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BA 352 Organizational Behavior (4 credits)
Fall 2006
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Corrine Gobeli, Ph.D. 314 Bexell 541.737.3355
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Office hours: Tuesday, 2 PM – 3PM Wednesday 9-10 AM Thursday, 3-3:50 PM or by appointment |
Welcome to BA 352, a course that deals with the challenge of working with others in contemporary organizations. It is designed to help you think critically and act effectively in some of the typical “people” situations you may encounter in your careers.
The course involves both conceptual (know what) and skill (know how) learning. That is, you will learn about theories and concepts through readings, lectures and case studies. You will also apply principles through group work, simulations, role plays and other interactive exercises.
To do well in this course, think about your past experiences and your existing theories and assumptions of why people (including you) do what they (you) do at work. Investing time and thought and being open to new ideas and experiences will lead to valuable insights and skills.
Learning Outcomes
This course is designed to help you to:
- Assess the values, attitudes, perceptions, skills and behaviors that affect your interpersonal effectiveness and professionalism
- Develop, practice and enhance the essential interpersonal skills for being an effective coworker and manager; display good work habits, time management and self discipline.
- Work as a productive member of a work group or team to accomplish group goals and objectives
- Work effectively, respectfully,
ethically and professionally with people of diverse backgrounds,
organizational roles, interests and personalities
- Communicate effectively and professionally in business situations – in writing, speaking and listening.
- Use appropriate conceptual
frameworks from management research & practice to diagnose and improve
individual performance and group dynamics.
E-mail Communication
All
students registered for business courses have an assigned e-mail address in the
Supplementary Course Information
Supplementary
material including copies of handouts, assignments, and resource materials will
be posted to the web, accessible through the
You will
find supplementary material in the following folders:
It’s also a good idea to explore the Student CD-ROM and McGraw-Hill On-Line Learning Center. See your textbook for details.
Required Texts
• Kinicki, A. & Kreitner, R. (2006). Organizational behavior: Key concepts, skills & best practices. (2nd ed.) NY: McGraw-Hill. (one copy on reserve at Valley Library)
• Byham,
W.C. (1998) Zapp.
Homework
assignments, listed on the Course Schedule, include readings from the texts,
self-assessments, and individual and team deliverables. Please read each
chapter and complete hand out exercises prior to class so you will be
ready to participate actively. Think about the material critically and relate
the theories and concepts to your experience in organizations. Lectures and
chapter presentations will not merely summarize the assigned readings but
rather, will highlight and build upon them, so you must review basic concepts
before class.
Individual Deliverables
Examinations (250 points)
There will be one midterm exam (100 points) and a
comprehensive final exam (150 points). If you want to do well, complete the
required readings and listen in class. Exams will cover the assigned readings
as well as classroom presentations, discussions and activities. Exams
will include multiple choice, true/false and matching questions, short answer,
essay and mini-cases, and will require you to understand, apply and integrate
concepts. The Student CD-ROM and
Peer Evaluation Memo (50 points)
Each team will develop a list of criteria (performance
expectations) against which each member will be evaluated. At the end of the term, you will evaluate the
overall performance of your team and the individual members – in confidence –
and communicate your ratings and the rationale in a formal memo. These evaluations may be used to adjust a
student’s grade on the Resource Guide. Detailed guidelines will be distributed
later and posted to Course materials.
Chapter
Presentation (25 points)
Team work requires individual accountability as well as collaborative effort. Your contribution to the chapter presentation will be assessed by the instructor.
Participation (50 points)
Every student in the class has a contribution to make. And
every student is expected to contribute to in-class discussions and learning
activities. The benefit is that you will have an opportunity to share your
ideas, insights, and experiences, test your views and interpretations of the
course material, ask thoughtful questions and enhance your learning in a
supportive climate with your peers and the instructor. To receive points, you
must contribute meaningfully and regularly to large class discussions.
Display a name tent everyday so you can receive credit for your contributions to class discussions and activities. You can be called upon at any time to explain chapter concepts; it is best to volunteer when you think you are ready. If you have difficulty contributing in large classes, please see me privately about strategies to increase your comfort and involvement. For suggestions, read pp. 123-132 about self-efficacy and self management and pp. 187-194 about goal setting. A SMART goal may help you in this area.
Hands-on exercises (in the textbook) and in-class exercises are designed to apply concepts and build skills. To gain the most from these experiences and to support your peers, your behavior needs to be authentic and serious – and you need to be present.
Two missed classes during group activities are permitted (although not encouraged). Showing up after class or a group activity has begun and/or leaving early both count as an absence. Points are deducted from your overall total participation score for failure to participate in class activities because of absences or tardiness. Your group’s success depends upon each person being a committed member of the team.
The two “missed classes” allowance should provide enough
flexibility to deal with unexpected emergencies, illness, athletic events or
job interviews. Obviously, coming to class is very important!!!!
Zapp Quiz/Activity (25 points)
Instructions for the Zapp assignment will be distributed later in the term.
Team Deliverables
Early in the term you will form self-managed project teams of no fewer than five nor more than six persons. Many class activities will take place in these teams. It‘s up to you to select, organize and structure the team in order to achieve course goals. The major deliverables for your team are:
· a formal Resource Guide proposal (20 points)
· a 10-15 page Resource Guide (100 points)
·
a
12-15 minute oral presentation to management of the Resource Guide (80
points)
· a 20-25 minute oral presentation of one chapter of the text book (50 points)
Detailed guidelines will be distributed and posted to COB Course materials.
Written Assignments
The ability to write clear, complete, concise and compelling business materials is a critical basic skill. Your written materials, both individual and team, will be assessed against the standards of business English, including grammar, spelling, organization and presentation. Please refer to the Writing Guidelines for more information.
No written assignments will be accepted late unless you receive permission from the instructor prior to the due date. Permission will be granted only for serious reasons and then only with adequate (at least one class period) advance notice.” Forgotten” papers will be docked points.
Extra Credit
You may earn up to 5 points of extra credit by attending specific campus activities related to the world of work, reporting on them in a one - two page memo. You may be asked question on the activity in class. Write-ups must be submitted within one week of the event. Check the web for detailed guidelines. Among the approved activities are workshops during Career Week, presentations at the Austin Entrepreneurship Program and selected University Counseling Service workshops.
Opportunities may also be announced as they become available.
Special Needs
Accommodations are collaborative efforts between students, faculty and Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). Students with accommodations approved by SSD are responsible for contacting me prior to or during the first week of the term to discuss accommodations. Students who believe they are eligible for accommodations but who have not yet obtained approval should contact SSD ASAP at 737-4098.
Academic Honesty.
Good
ethical behavior is an increasingly important aspect of organizational life.
Similarly, you are expected to abide by strict academic honesty standards.
Infractions can result in an “F” for the course and an Academic Dishonesty
Report filed with the University. Refer to Academic Regulations and Procedures
described in the Schedule of Classes, if you have questions about these
policies.
For more
information, refer to the student conduct website http:www.orst.edu.admin/stucon/index.htm
and/or the
Academic issues page http:www.orst.edu/admin/stucon/achon.htm
Assessment
and Grading
Your final grade will be based on the number of points you earn throughout the term. The maximum number of points for each assignment are listed below. However, an adjustment to the overall class distribution may be made by the instructor at the end of the term to account for the degree of difficulty in course examinations. The expanded (+/-) letter grade system is used for this course. You are expected to keep track of your own points.
Any appeals
to a grade received must be submitted in writing within one week of the
receipt of the grade and must include detailed, specific rationale for a review
of the grade.
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Course Assignment |
Points |
Your score |
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Individual assignments |
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Exams |
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Mid-term exam |
100 |
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Final exam |
150 |
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Memos |
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Team Evaluation: rating and memo |
50 |
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Zapp Activity |
25 |
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Chapter
Presentation |
25 |
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Participation |
50 |
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Team assignments |
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Chapter
Presentation |
50 |
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Team Project |
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Project Proposal |
20 |
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Resource Guide |
100 |
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Presentation |
80 |
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Total Course Points |
650 |
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Extra credit |
Max 5 |
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The 4 P’s of Classroom Behavior
During Spring term 2006, a group of 11 seniors, under the
direction of Dr. David Baldridge, conducted a study of the student climate in
the
Classroom behavior should be guided by the norms of
·
punctuality
·
preparation
·
participation
·
professionalism