanding of the issues of formalization and centralization.

 

    1. Leading – This function includes the tasks of communication, motivation, and conflict resolution.  In this organization, how are leaders recruited, selected, trained, developed, and supported?  How is the workforce motivated?  How are performance appraisals used?  How do leaders communicate?  How are conflicts resolved?  What disciplinary structures do they use?

 

    1. Controlling – This function includes monitoring activities to ensure that they are being accomplished as planned and correcting any significant deviations from the plans.  In this organization, what things must be monitored (sales levels, inventory, productivity, employee satisfaction/morale/turnover, expenses, etc.) to ensure the firm’s success?  What control tools and procedures do they utilize?

 

Section III.   Analysis and Recommendations.  Using information that you have gained from our text, class discussions, other business courses, and additional research, analyze the management practices employed by this enterprise.  Comment specifically on their fulfillment of the three goals of effectiveness, efficiency, and stakeholder satisfaction.  Make at least three recommendations for improving this organization’s operations and/or work environment.  For each recommendation you make, discuss the costs and benefits that could be expected from making the changes you suggest.

 

Bibliography – This project requires using interviews and library resources for information.  Cite all of your sources.  For interviews, note the name and title of the persons interviewed along with the date and location of the interview.

 

PLEASE NOTE – This is a “term project” and should demonstrate the best of your entire semester’s learning.  Begin your research now and plan to turn in your project well before the final acceptance time at the beginning of class on Friday, April 18, 2008.

 

Late Policy

No projects will be accepted late for any reason.  This is a course in management.  Manage this project so that you can turn in your best work on time or, even better, turn it in early.  Because projects may be submitted early, no excuses for missing the deadline will even be considered.  Plan, organize, lead, and control yourself (and your groups if you choose to work with one) and achieve the results you desire.

Final Grading

 

Unit Exams, 6 @ 10% each                              60%

Term Project                                                         25%

Cases, Quizzes, Exercises                                   15%

Instructor’s Evaluation                                      +/- 5%

 

*I reserve the right to adjust your final average by up to 5% if I believe it necessary to give an accurate final evaluation of overall performance in this course.

 

Grade Scale:                         A =          93 – 100%

A- =        90 – 92.9 %

B+ =       87 – 89.9%

B =          83 – 86.9%

B-=         80 – 82.9%

C+ =       77 – 79.9%

C =          73 – 76.9%

C-=         70 – 72.9%

D =          60 – 69.9%

F =          Below 60%

 

Please note: Students who have special clinically based problems that might affect their performance in class should notify the instructor during the first week of school.  Possible arrangements can be made to work closely with the Learning Center, a tutor, or special time provided by the instructor.

 

Tentative Class Schedule

 

Date                                       Topic                                                                     Required Reading

 

Jan          14           W            Course Introduction and Information

 

                16           F              NCAA Convention – No Class Meeting

 

                19           M            Strategies for Success

 

                21           W            Managers and Management                             Ch. 1

 

                23           F              Managers and Management                             Ch. 1

 

                26           M            Historical Roots                                                   pp. 29 – 45

 

                28           W            Historical Roots                                                   pp. 29 – 45

 

                30           F              Managing in Today’s Environment                 Ch. 2

 

Feb         2              M            Managing in Today’s Environment                 Ch. 2

 

                4              W            Managing in Today’s Environment                 Ch. 2

 

                6              F              EXAM 1

 

                9              M            Foundations of Planning                                    Ch. 3

 

                11           W            Foundations of Planning                                    Ch. 3

 

                13           F              Decision Making                                                  Ch. 4

Feb         16           M            Decision Making                                                  Ch. 4

 

                18           W            Decision Making                                                  Ch. 4

 

                20           F              EXAM 2

 

                23           M            Basic Organizational Designs                            Ch. 5

 

                25           W            Basic Organizational Designs                            Ch. 5

 

                27           F              Staffing and HRM                                              Ch. 6

 

March    2              M            Managing Change, Stress and Innovation     Ch. 7

 

                4              W            Managing Change, Stress and Innovation     Ch. 7

 

                6              F              EXAM 3

 

                9              M            Individual and Group Behavior                       Ch. 8

 

                11           W            Individual and Group Behavior                       Ch. 8

 

                13           F              Understanding Work Teams                             Ch. 9

 

                14 – 22                  Spring Break

 

                23           M            Understanding Work Teams                             Ch. 9

 

                25           W            Understanding Work Teams                             Ch. 9

 

                27           F              EXAM 4

 

                30           M            Motivating and Rewarding                                                Ch. 10

 

April       1              W            Motivating and Rewarding                                                Ch. 10

 

                3              F              Leadership and Trust                                          Ch. 11

 

                6              M            Leadership and Trust                                          Ch. 11

 

                8              W            EXAM 5

 

                10           F              Good Friday – No Class Meeting

 

                13           M            Student Travel Day – No Class Meeting

 

                15           W            Organization Analysis Project Work Day – Dr. Lucas Available for Consultation

 

                17           F              Term Projects Due by Beginning of Class – None Accepted Late

                                                In-class Discussion of Projects – Be Prepared to talk about your project.

 

                20           M            Communication                                                  Ch. 12

 

                22           W            Communication                                                  Ch. 12

 

                24           F              Foundation of Control                                       Ch. 13

 

April       27           M            Controlling                                                            Ch. 13

 

                29           W            Operations Management                                   Ch. 14

 

May       1              F              Operations Management                                   Ch. 14

 

                7              Th           EXAM 6 -  Finals Week (Note date and time:  9:30 – 11:10 AM)

                                                (All Exams during finals week must be taken at the scheduled time)

 

 

 

 

AU Policy on Academic Integrity

Anderson University seeks to support and promote qualities of academic honesty and personal integrity and regards cheating, plagiarism and all other forms of academic dishonesty as serious offenses against the University community.  Such offenses will be deal with in an appropriate manner.

Cheating or academic dishonesty is defined as the deception of others about one’s own work or about the work of another.  Examples of cheating include but are not limited to:

1.       Submitting another’s work as one’s own or allowing another to submit one’s work as though it were his or hers.

2.       Failure to properly acknowledge authorities quoted, cited, or consulted in the preparation of written work (plagiarism).

3.       The use of a text book or notes during an examination without permission of the instructor.

4.       The getting or giving of unauthorized help on assignments.

5.       Tampering with experimental data to obtain a “desired” result or creating results for experiments not done (“dry labbing”).

6.       Tampering with or destroying the work of others.

7.       Submitting substantial portions of the same academic work for credit or honors more than once without permission of the present instructor.

8.       Lying about these or other academic matters.

Students who are guilty of such academic violations can expect to be penalized.  An instructor whose definition of cheating may differ from that stated above has the responsibility and obligation to so inform the student, in writing, at the beginning of the course.  Those instructors who fail to do so have no basis for disciplinary action in instances of purported student dishonesty outside of the above provisions.

In all instances of academic dishonest, instructors are urged to discuss the incident with the student and, if necessary, refer them to the Dean of Students office for more extensive counseling.

The course instructor shall have the authority to deal with instances of academic dishonesty within the framework of the following guidelines.

1.       Faculty members must report any student who has violated the policy on academic integrity to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.  Following two such reports against a particular student, action will be initiated under provisions of the judicial code and may lead to dismissal of the student from the University.

2.       The maximum assessable penalty for a first offense shall not exceed double the original value of the assignment plus no option to make up the work in question.

3.       Alternative courses of action may include, but are not limited to, the following:

a.       Work may be redone for full or partial credit.

b.       Alternative assignments may be given for full or partial credit.

c.        Work may not be redone and no credit will be given for that particular assignment.

Students who, in the judgment of the instructor, have committed a serious action of academic dishonest are to be reported to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.  Following two such reports against a particular student, action will be initiated under provisions of the judicial code and may lead to dismissal of the student from the University.

The student has the right to appeal actions under this policy through the regular channels as established by the grade appeal process.

Grounds for appeal are:

1.       Insufficient evidence of dishonesty.

2.       Penalties assessed in excess of those allowed under the above guidelines; or

3.       Provisions of grade appeal cited in the Student Handbook.  In all instances of academic dishonesty, instructors are urged to counsel offenders and, if necessary, refer them to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for conversations that are more extensive.

From Section 4.23 of the Faculty Handbook (10/13/2004)