MGMT 5323 Teams in Organizations
Summer 2012
William S. Spears School of Business
Oklahoma State University
Instructor:
Professor Thomas H. Stone, Dept. of Management
Instructor Contact Information:
Phone: 918 592-0337
E-mail: tom.stone@okstate.edu
Office hours: E-mail or call for a meeting
Course Site: Desire2Learn (Online Classroom): http://oc.okstate.edu
Technical and enrollment support: CEPD Distance Learning Office, 108
Gundersen, cepd-dl@okstate.edu or call (866)-678-3933 or (405) 744-4048.
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
Teams are a prevalent way of structuring work in a growing number of
organizations. Teams take many forms in practice, covering a range of tasks
and responsibilities. The use of teams can, at times, drastically alter the way
work is done and the way people interact at work. Ultimately, teams hold the
promise of facilitating many desirable organizational outcomes, not the least of
which is increased organizational effectiveness.
Through lecture, videos, and case studies, we will explore many aspects of using
and managing teams in organizations. This course is built around several
objectives. First is the consideration of the different ways in which organizations
use teams. The second is to expose you to many aspects of team development,
including putting teams together, growth and development of team skills and
facilitating high performance teams. The third is examination of practical issues
encountered when using teams, such as within-team conflict, communication,
decision-making, and reward systems. Finally, while much of this course involves
learning about teams indirectly, you will also learn about teams first hand through
participation in one or more teams during the term. The overarching objective of
the course is to further understanding of all aspects of teams as used in
organizations in a way that positively impacts your current and future career
potential.
REQUIRED TEXT, READINGS AND RESOURCES
Katzenbach, J. R. & Smith, D. K. The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High
Performance Organization, 2nd Edt. NY: Harper Business, 2003.
This book should be available through any bookstore (e.g., Barnes and Noble,
Walden, etc., as well as "academic" bookstores).
Required articles listed on the syllabus are found on D2L. Note: to use D2L and
to receive e-mails from me sent via D2L, you MUST use your Okey username
and password.
Recommended Reading:
The following books are particularly informative sources.
Orsburn, J. D. & Moran. L. The New Self-Directed Work Teams, 2nd Ed. NY:
McGraw-Hill, 2000.
Hackman, J. R. Leading Teams. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press,
2002. Leading Teams won the Academy of Management’s 2004 Award for the
best management book of the year.
Wellins, R. S., Byham, W. C. & Wilson, J. M. Empowered Teams. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass, 1991.
You are encouraged to seek relevant materials in libraries, the web and other
sources particularly for your papers.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
There are three components to requirements for this course.
Field project paper
35%
Mid-term exam
25%
Final exam
40%
A description of each of requirement follows. Note: teams should consist of four
members. Since enrollment this summer is approximately 50 students, it is
important that you find a group early in the term.
Participation
Participation is primarily relevant for the team paper. The success of your team is
heavily dependent on the extent to which each team member is involved. Papers
receive one grade, but team ratings of both your and your team members’
contributions and involvement can affect individual paper grades. The team
rating should include a description of your contributions and those of other team
members not just a percent contribution. Note that low participation, as rated by
your team members, could result in at least one letter grade reduction from your
paper grades. Due to the number of students in both this course and my other
on-line class, team ratings will be done on an exception basis. That is, if you feel
you or one or more of your team members have not truly contributed their fair
share, you should submit a team rating form immediately after the paper is
submitted.
Working in virtual teams has several challenges, but it is a common and growing
phenomenon in many organizations. Some degree of conflict and the need to
give and receive feedback from others is inevitable; see and read relevant
material – Developing Team Skills.
You may also participate in an “out of class” forum via D2L. The web board offers
you the opportunity to ask questions and/or offer resources to the rest of the
class. Web board contributions should be relevant and sources of opinion or
information such as websites, books or articles should be provided when
appropriate.
Team Field Project
This course requirement is a team assignment that should be completed in fourperson groups (five is too many). Each team will describe and evaluate a team
or working group in an organizational environment. It’s important to form a team
and select a team topic relatively early in the term. Communicate with each other
and contact me when you believe you have a good idea for the field project. A
potentially useful source of information on diagnosing groups or teams is J
Richard Hackman’s Team Diagnostic Survey (see
https://research.wjh.harvard.edu/TDS/) An article. “Team Diagnostic Survey:
Development of an Instrument”, describing the survey is on D2L.
The paper will be typed, double-spaced, and not exceeding 15 pages, (excluding
any appendices and references). The paper should include a description of the
type of team studied, a history of the team's implementation and development,
assessment of team performance indicators, and an evaluation of the current
status (including problems the team is facing and your team's suggested
solutions). Course concepts and material should be integrated, where
appropriate and referenced. Remember, I am looking for correct use of course
concepts. Therefore, when a course concept is used, underline it. Underlining
course concepts in the paper is a valuable tool. It signals to both you and me the
use of concepts. Please see the example papers posted on D2L. As with the
above topic paper, the analysis should be presented in a structured, logical
manner. Team members will receive the same score on this assignment, unless
indicated to the contrary in the peer evaluation. This paper is due Monday, July
16.
Examinations
There will be two exams, a mid-term and a final exam. Both will be
administered on-line and need to be proctored. (typically, this means in a testing
center). Both require Respondus Lockdown Browser and a time limit of
approximately one minute per question. Questions are multiple-choice with a few
true/false. The final exam will be partly comprehensive covering some material
from the first part of the course. Examinations are done individually, with no
notes, books or any form of electronic devices.
The mid-term exam will be during the window of Monday 7 AM June 25- 6
PM Tuesday the 26th. Material covered will be through and including Selfdirected Work Teams.
The final examination may be taken during a time window of three days,
Wednesday 7AM Wednesday July 25 – 6 PM Friday 27. It will be
comprehensive and integrative since final exams provide a good review
mechanism, and help you integrate what you have learned in the course. The
exam will be objective questions, multiple- choice and true/false. There will be
sample exam questions on D2L and a list of helpful hints for the exam e-mailed
prior to the exam.
Academic Integrity: Students in this course are expected to adhere to the
highest standards of academic integrity.
All members of the Oklahoma State University community are committed to
academic integrity, which encompasses the fundamental values of honesty, trust,
respect, fairness, and responsibility.
You will be asked to sign the following statement when submitting assignments,
exams and a similar statement for the self and team ratings.
“On my honor, as a student, I have neither given, allowed nor received
unauthorized aid on this academic work.”
Any student found cheating on an exam or any course assignment will receive a
zero on that exam or assignment. Any student having evidence of cheating
should report to the instructor.
The OSU syllabus attachment is found in the site below.
http://osu.okstate.edu/acadaffr/aa/PoliciesProcedures.htm
Topical Outline (topic schedule is suggested pacing)
June Week 1: Introduction to MGMT 5323
Overview of course and syllabus
“Quality pays” video ( 27 mins.)
Why teams and definitions/ Socio-technical systems
Read: Chap. 1-4 K & S; Dumaine, B. “The trouble with teams”,
Fortune, Sept. 5, 1994; Superior Slate Quarry case
Lecture: Prof. Gratton – Teams BBC; Listen at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/inbusiness/inbusiness_20080207
.shtml (Gratton first 11 mins.)
A Tale of Two Airlines; Southwest Airline video (10 mins)
June Week 2: Stages of team development
Read: Chap. 5 & 6 K & S; Tuckman’s Stages of Team
Development
Lecture: Tuckman’s Stages of Team Development; Orsburn &
Moran steps toward self-directed teams
Virtual teams
Read: Cordery, Soo, Kirkman, Rosen & Mathieu, “Leading parallel
global virtual teams: Lessons from Alcoa”, Organizational
Dynamics, 38, 2009.
Malhotra, Majchrzak, & Rosen, “ Leading virtual teams”, Academy
of Management Perspectives, Feb., 2007; Katzenbach & Smith,
“The discipline of virtual teams”, Leader to Leader, # 22, Fall, 2001.
Kirkbaum, Rosen, Gibson, Tesluk & McPherson, “Five
challenges to virtual team success: Lessons from Sabre,
Inc.” The Academy of Management Executive, Aug. 2002,
16, 2, 67-79; G. Falkowski, Effectively Managing Virtual Teams
Suggested reference book: G. Falkowski & S. Troutman, Remote
Control: A Practitioner’s Guide to Managing Virtual Teams, IHRIM
Press, Austin, TX, 2005.
June Week 3: Self-Directed Work Teams (Semi-autonomous work groups) and
Teams and Quality
“Topeka Pride” (31 mins.) , and “Everybody leads”(28 mins) videos
Read: My notes from Orsburn and Moran, The New Self-Directed Work
Teams, 2000; Topeka Pride – 20 Years.
Mid- term exam of Monday 7 AM June 25- 6 PM Tuesday the 26th.
July Week 1: Team leadership
Read: Chap. 7 K & S; Caminiti, S., “What team leaders need to
know”, Fortune, Feb. 20, 1995; Hackman, R. J., “What makes for a
great team”, Psychological Science Agenda, 18, #6, 2004.
“Remembering Lincoln’s genius” by Jia Lynn Yang, Fortune, June
12, 2006.
MacGregor and New Foreman cases.
Challenges to team development
Read: Chap. 8 K & S.; “The team that wasn’t” case.
July Week 2: Developing team skills
Notes on Developing Team Skills; Team Diagnostic Survey.
Wageman, Hackman & Lehman article.
Videos:
1. Resolving Conflicts (37 mins); see Study Guide 1 & 2 & notes.
2. Giving and Taking Criticism (21 mins); see notes and outline.
3. “Stanford Guide to Negotiating: The Sluggers Come Home” (59
mins); see Negotiations notes.
Selecting team members
Read: Cosentino, Allen & Wellins, ”Choosing the Right People”,
HRMagazine, Mar., 1990.
Nucor Steel video (13 mins)
The 8 – week orientation program.
July Week 3: Compensating and rewarding teams
Read: Hovey and Beard case
Budget Car Rental (13 mins), Quality Pays, Pay for Skills (27 mins)
video
July 18: Field Projects due and team member
participation ratings due due Monday, July 16.
July Week 4: Teams: Performance and Change
Read: Chap. 9 & 10; D. Patel, “Keep top teams fresh by adding
new talent, leaders”, HR News, July, 2002.
Top management & teams
Read: Chap. 11 & 12 K & S
Interesting stories about teams in Fortune, June 12, 2006:
“Why dream teams fail” by Geoffrey Colvin; “From Wharton to war” by Jim
Vesterman; “Razr’s edge” by Adam Lashinsky; “Why dream teams fail” by
Geoffrey Colvin.
Final Exam: Final exam will be on D2L. Wednesday 7AM Wednesday July 25 –
6 PM Friday 27