SYLLABUS
BSNS 6210 - Organizational Behavior (MBA)
Semester II, 2008 - 09
Tuesdays
Location: Fishers – Forum Credit Union
Professor: Dr. Doyle J. Lucas
Office: Hardacre Hall Room 114
Office Hours: By Appointment
Telephone -
Work: (765) 641 - 4367
Home
(765) 642 - 5738
Fax (765) 641 – 4356
Email: djlucas@anderson.edu
Course
Description:
Organizational behavior is a field of study in business that has grown
out of the traditional social sciences.
It is a field that strives to understand, explain, predict, and
influence or change human behavior as it occurs within an organizational
context. It is a field of study that
focuses on observable behaviors and internal mental states. Organizational behavior studies the behavior
of people both as individuals and as members of groups and organizations; it
also analyzes the attitudes and behaviors of groups and organizations per
se. Through the systematic study of
these attitudes and behaviors we may progress to the point of being able
to (1) predict the behavior of others;
(2) explain why a particular behavior occurs; and (3) through predictions and
explanation, influence individual, group and organizational behavioral
outcomes.
Required Texts:
Champoux, Joseph E.
(2006). Organizational Behavior:
Integrating Individuals, Groups and Organizations. 3rd Edition
Thompson
South-Western Publishing, ISBN:
0-324-32079-5
Morris, Tom (1997). If
Aristotle Ran General Motors. Henry
Holt & Co.,
ISBN: 0-8050-5252-6
(Paperback version is also just fine)
Course Format
Organizational Behavior is experiential, applied, and integrative in its
design. Through a series of cases,
in-class exercises, and discussion, students are provided opportunity to
experience and apply the macro and micro issues relevant within this broader
course topic.
Particular emphasis of this course is not on facts and figures, but on
your ability to diagnose problems and develop options for greater
organizational effectiveness as an organizational leader.
Course Evaluation: Examinations
Two examinations, each worth 25% of the final grade, will be given on
the dates indicated on the course schedule.
Tests may be take home, essay, case, objective or subjective in their
structure. The tests will typically
include information covered in class and information found in the required
text. When given cases or essay
questions the student will be expected to integrate relevant material from
their reading and in class participation within their answers. A grade of zero will be recorded for all
students who miss an exam without prior notification of the
professor. If a student has a legitimate
reason for not taking the exam on the scheduled date, and that students
notifies the professor prior to the exam, the student may take a make-up
exam composed solely at the discretion of the professor.
Course Evaluation: Mid-term
Paper
At the end of the fourth week, students will be assigned a mid-term
class paper. The topic will be announced
on that date. The paper will be due on
February 17, 2009. The paper is to
be typed, double-spaced, and 3-4 pages in length. The paper is worth 15% of the final grade.
Course Evaluation: Case Study
During the course of the semester each student will be presented a
problem from an organization through the vehicle of a comprehensive case. The task for the student will be to apply the
following diagnostic model to the case:
1. Define the major
problem in organizational behavior and management terms;
2. If the information
is incomplete--which it is likely to be--make realistic assumptions;
3. Summarize the
probable causes of the problem;
4. Consider the cost
and benefits of each solution;
5. Choose a solution
and describe how you would implement that solution; and,
6. Make sure your solution is
efficient, feasible, ethical, legally defensible, and can be defended in a
debate situation.
You will be expected to integrate the concepts discussed in class into
your proposed solutions. This will
necessitate considering individual, group, and organizational factors and
implications when completing your analysis.
The case is to be typed, double-spaced, and turned in for
evaluation. It is due on April 14,
2009. This case analysis is worth
15% of your final grade.
Course Evaluation: Book Review
Students will be required to read If Aristotle Ran General Motors
by Tom Morris and complete a book review.
This review will be due on April 21, 2009. The book review should address the following
issues:
• What is the thesis of the book?
• That being, what are the most
important themes presented; or, what does the author wish you to believe or
practice as a result of reading this work?
• What did you learn from the book
and how might you expect to apply this in your current work setting?
• How would you evaluate the work of
this author? Please give examples or
reasons to justify your critique.
The book review should be typed, double-spaced and 4-6 pages in
length. This report will be worth 15% of
the final grade.
Course Evaluation: Journalizing
Students will be required to submit a weekly journal entry. The journal entry should address two issues;
a written response to the critical thinking questions assigned for that week,
and, a personal evaluation of one's "life in the MBA program."
Critical Thinking Question--For each week’s topic there is a
corresponding question that I’d like you to think about and write a response
to. These questions are provided later
in this syllabus. Please word process,
double-spaced and be prepared to include your response in our conversation
about the topic in class that evening.
Life in the MBA program--how are you adjusting to and dealing with the
MBA experience? Are you finding the
program, and this class in particular, beneficial to your personal and professional
goals? How are the demands and
expectations of home or work adding additional pressure on you MBA experience;
or vice versa?
The weekly journal entry should not exceed two pages in length. Please give a balance in your writing to both
of the issues identified above. The
journal is worth 5% of the final grade.
Course Evaluation:
Participation
While the professor will present much of the material for this class
this course will not be taught solely by the traditional lecture method. Class attendance and student participation
is, therefore, considered vital to the learning experience of the student. While the instructor understands the unique
needs, responsibilities, and schedules of adult students, students will be
expected to meet and participate in simulations, cases, exercises, and class
experiences.
Grade Composition
Examinations 50%
Case Proposal 15%
Mid-term Paper 15%
Book Review 15%
Journal
5%
Final Grades
Final grades will be assigned on the following scale:
A 94 - 100
A- 90 - 93
B+ 87 - 89
B 83 - 86
B- 80 - 82
C+ 77 - 79
C 70 - 76
D 60 - 69
F 0 - 59
Tentative Course Schedule
Date Topic Text
Chapter Assignment
Jan 13 T Intro
to Organization Behavior 1,2
20 T Ability/Personality/MBTI 4,5 Journal
27 T Perception 5,6 Journal
Feb 3 T Motivation 7 Journal
10 T Motivation 8 Journal
17 T Rewards 9 Journal, Paper
MID TERM PAPER DUE
24 T EXAM 1 Due
Group
Behavior 10,
14
Mar 5 Th Negotiation/Conflict
Management 11 Journal
10 T Power/Politics 15 Journal
17 T Spring
Break – No class meeting
24 T MBA
First Year Student Combined Session Attendance is required.
Time
and Location to be determined
31 T Leadership 12 Journal
Apr 7 T Leadership 12 Journal
14 T Organizational Communication 13 Journal, Case
CASE ANALYSIS DUE
21 T Organizational
Design/Structure 17, 18 Journal, Book
BOOK REVIEW DUE Review
28* T EXAM 2 Due Exam
Wrap
Up Session
* Classes on Thursday, March 5
and Tuesday, April 28 are scheduled to meet from 5:30 – 9:20 PM.
Weekly Critical Thinking Questions
“Heredity determines
personality.” (a) Build an argument to
support this statement. (b) Build an
argument against this statement.
How might the differences in the
experiences of employees and their managers affect their perceptions of the
employees’ work productivity and their comments?
Can an individual be too motivated, so that his or
her performance declines as a result of excessive effort?
It’s an indisputable fact that there has been an
explosive increase in the difference between the average
“Performance can’t be measured, so any effort to link
pay with performance is a fantasy.
Differences in performance are often caused by the system, which means
the organization ends up rewarding the circumstances. It’s the same thing as rewarding the weather
forecaster for a pleasant day.” Do you
agree or disagree with this statement?
Support your position.
Do you think competition and conflict are
different? Explain.
“Politics isn’t inherently bad. It’s merely a way to get things accomplished
within organizations.” Do you agree or
disagree? Defend your position.
Mar 31 –
Leadership
Can leadership effectiveness be taught/learned? Explain
Is there an ethical problem if leaders focus more on
looking like a leader than actually being one?
Discuss.
Why do you think so many people are poor listeners?
What effect, is any, do you
think the Internet will have on the development of future employees’
interpersonal skills?
AU Policy on Academic Integrity
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)