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BA 352 Organizational Behavior (4 credits)
Spring 2007
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Corrine Gobeli, Ph.D. 314 Bexell 541.737.3355
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Office hours: Tuesday, 12 PM – 1PM 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:
- 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 organization and 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
Course Information
Course
material including copies of handouts, assignments, Power point slides and
resource materials will be posted to Blackboard.
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 (Additional information will be presented in class or posted to Blackboard.)
Examinations (250 points)
There will be one midterm exam (100 points) and a
comprehensive final exam (125 points). If you want to do well, complete the
required readings and listen and take notes 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
Quizzes (4
@15 each = 60 points)
Four short quizzes covering chapter readings are listed on
the course syllabus. These quizzes will help you keep up with your reading and
clarify important concepts.
Zapp
quiz/activity (40 points)
Additional
information about the Zapp activity
will be distributed prior to May 25
Peer Evaluation Memo (50 points)
Throughout the term, teams will be expected to engage in
informal mentoring and coaching. In addition, you will participate in a formal
evaluation process. Early in the term, each team will develop a list of criteria
(performance expectations) that will guide your team interactions. At the end
of the term, you will conduct a performance conversation and then evaluate the
overall performance of your team and the individual members according to these
criteria – in confidence – and communicate your ratings and the rationale in a
formal written memo. These evaluations
may be used to adjust a team member’s grade on the Resource Guide. Detailed
guidelines will be distributed and posted to Blackboard.
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 practice
communicating in a professional manner, 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. Participation will be
assessed by the instructor, yourself, and fellow students.
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.
It’s difficult to contribute if you are not 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!!!!
Extra Credit
You may earn up to 5 points of extra credit by attending specific campus activities related to the world of work and by 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. Among the approved activities are workshops during Career Week, presentations at the Austin Entrepreneurship Program and selected University Counseling Service workshops. Check Blackboard – Assignments - Individual for detailed guidelines.
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 for Global Managers (100 points)
·
a
12-15 minute oral presentation to management of the Resource Guide (80
points)
·
drafts
(15 points total) Each group will submit drafts of selected sections of their
Resource Guide. Each draft will be reviewed for conformance to professional
expectations; groups will receive detailed feedback for improvement. Five
points will be allotted to each draft. See the Class Schedule for due dates.
·
chapter
expert panel (20 points) Your team will be the class experts on one textbook
chapter and during the lecture/discussion will be responsible for answering
instructor’s questions, providing real world examples and asking clarifying
questions.
Detailed
guidelines for the team deliverables will be distributed or posted to
Blackboard and discussed in class.
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 accepted standards of business English, including grammar,
spelling, organization and presentation. Please refer to the Writing Guidelines
on Blackboard for more information or contact the
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” or otherwise late papers may be docked five percentage points.
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.
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.
The 4 P’s of Classroom Behavior
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
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.
Any appeals to a grade received on any assignment or exam 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.
It is your responsibility to keep track of the grades you
receive on all class assignments – including daily participation forms, memos,
exams, etc.
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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 |
125 |
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Quizzes 4
@ 15 |
60 |
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Zapp Activity |
40 |
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Team
Evaluation: rating and memo |
50 |
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Participation |
50 |
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Team assignments |
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Project Proposal |
20 |
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Draft:
country background |
5 |
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Draft:
interview questions & protocol |
5 |
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Draft:
Bibliography & layout |
5 |
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Resource Guide |
100 |
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RG Presentation |
80 |
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Chapter
experts |
20 |
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Total Course Points |
660 |
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Extra credit |
Max 5 |
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