BA 352 Organizational Behavior (4 credits)
Summer 2005
College of Business, Oregon State University
Mark Elton
328 Bexell
541.737.8631
elton@bus.orst.edu
Office hours:
by appointment
Welcome to BA 352 – OB - a course about the challenge of working with others as a
peer, team member and manager in contemporary organizations. It emphasizes the
practical application of theory and research about the skills and competencies critical to
effective functioning in business. It is designed to help you think critically and act
effectively in some of the critical “people” situations you may encounter in your careers.
The course involves both conceptual (know what) and skill (know how) learning. That is,
you will learn about issues and concepts within the field of organizational behavior
through readings, lectures and case studies. You will also apply principles and theories
through group work, simulations, role plays and other interactive exercises to enhance
your ability to act skillfully in work/life situations.
To do well in this course, think about your past work and life experiences and your
existing theories and assumptions of why people do what they do at work. If you are
willing to invest time and thought and be open to new ideas and experiences, you will
gain valuable insight and skills for your future career.
Learning Outcomes
This course is designed to help you to:
• Assess the values, attitudes, perceptions and behaviors that affect how you
interact with others in an organization

Develop and enhance the essential interpersonal skills for being an effective
coworker and manager

Work as a productive member of a work group/team

Correctly use organizational behavior concepts and terminology (i.e. talk like a
manager)

Use organizational behavior models and frames of reference to diagnose
individual and group situations in order to respond appropriately
Date
6/21
6/23
Topic
Introduction Chapter #1 People-centered Managers &
Workplaces
Chapter #2 Cultivating Organizational Culture,
Socialization and Mentoring
Assignments
6/28
6/30
Chapter #3 Developing Global Managers
Chapter #4 Understanding Social Perception and
Managing Diversity
Chapter #5 Appreciating Individual differences: SelfConcept Personality, Emotions
7/5
Chapter #6 Motivation 1: Needs, Job Design and
Satisfaction, Intrinsic Motivation and Satisfaction
Chapter #7 Motivation II: Equity Expectancy and Goal
Setting
7/7
7/12
Group Work
Chapter #8 Improving Performance with Feedback,
Rewards and Positive Reinforcements
7/14
7/19
Mid-Term
Chapter #9 Making Decisions
Chapter #10 Effective Groups and Teamwork
7/21
Chapter #11 Managing Conflict and Negotiating
Chapter #12 Communicating in the Internet Age
7/26
Chapter #13 Influence, Power and Politics: An
Organizational Survival Kit
7/28
Chapter #14 Leadership
Chapter #15 Designing Effective Organizations
8/2
Chapter #16 Managing Change and Organizational
Article: Gutierrez, Puth
Article: Deckelmann, Higley
Article: Palmer, Verber
Article: Rains-Grassman, Johnson R.
Covey Chapters 1 & 2 (Paxton,
Velasquez)
Covey Chapters 3 & 4 (Randall,
Ramirez)
Article: Dertinger, Rutkowski, Isaacson
Covey Chapters 5 & 6 (Vanderploeg,
Dunning)
Covey Chapters 7 & 8 (Thomas,
Taylor)
Article: Cho, Mun
Article: Lange, Barkley
Covey Chapters 9 & 10 (Mutima,
Nguyen Hein)
Covey Chapter 11 (Gillespie, Johnson
M.)
Covey Chapters 14 & 15 (Palmer,
Verber)
Article: Conklin, Josleyn
Article: Al-Zabidi, Pfennigs
Covey Chapters 16 & 17 (Nguyen,
Fedler)
Covey Chapters 18 & 19 (Dertinger,
Rutkowski, Isaacson)
Article: Randall, Ramirez
Article:
Article: Paxton, Velasquez
Covey Chapters 16 & 17 (Thomas,
Taylor)
Covey Chapters 18 & 19 (RainsGrassman, Johnson R.)
Article: Davis, Shepherd
Article: Vanderploeg, Dunning
Covey Chapters 20 & 21 (Conklin,
Josleyn)
Covey Chapters 22 & 23 (Gutierrez,
Puth)
Article: Mutima, Nguyen Hein
Article: Nguyen, Fedler
Covey Chapters 24 & 25 (Deckelmann,
Higley)
Covey Chapters 26 & 27 (Lange,
Barkley)
Article: Gillespie, Johnson M
Learning
8/4
8/9
8/11
8/12
Article: Thomas, Taylor
Covey Chapters 28 & 29 (Cho, Mun)
Covey Chapters 30 & 31 (Davis,
Shepherd)
Covey Chapters 12 & 13 (Al-Zabidi,
Pfennigs)
Exam #2
Country Presentations
Country Presentations
Peer Evaluation & Personal Assessment Due/Web pages
due
Article Presentations 25 points
You and a partner will be asked to present an article about the Organization Behavior
topic we will be discussing on the day you present.
Chapter Presentations 35 points
You and a partner will be asked to present two chapters from “Principled Centered
Leadership” by Stephen R. Covey. This presentation must have some sort of group
activity.
Examinations 300 points (150 points each)
There will be a mid-term and a final. Each will cover the most recent material.
Quizzes variable points
There will be daily quizzes. The lowest of these quizzes will be automatically dropped.
25 points
Personal assessment of how well your group functioned.
Country Assignment
Each group will be asked to assume the role as business consultants who are experts on a
particular country. The assignment consists of two parts.
50 points
Part #1 is to create a web-page that can be used by a business who is interested in
working in your selected country. (The web-page is not a travel brochure and should be
original work) To ensure you do your own work, your group is required to submit a
bibliography of cites you use to help create yours.
50 points
Part #2 is an in-class presentation on your country.
Caveat
This syllabus is still a work in progress. We will make changes as needed.