Dr. Heike Nolte, School of Business & Leadership, Management
Syllabus: Principles of Management
BUS 305A, Fall 2010, M/W/F 09:00 – 09:50, MC 303
BUS 305B, Fall 2010, M/W/F 10:00 – 10:50, MC 303
Purpose and goal of this class:
This class aims to give a basic idea what "management“ means. For this purpose it provides
an idea about problems management has to cope with and how to address them. We will
approach the field of management from a behavioral point of view, meaning that psychological and sociological aspects are stressed more than legal or quantitative ones. We will focus
more on providing a "feeling“ for the field instead of factual knowledge: an overview that tells
us when it is necessary to look up specific facts or tools and makes it easier to acquire this
knowledge.
The class' most important objective is to help students develop a sense of where a firm (or a
unit) might encounter risks (or opportunities) and how to address them. As a result, this class
is developed through work on small case studies, which will provide a red thread throughout
the semester. Managerial issues concerning the firms presented in the cases will be explored
in a creative and open-ended way: there are not necessarily “correct” answers. The assigned
readings and class discussions, however, will help us cope with these managerial challenges. Since integrating expertise from different specializations in order to arrive at appropriate
solutions is part of everyday management, a lot of the tasks will be performed in teams. Moreover, mangerial work often takes the form of projects, so the principles of project management will also be applied. We will take part in frequent small team exercises in order to improve these kinds of skills.
Depending on student interest, there is scope for BUS 305A and BUS 305B to focus on different topics and move at a different pace. For this reason it will not be possible to switch from
one to the other after they begin.
Availability:
My office hours are Tuesday, 8:30 until 10:00 a.m., room MC 111A, Tel.: x3499. Many questions can be solved by email, too: hnolte@pugetsound.edu. If necessary, we can schedule
individual meetings.
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Dr. Heike Nolte, School of Business & Leadership, Management
Attendance and active participation:
Discussions in class and in teams with other students is extremely important for learning this
material. This means that everybody is required to participate actively in class and in teamwork. You are encouraged to bring in your personal experience from outside school, especially from work. All contributions should be considered in the context of relevant managerial
theory, which means that it is obligatory to come to class having read the readings assigned
for that day. Since much of the content of this course will take place in the classroom, as we
discover how to transfer book-knowledge to real life situations, it is very difficult to catch up
again after missing classes. And because of the emphasis on team-based learning, it is not
only the individual student who suffers from missing classes, but also the rest of the group.
So please try to show up prepared to each class! Missing more than three meetings will result in loss of credit. If you miss class due to an illness, please provide a doctor's letter and
we will find a solution. (For instance, you might be asked to provide an extra paper.) Active
participation is also a prerequisite for acquiring credits: no credits without it. It contributes to
30% to the grade. In addition, of course, the general rules of the university regarding academic responsibilities apply.
Presentations:
Giving presentations is an everyday activity for a manager, so they are also an important part
of this class. You – individually and in teams – will give several of them. Some will be very
short, others longer. Do not hesitate to contact me if you encounter any difficulties in preparing them or foresee problems in giving a presentation.
Please be realistic about the time you need: Typically presentations last longer than expected. I reserve the right to cut you off if you exceed the scheduled time!
Incidentally, giving a good presentation does not mean that one has PowerPoint slides with
all the gimmicks PowerPoint provides; above all, the content matters and slides are only
supposed to support it. (See Doug Zongker (2007): Chicken Chicken Chicken, Presented at
the AAAS humor session, February 16, 2007, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL_1d9OSdk&NR=1.) Please make sure, that each presentation has a message and gets to the
point. I will also ask for some presentations that do not entail using PowerPoint or similar
software.
For the "big“ presentation at the end of the semester, you will be required to consult with me
about the content: Please send me a draft no later than one week before it is due, so that
changes are still possible.
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Dr. Heike Nolte, School of Business & Leadership, Management
Finally, I am prepared to give feedback to your presentations, but only if you ask for it. Since
most of the presentations will be based upon papers pertaining to case studies, they will be
graded together with these papers.
Papers:
In this class you will be asked to write both very short papers and also longer ones, but
academic standards apply equally: So please present a clear argument and give reasons for
it. Give sources. Be careful not to plagiarize by accident. You are welcome to ask me
whenever you are unsure about these criteria. It is desirable to provide more than the basic
sources mentioned in the syllabus for a paper, but the latter are obligatory. Regarding length,
it is the same as for the presentations: more is not necessarily better – the content matters,
not the number of words. If you exceed the indicated length by more than 20% it will have
negative impact on the grade: one of the goals of this class is to get acquainted with managerial tools, and short documents, which get to the point, are one of them .
Beside these assignments, there will be some occasions when I ask you to write reflection
papers, usually based on your experience during a game or exercise. These reflection papers are of a completely different nature. Here your personal impressions and reflections
matter, not academic knowledge per se. You can depend on their confidentiality. They will be
graded according to the depth of their reflection, but not their conclusions, so it does not matter if you say that you did not like a game or other class activity. What matters is that you explore how and why you were affected by it. The quality of the reflection papers will be considered in conjunction with active participation as part of the final grade.
In general, the indicated length of the papers (see below) is based upon a font like Times
New Roman 12 pt or Arial 11 pt, 1½ spaced. Always submit the papers attached to an email
no later than 6:00 a.m. of the day given on which they are assigned. I do not accept any late
papers unless accompanied by a doctor’s letter, nor anything handwritten. In case you have
written the paper as a team, indicate who is responsible for which part. Please provide not
only your name but also your email-address at the beginning of the paper.
The papers and presentations regarding the cases will be graded together. They will count
for 40% of the total grade. You are very welcome to base your presentation not only on your
paper but also my feedback to it. In general, I will try to give feedback quickly enough that
you can do this.
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Dr. Heike Nolte, School of Business & Leadership, Management
Teamwork:
Organizations can only succeed if the units collaborate without frictions on shared objectives
and manage to create synergy. On a smaller scale, this is applies to teamwork. Moreover, in
most work situations, goals are rarely achieved individually but in teams. Thus, teamwork is
an essential part of this class. Each member is responsible for achieving the team's goal and
is accountable for it. The team's success will have impact on the individual grade. In case
problems occur within a team – which is normal – I expect you to first try to solve the issues
internally. But if this does not work, please do not hesitate to involve me. In spite of the fact
that the entire team is responsible for accomplishing its task, team members will be graded
individually – but individual efforts to achieve a better team result will also be taken into account.
Grading and feedback:
In general, I give feedback by email. In case you want to have additional explanation, I will be
happy to provide it during office hours.
If, for a university-approved reason, you cannot submit a paper or give a presentation at the
scheduled time, contact me as soon as possible. Make-up exams, papers or presentation
opportunities for non-university-approved reasons are not guaranteed. Failure to give a
presentation or to submit a paper at the scheduled time will result in a score of zero for that
assignment.
The final grade is based on:
 class participation and reflection papers:
30%
 case study (teamwork):papers and presentations: 40%
 final exam :
30%
The final written exam at the end of the semester will provide you the opportunity to develop
your own position concerning the topics covered in this class, and to apply them on the case
you have worked on or a different case. It will contribute to 30% to the grade.
In general, my approach to grading follows Bloom's taxonomy: For a medium grade (C) it is
required that you document your understanding of the relevant literature. In order to get a
better grade you need to not only to restate the concepts, but also discuss them. For a high
grade you have to restate, discuss and apply these concepts, typically bringing theory to bear in an empirical context, such as an actual case.
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Dr. Heike Nolte, School of Business & Leadership, Management
Preliminary Agenda:
Topic
Introduction
Activity
“Bingo“
Assignments
Decisions about cases and
teams
Explanation of the questions
regarding the cases
Behavioral aspects of project
management
“Team Lottery“
Cases to read
Discussion
Introductory articles on project management, at least:
Burde 2008; Abudi 2010; Westland (n.d.)
Essentials of working in a
team
Status report of work on
cases
Organization and management
Discussion about aspects of teamwork based on the assignment
“Make the list“
Teamwork “Make the list“
Plan of Approach by the teams
Discussion about "Plans of Approach“
Discussion about aspects of teamwork based on assignment "Compare the two items“
Teamwork: "Compare the two items“
Keuning: Chapter 1.1
Sept. 10th,
Manager and management
Thiagi: Teamwork "Act it out“ (Part 1)
Keuning: Rest of Chapter 1 (Manager and management)
Sept. 13th.
Sept. 15.
Basics of management theory
Status report of work on
cases
Organizational development
Role plays: Leading a project team
(part 1)
Discussion
Discussion
Keuning: Chapter 5 (Designing the organization)
Sept. 17.
Organizational structure
Sept. 20.
Examples of organizational
structures
Status report of work on
cases
Role play: Leading a project team
(part 2)
Student presentations (5 minutes /
team)
Paper by each team about the "Past and current organizational structure“ of
the firm (20 pages)
Presentation of the firms' structure (5 minutes/team)
Aug 30.
Sept. 1st
Sept. 3rd
Sept. 6th
Sept. 8th,
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Dr. Heike Nolte, School of Business & Leadership, Management
Sept. 22.
Sept. 24
Sept. 27
Sept. 29
Oct. 1st.
Oct. 4th.
Oct. 6th.
Oct. 8th.
Oct. 11th.
Oct. 3rd.
Oct. 15.
Oct. 18.
Oct. 20.
Oct. 22.
Oct. 25.
Oct. 27.
Shareholders and stakeholders
Basics of corporate ethics
Strategy and teams
Decision making
Search strategies for the
work on cases
Status report of work on
cases
The Deutsche Bank case
Strategy and objectives
Examples of firms' advantages and disadvantages
Status report of work on
cases
High Performance Work Systems
Motivation of Business Consultants (lecture)
"Traditional“ versus "modern“
work systems
Status report of work on
cases
Midterm-Summary: Reflection of the work on cases
Leading, motivation and outcome
Fall Break
Examples of firms' policies
regarding human resources
Discussion
Game: Ice Floes
Discussion
Keuning: Chapter 2 (Organizations and environment)
Reflection paper by each student: "My role in the game 'ice floes'“ (max. 2 pages)
Keuning: Chapter 3 (Decision making and creativity)
Lecture and discussion
Role play: The Pirates and the Treasure
Student presentations (5 minutes /
team)
Keuning: Chapter 4 (Strategy formulation and stratetegic management)
Paper by each team about the "Advantages and disadvantages“ of the firm (20
pages)
Presentation of the firms' advantages and disadvantages (5 minutes/team)
Discussion
Keuning: Chapter 6 (Structuring tasks for groups and individuals);
Boselie et al 2001
Keuning: Chapter 7 (Motivation, work and career); Nolte 2007
Lecture and discussion
End of Fun: Discussion
Keuning: Chapter 8 (Leading, motivation, communication);
Paper of max. 2 pages about Haschen: "End of Fun“
Paper by each team about the "HR policies“ of the firm (20 pages)
Game: Throwing eggs out the
window
Preparation of the game in teams
Student presentations (5 minutes /
team)
Reflection paper by each student: "Motivation and leadership in the game
Throwing eggs out the window'“ (max. 2 pages)
Presentation of the firms' policies regarding human resources (5 minutes/team)
Keuning: Chapter 9 (Operational planning and control) )
Keuning: Chapter 10 (Managerial process control)
Planning & Control
Discussion
Introduction into process ma- Discussion
nagement
Aspects of Process MaExercise
nagement
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Dr. Heike Nolte, School of Business & Leadership, Management
Oct. 29.
Nov. 1st
Nov. 3rd
Nov. 5th
Nov. 8th
Nov. 10th
Nov. 12th
Nov. 15th
Nov. 17th
Nov. 19th
Nov. 22nd
Nov. 24th
26nd
Nov. 29th
Dec 1st
Dec. 3rd
Dec. 6th
Dec. 8th
Process Analysis
Lean Management.
Status report of work on
cases
Lean Management
The Volkswagen case: Lean
Management & High Performance Production blended
Process management in the
service industries
Status report of work on
cases
Current applications of "Business Reengineering“
Examples of process management
Status report of work on
cases
Making a Whole out of the
pieces: Threads in the different aspects of management
Examples of firms' "Process
Management“ or "Impact of
IT“
Knowledge Management: A
brief introduction
Beyond PowerPoint: Alternatives to transport messages
and Thanksgiving: No classes
Getting to the point
Highlights of Case 1
Highlights of Case 2
Highlights of Case 3
Exercise
Discussion
A thought experiment
Womack et al. 2007
Discussion
Discussion with Emden project students
Nolte 2010
Discussion of Hammer & Champy
Hammer & Champy 2006
Discussion
Escobar & Revilla 2005
Presentation of small cases, including exercises
Discussion
Paper by each team about "Process Management“ or "Impact of IT“ of the firm
(20 pages)
Student presentations (5 minutes /
team)
Presentation of the firms' "Process Management“ or "Impact of IT“ (5 minutes/team)
Brief lecture, Discussion
Bray 2007
Discussion
Game
Presentation and Discussion
Presentation and Discussion
Presentation and Discussion
Paper by each team regarding a conclusion of the case study (20 pages)
Joint presentation of several student teams
Joint presentation of several student teams
Joint presentation of several student teams
Individual reflection paper (max. 3 pages) about collaboration within the team,
your role in it, and the outcome of its work
Summary, Conclusion
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Dr. Heike Nolte, School of Business & Leadership, Management
305A: Dec 15
305B: Dec 17
Final Exam
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Dr. Heike Nolte, School of Business & Leadership, Management
Reading list:
Abudi, Gina 2010. The Five Stages of Project Team Development (May 8, 2010). Available at: http://www.pmhut.com/the-five-stages-of-project-team-
development
Boselie, Paul, Hesselink, Martijn, Paauwe, Jaap & Van der Wiele, Ton 2001. Employee Perception on Commitment Oriented Work Systems (23 2001, 01). ERIM
Report Series Reference No. ERS-2001-02-ORG. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=370862
Bray, David A. 2007. Literature Review - Knowledge Management Research at the Organizational Level (May 2007). Available at SSRN:
http://ssrn.com/abstract=991169
Burde, Durgesh B. 2008. Project Management Process (October 14, 2008). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1284391
Escobar, Daisy & Revilla, Elena 2005. The Customer Service Process: The Lean Thinking Perspective (November 3, 2005). Instituto de Empresa Business
School Working Paper No. WP05-13. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1016134
Hammer , Michael & Champy, James 2006: Reengineering the corporation. New York: Collins Business Essentials
Haschen, Silke 2009. End of Fun. Working paper based upon Mair, Judith 2002: Schluss mit lustig. Frankfurt: Eichborn
Keuning, Doede 2007. Management: A European Perspective (2nd edition), Routledge (ISBN 978-90-01-60093-8)
Nolte, Heike 2007. The Flow of Information: Case of a Knowledge Based Organization. Revue Gestion 2000. N° Bimestriel 5. Septembre-Octobre 2007, pp. 63 81
Nolte, Heike 2010. Work Organization and Problem Solving. In: Labor Employment and Relations Association (Edt.). 21st Century Employment Systems: Innovation in an Era of Accelerating Change, Champaign, Il. (forthcoming)
Westland, Jason (n.d.). The Five Goals of a Project Manager. http://www.projecttimes.com/articles/the-five-goals-of-a-project-manager.html (retrieved
August, 12th, 2010)
Womack, James P.; Jones, Daniel T. & Roos, Daniel 2007: The machine that changed the world. New YorK: Free Press
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