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BA 352 Organizational Behavior (4 credits)
Spring 2006
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Corrine Gobeli, Ph.D. 314 Bexell 541.737.3355
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Office hours: Tuesday, 12 noon – 1 PM Wednesday 9-10 AM Thursday, 1-1:50 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 be able to:
- Assess the values, attitudes, perceptions, skills and behaviors that affect how you interact with others in an organization
- Develop, practice and enhance the essential interpersonal skills for being an effective coworker and manager
- Work as a productive member of a work group or team
- Recognize and value the growing
diversity of the workplace – including changes in demographics and
globalization
- Use organizational behavior concepts and terminology correctly (i.e. talk like a manager)
- Diagnose individual and group
situations and respond effectively using relevant organizational behavior
models and concepts
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.
Readings
Homework
assignments, listed on the Course Schedule,
include readings from the texts, self-assessments and individual and team
deliverables. Please read each assignment and complete exercises, discussion
questions or ethical dilemmas 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 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 (325 points)
There will be four short quizzes on chapter readings, at 15
points each for a total of 60 points, one quiz on Zapp (25 points), one midterm
exam (100 points) and a comprehensive final exam (140 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
Evaluation Memo (50 points)
In business organizations, it is common for a person’s performance and rewards to be dependent upon the actions and performance of others. This condition will be replicated in this course through the use of the Team Project. In the evaluation assignment, each of you will assess the overall effectiveness of your team and rate your fellow team members on criteria defined by your team and provide specific, detailed rationale to support each rating. These ratings will be compiled and used to determine your grade on the team resource guide. Detailed guidelines will be distributed later and posted.
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 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, as well as leaving early, may count as an absence. Points will be deducted from your overall total for failure to participate in class activities.
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!!!!
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 work plan (20 points)
• a 10-15 page resource guide (100 points)
• a 12-15 minute oral presentation (80 points)
Detailed guidelines will be distributed and posted to the web.
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 and presenting your information to the rest of the class. Write-ups must be submitted within one week of the event. Check the web for detailed guidelines.
Opportunities will be announced as they become available.
Special Needs
If you have any special needs to be accommodated, please contact me in person during the first week of the term.
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 will result in an “F” for the course and an Academic Dishonesty Report will be 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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Quizzes (four @ 15) |
60 |
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Mid-term exam |
100 |
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Zapp quiz |
25 |
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Final exam |
140 |
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Evaluation: rating and memo |
50 |
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Participation (- Attendance costs per absence > than 2) |
50 |
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Team assignments |
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Team Project |
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Work plan |
20 |
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Resource Guide |
100 |
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Presentation |
80 |
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Total Course Points |
625 |
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Extra credit |
Max 5 |
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