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MGT 513:
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR & MANAGERIAL
SKILLS
MON 5:45-8:35 PM-BA227
PROF. PAUL MIESING
FALL, 2008
“This course provides a basic understanding of individual, group, and organizational
processes and their effectiveness. … The emphasis is on building diagnostic skills
needed to understand organizational processes and the administrative and interpersonal skills needed to carry out key responsibilities in any type of management
position. [These] will be demonstrated through the use of cases, role-plays, and
simulations.”
Open only to part-time evening MBA students
BA-315 / 442-4942
Monday before and after class; by appointment
The best way to reach me is at paul.miesing@albany.edu. I usually respond quickly at
any reasonable time, seven days a week.
TEXTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
●
Text: Bowditch, Buono, & Stewart, A Primer on Organizational Behavior (John Wiley & Sons, 2007, 7th Ed.)
ISBN: 9780470086957
●
Supplementary Materials: Articles, cases, and Web sites are available at Electronic Reserves
http://eres.ulib.albany.edu.libproxy.albany.edu/eres/coursepage.aspx?cid=1318 (with password OBMS)
COURSE PURPOSE
Organizational Behavior and Managerial Skills is designed to enable professional MBA students to attain the
programmatic learning goal of improving business-related behavioral skills in order to work with others, including
leadership, organizational, interpersonal, team, and life-long learning skills. To achieve this goal, we will present
the basic tools necessary to understand most aspects of managing people and processes in organizations. My
intent is to provide you with a broad overview of the vast and varied literature concerned with the nature of
management and organizations. The course focus is on theory, research, and application to assist managers in
understanding human behavior as individual, inter-personal, and systemic processes and provide an opportunity
for you to apply your learnings. My objective is to enable you to do the following at the conclusion of the course:

understand, critically analyze, and manage human behavior issues in various organization settings;

know how organizations operate so as to make them more effective and change them in desired ways;

define and explain key terms, concepts, and theories of Organizational Behavior; and

improve your managerial, interpersonal, and diagnostic skills
LEARNING ASSESSMENT
I intend to achieve these objectives and evaluate your performance through discussing the text, readings, cases,
videos, and current events; engaging in role plays, self-assessments, and experiential exercises; examinations; and
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS
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a final group report. There is a maximum value of 100 points per student. Final letter grades will be based on a
relative curve of all points, awarded as follows:
Class Participation and Contribution
Examinations (3 @ 20 points each)
Group Project (presentation and paper)
Total Possible Points
Max. Value
20
60
20
100
All of these activities will expose you to the major issues, problems, challenges, frustrations, and (hopefully)
realities in managing within an organization. I will assume that you have read and understood the material, and
the classroom time will be an opportunity to discuss, experience, and apply these concepts. Therefore, attendance
and class participation are essential. We will form groups to discuss the various self-assessments throughout the
semester as well as prepare the final project. Everyone is expected to participate in all group and classroom
activities. Hence, I will also subjectively assess your class participation and contribution.
TENTATIVE OUTLINE
Personally, I want to facilitate a class that is interesting, fun, and very influential in developing your managerial
skills – even organization survival! Yet, I do not want to sacrifice rigor. My teaching philosophy is that since you
have much to offer, I create a learning environment where you, the students, can learn in your own unique ways.
The basic requirements are: Prepare for every session, Share your ideas and experiences actively, Compare your
analysis with your classmates, and Apply by using your learnings.
OVERVIEW
AUG. 25 – TOPIC #1: INTRODUCTION TO “OBMS”
●
Read: this syllabus (you are responsible for all the information it contains!); Ch. 1

Assignment: Form teams of approximately five members in each (the instructor retains the prerogative to switch members if necessary); Send an e-mail message to the instructor that briefly
addresses the following in your own words: What is organization behavior? What do managers
do?
LEVEL OF ANALYSIS I: INDIVIDUAL PROCESSES
SEP. 8 – TOPIC #2: PEOPLE, PERCEPTION, AND PERSONALITY
●
Read: Ch. 2; Butler & Waldroop, “Understanding ‘People’ People,” HBR June 2004

HBR Case Analysis and Discussion: “What a Star – What a Jerk” HBR September 2001
SEP. 15 – TOPIC #3: MOTIVATION – CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS
●
Read: Ch. 3; Nicholson, “How to Motivate Your Problem People,” HBR January 2003; Nohria, Groysberg, & Lee,
“Employee Motivation: A Powerful New Model,” HBR July 2008

HBR Case Analysis and Discussion: “The Best-Laid Incentive Plans” HBR January 2003
SEP. 22 – TOPIC #4: INDIVIDUAL VALUES, BUSINESS ETHICS, AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
●
Read: Badaracco, “We Don’t Need Another Hero,” HBR September 2001; Gardner, “The Ethical Mind,” HBR
March 2007; Khurana & Nohria, “It’s Time to Make Management a True Profession,” HBR October 2008; Teal,
“The Human Side of Management,” HBR November-December 1996

Case Analysis and Discussion: “The CEO’s Private Investigation” HBR February 2008
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS
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OCT. 6
Exam #1 – 5:45-6:45 pm
●
6:45-7:00 – Exam review
●
7:00-7:30 – Orientation to team building (pizza in BA 220)
●
7:30-9:00 –Parsons “REACH” program http://www.parsonscenter.org/pages/services/rsREACH.asp
LEVEL OF ANALYSIS II: INTER-PERSONAL PROCESSES
OCT. 13 – TOPIC #5: HIGH-PERFORMANCE WORK TEAMS, GROUPS DYNAMICS, AND CREATIVE DECISION
MAKING
●
Read: Chs. 5 & 6; Eisenhardt, Kahwajy, & Bourgeois, “How Management Teams Can Have A Good Fight,” HBR
July-August 1997; Gratton & Erickson, “Eight Ways to Build Collaborative Teams,” HBR November 2007; Katzenbach & Smith, “The Discipline of Teams,” HBR July-August 2005

HBR Case Analysis and Discussion: “Should This Team Be Saved?” HBR July-August 2001
OCT. 20 – TOPIC #6: COMMUNICATIONS, CONFLICT, AND FEEDBACK
●
Read: Ch. 4; Tannen, “The Power of Talk: Who Gets Heard and Why,” HBR September-October 1995; Williams
& Miller, “Change the Way You Persuade,” HBR May 2002

HBR Case Analysis and Discussion: “Bob’s Meltdown” HBR January 2002
OCT. 27 – TOPIC #7: LEADERSHIP – EXERCISING INFLUENCE , POWER, AND EMPOWERMENT
●
Read: Ch. 7; Eisenstat, Beer, Foote, Fredberg, & Norrgren, “The Uncompromising Leader,” HBR July 2008;
Goleman, “What Makes a Leader?” HBR January 2004; Kotter, “What Leaders Really Do,” HBR December 2001

HBR Case Analysis and Discussion: “The Micromanager” HBR September 2004
NOV. 3
Exam #2 – 6:00-7:00 pm
●
Teams meet to discuss final project
LEVEL OF ANALYSIS III: SYSTEMIC PROCESSES
NOV. 10 – TOPIC #8: ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE AND CULTURE
●
Read: Chs. 9 & 10; Leavitt, “Why Hierarchies Thrive,” HBR March 2003; Manville & Ober, “Beyond Empowerment: Building a Company of Citizens,” HBR January 2003

HBR Case Analysis and Discussion: “The Cost Center that Paid its Way” HBR April 2002
NOV. 17 – TOPIC #9: ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS, LEARNING, AND CHANGE
●
Read: Ch. 11; de Geus, “The Living Company,” HBR March-April 1997; Edmondson, “The Competitive Imperative of Learning,” HBR July 2008; Nonaka, “The Knowledge-Creating Company,” HBR July-August 2007; “The
Vasa Syndrome”

HBR Case Analysis and Discussion: “Welcome Aboard (But Don’t Change a Thing)” HBR October
2002
NOV. 24 – TOPIC #10: CROSS-CULTURE VALUES AND MANAGEMENT
●
Read: Ch. 8; Black & Gregersen, “The Right Way to Manage Expats,” HBR March-April 1999; Early & Mosakowski, “Cultural Intelligence,” HBR October 2004
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS

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Case Analysis and Discussion: “The Case of the Floundering Expatriate” HBR March 2005
DEC. 1
Exam #3 – 6:00-7:00 pm
●
Teams meet to discuss final project
DEC. 8 – GROUP PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
DEC. 15 – GROUP PROJECT PAPERS DUE
EVALUATION
CLASS PARTICIPATION AND CONTRIBUTION
“Eighty percent of success is showing up.”

Woody Allen
Due to the complex nature of the materials, the real value from this course will occur in the classroom. The time
spent in class will include discussion and group work related to the self-assessments, readings, cases, and lectures.
Obviously, intelligent, active, and meaningful class participation is essential. It is necessary that each student be
committed to the “4 Professional Ps” of student involvement for the course to be successful: preparation, presence, promptness, and participation. I expect you to arrive on time ready to go and remaining engaged throughout
the entire session, which can only occur if you have done the homework in advance, are attentive, and avoid being
preoccupied with an electronic gadget (e.g., laptop, cell phone, iPod, etc.). Your classmates deserve your thoughtful
opinions, analyses, and reasoning – you can contribute these (and in turn understand those of others) only if you
are present in class and adequately prepared! Appropriate classroom etiquette is also part of your participation
grade. This means all of us must be respectful of others, constructive in our comments, and open to alternative
views.
Your participation in group and class discussions will be subjectively assessed to determine your class performance. Examples of contribution to class discussion include answering a question, furthering a point brought up,
taking a leadership role, offering personal examples, or supporting another class member. Comments should be
directed toward the entire class. I will try to record class participation following each session. The following
guideline will determine your overall class contribution:
●
A students “make things happen” by always seizing the initiative (17-20 points)
●
B students “know what happened” and frequently provide insight (13-16 points)
●
C students “watch things happen” and occasionally participate (9-12 points)
●
D students, while appearing observant, typically ask: “what happened?” (5-8 points)
●
F students don’t care if anything happened (0-4 points)
Be forewarned: Everyone starts at “ground zero” and has an equal opportunity to work up to the maximum points
available. Final class participation will be ranked, with the average grade a 16 and very few 20s … and Fs are
options!
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS
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EXAMINATIONS
“As long as learning is connected with earning, as long as certain jobs can only be reached through exams,
so long must we take this examination system seriously.”

E.M. (Edward Morgan) Forster (1879–1970), British novelist, essayist; New York Times (November 24,
1963) review of Walter Pater, Appreciations, With an Essay on Style
There will be three (3) examinations, one for each Part (Level of Analysis). Each exam will cover only the material in
the respective Part, consist of objective questions (i.e. true/false and multiple choice), be based on the text
material, and must be taken on the assigned date and class time: no make-up will be offered unless there is a clear
and urgent situation. Each exam will last one hour, and you may not leave the room during that time. Every exam
will be curved on a 20-point scale. You will be provided with a coding sheet for your answers that require your
name and 9-digit myUAlbany ID on the back of it – please bring it with you! The computer cannot provide a score
for blank or partial names/IDs, poor or incomplete erasures, or random marks. We will review the answers in class.
GROUP CONSULTING PROJECT
“Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I’ll understand.”

Native American proverb (erroneously attributed as an anonymous Chinese proverb)
The Group Project ideally applies your class learnings about personality, motivation, ethics, teams, communications, leadership, structure, culture, and change to an actual example. Apply any three topics – one per level of
analysis – and try to integrate them and apply them to a group member’s organization. This assignment must be
typed using Times-Roman 12 pt font, single-spaced, 1-inch margins all around, and conforming to APA style and
format for all sections (see http://www.apastyle.org/). Include a title page, executive summary, tables, figures, or
references as necessary. Staple your work but do not include a folder or plastic cover. Content and style are
evaluated, including grammar, spelling, and punctuation. (See Appendices A-C for further guidance.) Here are
some specific questions your presentation and report should address:
1) Literature Review: Focus on one aspect for each of your three topics. Based on your independent
research and experiences, does your team believe “best practices” exist in these areas? If so,
please provide some ideal examples. If not, what are the barriers? Your paper should be based
on a minimum of ten academic articles, all cited in the paper.
2) Practical Problem: Select one focal company that a team member works for as a specific example
of how an organization obtains, develops, and/or applies its management practices. What management and organization problems does it face? Based on your literature review and data analysis, where does this company stand using global best practices as a standard?
3) Recommendations: Explain the extent to which global best practices are or are not applicable to
your focal company and perhaps even the other companies your team members work for. What
are some constraints or contexts that facilitate or inhibit applications (e.g., industry, leadership,
history and legacy, ownership, etc.)? How can the company improve its performance in these
three areas?
4) Generalizations: What are some of the general management trends you see over the next five
years, overall and in your companies? How will you prepare for them? What are your overall
learnings and take-aways of these three topics?
The evaluation objectives are Critical thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication. As this is a group
project, team dynamics and relationships among members will be important. Your group is likely to contain
divergent viewpoints, values, and insights. However, remember that good decisions (and thorough analysis of
complex issues) are usually the synthesis of several ideas – and that is precisely the reason to form groups.
Compromises may often be necessary to arrive at a solution acceptable to everyone. It is hoped you can learn from
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS
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and help your teammates: Use each other to seek help; challenge ideas, assumptions, and arguments constructively; and learn how to accept advice on controversial, perhaps emotionally-charged, issues. Remember that working
with others is the major programmatic learning goal of this course!
Not everyone should make the actual presentation but everyone should be prepared to answer questions. Please
limit your presentations to no more than a dozen overheads in total. Avoid repeating what was repeated in class;
instead, try to tell the class something they don’t already know. To help keep groups on track, I will notify you of
remaining time. Please submit a handout to the instructor prior to the presentation, and a hard copy of the final
report one week later.
EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES
“Know thyself.”

Delphi Oracle
This is the “Managerial Skills” application of this OBMS course. Your group will engage in an experiential exercise
for the first part of every class, during which you will be expected to share your reflections and insights. Try to
apply the readings and cases and relate to your personal experiences. Also consider examples of how the exercise
has come up at work and how you might have thought and behaved differently than you did in the past, or how
you expect to act differently in the future. Since we might be dealing with some sensitive issues in our exercises, I
expect everyone to agree to the following guidelines:
●
Honor confidentiality (anything shared in this room stays within this group; if you discuss this experience with
others at a later time, you must omit any identifying characteristic when discussing the other participants)
●
Unconditionally respect yourself and others
●
Speak only for yourself
●
Actively listen; consider other people’s words as gifts
●
No put-downs or hostile analysis; avoid interpreting other people’s experiences
●
Give caring feedback
●
Engage in dialogues, not debates (there are no winners or losers in these exercises)
●
Everyone has the right to pass on a decision or opinion
●
It is okay to express your emotions
●
No “rescuing” others members
●
Take responsibility for you own learning – ask for what you need!
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES ON PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
“This is your captain speaking. This class airplane will depart on time. The class doors are shut; please turn
off all electronic devices. This is a no smoking flight. Please do not attempt to deplane while we are in
flight (unless you must go to the rest room). We will do our best to arrive at our destination safely, together, and on time. Have a safe and enjoyable flight!”
I apologize in advance to the majority of MBAs who are mature, thoughtful, and diligent. As a precaution to the
others, I am compelled to make this statement. (The “Evening MBA Handbook” is available on ERES.)
1) The following University policies apply:

attendance by all graduate students must be regular;

the University reserves the right to exclude from a graduate program, course, or final examination students whose attendance is unsatisfactory to their instructors;
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS

permission to make up missed work is not automatic; and

regulations concerning attendance in a particular course are at the discretion of the instructor.
To avoid any misunderstandings, here are Miesing’s rules:

attendance for the entire session at every class is mandatory (I round down partial attendance);

should an emergency situation arise, students must notify me as soon as possible; and

absences, early departures, or persistent tardiness will require handing in a make-up assignment.
2) Late arrivals and early departures are disrespectful to fellow classmates and disrupt the class. So is
“side-talking” during class (you have no idea how your voice carries in a classroom). Please refrain
from writing and passing notes or participating in other distractive behaviors. And do not pack up
preparing to leave towards the end of the class until it is clear the session is over and we are through.
In addition, please disable all electronic and mobile devices (e.g., laptops, cellular telephones, audible
pagers, iPods) while in attendance.
3) According to University policy, you may not eat, drink, or smoke in classrooms. Smoking is not
permitted in this building, and you may not bring food or drinks into this room.
4) Ethical behavior is an important part of the course not only as it relates to professional conduct but
also for your personal development. Consequently, I expect you to conduct yourselves in an honest,
dignified, and professional manner. Academic dishonesty of any sort will not be tolerated. This is
clearly stated in University and School policy. You are responsible for knowing the policies and adhering to them.
To avoid any misunderstandings, here are Miesing’s rules:

an atmosphere of mutual respect is in order for the rights of others and the diversity of other
cultures, nationalities, and beliefs;

work submitted for other classes or other purposes may not be re-submitted (in part or whole)
for credit in this class; and

you will be held responsible for complete and active participation in group meetings or projects –
academic and professional integrity means contributing your fair share.
5) Although collaboration is encouraged and even required for much of the course assignments, I expect
you to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. This means you will perform individually
where specified in this syllabus. You must abide by University policy on academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, sabotage, falsification of material or information, bribery, as well as theft, damage, or
misuse of University resources. Plagiarism and cheating indicate a lack of respect for ethical considerations and peer responsibilities. These practices will not be tolerated. Plagiarism, either intentional or
“unintentional,” will result in a grade of zero for the assignment. Cheating will result in being dropped
from the course with a letter grade of “F.” Violations can also result in University sanctions, including
being expelled.
6) Your enrolment in this class acknowledges your accepting personal responsibility for fulfilling its
requirements and attaining its objectives. You are responsible for knowing what others expect of you
as well as what you must contribute to further our shared learnings.
 Have a pleasant semester! 
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