Link to PowerPoint Slides
Link to Case Questions
Link to Team Experience Analysis Form
Link to Test Review Sheets
http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~whdecker/SyllabusMGMT425Spring2008.doc
THE PERDUE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
MGMT 425 – Spring 2008
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.: 9-10, 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. (Some websites list the
publication date as 2000. That’s when it was actually first published, but 2001 is printed
in the book.) The ISBN number is apparently 9780072880397. I have also seen another
number on the internet for this book: 0072880392. The number 0072877235 also appears
on my copy. (The confusion may be because same text is also sold in a package with a
web manual which we don't use. 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.) NOTE: The text is pretty
much the same in the 5th and 6th editions, so you could survive with one of these.
However, if you used edition 5 or 6, you would need to beg someone to let you copy
some of the cases in the back of the 7th edition.
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 Team Experience Analysis Form will be posted late in the semester.
GRADING:
Test #1 (Wed Feb. 27) -------------------------------------- 100 pts.
Test #2 (Wed. Apr. 2) --------------------------------------- 100 pts.
Test #3 (Fri. Apr. 25) ---------------------------------------- 100 pts.
Final Exam (Mon. May 12 or Fri. May 16) --------------- 100 pts.
3 Individual Cases (25 pts. each) ----------------------------- 75 pts.
Team Case #1 (Due Wed. March 12) ------------------------ 50 pts.
Team Case #2 (Due May 2, 5, or 7 ------------------------- 100 pts.
Participation and Team Maintenance------------------------- 50 pts.
Team Experience Analysis (Due at Final Exam)------------ 50 pts.
SCALE:
90% or higher ------------ A
80% but less than 90% -- B
70% but less than 80% -- C
60% but less than 70% --- D
Less than 60% ------------- F
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. 27- Chapters 1-6
For Test #2 – Wed. Apr. 2 - Chapters 7-10
For Test #3 - Fri. Apr. 25 - Chapters 11-14
Final Exam – Mon. May 12 or Fri. May 16 (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 TEAM 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 Team 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 5 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 Team 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
***Consider the following for all individual and team case assignments.***
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:
personality,
attitudes,
values,
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. 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 Wednesday, March 12. Each
team will prepare a written analysis of the “Kingston Company” case (pp. 538-539).
Case Questions:
1. List the norms the group had developed.
2. Discuss how these norms had developed and the consequences of them.
3. Discuss the relationships in the group and the reasons for them.
4. What do you think Cy is feeling, perceiving, and thinking?
5. What would you do at the end of the case if you were a team member other than
Cy?
TEAM CASE #2:
(To be Presented May 2, 5, or 7)
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.
In other words, the presentation in class is similar to a case printed in the book. Your
team’s written paper should summarize and analyze the case. 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%).
Therefore, 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. Your skit must not be about a student team preparing
a class project!
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 at the time of the Final Exam)
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. 28:
Wed. Jan. 30:
Fri. Feb. 1:
Mon. Feb. 4:
Wed. Feb. 6:
Fri. Feb. 8:
Mon. Feb. 11:
Wed. Feb. 13:
Fri. Feb. 15:
Mon. Feb. 18:
Wed. Feb. 20:
Fri. Feb. 22:
Mon. Feb. 25:
Wed. Feb. 27:
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, Case: “The Forgotten Group Member” (p. 494)
Chapter 6
Test #1
Fri. Feb. 29:
Chapter 7
Mon. March 3:
Chapter 7
Wed. March 5:
Chapter 7, Case: “The Well-Paid Receptionist” (p. 603)
Fri. March 7:
Chapter 8
Mon. March 10: Chapter 8
Wed. March 12: Chapter 8, Team Case #1 Due
Fri. March 14:
Chapter 9
(Spring Break)
Mon. March 24: Chapter 9, Case: “Kate Cooper” (p. 536)
Wed. March 26: Guest Speaker from Career Services: Careers, Job Search Process,
Interviewing, etc. (Bring a copy of your resume.)
Fri. March 28:
Chapter 10
Mon. March 31: Chapter 10, Case: “Contract Negotiations in West Africa…” (p. 467)
Wed. Apr. 2:
Test #2
Fri. Apr. 4:
Chapter 11
Mon. Apr. 7:
Chapter 11, Case: “Bully or Victim?” (p. 443)
Wed. Apr. 9:
Chapter 12
Fri. Apr. 11:
Chapter 12
Mon. Apr. 14:
Chapter 12, Case: “Bob Chen” (p. 434) OR “David Shorter”
(p. 471) (You will be assigned one of these two cases for to
prepare for discussion. You should NOT read the other one. You
should NOT do a written analysis.)
Wed. Apr. 16:
Chapter 13
Fri. Apr. 18:
Chapter 13, Case: “Bangles” (p. 413)
Mon. Apr. 21:
Chapter 14
Wed. Apr. 23.
Chapter 14, Case: “Consumer Materials Enterprises, Inc.” (p. 460)
Fri. Apr. 25:
Test #3
Mon. Apr. 28:
Case: “A Particle of Evidence” (p. 575)
Wed. Apr. 30:
Case: “What to Do with Bob and Nancy?” (p. 610)
Fri. May 2:
Team Case #2 Presentations
Mon. May 5:
Team Case #2 Presentations
Wed. May 7:
Team Case #2 Presentations
Fri. May 9:
Case Feedback, Course Wrap-up, Review
Monday May 12: Final Exam 11:00 Class: 10:45AM-1:15PM, Team Experience
Analysis Due
Friday May 16:
Analysis Due
Final Exam 10:00 Class: 8:00AM-10:30AM, Team Experience