Link to PowerPoint Slides
Link to Case Questions
Link to Group Experience Analysis Form
Link to Test Review Sheets
http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~whdecker/SyllabusMGMT425Spring2007.doc
THE PERDUE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
MGMT 425 – Fall 2007
APPLIED ORGANIZATIONAL SCIENCE
Sections 001, 002
Dr. Wayne H. Decker
107 Holloway Hall
Office Ph. 410-543-6094
Home Ph. 410-742-4516
e-mail: whdecker@salisbury.edu
OFFICE HOURS:
MWF.: 10-11, 1:30-3
Thurs.: 1:30-3:00
Or By Appointment
NOTE: You are welcome to submit assignments via e-mail. However, do not assume I
have received them until you have received an e-mailed acknowledgement from me.
PREREQUISITE: MGMT 320.
WITHDRAWALS: If you wish to withdraw from the course, it is your responsibility to
complete the proper withdrawal procedure. If you cease to attend and your name remains
on the roster, you will receive an "F".
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
To develop a better understanding of yourself and others.
To become a better employee and a better manager.
To better understand behavior within organizations.
To better understand the mutual influences of individuals and organizations.
To better understand how behavior is studied scientifically.
TEXT: Cohen, A. R., Fink, S. L., Gadon, H., & Willits, R. D. Effective Behavior in
Organizations, 7th ed., 2001, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. ISBN 0-07-287723-5 (The
same text is also sold in a package with a web manual which we don't use. The number of
the package is ISBN 0-07-288039-2. The text may be hard to find alone and/or you may
find this package used for less than the text alone sells for new.)
LINKS TO THE WEB: PowerPoint slides and Case Discussion questions will be
posted AFTER they are covered in class. Test review guides will be posted several days
before the tests. The Group Experience Analysis Form will be posted late in the
semester.
GRADING:
Test #1 (Wed. Feb. 28) -------------------------------------- 100 pts.
Test #2 (Fri. April 6) ----------------------------------------- 100 pts.
Test #3 (Fri. May 4) ------------------------------------------ 100 pts.
Final Exam (Thurs. May 17 or Mon. May 21) ------------ 100 pts.
3 Individual Cases (25 pts. each) ----------------------------- 75 pts.
Team Case #1 (Due Fri. March 16) -------------------------- 50 pts.
Team Case #2 (Due May 7, 9, or 11) ----------------------- 100 pts.
Participation and Group Maintenance------------------------ 50 pts.
Team Experience Analysis (Due Mon. May 21)------------ 50 pts.
SCALE:
90% or higher ----------- A 60% but less than 70% --- D
80% but less than 90% -- B
Less than 60% ----------- F
70% but less than 80% -- C
CONDUCT AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
Students are expected to adhere to the Perdue School Student Code of Professional
Conduct. In brief, the code stipulates that students are to conduct themselves as they
would as employees in a business meeting. Dress is casual in our organization, but hats
are not to be worn in our "business meetings". Violations of academic integrity standards
(cheating, plagiarism, etc.) will be penalized to the fullest extent proscribed in the SU
Student Handbook.
DISABILITIES
Please provide the instructor with the appropriate documentation of any disability which
affects your performance in this course.
TEST DATES AND COVERAGE:
For Test #1 – Wed. Feb. 28 - Chapters 1-6
For Test #2 - Fri. April 6 - Chapters 7-10
For Test #3 - Fri. May 4 - Chapters 11-14
Final Exam – Thursday May 17 or Monday May 21 (See times at the end of the
syllabus)
(This will be a "selectively" COMPREHENSIVE final exam. Details of the
coverage will be announced late in the course.)
Questions may be multiple-choice, matching, or short essays.
MAKEUP TESTS will be given only under very unusual circumstances.
PARTICIPATION AND GROUP MAINTENANCE:
The instructor's philosophy is that learning is primarily the responsibility of the
individual, but it is enhanced by cooperative effort. Cooperative learning includes
participating in class discussions and contributing to the efforts of one's group on smallgroup assignments. These assignments are designed to foster active involvement with the
subject matter and the opportunity to learn from other students, as well as to contribute to
other students' learning - an activity which strengthens one's own comprehension.
The participation grade will be determined from:
1) Attendance (More than 6 unexcused absences will be detrimental to your score in
participation and will affect borderline decisions negatively.) (Note: Students leaving
before the end of a class without permission will not receive full attendance credit.)
2) Quality of the Group Assignments Produced.
3) Peer Evaluations (based on the team projects and other activities.).
4) Individual contributions to class discussions and team activities. Discussion will be
facilitated by students preparing by means of advance reading of textbook material and
case assignments.
WRITTEN WORK:
The instructor supports the ideals of “Writing Across the Curriculum.” All written work
done outside of class must be typed and is expected to relatively free of grammatical and
spelling errors. Papers should be logically organized with appropriate transitions from
one paragraph to the next. Papers will be graded, in part, on the basis of these concerns.
GENERAL CASE ANALYSIS GUIDELINES
Assume the reader has not read the case. Briefly summarize the case in your own words.
You should answer any QUESTIONS given at the end of the case, but you should not
necessarily limit your discussion to those questions. (Note that these cases generally do
not have questions at the end.) Regardless of whether there are questions with the case,
you should identify any PROBLEMS you find with the organization in the case and
propose solutions for them. Be sure to distinguish PROBLEMS from SYMPTOMS
which merely reflect underlying problems. (e.g., High absenteeism is probably a
symptom of a deeper difficulty. What is causing absenteeism?) If you find multiple
problems, rank them in order of seriousness. Although it is reasonable to state how a
problem could have been avoided in order to facilitate understanding of it and to promote
learning from mistakes, don't dwell too much on the past or on placing blame. What is
most important is where we go from here.
In analyzing the situation, what can you infer about the persons described in the case?
For example, what is the nature of their:
attitudes,
technical skills,
communication skills,
interpersonal relationships,
leadership styles,
power/influence?
Cases involving groups/teams should be considered in terms of concepts such as:
background factors,
required system,
emergent system,
cohesion,
subgroups,
goals,
norms,
status.
What solutions do you propose? (There is not necessarily a single correct solution to a
case. The important thing is to logically justify your conclusions.) What are the
expected costs and benefits (or advantages and disadvantages) of the proposed solutions?
INDIVIDUAL CASE ASSIGNMENTS:
As listed in the day-by-day schedule below, selected cases from the back of the textbook
are assigned for discussion in class. All students are expected to prepare to discuss all
cases. In addition, each student is required to select any three (except Bob Chen / David
Shorter) for which to turn in a typewritten analysis. Follow the General Case Analysis
Guidelines above. Your analysis should be preceded by a case summary of about one
page. Papers are due at the beginning of the class in which the case is scheduled (even if
the actual discussion is postponed). No late cases will be accepted. (Note: Students may
submit a total of four cases and have the lowest grade thrown out.)
TEAM CASE #1:
Your team will prepare a written case analysis which is due Friday, March 16.
Each team will prepare a written analysis of the “Kingston Company” case (pp. 538539).
Case Questions:
1. What would you do at the end of the case if you were Mike, Jim, or Dave?
2. List the norms the group had developed.
3. Discuss how these norms had developed and the consequences of them.
4. Discuss the relationships in the group and the reasons for them.
5. What is Cy feeling, perceiving, and thinking?
TEAM CASE #2:
(To be Presented May 7, 9, or May 11)
The purpose of this assignment is for your team to demonstrate principles from the course
to the class. Each team will create a case and analyze it in a written paper, as well as
present it to the class. The written description of the presentation is to be submitted to the
instructor at the start of the performance. This is not a copy of the script or an outline,
but rather a discussion and explanation of what is being demonstrated in the performance.
Assume the reader has not taken MGMT 425. The presentation will be a role-playing
episode in which ALL members of the team participate. The event should be both
educational (90% of the grade) and entertaining (10%).
In other words, the assignment is to write a skit or demonstration that has both
educational and entertainment value. Select a topic of reasonable breadth so that 3 or 4
major principles may be demonstrated. Illustrate principles from at least two of the text’s
chapters. “Before and after” scenarios showing problems and solutions are
recommended. Examples of possible scenes include an office, a factory, a store, a
meeting, or a TV show parody.
Soliciting audience participation is acceptable, but the bulk of the work should be done
by members of the presenting team.
Presentations should be about 15-20 minutes long. You may present "live" or on video
(motion picture or still shots with narration). Even if a video presentation is done, all
team members are expected to attend class for the presentation, questions, and feedback.
Students from other teams will assist the instructor in the evaluation by rating the
presentations (other than their own).
TEAM EXPERIENCE ANALYSIS (Due Monday May 21)
Students will write an individual paper analyzing their team experiences in terms of the
course content. A handout containing guidelines for this will be distributed later in the
course.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:
The following is presented for the purpose of planning. It is strongly recommended that
you do the reading for the dates listed. Where a chapter is listed for two or more
successive dates, it is recommended that you read in advance at least a minimum of
approximately the proportion of the chapter being covered. In class, we may spend more
or less time on a given chapter than is indicated below. The purpose of the schedule is to
spread your reading out fairly evenly and to facilitate preparation for class discussions.
Test dates will be changed only under very unusual circumstances.
Mon. Jan. 29:
Wed. Jan. 31:
Fri. Feb.2:
Mon. Feb. 5:
Wed. Feb. 7:
Fri. Feb. 9:
Mon. Feb. 12:
Wed. Feb. 14:
Fri. Feb. 16:
Mon. Feb. 19:
Wed. Feb. 21:
Fri. Feb. 23:
Mon. Feb. 26:
Wed. Feb. 28:
Fri. March 2:
Mon. March 5:
Wed. March 7:
Fri. March 9:
Mon. March 12:
Wed. March 14:
Fri. March 16:
(Spring Break)
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 2, Case: Bagel Hockey (p. 404)
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 4, Case: Smokestack Village (p. 595)
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chaper 6 , Case: L.E.S., Inc. (p. 540)
Test #1
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Chapter 7, Case: Carpax Company and Phyllis Copeland (p. 447)
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Chapter 9, Team Case #1 Due
Mon. March 26:
Wed. March 28:
Fri. March 30:
Mon. Apr. 2:
Wed. Apr. 4:
Fri. Apr. 6:
Mon. Apr. 9:
Wed. Apr. 11:
Fri. Apr. 13:
Mon. Apr. 16:
Wed. Apr. 18:
Fri. Apr. 20:
Mon. Apr. 23:
Wed. Apr. 25:
Fri. Apr. 27.
Mon. Apr. 30:
Wed. May 2:
Fri. May 4:
Mon. May 7:
Wed. May 9:
Fri. May 11:
Mon. May 14:
Guest Speaker from Career Services: Careers, Job Search Process,
Interviewing, etc. (You should bring a copy of your resume to class.)
Chapter 9
Chapter 9, Case: The Brady Training Program (p. 439)
Chapter 10
Chapter 10, Case: The Forgotten Group Member (p. 494)
Test #2
Chapter 11
Chapter 11, Case: Evergreen Willows (p. 491)
Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Chapter 12, Case: Bob Chen (p. 434) OR David Shorter (p. 471)
(You will be assigned one of these two cases for discussion. You
should NOT read the other one. You should NOT
do a written analysis of your assigned case.)
Chapter 13
Chapter 13, Case: Bully or Victim? (p. 443)
Chapter 14
Chapter 14, Case: Blair, Inc. (p. 427)
Case: A Particle of Evidence (p. 575)
Case: What to Do with Bob and Nancy? (p. 610)
Test #3
Team Case #2 Presentations
Team Case #2 Presentations
Team Case #2 Presentations
Team Experience Analysis Due, Case Feedback, Course Wrapup, Review
Thursday May 17: Final Exam 8:00 Class: 8:00AM-10:30AM
Monday May 21: Final Exam 9:00 Class: 8:00AM-10:30AM
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