Course Syllabus
Page 1
Teams
MGT 316 (2 units)
Spring 2015 – Module I
(draft- subject to changes)
Instructor Information
Name: Katharina Pick
Office Phone: 909-607-9062
Email: katharina.pick@cgu.edu
Office Location: Burkle 212
Office Hours: By appointment
Faculty Support: Debra Talavera
Phone: 909-607-7008
Email: debra.talavera@cgu.edu
nd
Location: Burkle 2 floor, east end
Course Schedule
Semester: Spring 2015 – Module I
Meeting day, time: Thursday, 4-6:50 pm
Course Location: Burkle 14
Course Description
Teams have emerged as a favorite work arrangement for such activities as developing new products, providing
professional services, and starting new businesses. Temporary groups are frequently assembled for a multitude
of purposes, such as making difficult decisions, solving cross-functional problems, generating ideas, or performing
unique tasks. Groups and teams can be found at every level of the organization, from production crews on the
shop floor to top management teams in the executive suite. Moreover, advances in communication technology
have created the potential for people who are dispersed across the globe to collaborate virtually, creating many
new opportunities and challenges for leaders of such teams.
Teams are not a panacea, however. Even as they become a way of life in many organizations, widespread myths
and misconceptions about teams often stand in the way of effective teamwork. At their worst, teams sometimes
create more problems than they solve.
This course examines the social psychological factors that shape the development, dynamics, and effectiveness
of teams. It draws on the academic literature on group conflict, social identity in groups, conformity, group
member interaction, and group leadership as well as materials directly relevant to practicing managers. We will
weave together theory and practice in case discussions and experiential exercises.
Prerequisites — Classes or Knowledge Required for this Course
MGT 345 Organizational Behavior & Theory
Texts and Journal References
Required:
Hackman, J. R. (2002). Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great Performances. Boston, MA: Harvard
Business School Press.
The course pack for MGT 316
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will:
Course Syllabus
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1. Understand the conditions that foster team effectiveness and the disruptive forces that can derail
teams.
2. Be able to diagnose complex team dynamics and take action to improve team functioning.
3. Be developing the combination of analytic and interpersonal skills you need to lead teams effectively.
Course Requirements & Assignments:
Class Participation (35%)
Each student should come to class ready to contribute thoughtfully to class discussion. You will be evaluated
more on “what” you say than on “how much” you say. Be prepared to articulate your points thoughtfully and in a
logical way, using complete sentences. Being a good contributor requires preparation (reading and thinking about
the material before class) and listening attentively. We will all learn from each other in this class, and I will be
running the class in a very interactive style. You should be prepared to engage in a critical analysis of the ideas
put forth in the readings. This syllabus provides questions to guide your preparation for class discussion.
Obviously, your effective participation in class also depends upon your presence. Please be on time, as late
arrivals keep you out of discussion and also disrupt the flow of the class.
In addition to participating in class, you may contribute by sharing informational resources or articles you find
interesting (either in class or on Sakai) and by extending class discussions through bulletin postings on Sakai.
Prior Team Analysis (30%)
Each of you will analyze a team or group of which you have been a member in the past, and which you believed
was not performing effectively. Identify a particular concept from class (e.g. groupthink, task conflict, team design,
trust, team identity, psychological safety etc.) and use it to analyze how the team was functioning when you were
in it. You concept may come from a reading, from lecture, or from case discussions. You may hand in your paper
at any time prior to session 7, but you must let me know which concept you plan to use prior to beginning the
writing.
Your analysis should be between 3-5 pages long. In it, you should explain how the concept helps us to
understand what was happening in the group, why the group was functioning the way it was, and how you might
use what you now know about the concept in a realistic way to improve the performance of the team/group.
Realistic means you must provide specific, actionable steps you could have taken as a team member or team
leader. For example, “increase team cohesion” or “resolve conflict” are not specific or actionable.
Final Paper (35%)
You should conduct this project in a group of five people of your choosing. All members of the group will receive the
same grade for the paper.
The paper should contain an analysis of a problem faced by a specific group or team from a business organization.
Using the material from the course, you should identify the strengths and weaknesses of this team, and then proceed
to analyze a problem the team is confronting and the root causes of the problem. The paper should contain a section
that describes the methods you employed to collect information (e.g., who you interviewed, other data sources).
You should then recommend action steps that the people involved with the team should take to improve the team’s
effectiveness. These requirements are intended to be general enough to allow you to customize your paper
according to the specific problem and team you evaluate. (For example, you could also analyze a set of multiple
teams doing related work, or compare two particular teams.)
Each group must submit a short overview of its project by session 3. This overview should identify the group
members who will collaborate on the project, briefly describe the topic of your paper and, if applicable, provide the
name of the company, your company contact, and his or her title.
Your group’s final paper should be a maximum of 12 pages (double-spaced, excluding exhibits).
Course Syllabus
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Each group will give a short presentation during our final session of class (October 22).
Your written assignments will be evaluated on the following criteria:
1. Your diagnostic ability: The extent to which you can identify and organize concrete and significant data
about phenomena that you are trying to analyze.
2. Your analytic and conceptual skills: The extent to which you are able to integrate your own personal
experience or the various theories and concepts from the course for reaching an insightful understanding
of the phenomena under examination.
3. Your communication skills: The extent to which you are able to communicate your understanding of
human behavior in a clear, non-judgmental and concise manner. This includes proper grammar,
punctuation, and writing skills. Good writing requires organization, a clear logical flow, identifiable
paragraphs and topics, and proper sentence structure.
Your class participation will be evaluated on the following criteria:
1. Preparation for class: Reading and thinking about the material before class and being prepared to
participate.
2. Substantive contribution to discussion: Thoughtfulness, quality, and significance of comments.
3. Participation: Frequency of contribution to discussion and general attentiveness and involvement.
4. Respect: Showing respect for and interest in others’ viewpoints.
Attendance
Students are encouraged to attend all classes. As a matter of courtesy, if you are unable to attend class, you
must email or phone the Professor before class. If you miss more than one class in a 7-week course or two
classes in a 14-week course, you will be marked as absent for the entire course (no exceptions) and will need to
retake the course.
Scientific and Professional Ethics
The work you do in this course must be your own. Feel free to build on, react to, criticize, and analyze the ideas of
others but, when you do, make it known by referencing your sources. You must explicitly acknowledge when your
work builds on someone else's ideas, including ideas of classmates, professors, and authors you read. If you
ever have questions about drawing the line between others' work and your own, ask the course professor who will
give you guidance.
While we encourage students to form study groups, any piece of individual assessment must be completed
independently. Recycling assignments submitted by students in your class, students in other classes, or students
who have previously taken the class or recycling assignments you find in external sources such as the Internet
will not be tolerated and will automatically receive a grade of zero. You will also face possible expulsion from the
program.
Students with Disabilities
Claremont Graduate University is committed to offering auxiliary aids and services to students with verifiable
disabilities, in compliance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990. To ensure that individual needs are addressed, students with disabilities are encouraged
to contact the Dean of Students.
Course Syllabus
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Grading
Letter Grade
Grade Point
Description
Learning Outcome
A
4.
Complete mastery of course material and
additional insight beyond course material
B
3.
Complete mastery of course material
Proficient
C
2.
Gaps in mastery of the course material; not at
level expected by the program
Developing
U
0.
Unsatisfactory
Ineffective
Insightful
Expectations and Logistics
Late Assignments and Extensions
MBA students are generally very busy people and often juggle multiple commitments along with a rigorous MBA
schedule. Therefore, I do not like giving extensions simply because the majority of students work very hard to
meet deadlines and, given extra time, many could have improved their output. Therefore, extensions can be
unfair to those who have turned work in on time. Having said that, I accept that there are exceptional and
unforeseen circumstances that warrant extensions.
The following outlines the policy for this course. Do not ask for an extension unless you genuinely believe you can
claim exceptional and unforeseen circumstances. If you are requesting an extension:
 You need to do this as early as you possibly can.
 We need to agree on an acceptable alternative hand-in date.
Adjustments to the Syllabus
As the semester progresses, you should expect some changes, additions, or deletions to this syllabus. Typically,
these are not large adjustments and may often involve identifying which portions of a chapter or a reading can be
skipped or skimmed quickly. Any added course material will be distributed in class or placed on Sakai.
Important Dates
Please see syllabus
Course Syllabus
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Course Outline
Session One
Topic
Objectives
January 22
FOUNDATIONS OF GROUP BEHAVIOR




Introduce the course, get to know each other, and set expectations
Learn the foundations of dynamics in social groups
Understand the assets and liabilities of doing work in teams
Identify factors that contribute to team performance
Chapter 1 in Hackman, J. R. (2002). Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great
Performances. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Assignments
Hastorf, A.H., & Cantril, H. (1954). They saw a game: A case study. Journal of
Abnormal and Social Psychology, 49, 129-234.
Case
The Army Crew Team (HBS Case Study)
Due Today
Prepare the following questions for discussion:
1. List all of the potential factors that could be causing the Varsity crew’s problems.
Which of these do you think are most important? How are these factors
interrelated?
2. At the end of the case, assume that Coach P. has asked you for advice about which
option to pursue. What action do you recommend that he take on Tuesday? What is
your reasoning for this recommendation? How should he implement this action?
Please be specific.
3. Is there anything Coach P. could have done at the beginning of the season to
prevent the Varsity crew team’s problems? If so, what could he have done
differently?
Session Two
Topic
January 29
TEAM DESIGN
Objectives




Assignment
Design factors and team effectiveness
Task design, team membership, role of leadership
The role of design factors in shaping process
Importance of initial meetings and contextual factors
Chapters 2 and 3 in Hackman, J. R. (2002). Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great
Performances. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Katzenbach, J. R. and Smith, D. K. (2005). Discipline of teams. Harvard Business
Review, July.
Course Syllabus
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Case
Chapter Enrichment Program Teams at the American Red Cross (A) and (B)
Due Today
Prepare the following questions for discussion:
1. What problems did Munroe have with the Evans County team’s report?
What factors explain these problems?
2. Why did Miller develop the module structure and the Advisor Handbook?
What previous problems did it solve? What were the strengths of the CEP
method of structuring and staffing teams?
3. What was the program officer’s role in the CEP team? Should this role be
changed? Is so, how?
4. What changes, if any, should Miller make to the CEP’s method of utilizing
teams?
5. For the (B) case: What factors help to explain why the Peak team was more
effective than the Canyon team?
Session Three
Topic
February 5
TEAM PROCESS I
Objectives




Early stages of team functioning
Social influences on behavior
Identity issues in teams
Types of team conflict and their sources
Chapter 4 in Hackman, J. R. (2002). Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great
Performances. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Polzer, J.T. & Elfenbein, H.A. (2003). Identity Issues in Teams. HBS Note
Assignment
Brett, J., Behfar,K., and Kern, M.C. (2006). Managing Multicultural Teams. Harvard
Business Review, November.
Case
Henry Tam and the MGI Team (HBS Case Study)
Due Today
Prepare the following questions for discussion:
1. How would you assess Henry Tam’s leadership of this team?
2. How might others on the team exercise leadership?
3. Are the differences among the team members a liability or an asset?
4. At the end of the case, what actions should Henry take to increase the team’s
effectiveness?
Course Syllabus
Session Four
Topic
February 12
TEAM PROCESS: DECISION-MAKING AND CONFLICT
Objectives




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Group decision-making
Group pathologies that undermine decision-making
Challenge of functioning within the larger organizational context
Intergroup relations
Eisenhardt, K.M., Kahwajy, J.L., & Bourgeois, L.J. (1997). How management teams can
have a good fight. Harvard Business Review.
Frisch, B. (2008). When teams can’t decide. Harvard Business Review.
Assignment
Janis, I.L. (1982). Groupthink. In Hackman, Lawler, Porter (Eds.) Perspectives on
behavior in organizations.
Case
TBD
Due Today
Prepare the following questions for discussion:
1. What are the conflicting preferences among the relevant parties involved in this
decision? What are the underlying interests of these parties?
2. Beyond the specific people involved, what other organizational factors make this
situation difficult for McCusker to resolve?
3. What criteria would you use to judge whether the ultimate decision was effective? How
would you prioritize these criteria?
4. What actions should McCusker take to reach a decision?
Session Five
Topics
February 19
TEAM LEADERSHIP AND EFFECTIVENESS
Objectives
 Leadership behaviors
 Effect of leadership style on team norms
Argyris, C. (1993) Education for leading-learning. Organizational Dynamics, p. 5-17.
Chapter 7 in Hackman, J. R. (2002). Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great
Performances. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Assignment
Rogers, C.R. (1973). The characteristics of a helping relationship. In Bennis, W.G. et al.
rd
(Eds.) Interpersonal Dynamics (3 ed.) Homewood, IL: Dorsey.
Wageman, R. & Hackman, J.R. (2010). What makes teams of leaders leadable? HBS
Press Chapters.
Course Syllabus
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Case
Rudi Gassner and the Executive Committee of BMG International (A) (HBS Case Study)
Due Today
Prepare the following questions for discussion:
1. How effective has Gassner been in designing and leading the Executive
Committee?
2. What kind of a team does Gassner have on his hands? Is this what he intended?
3. Describe Gassner’s leadership style. What impact has it had on the culture and
performance of the Executive Committee?
Session Six
Topics
February 26
TODAY’S TEAMS: NEW CHALLENGES, NEW OPPORTUNITIES
Objectives
 Structuring and leading geographically dispersed teams
 Diversity issues on teams
Maruca, R.F. (2000). How do you manage an off-site team? Harvard Business Review.
Assignment
Case
Managing a Global Team: Greg James at Sun Microsystems (HBS Case Study)
Due Today
Prepare the following questions for discussion:
1. How well has James managed his global team?
2. Who is responsible for the HS Holding crisis?
3. What role did the “Open Work” environment play in the case?
4. What role did diversity play on this team?
5. What should James do in the short and the long run?
Session Seven
Topics
March 5
SELF-REFLECTION AND COURSE WRAP-UP
Objectives
 Group presentations
 Self-reflection on your own personal identity in teams
 Considering the future of teams in organizations
Chapter 8 in Hackman, J. R. (2002). Leading Teams: Setting the Stage for Great
Performances. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Assignment
Hackman, J.R. (2009). Why teams don’t work. Harvard Business Review.
Leavitt, H.J. (1974). Suppose we took groups seriously. In E.L. Cass & F.G. Zimmer
(Eds.), Man and work in society. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Course Syllabus
Case
Public Image Assessment Exercise
Due Today
KP – 11/2014 - draft
Exercise will be handed out in class.
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