MGMT 310-001: Managing People in Organizations
Spring 2020
Professor: Bob Bickmeier
Class Time: MWF 12:00-12:50pm
Class Location: Snead Hall B1127
Office Hours: MWF 11:00am-11:45am
MF 2:00pm-3:00pm or by appointment
Office Location: Snead B-4103
E-mail: rmbickmeier@vcu.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course introduces students to the management of people in organizations, focusing on the managerial
skills, knowledge, and activities needed for a successful business operation. Topics include planning,
organizing, staffing, and leading; effectively utilizing human capital to achieve an organization’s
objectives in today’s competitive environment.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
After completing this course, students should be able to:
• Understand how an organization’s external environment, corporate ethics, strategy, design, and
culture relate to organizational performance.
• Explain why effective human resource management can be a strategic asset to an organization.
• Describe different theories for the effective management of individuals and teams in
organizations.
• Develop frameworks and strategies for managing individuals and teams in organizations.
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION – note that your lowest exam grade of Exams 1-4 is dropped
GRADED ACTIVITY
Exams (3 out of 4; 200 points each)
Final Exam (required)
Course Requirements Exercise
Respondus Trial
MindTap Homework Assignments
Participation (TopHat)
TOTAL
PERCENT
30.00%
20.00%
1.25%
0.2%
41.05%
7.5%
100%
POINTS
600 points
400 points
25 points
4 points
821 points
150 points
2000 points
ATTENDANCE AND PREPARATION
Attendance is expected and required. Reading assignments should be completed prior to class so that students
may fully benefit from the discussion. Class begins as scheduled. Students who arrive late or leave early disrupt
class activities, which prevent others from learning. There are no excused absences beyond those afforded by
university policy (i.e. University Athletic Participation or Religious Observation with advanced notice).
The following should go without saying: Please be respectful of your fellow students, their time, your assigned
Teaching Assistant(s), their time, me, and my time.
COMMUNICATION EXPECTATIONS
You are expected to read all emails and course-related announcements in full. I will respond to student emails
within 2 business days. Do not expect an individual response to the following email questions:
• If you ask a question that is clearly answered in the syllabus
• If you ask for an extension on your homework assignment
• If you ask for special treatment/exceptions
HOMEWORK DUE DATES – 11pm on the date specified –note that MindTap assignments can be accessed
from Blackboard OR from MindTap.
Homework Activity
Due Date
Course Requirements Exercise (in “Homework” tab in Blackboard)
Respondus Trial (in “Exams” tab in Blackboard)
MindTap, Chapter 1 Quiz, Guided Case, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 2 Quiz, Guided Case, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 3 Quiz, Guided Case, YMtD, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 4 Quiz, Guided Case, YMtD, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 5 Quiz, Guided Case, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 6 Quiz, Guided Case, YMtD, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 7 Quiz, Guided Case, YMtD, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 8 Quiz, Guided Case, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 9 Quiz, Guided Case, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 10 Quiz, Guided Case, YMtD, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 11 Quiz, Guided Case, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 12 Quiz, Guided Case, YMtD, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 13 Quiz, Guided Case, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 14 Quiz, Guided Case, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 15 Quiz, Guided Case, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 17 Quiz, Guided Case, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 18 Quiz, Guided Case, & Assignment
MindTap, Chapter 20 Quiz, Guided Case, & Assignment
Friday, 1/17
Friday, 1/17
Friday, 1/24
Friday, 1/31
Friday, 2/7
Friday, 2/7
Friday, 2/14
Friday, 2/21
Friday, 2/28
Friday, 2/28
Friday, 3/6
Friday, 3/20
Friday, 3/27
Friday, 3/27
Friday, 4/3
Friday, 4/10
Friday, 4/17
Friday, 4/17
Friday, 4/24
Friday, 5/1
Course Requirements Exercise & Respondus Trial—YOUR FIRST HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS
The Course Requirements Exercise and the Respondus Trial are short activities designed to help you become
familiar with the syllabus and with Respondus Lockdown Browser. Results are posted directly to Blackboard.
They are not hosted on MindTap, unlike the remainder of your assignments.
GRADE CALCULATION ON BLACKBOARD
The Course Requirements Exercise and Respondus Trial results are posted directly to Blackboard.
Exam grades are always up to date on Blackboard, and the “Course Grade” calculation is constantly dropping
the lowest exam, even though grades for all exams (including your lowest) will still be visible.
MindTap homework grades will post automatically to Blackboard but may sometimes take up to 24 hours. Please
email me if your MindTap grades fail to appear in that time frame.
TopHat (participation) scores are continuously posted in the applications, and you can check them at any time.
That percentage (for responses to questions – not attendance) will be downloaded to Blackboard only at the end
of the course. Multiply that percentage by 150 to find your Blackboard participation points.
Final grades are assigned based on the number of total points earned:
Points Earned
1800-2000
1600-1799
1400-1599
1200-1399
0-1199
Final Grade Assigned
A
B
C
D
F
COURSE MATERIALS
1.
Text (or e-text) & Homework (one of the following formats is required)
The core text for this course is Management: An Integrated Approach, 2nd edition by Gulati, Mayo, and Nohria. I
do not suggest using an earlier version of this text, and I cannot provide you with any information regarding
differences between the two editions.
MindTap is required for this course to complete your homework assignments, and you’ll access it through
Blackboard. You may buy MindTap on its own or via a Cengage Unlimited subscription. Several options are
presented below.
ISBNs for this class (choose one):
Gulati/Mayo/Nohria - Bundle: Management: An Integrated Approach, Loose-Leaf Version, 2nd + MindTap V2
Management, 1 term (6 months) Printed Access Card ISBN: 9781337814416
OR
Gulati/Mayo/Nohria - MindTap V2 Management, 1 term (6 months) Printed Access Card for Gulati/Mayo/Nohria's
Management: Integrated Approach, 2nd ISBN: 9781337625739
OR
Cengage Unlimited subscription (check with bookstore for additional subscription length ISBNs)
4-month subscription ISBN: 9780357700037
******Note that MindTap offers a free trial for the first two weeks of class.******
2.
TopHat, available at:
https://ts.vcu.edu/askit/teaching-and-learning/classroom-clickers-studentresponse-system/top-hat--new/purchase-a-top-hat-subscription/ (sign up on a computer, download the
app to your phone)
3.
LAPTOP with installed Testing Software (Respondus Lockdown Browser: required, free)
4.
Respondus Lockdown Browser, available for free at: https://ts.vcu.edu/askit/teaching-andlearning/respondus-lockdown-browser/ No iPads or tablets -- Respondus does not work on mobile
devices. You must take exams on a laptop computer.
MINDTAP HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS
Homework assignments consist of MindTap activities (Quizzes, Video Cases, Guided Cases, and Assignments)
that support each chapter and greatly enhance learning. Specific assignments are listed in Cengage MindTap,
along with due dates (11 pm on the published date). Once due dates have passed, activities are no longer
available. It is your responsibility to assure that you complete homework on time and that the grades are
accurately posted to Blackboard within 24 hours of submission. MindTap also includes a Study Center for each
chapter that dynamically assesses your responses to the homework and focuses you on areas of weakness (Study
Centers are not graded and can safely be used for practice without consequence to your course grade).
Quizzes and Guided Cases offer unlimited attempts, so you should be able to earn 100% on each activity.
Assignments and You Make the Decision (YMtD) allow three attempts. Refer to the instructional videos on
the MindTap page in Blackboard for guidance on how to submit activities and how to initiate subsequent attempts.
If you encounter problems with Cengage MindTap, you must open a case with Cengage Technical Support
(include my name) or contact them (in-app, via phone 1-(800)-354-9706, or email our Cengage Rep,
Meredith Meredith.Cox@cengage.com).
Be aware that technology problems (e.g., wi-fi interruption, server issues, computer malfunctions) occur from
time to time. All homework due dates are published in the first week of the semester, and you are free to work
ahead. I will not extend due dates unless there is a Cengage-documented server issue that lasts longer than 6
hours. Always afford yourself a time buffer in case of a technology failure.
EXAMS – IN-CLASS
There will be four short exams during the course that will cover information in the assigned readings, MindTap,
and the class lectures. The three highest scores will count toward your grade. Since you can drop the lowest (or
missed) exam, there will be no make-up exams. The dropped exam is designed to accommodate students who
encounter illness, accidents, family emergencies, transportation issues, school/sports activities, etc.
Each exam is comprised of approximately 30 multiple choice questions and is administered in class only through
Blackboard using Respondus Lockdown Browser on your laptop (not operational on a tablet or Chromebook). Be
sure you have a fully charged battery when you arrive to take the exam – there is no provision for outlet access.
You will have 35 minutes to take the exam. The questions, as well as the answers, are scrambled for each student.
Upon completing each exam, students must sign in and present their official VCU identification card. If you fail
to sign in, you will receive a zero. No student is ever permitted to take an exam outside the classroom (or a DSS
testing facility).
On exam days, students should arrive at class on time as a courtesy to others. During the exam:
• there is no talking permitted
• you cannot use notes or aids of any kind
• books, notes and cell phones must be stowed in a backpack or other closed container
• if you are observed doing any of the above, you will receive a zero - NO DISCUSSION
• you must use Respondus Lockdown Browser to access the exam in class
• you must take the exam on a laptop – Respondus is not operational on tablets or Chromebooks
Cheating is a serious breach of the VCU Honor Code, a waste of your time and resources, and an affront to every
other student who strives for achievement through learning and diligence. Cheaters will be sent to Honor Court
with a recommendation for expulsion.
FINAL EXAM
The final exam is required for all students and cannot be dropped. It emphasizes the last two chapters, but
will also assess key concepts learned over the semester. The exam is comprised of approximately 50 multiple
choice questions and is administered in class using your laptop during the Final Exam period. The same testing
conditions for the first four exams apply to the Final Exam, EXCEPT you will have 60 minutes to complete
the Final Exam.
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
We will be using the Top Hat (www.tophat.com) classroom response system in class. You will be able to submit
answers to in-class questions using Apple or Android smartphones and tablets, laptops, or through text message.
TopHat is an in-class only participation tool designed to enhance your understanding of the material. Students
can participate using TopHat via their smartphones, laptops, tablets, or SMS phones. Each question is worth one
point; points are awarded for participation (.75 points) and for correct (another .25 points) answers. Your
participation grade is detailed in the TopHat application and is constantly updated. If you miss answering a
question in class, you must log it on the sign-out sheet at the end of that class, otherwise I am unable to
assist you.
You can visit the Top Hat Overview (https://success.tophat.com/s/article/Student-Top-Hat-Overview-and-GettingStarted-Guide) within the Top Hat Success Center which outlines how you will register for a Top Hat account, as
well as providing a brief overview to get you up and running on the system.
An email invitation will be sent to you by email, but if don’t receive this email, you can register by simply visiting
our course website: https://app.tophat.com/e/795725
Note: our Course Join Code is 795725
Top Hat may require a paid subscription, and a full breakdown of all subscription options available can be found
here: www.tophat.com/pricing.
Should you require assistance with Top Hat at any time, due to the fact that they require specific user
information to troubleshoot these issues, please contact their Support Team directly by way of email
(support@tophat.com), the in app support button, or by calling 1-888-663-5491.
***Statement on Cheating***
In this course, you will be expected to do your own, original work for all assignments and exams. Although I should
expect you to understand what constitutes cheating, I will make my expectations explicit. Ignorance is no excuse.
You should be developing a sense of ethics to succeed both as a student and eventual employee in the work force.
The following activities constitute cheating (and note that this list is not complete):
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Attempting to check in to class via TopHat when you are not attending class (faking attendance)
Attempting to answer TopHat questions when you are not attending class (faking participation)
Helping other students to falsify attendance or falsify participation
Copying homework answers from other students
Copying homework answers from other sources (i.e. answers posted on-line)
Using unauthorized materials during exams
Sharing answers or copying from others on exams
Using or disseminating copies of exams or answer keys for this course, such as for unauthorized study
materials for exams – note that I do not provide copies of my exams or answer keys to students, so any
such materials are unauthorized – and note that I change my exams frequently
If you engage in any of these activities, you will be held accountable. That means penalties in-class (at the
least, a zero on the assignment or a grade of F for your final course grade) and a referral to the VCU Honor
Court. You may be suspended or expelled from the university as a result. Do not cheat. Do not think about
cheating.
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MISSION STATEMENT
To be a dynamic hub of business education and research, fueled by creativity and a commitment to
preparing students to lead in a complex world.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Academic Calendars available here: https://academiccalendars.vcu.edu/default.asp
Session
Topic
Reading Prior to Classs
1/13
1/15
1/17
Introduction to the Course
Guided sign-up to MindTap, TopHat
Introduction to Management
Bring laptops or tablets
Chapter 1
************************University Closed Monday, January 20th***************************
1/22
1/24
Global Business Environment
Global Business Environment (cont’d)
Chapter 2
1/27
1/29
1/31
Ethics & Corporate Responsibility
Ethics & Corporate Responsibility (cont’d)
Introduction to Strategy
Chapter 3
2/3
2/5
2/7
Introduction to Strategy (cont’d)
Business-Level Strategy
Business-Level Strategy (cont’d)
2/10
2/12
2/14
Business-Level Strategy (cont’d)
EXAM 1
Corporate-Level Strategy
2/17
2/19
2/21
Corporate-Level Strategy (cont’d)
Organizational Design
Organizational Design (cont’d)
2/24
2/26
2/28
Organizational Culture
Organizational Culture (cont’d)
Managing Human Capital
3/2
3/4
3/6
Managing Human Capital (cont’d)
EXAM 2
Performance Management
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapters 1-4
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapters 5-8
Chapter 10
************************University Closed Spring Break March 8th – 15th***************************
3/16
3/18
3/20
Performance Management (cont’d)
Organizational Change
Organizational Change (cont’d)
3/23
3/25
3/27
Leadership in Organizations
Leadership in Organizations (cont’d)
Becoming a Leader
3/30
4/1
4/3
Becoming a Leader (cont’d)
EXAM 3
Power and Influence
4/6
4/8
4/10
Power and Influence (cont’d)
Decision Making
Decision Making (cont’d)
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapters 9-12
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
4/13
4/15
4/17
Leading Teams
Leading Teams (cont’d)
Motivation
4/20
4/22
4/24
Motivation (cont’d)
EXAM 4
Networking
4/27
Review/Catch-up
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapters 13-15, 17
Chapter 20
*********************************CUMULATIVE FINAL EXAM **********************************
Thursday, 05/07/2019
(Snead Hall B1127, 12:30 pm)
All course material
The Final Exam Schedule can be found here: https://rar.vcu.edu/exams/index.html