MBA 611: Organizational Behavior
COURSE SYLLABUS
Online Asynchronous
Facilitating Instructor:
Designing Professor: Ning Hou, PhD., CH 319, (320) 308-3249; nhou@stcloudstate.edu
Class Meeting dates/times: asynchronous, 7 weeks.
Zoom Office hours: by appointment (nhou@stcloudstate.edu) or phone (320-308-3249)
Course Material
1. Reading Material from D2L.
2. Access to Movie “12 Angry Men” 1957 by Henry Fonda.
3. Research articles and readings through me and/or SCSU library.
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to study empirically derived knowledge about individuals and
interpersonal behavior, group dynamics and structure, and leadership within the context of goalseeking, work organizations. The course is designed for graduate students to gain knowledge in
applied organization behavioral areas of case analysis, research writing, public speaking, and
problem solving. Students will be able to achieve a better understanding of human behavior in
organizations and develop ideas about how one may understand, influence, and predict human
behaviors and attitudes. Topical areas in which specific knowledge will be gained include
individual processes and behavior, interpersonal processes and behavior, and organizational
processes and structure. Students are encouraged to think independently within an organized
framework relevant to the various topics being discussed and to respond intelligently when asked
to do so. Furthermore, students are encouraged to share outside articles from credible sources
concerning topics that student believes are relevant and interesting to the course.
Course Goals and Objectives
The primary objective of this course is to prepare students for successful and rewarding careers
by understanding organizational behaviors. Here are the main modules/goals of this course:
Module 1. Understand the OB context. Identify individual differences including different fits
between individual and organization as well as personality traits, perceptions, values, and
attitude.
Module 2. Integrate motivational theories in your career.
Module 3. Describe team characteristics and development dynamics.
Module 4. Apply skills of the individual, team, and group decision-making and problem-solving.
Module 5. Identify various approaches to conflict management and resolution.
Module 6. Distinguish various leadership styles and their applicability to organizations.
Module 7. Analyze organizational culture and its relation to organizational problems and
successes.
Course Climate
This course is designed to be highly participative and engaging. Group discussions, selfassessment measures, research article reading, and experiential exercises will be utilized to foster
a learning community of high-performance teams and individuals.
Course activities
Measures
There will be several self-assessment measures for different topics (e.g., individual differences,
motivation, decision-making, and organizational culture). Each student is required to complete
their own survey and reflect on your measures
Class discussions
There will be a series of discussions across all topics/modules, based on the articles, cases we
read, current issues, and/or the simulation exercises. Note that the topics of this course are all
interrelated. Your performance will be evaluated by your discussions as well as the interactions
with your teammates (rubrics see appendix).
Assignment Rationale: For this course, it is important to communicate with other people and
exchange ideas with different people. These discussions are to help you understand the
concepts/knowledge by applying the knowledge in you work and daily life. The
discussion/review of the research articles help you to be able to peruse a research journal article
and explain the findings to other students.
Real-world challenge (proposal, presentation, and analysis summary)
Each student will choose a real-world challenge case based upon the student’s professional
experience, either a current or former employment situation. We will first briefly discuss
challenges you see at your workplace during the first week of the class. Then each student will
submit a written proposal by the end of week 1. Use the one-page proposal template, provided on
D2L, to create your proposal. The instructor will schedule one student’s proposal from each
group to be the subject of deeper discussion and organizational behavior consultation. The
scheduled student should plan to incorporate key group recommendations in the final paper. The
summary of the final case analysis should be in APA (research proposal) or MLA (essay) format
and no less than 3 pages with proper citations. When submitting the case, name it as your
Lastname.Firstname.Topic (e.g., Hou.Ning.SCSU Employee Motivation). Samples of former
final RW Challenge papers are provided on D2L.
Assignment Rationale: Application of the course knowledge and/or practice your critical
thinking in research area.
Grading Scale
Discussions (7*5 points each)
Real-world challenge proposal
Real-world challenge discussions (6*25 points each; 1 practice +5 student cases)
Quizzes and reflections
Note to future self (7*3 points each)
Real-world challenge case final paper
Tentative Total Points
*For the simulation and measures, the points are granted by completion.
35
30
150
69
21
100
405
*Overall course grade may be lowered for a lack of professionalism and/or class/team
participation. The total points for this section are tentative and subject to change. 315-350 = A;
280-314 = B; 245-279 = C; 210-244 = D; below 210 = F.
COURSE CALENDAR
Week
Week 1
Week 2
Topic
Intro to OB
Cross-cultural
Differences
Individual
Differences
Motivation
Assignments/Schedule
Self-introduction D2L
Read chapter 1 Intro to OB & 2 Individual
Differences
Watch “What is OB” and complete the OB
reflection question
Watch the research method videos and complete
the research method quiz
Watch the cross-cultural cognitive difference
video and complete the quiz
Eastern v. Western cognitive style discussion
Team
Decision
Making
Communicatio
n, Managing
Conflicts &
Negotiation
Week 1
Initial post by Wednesday and
peer response by Sunday of
week 1
Read chapter 3 Motivation
Watch Maslow’s hierarchy of needs video and
complete the quiz
Watch Skinner’s Operant Conditioning video
and complete the quiz
Complete the motivation measure and discuss
your reflection
Real-world challenge practice case discussion
Week 2
Week 2
Read chapter 4 Team
Complete the team activity and post on the open
discussion board
Real-world challenge student case 1 discussion
Read chapter 5 Decision-making
Complete the measure and discuss your
reflection
Real-world challenge student case 2 discussion
Note to future self
Week 5
Week 1
Initial post by Thursday and peer
response by Sunday of week 1
Initial post by Friday and peer
response by Sunday of week 1
Sunday
Sunday
Note to future self
Week 4
Week 1
Measure your Big Five Personality and discuss
your reflection
Watch movie 12 angry men and analysis the
personality
Real-world challenge proposal due
Note to future self
Note to future self
Week 3
Time
Before class
Week 1
Read chapter 6 Communication
Watch the Chameleon Effect and complete the
quiz
Real-world challenge student case 3 discussion
Note to future self
Week 2
Initial post by Thursday and peer
response by Sunday of week 2
Initial post by Thursday and peer
response by Sunday of week 2
Sunday
Week 3
Week 3
Q&A by Tuesday, initial post due
by Thursday, and peer response by
Sunday
Sunday
Week 4
Initial post by Wednesday and peer
response by Sunday
Q&A by Tuesday, initial post due
by Thursday, and peer response by
Sunday
Sunday
Week 5
Week 5
Q&A by Tuesday, initial post due
by Thursday, and peer response by
Sunday
Sunday
Week 6
Leadership
and Influence
Processes
Read chapter 7 Leadership
Watch the Paternalistic Leadership and
complete the quiz
Watch the Bamboo Ceiling video and complete
the quiz
Watch the Trait Theory video and complete the
quiz
Real-world challenge student case 4 discussion
Note to future self
Week 7
Org Processes
and
Characteristics
Read chapter 8 Organizational Processes
Complete the measure and discuss your
reflection
Real-world challenge student case 5 discussion
(if groups of 5)
Note to future self
Week 6
Week 6
Week 6
Week 6
Q&A by Tuesday, initial post due
by Thursday, and peer response by
Saturday
Sunday
Week 7
Initial post by Wednesday and peer
response by Sunday
Q&A by Monday, initial post due by
Tuesday, and peer response by
Thursday
Sunday
Week 8
Real-world challenge final paper
Monday of week 8
Disclaimer: By participating in this course, you agree to remain informed about updates made to syllabus.
Appendix A
Optional readings for the class
Booklist:
Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me) by Carol Tavris & Elliot Aronson
Quite: Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
A Field Guide to Lies. Critical Thinking in the Information Age by Daniel J. Levitin
Pre-suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence & Persuade by Robert Cialdini
How to Be a Positive Leader by Jane Dutton & Gretchen Spreitzer
Nudge Theory by Richard Thaler & Cass Sunstein
Thinking, fast and slow by Daniel Kahneman
Top Dog by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman
Hard fact by Jeffrey Pfeffer & Robert I. Sutton
Groupthinking by Irving Janis
Win Bigly by Scott Adams
Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The Quick Fix: Why Fad Psychology Can't Cure Our Social Ills by Jesse Singal