ORG525 – Leadership and Decision Theory
Credit Hours:
Contact Hours:
3
This is a 3-credit course, offered in accelerated format. This means that 16 weeks of
material is covered in 8 weeks. The exact number of hours per week that you can
expect to spend on each course will vary based upon the weekly coursework, as
well as your study style and preferences. You should plan to spend 10-25 hours per
week in each course reading material, interacting on the discussion boards, writing
papers, completing projects, and doing research.
Faculty Information
Name:
Phone:
CSU-GC Email:
Virtual Office Hours:
Course Description and Outcomes
An analysis of the roles of leaders and managers in organizational decision making, at both the individual and
organizational levels is required. You consider how decision and choice theory are applied in organizational
settings. Approaches to decision making and techniques leaders use to make decisions is explored. The impact
of biases and emotions is explored.
You will explore group decision making and evaluate the role conflict plays in the decision making process. You
will explore ethics in decision making. Practical problem solving and conflict management skills are practiced
through the application of decision-making tools and leadership approaches for leading change in professional
settings.
Course Learning Outcomes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Describe leadership decision making
Apply decision making approaches and techniques to leadership decisions
Design an effective decision process
Evaluate the impact of Biases, Emotions and Moods on Decision making
Assess the role of groups in decision making
Evaluate the impact of conflict on the decision making process
Demonstrate an understanding of ethics in decision making
Participation & Attendance
Prompt and consistent attendance in your online courses is essential for your success at CSU-Global Campus.
Failure to verify your attendance within the first 7 days of this course may result in your withdrawal. If for some
reason you would like to drop a course, please contact your advisor.
Online classes have deadlines, assignments, and participation requirements just like on-campus classes. Budget
your time carefully and keep an open line of communication with your instructor. If you are having technical
problems, problems with your assignments, or other problems that are impeding your progress, let your
instructor know as soon as possible.
Course Materials
Required:
Bazerman, M. H., & Moore, D. A. (2013). Judgment in Managerial Decision Making (8th Ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John
Wiley and Sons. ISBN-13: 9781118065709
**All non-textbook required readings and materials necessary to complete assignments, discussions, and/or
supplemental or required exercises will be provided within the course itself. Please read through each course
module carefully.
Course Schedule
Due Dates
The Academic Week at CSU-Global begins on Monday and ends the following Sunday.
 Discussion Boards: The original post must be completed by Thursday at 12 midnight MT and Peer
Responses posted by Sunday 12 midnight MT. Late posts may not be awarded points.
 Mastery Exercises: Students may access and retake mastery exercises through the last day of class until
they achieve the scores they desire.
 Critical Thinking Activities: Assignments are due Sunday at 12 midnight MT.
Week
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1
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2
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4
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Readings
Chapter 1 in Judgment in Managerial Decision Making
Ballantyne, S. (2012, September). Leadership Decision-Making Utilizing a
Strategic Focus to Enhance Global Achievement. Journal of Management and
Marketing Research, 11, 1-6.
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Chapter 4 in Judgment in Managerial Decision Making
Jatkevicius, J. (2007). OODA loops, maneuver theory, and the tactics of
survival. Public Libraries, 46(3), 45-53.
Victor, H. V. (2003). Educating Managers for Decision Making and Leadership.
Management Decision, 41(10), 968-978.
Wily Manager. (2011). The Vroom Yetton Model - A Step by Step Guide for
Busy Managers [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI06amxoqtI&feature=related
Alemi, F. (2007). Decision tree: Part 1 [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLBsdm8x6WM&feature=related
Chapters 5 & 12 in Judgment in Managerial Decision Making
Nickerson, J., Yen, C., & Mahoney, J. T. (2012). Exploring the Problem-Finding
and Problem-Solving Approach for Designing Organizations. Academy Of
Management Perspectives, 26(1), 52-72. doi: 10.5465/amp.2011.0106
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Chapter 10 in Judgment in Managerial Decision Making
Buchanan, J. (2012, Fall). Think different? Conference Board Review, 49(4), 5258.
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Assignments
Discussion (25
points)
Critical Thinking (70
points)
Discussion (25
points)
Critical Thinking (70
points)
Discussion (25
points)
Critical Thinking (100
points)
Discussion (25
points)
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7
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8
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Zhang, D. S., Lowry, P. B., Zhou, L., & Fu, X. L. (2007, Spring). The Impact of
Individualism--Collectivism, Social Presence, and Group Diversity on Group
Decision Making Under Majority Influence. Journal of Management
Information Systems, 23(4), 53-80.
Chapters 2, 3 & 6 in Judgment in Managerial Decision Making
Hess, J. D., & Bacigalupo, A. C. (2011). Enhancing Decisions and DecisionMaking Processes Through the Application of Emotional Intelligence Skills.
Management Decision, 49(5), 710-721. doi: 10.1108/00251741111130805
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Critical Thinking (70
points)
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Chapter 11 in Judgment in Managerial Decision Making
Sinha, A. B. (2011, December). Conflict Management: Making Life Easier. IUP
Journal of Soft Skills, 31-42.
Center for Creative Leadership. (2012). Calming Conflict [Podcast]. Retrieved
from
http://www.ccl.org/leadership/podcast/transcriptCalmingConflict.aspx
Chapter 8 in Judgment in Managerial Decision Making
Curtis, M. B., Conover, T. L., & Chui, L. C. (2012). A Cross-Cultural Study of the
influence of country of origin, justice, power distance, and gender on ethical
Decision Making. Journal of International Accounting Research, 11(1), 5-34.
doi:10.2308/jiar-10213
Center for Creative Leadership. (2012). Choices, Consequences and Dilemmas
[Podcast]. Retrieved from
http://www.ccl.org/leadership/podcast/transcriptChoices.aspx
Campbell, A., Whitehead, J., & Finkelstein, S. (2009). Why Good Leaders Make
Bad Decisions. Harvard Business Review, 87(2), 60-66.
Sebenius, J. K., & Friedman, S. (2009, January/February). Organizational
Transformation: The Quiet Role of Coalitional Leadership. Ivey Business
Journal Online. Retrieved from
http://www.iveybusinessjournal.com/topics/leadership/organizationaltransformation-the-quiet-role-of-coalitional-leadership#.UJhV2oZgHkc
Hogan, A. (2012). Lessons from the Past for Leaders of the Future. PM. Public
Management, 94(10), 14-19.
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Discussion (25
points)
Critical Thinking (70
points)
Discussion (25
points)
Critical Thinking (70
points)
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Discussion (25
points)
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Discussion (25
points)
Portfolio (350 points)
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Assignment Details
This course includes the following assignments/projects:
Module 1
Critical Thinking: Outsourcing a Division (70 points)
Assume you are a manager in a large international manufacturing organization. You have been asked to
consider outsourcing a division of the organization to another country.
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Describe the steps you would take in evaluating this decision.
Explore whether or not you would use prescriptive or descriptive decision making and explain
your reasoning.
Evaluate the critical thinking skills you believe would be necessary to make this decision.
Keep in mind we are more interested in your ability to describe the steps you would take in the decision
making process than we are in your providing an answer to this scenario.
Your paper should be 2-3 pages and formatted per CSU-Global APA and writing expectations. Use at
least two scholarly sources and information from your module to support your decision. The CSU-Global
Library is a good place to find these sources.
Module 2
Critical Thinking: Decision Making (70 points)
Think about a decision you need to make and write a paper addressing the following:
 Apply two of the techniques or tools presented in this module to identify possible solutions to
your decision.
 Compare the results of the two techniques you chose.
 Assess which tool you feel was most effective.
 Describe how you used these tools in your paper.
Your paper should be 2- to 3-pages and formatted per CSU-Global APA and writing expectations. Use at
least two scholarly sources and information from your module to support your essay. The CSU-Global
Library is a good place to find these sources.
Module 3
Critical Thinking: Formulating the Management and Research Questions (100 points)
Leaders of organizations are charged with solving problems every day. Addressing and solving
organizational issues requires structure and frameworks such as theories and concepts that explain
what is going on around us. This Critical Thinking assignment is designed to help decision makers
develop skills associated with framing, articulating, and solving management questions.
To begin this assignment, complete the following:
1. Review Pages II & III in the Module 3 lecture.
2. Then, complete the Formulating the Management and Research Questions Worksheet by following
these steps:
 Consider the scenario provided on Page III of the lecture, by putting yourself in Sheila’s place as
the leader of this organization.
 Reviewing the symptoms that Sheila has observed and her managers have described, formulate
a statement that you think describes the management dilemma confronting the organization
and place it on your worksheet. (Worksheet box #1)
 Using the CSU-Global Library, begin to explore professional journals and select current research
articles published within the last five years that are relevant to your management dilemma.
Place the APA-formatted references for 3-4 relevant articles that you reviewed on your
worksheet. (Worksheet box #1a).
 Use the worksheet to develop a specific management question that you want to answer.
(Worksheet box #2)
 Return to the CSU-Global Library and explore 3-4 additional relevant articles specific to your
research question and place the APA references for them on the worksheet. (Worksheet box
#2a.)
 Break down the management question you are asking into 2-3 sub-questions on the worksheet.
(Worksheet box #3).
Use your online and CSU-Global library resources to identify an organizational, decision-making,
organizational culture, or other theory that might be relevant to your management and research
questions.
4. Create a brief history and posits of the theory.
5. Save your worksheet to your computer.
3.
Your deliverable:
Develop a paper synthesizing the information you found to answer the management questions you
posed on your worksheet.
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You should describe how the 6-8 research articles identified during your exploration helped you
answer your questions.
Explain how the theory that you identified might be relevant to your management questions.
Paper requirements include:
 1-2 pages in length
 Clear, concise academic writing style
 Third person
 CSU-Global APA formatting standards including title page, citations, double spacing, and
references
 Submit both your completed paper and your completed worksheet together in one document.
Module 4
Critical Thinking: Group Work: A Personal Analysis (70 points)
Reflect on a group that you have worked in. In your paper, address the following based on your
experience of working in a group.
 Evaluate the dynamics of the group.
 Assess how information was shared and processed.
 Analyze how the group generated ideas.
 Contrast positive and negative group behaviors.
Your paper should be 2- to 3-pages and formatted per CSU-Global APA Style and writing expectations.
Use at least two credible sources and information from your module to support your decision. The CSUGlobal Library is a good place to find these sources.
Module 5
Critical Thinking: Personality Assessment (70 points)
The following self-assessments allow you to learn more about yourself.
Emotional Intelligence:
 Psychtests
 Maetrix
Decision Making Style:
 Self-assessment 7.8: What is your preferred decision making style?
 How good is your decision-making?
Leadership Assessment:
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The leadership skills assessment
Leadership skills assessment questionnaire
The leadership motivation assessment: How motivated are you to lead?
These instruments feature behavioral questionnaires that address a variety of personal attributes such
as personality, emotional intelligence, communication abilities, motivation, and decision making. The
overall expectation is that these instruments will provide you with value-added results that will later
allow you to hone your skills as a solid decision maker and leader.
Assignment:
 Take at least one emotional intelligence test, one leadership assessment, and one decision
making assessment from the links included in this assignment.
 In a 2- to 3-page essay, discuss the assessments you chose. Discuss the outcomes of the
assessments by specifically addressing your individual personality and how it fits into an
organization that you currently belong to, your decision making style, and how your personality,
emotional intelligence and decision making impact your organizational contributions and
leadership.
 Answer the following questions: Are you effective in your role? What common biases might
impact your decision making? What could you do to be a more effective decision maker?
 Use at least two scholarly sources and information from the module to support your essay. The
CSU-Global Library is a good place to find these sources. All work should reflect the CSU-GC APA
format.
Module 6
Critical Thinking: Workplace Conflict (70 points):
For this assignment, you will identify a workplace conflict you are aware of. Include the following in
your paper:
1. Identify the conflict behavior(s).
2. Describe specific techniques most useful in reducing or overcoming that specific problem
behavior.
3. Discuss the impact that conflict has on leadership decision making.
Your paper should be 2- to 3-pages and formatted per CSU-Global APA and writing expectations. Use at
least two credible sources and information from the module to support your essay. The CSU-Global
Library is a good place to find these sources.
Module 8
Portfolio Project: Analyzing Leadership Decisions (350 points)
Your final Portfolio Project will be a narrated PowerPoint presentation giving an analysis of an
ineffective or poor leadership decision. You can use a well-known leadership decision such as the 2011
decision to split Netflix, which resulted in serious financial losses for the organization, or you can use
another example that you are aware of. Your project must include the following:
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Research a leadership decision that was ineffective or did not lead to desired results.
Evaluate the leadership decision including why and how it was made.
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Include the problem that may have precipitated the decision as well as the process the leaders
involved in the decision making process appeared to follow.
Critique this process and recommend changes using theories and methodologies from this
course.
Present a strong case for how your recommendations could have altered the decision that was
made and led to a more effective result for the organization.
It must be evident in your project in both your notes and your narration that you are using
theory from this course to support your evaluation, critique and recommendations.
Your presentation should be 18-22 slides (not including the title and research references slides) with
notes and narration to support the content on your slides. You should use at least two credible outside
sources to support your work, and all citations must be formatted per CSU-Global APA and writing
expectations. The CSU-Global Library is a good place to find these sources.
Course Policies
Late Work
Students are permitted a 7 day grace period during which they may submit a Critical Thinking assignment after
the original due date without penalty. Papers submitted between 8 and 14 days after the original due date will
be accepted with a potential 10 percent reduction in grade for late submission. Papers submitted 15 or more
days beyond the original due date may not be accepted unless prior arrangements have been made with the
instructor. No Portfolios will be accepted late and no assignments will be accepted after the last day of class
unless a student has requested an incomplete grade in accordance with the Incomplete Policy.
Course Grading
20% Discussion Participation
45% Critical Thinking Activities
35% Final Portfolio Paper
Grading Scale and Policies
A
95.0 – 100
A-
90.0 – 94.9
B+
86.7 – 89.9
B
83.3 – 86.6
B-
80.0 – 83.2
C+
75.0 – 79.9
C
70.0 – 74.9
D
60.0 – 69.9
F
59.9 or below
FN*
Failure for Nonparticipation
I**
Incomplete
* Students who stop attending class and fail the course for nonparticipation will be issued the “FN” grade. The FN grade may have
implications for financial aid and scholarship awards.
** An “I” grade may be assigned at the Instructor’s discretion to students who are in good standing (passing) in the course. Students
should have completed a majority of the coursework in order to be eligible for the “I” grade. Students should request an "I" grade from
the Instructor with a written justification, which must include explanation of extenuating circumstances that prevented timely
completion of the coursework. If the request is approved, the Instructor will require a written agreement consisting of a) the specific
coursework to be completed, b) the plan to complete the coursework, and c) the deadline for completion. The agreement will be kept on
file at CSU-Global Campus. An incomplete course must be satisfactorily completed within the time frame stipulated in the agreement, but
no later than the end of the following semester from the date the “I” was given. An incomplete not removed within one year shall
convert to an F and be included in the computation of the student’s grade point average.
Academic Integrity
Students must assume responsibility for maintaining honesty in all work submitted for credit and in any other
work designated by the instructor of the course. Academic dishonesty includes cheating,
plagiarism, unauthorized possession of academic materials, and falsification. The Student Handbook
provides information on how students can avoid plagiarism by understanding what it is and how to use library
and internet resources appropriately with proper citation. Please refer to the Academic Catalog for complete
policies regarding plagiarism and academic dishonesty.
APA
Students are expected to follow the CSU-Global APA requirements when citing in APA (based on the APA Style
Manual, 6th edition). For details on CSU-Global APA style, please review the APA resources located under the
Library tab in Blackboard.
Netiquette
All posts and classroom communication must be conducted in a professional and respectful manner in
accordance with the student code of conduct. Think before you push the Send button. Did you say just what you
meant? How will the person on the other end read the words?
Any derogatory or inappropriate comments regarding race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, are
unacceptable and subject to disciplinary action.
If you have concerns about something that has been said, please let your instructor know.
Institutional Policies
Refer to the Academic Catalog for comprehensive documentation of CSU-GC institutional policies.