GRADUATE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK COURSE TITLE: TIME: FACULTY: E-mail: WWW.SW.UH.EDU SOCW 7323: Organizational Behavior and Change June 9th, June 11th, June 16th, June 18th, June 23rd (8am-4pm) Larry E. Hill, Ph.D. OFFICE HOURS: Scheduled by appt. lehill@uh.edu PHONE: 713-743-0989 I. COURSE A. Catalog Description Prerequisite: 34 hours in social work or consent of the instructor. Examines organizational and intergroup behavior in human service organizations (HS0s). Focuses on developing assessment, interactional, organizational, and leadership skills to improve organizational effectiveness. B. Purpose This is an elective, second year practice class, available to all students, and particularly political social work students. The class will focus on organizational development, learning and change in a multicultural context. Emphasis will be placed on uncovering implicit assumptions, structures, and processes that inhibit change, identifying levers that might lead to fundamental change, and consciously using ourselves to facilitate that change. By the end of the course, students are expected to have knowledge and skills for designing a pluralistic, learning organization that supports a high quality of worklife and service effectiveness. II. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, students will be able: 1. To discuss the theory and value base of the organization development approach to change and human systems development with particular attention to the values of self-determination, participation, autonomy, and achievement; 2. To conduct a comprehensive organizational assessment of factors promoting and inhibiting service effectiveness and quality of worklife; 3. To develop alternate designs to hierarchical and bureaucratic models for structuring organizations which maximize full use of employees' skills and abilities and reward individual and collective achievement; 4. To implement strategies for effective management with a multicultural work Page 1 of 6 force; 5. To demonstrate advanced intervention skills necessary for practice as an internal or external organizational change agent; and 6. To design evaluations of the process and outcomes of organization development interventions. III. Course Content The course draws from four different bodies of knowledge to help students learn how to foster team accountability for goal achievement and continuous learning in multicultural settings. The four knowledge bases are as follows: organizational behavior, organization development, and organizational learning, change and resistance to change workplace diversity and inclusiveness conscious use of self and leadership IV. Course Structure The course will use required readings, lectures and experiential exercises. Guest lecturers may be invited. Attendance is required for all five of the classes. Active participation is encouraged and necessary to the learning process (see attendance policy). See handout for additional information on the daily format and schedule. V. Textbooks No textbook is required. Supplemental Textbooks (not required) Cawsey, T. & Deszca, G. (2007). Toolkit for organizational change. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. Maurer, R. (1996). Beyond the wall of resistance: unconventional strategies that build support for change. Austin, TX: Bard Press. Poole, M. & Van de Ven, A. (2004). Handbook for organizational change and innovation. Oxford University Press Inc. Proehl, R. A. (2001). Organizational change in the human services (Vol. 43). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Page 2 of 6 VI. Course Requirements A. Reading Assignments Journal articles will be assigned and other readings will be suggested and recommended. These readings and handouts will be available on Blackboard. B. Written assignments Assignment #1–Due June 11th (Upon Instructor Request) Organization Profile & Course Contract By the beginning of class on Wednesday June 11th, students are required to submit their course contracts. The one-page, single spaced document will provide information on the following: 1) organization name 2) mission statement 3) website address to the annual report, 4) five website addresses to media content related to recent organizational changes 5) two team learning goals for the course, and 6) two individual learning goals for the course Assignment #2–Due June 11th, June 16th, & June 18th (Upon Instructor Request) Monitoring Organizational Changes Monitoring Changes in Organizations (MCOs) is a brief yet powerful process that encourages students to strengthen their solution-making skills. The world has enough problem focused discussions. Therefore, the MCO process is designed to move from stubborn problematic organizational issues into solution-focused recommendations. Effective change agents have a habit of monitoring current social trends and organizational changes in the media; with the express purpose of staying ahead of the issues. This exercise will help you identify, critique, and create recommendations for moving your organization. Students will submit up to 3 monitoring current trends. Only one submission is allowed per class. Students will informally present their assignment in the beginning of class. See handout for more detailed instructions. Page 3 of 6 Assignment #3 – June 12th, June 19th, June 25rd (by 12:00pm) Weekly Journals Students will provide ongoing written analyses of their learnings from the project through a weekly journal. The submission will be on Blackboard. The instructor will give feedback on the journals to enhance students’ learning. Students will be given specific criteria to address in each journal and will be graded in relation to meeting these criteria. Assignment #4 Organizational Assessment & Change Project The instructor will randomly assign “consulting teams” at the beginning of the semester. The team will select an organization that will be the focus of their lab and group discussions. Each team will complete and submit assignment #1 as a group. This provides a catalyst for your Assignment #4. The lab and group discussions are designed to provide hands-on experience in conducting the organizational assessment as well as develop a strategic plan for modifying or changing the direction of an organization. All assignments are designed to move this project forward. This assignment has several major elements that the team will submit and present on June 23rd. They are: A. B. C. D. E. F. G. Organizational Background & History – 1pg Organizational Chart – 1pg Proposed Organizational Assessment Strategy – 2pg Anticipated Findings – 2pgs Strategic Plan – 2-single spaced pages Balanced Scorecard/Logic Model – 1pg Presentation – 15 minute Assignment #5 – June 23rd Self-assessment and 360 Assessment Self-assessments and surveys will be completed throughout the course to supplement learning and discovery of self. The Leading Consciously assessment will be completed at the beginning and upon completion of the course. A 360 assessment will also be completed at the end of the course that is related to your course contract. Each of your team members will make an assessment of your growth as a change agent. Page 4 of 6 D. Exams No exams are planned at this time. However, I reserve the option to give an oral or written exam at any time based on my assessment of the group’s level of engagement in class discussions. VII. Evaluation & Grading Your calculated grade will be allocated on a 100 point scale. Due Assignment # Activity Total Points 06/11/14 Assignment 1 Organizational Profile & Contract 10 06/11/14 Assignment 2.1 Monitoring Organizational Change 5 06/12/14 Assignment 3.1 Weekly Journal 10 06/16/14 Assignment 2.2 Monitoring Organizational Change 5 06/18/14 Assignment 2.3 Monitoring Organizational Change 5 06/19/14 Assignment 3.2 Weekly Journal 10 06/23/14 Assignment 4 Final Organizational Change Project 25 06/23/14 Assignment 5 Self-Assessments & 360 Assessment 10 06/25/14 Assignment 3.3 Weekly Journal (Final) 20 6/13 and/or 6/14 Community Engagement Exams #1 necessary) Exams #2 necessary) Exams #3 necessary) Organizational (5pts/day) TBA TBA TBA Change Service-Learning (10) (If Exam on Readings & Class Content (5) Exam on Readings & Class Content (5) Exam on Readings & Class Content (5) Total Points 100 (If (If Letter grades will be assigned as follows: A = A- = B+= B = B- = 96-100% of the points 92-95.9% 88-91.9% 84-87.9% 80-83.9% C+ C CD F =76-79.9% =72-75.9% =68-71.9% =64-67.9% = Below 64% Page 5 of 6 Policy on grades of I (Incomplete): Incompletes will be given in cases of medical emergencies and in accordance with College and University policy. The policy states in part as follows: "the grade of I (incomplete) is a conditional and temporary grade given when students are passing a course but, for reasons beyond their control, have not completed a relatively small part of all requirements. Students are responsible for informing the instructor immediately of the reasons for not submitting an assignment on time or not taking an examination as scheduled." (see http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/gsw/gsw_policies.html). Please do not request an incomplete because you want to do a more thorough job on one of your assignments. That reason is not consistent with the College’s policy. Final course grade. The final course grade will be the composite grade. Since every assignment is seen as an important part of your learning in the course, a minimum grade of "C" is required in each assignment to pass the course. VIII. Consultation My office is in Room 406. Appointments are highly recommended. IX. Modifications to Syllabus The purpose of this syllabus is to provide an overview of the objectives and requirements of the course. Any portion of this syllabus or attachments is subject to modification by the instructor according to the learning needs of the class. All modifications will be discussed in class or disseminated by e-mail prior to their implementation. X. Bibliography. See required and optional readings in the class schedule. X. Addendum. Whenever possible, and in accordance with 504/ADA guidelines, the University of Houston will attempt to provide reasonable academic accommodations to students who request and require them. Please call 713-743-5400 for more assistance. Page 6 of 6