School of Business
BUS 203 (AB4) Organizational Behavior,
Winter, 2024
DRAFT
Important
dates
See http://www.ufv.ca/admissions/registration/imprtregdates/
Faculty
Business
Contact
Joanne.so@ufv.ca Phone: (604) 557-4083
Office hours
Tuesday 2.30 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. via Zoom (AB4)
Tuesday 4.30 p.m. – 6.00 p.m. via Zoom (AB6)
Office: C2402 (Seasonal)
Use only UFV email addresses when communicating with UFV departments, faculty,
and staff; otherwise, students' emails may not be answered.
Friday is usually reserved for class preparation, and your email that comes in on Friday
will be replied to the following week. My being silent does not mean giving permission
or agreeing with your suggestion.
Prerequisite(s) BUS 100 or 30 credits of Criminology.
Calendar
description
"Emphasizing the human side of organizations, this course consists of a general
overview of the basic concepts and theories of the behavior of individuals and groups in
organizations. Students will participate in a variety of structured learning experiences
where theories and concepts can be applied."
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Learning
outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
LO 1. Apply concepts, theories, and models that deal with behavior in organizations.
LO 2. Explain human behavior in various types of organizations and work
arrangements.
LO 3. Identify barriers to effective decision-making processes.
LO 4. Explain the relationship between personality, values, and job-person
matching.
LO 5. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of teamwork in organizations.
LO 6. Explain the sources of power in organizations and their impact on individual
and team performance.
LO 7. Describe various leadership styles and their influence in a corporate setting.
LO 8. Explain how organizational performance is affected by its culture and values.
LO 9. Determine how organizations need to go through the change process.
Required
resources
Textbook:
McShane, S., Tasa, K., & Steen, S. (2021). Canadian Organizational Behavior
(11th Edition), McGraw Hill Ryerson.
NOTE: I recommend the current version (11th edition) because it is the most up-to-date,
but the material in older versions of this textbook is reasonably similar to that in the
current version. If you choose to use an older version, it will be your responsibility to
figure out what page numbers and chapters the readings cover in these old versions.
It is your option to choose additional software or exercises for revisions.
Supplementary readings will be available on Blackboard and assigned by the instructor.
Additional supplementary readings will be assigned on the Blackboard course website.
Technology Requirements:
• Fast, stable network connection: 50-100 mpbs download, 5-10 mbps upload
• Wi-Fi 5Ghz connections are preferred over 2.4 Ghz. Please do not rely on
wireless connections in public places such as coffee shops, malls and grocery
stores
• No Dial-up: You should not rely on dial-up connections at all
• USB headset/microphone/speakers and webcam
• Desktop or laptop computer on the current versions of Windows or Mac OS
• Use Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox: with pop-up blockers off, JavaScript &
cookies enabled, and cache cleared
For a full list, please see:
https://www.ufv.ca/myclass/technical-requirements/
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Supplemental
resources
APA style guide by UFV accessible at
https://www.ufv.ca/media/assets/academic-success-centre/handouts/APA-Style-Guide6th-Ed.---Feb-2019-v3.5.pdf
Employment standards BC information guide accessible at
https://www.employerline.ca/bc/esa bc/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIh6bGn7zc6wIVKj6tBh3Ag-2EAAYASAAEgI8fvD_BwE
UFV Lib guide on evaluating resources https://libguides.ufv.ca/EvaluatingSources
Either APA style 6th Ed or above is acceptable.
Physical and
Mental Health
We are still living in a time of the global pandemic. I care about your physical and
mental health. With the understanding that any of our circumstances may change at any
given time, we have to be flexible and compassionate. Please follow the current Health
Orders and stay home if you experience any symptoms or have COVID-19.
If you experience a personal emergency during the course, please take care of yourself
first. If you require additional assistance, please do reach out to me. I will do my best to
help you in any way I can. A variety of resources, specially curated for you, a UFV
student, can be found here https://www.ufv.ca/studentservices/
Please let me know if you need more support about the deadlines. I will offer patience,
flexibility, and compassion and expect honesty and flexibility in return.
There is no penalty for missing TWO (2) classes where students meet in the classroom.
Students should be able to access most of the learning materials online. Both individual
and team participation is required to make social learning successful. You should
schedule an appointment with me if you have missed two face-to-face classes.
Late Pass. Each student will be granted a one-day-late pass for the weekly case
submission. You DO NOT have to ask permission or explain why you are late. This
pass will be automatically applied when needed for an unexpected situation.
However, submissions must be on time to be accepted after that. This Late Pass can
not be applied in any group assessment.
Students can learn how to confidently manage their learning process and situation
under unexpected circumstances and feel less stressed.
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Methods of
evaluation
Component
Weekly Class
Participation
Weekly Case
Discussion &
Reflection
Quizzes #1, #2,
#3, #4
Midterm I
Assignment
Type
Individual
Individual
Individual
Weightage
Due every
In class
session
4% (2% each) Due same
Bb
day (due
11.45)
16% (4% each) As assigned in Bb
class
Individual
20%
Individual
20%
Group Work
10%
Group Work
20%
(Case-based Qs)
Group
Presentation
Group Essay
Submission
10%
(MC)
Midterm II
Due Date
See course
schedule
See course
schedule
See course
schedule
See course
schedule
Bb
Bb
Bb
Bb after
Turn-it-in
Weekly Class Participation
Students will participate in different activities to enrich their social learning
experiences, such as questionnaires, games, mini-case studies, and discussions.
Weekly Case Discussion and Reflection
There are five parts from (A) to (E).
Before each class (not during, not after the class), students are required to submit
the case paper in response to the previous week’s topic via Bb. You will receive a
pass or fail grade on each assignment. Unless otherwise specified, students should
write five paragraphs (see the given template in a separate document for details.
Paragraph (A) – your preferred answer is given by one of your group mates.
Paragraph (B) – your preferred answer given by another group mate.
Paragraph (C) – provide your answer with your viewpoint.
Paragraph (D) – provide an OB theory related to your discussion and elaborate.
Paragraph (E) – suggest a situation where this case is relevant to or applied to
the mentioned context.
Topics and theories are related to contemporary organizational issues. This
assignment series is designed to help students understand how organizational
behavior can be applied to contemporary business. Current affairs and corporate
issues will be discussed during these classes while students polish their writing
skills for the end-of-term group essay. Students must show their theoretical
understanding, application, and analytical skills when writing case answers. Please
use TNR 12 font size, double-spaced lines, up to two pages. Your work maybe
randomly selected to post on the Bb forum.
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Midterms I and II (60 to 90 min)
Both tests will be designed with multiple-choice items or/and short questions.
There will be no cumulative tests, but some topics may overlap. The questions are
primarily based on the chapters and cases in the corresponding weeks. Students
are required to write the tests in the classroom or computer center.
Group Presentation
Each group is required to present a recording for 20 - 30 minutes, including time for
Q&A. Each group will assign a topic or theory, and the group will use PowerPoint or
Zoom files to explain how to apply the theory in practice. Each group must submit
via Bb before the deadline. You must provide your group members' full student
names and IDs and assigned topics.
Group Essay Report
Students will write a group analytical essay or report and submit it to Bb. Students
should stay in the same group for the group presentation and essay report.
You choose a case, current news or article in the North American context that you
can apply the theories learned in the class and show how to (1) identify the
business (organizational issues) issues, (2) analyze the situations (3) determine
what the decision should be made. You may also consider whether the theories
apply in this situation or not with an explanation.
Your writing is required in APA writing styles (citations are required), at most 20
pages, with all your members’ full names and student IDs printed on the cover
page. You will be provided with a file template to follow. See the separate file for
specific requirements; the deadline is set on Bb. Random audits may apply.
You must retain a copy of each submitted assignment and working files until you
receive your final grade for the course.
By submitting an assignment, you are making a declaration of intellectual integrity.
You declare that the work submitted is your own and complies with all regulations
stated in the Academic Misconduct section in this syllabus and UFV Policy 70. You
also agree to allow your work to be compared against the work of others, including
the use of plagiarism detection software, to detect plagiarism.
Submissions must be on time to be accepted. Students are allowed to submit up to
two times before the deadline, but only the last submission will be considered, and
submissions will be considered unnecessary.
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Grade appeals must be made within one week of the results being released, and
instructors receive final decision rights.
References
Written assignments must use the current APA style of referencing. See also
guidelines from the Academic Success Centre.
English
standards
Assignments must be free of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors.
Assignments containing such errors will be penalized.
Accommodation Students with documented disabilities requiring academic and/or exam
accommodation should contact the Centre for Accessibility Services in Abbotsford
or Chilliwack.
PASS – Priority
Access to
Student
Supports
The UFV Priority Access to Student Supports (PASS) program connects students
to the supports and resources that may help them to increase their chances of
success. Such assistance may include putting students in touch with an academic
advisor, financial aid, a counselor, or another resource. If your instructor is
concerned about your progress, he/she may refer you to PASS. The referral is
treated confidentially and is sent because your instructor cares about your progress
and success in this course. Your response to PASS is entirely voluntary. Please
let them know by email if you do not wish your instructor to make a referral to PASS
on your behalf. Visit ufv.ca/studentservices/PASS/ for more information.
Academic
misconduct
Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, giving and receiving information during
any test or exam; using unauthorized sources of information during any test; plagiarizing;
fabrication, cheating, and misrepresenting the work of another person as your own,
facilitation of academic misconduct, and under certain conditions, non-attendance.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. You must reference your work and acknowledge sources
with in-text citations and a complete list of references. This includes direct and indirect
quotes, diagrams, charts, figures, pictures, and written material.
Students are not permitted to use Google templates for PowerPoint presentations; they
must create original slides.
For group projects, the responsibility for academic integrity, which can result in academic
misconduct and its resulting penalties, rests with each person in the group and sanctions
would be borne by each member.
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For more information, see UFV Policy 70 on Student Academic Misconduct.
Grading scale
Grades will be assigned according to the following scale.
Grade
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
F
FD
Percent equivalent
90 – 100
85 – 89
80 – 84
77 – 79
73 – 76
70 – 72
67 – 69
63 – 66
60 – 62
50 – 59
< 50 (fail)
0
Grade point value
4.33
4.0
3.67
3.33
3.0
2.67
2.33
2.0
1.67
1.0
0.0
0.0
Standard percentage equivalencies are used to determine the final letter grade.
The final percentage will be rounded to the nearest integer, using standard
mathematical practice (i.e. if the first digit after the decimal place is 5 or higher,
rounding is to the next higher integer) before converting to a letter grade.
An FD grade denotes a fail due to academic discipline and is included in the GPA
calculation. Rules for assigning an FD grade are found in the Procedures and
Regulations document of Policy 70: Academic Misconduct. The FD grade is
changed to an F on the transcript after a period of 12 months, provided the student
completes a workshop on Academic Integrity through Academic Success
Centre and commits no further violations during the 12-month period. Otherwise,
the FD remains. Once an FD grade is converted to an F, it is subject to the same
regulations as any other F grade a student receives.
Masks
There is NO mask mandate in BC or at UFV at present. However, I will continue to
wear masks for those at higher risk of contracting COVID will be cared for.
Wearing a mask is a personal choice, in all indoor public spaces, on all UFV
campuses. It is vital to remember and respect that many people will have reasons
to continue wearing a mask, and the University will support this personal choice.
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Student
conduct
Students are required to conduct their behavior in a mature and responsible
manner, consistent with the University's mission, policies, procedures, and
regulations. Students will be held accountable for their actions, whether alone or in
a group. Students should familiarize themselves with UFV Policy 204.
Students can earn bonus points by contributing valuable feedback in the
classroom, participating actively in the forum discussion, asking insightful
questions, or discussing ways to enhance any aspect of the course with instructors.
Conversely, students may be deducted for interfering with other students' learning.
For example, students' distracting behavior includes arriving to class late or leaving
early, being frequently absent from class, having cell phones ringing in class,
making inappropriate comments or behaviors that distract from the learning
environment, or other irresponsible behaviors.
Assignments
If there is any reason students cannot write the midterms or other assessments,
students have the responsibility to provide notice one day in advance.
If there are any field trips, extra meetings, visits to out-of-classroom locations, or
other related ‘extra’ activities, it must be stated whether these are Required or
Optional activities (If Required, an alternative must be provided for those who
cannot attend these activities – e.g. to accommodate disabilities).
Turnitin
Turnitin: The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) is committed to preserving
academic integrity as defined in UFV policies. Use of Turnitin contributes to student
success by enabling students to have their papers evaluated for plagiarism by
Turnitin before the work is assessed by an instructor. Students agree that by taking
this course, assignments may be required to be submitted to Turnitin.com or that
the instructor may submit questionable text on behalf of a student. Students will be
required to create an account with Turnitin and to submit their work via that
account, on the terms stipulated in the agreement between the student and
Turnitin. This agreement includes the retention of your submitted work as part of
the Turnitin database. Students should be aware that Turnitin servers 12 reside in
the United States. Accordingly, students may use an anonymous identity in their
interactions with Turnitin. Students who have concerns about the Turnitin tool
should consult with their instructor in advance of any submission deadline.
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Examination
policy
Examinations must be written at the scheduled, time, date, and location. The final
examination period includes Saturdays.
Writing the final examination at a time other than the one in the posted examination
schedule will only be permitted when a student has a direct conflict between two
scheduled examinations. Two exams on a single day is not considered a valid
reason for moving an exam. Students must notify the affected instructors of a
conflict by the end of Week 9 of the class. Exams may be scheduled at a time or
day of the week different from the class meeting time. You must adjust your
schedule accordingly.
Only severe extenuating circumstances (such as serious documented illness) will
be accepted as a reason for not writing an exam as scheduled. In this case, the
instructor must be notified by the student at the earliest possible opportunity, and a
doctor's certificate must be provided. The instructor will establish an alternate date
and location for the make-up exam.
Any travel plans must be made for dates after the scheduled exam period
published well in advance in the UFV Calendar Schedule of Events.
No electronic devices (other than calculators, if required) will be allowed. The
professor reserves the right to clear the calculator’s memory where calculators are
allowed.
All papers, mobile phones, books, bags, and outer garments must be placed at the
front of the class or under the desk as specified by the instructor.
Study Abroad
Students are able to Study Abroad in over 80 partner institutions worldwide. Credits
can be transferred, and scholarships are available, virtually all courses are taught in
English, and applying early can ensure it doesn’t affect your graduation timeline.
Visit ufv.ca/studyabroad, email studyabroad@ufv.ca or drop by UFV International
(B223) for more information. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to be a UFV
Explorer!
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Course Schedule
BUS 203 AB4 OBM
Assigned
readings
Week
Date
Topics
Assignments/Mini cases
1
05, Jan
Welcome and Introduction
2
12, Jan
Individual Diff.
Ch 2
3
19, Jan
Perceiving Ourselves and Workplace
Emotion
Ch 3 & 4
(2) HY Dairies (p. 82)
4
26, Jan
Employee Motivations
Ch 5
Group Presentation
5
02, Feb
Applied Performance & Decision Making
Ch 6 & 7
Midterm I
6
09, Feb
Decision Making & Training and
Development (Review Midterm I)
Ch 7
(3) Yakkatech (p. 166)
Forming Groups
(1) SBC-Lavalin group (p.
54) (Quiz #1)
(Quiz #2)
7
16, Feb
Team Dynamics & Communication and
Power in the Workplace (Gp Proj Briefing)
8
23, Feb
Reading Week – No Class
9
01, Mar
Conflicts and Leadership
10
08, Mar
Organizational Structure and Culture
Ch 8, 9 & 10
Ch 11 & 12
Ch 13 & 14
(Review Midterm II)
11
15, Mar
Organizational Change
12
22, Mar
Group Project Discussion
14*
05 Apr
Group Essay Report (Due)#
Ch 15
(4) Dogged (p. 195)
Midterm II
(5) Difficult Connection
(p. 257) (Quiz #3)
(6) Hilton (p. 392) (Quiz #4)
Special Case or
Questionnaire
Group ProjectSubmission
.*Week 13 Good Friday is a holiday.
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