MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior Course Syllabus Ethics & Organizational Behavior Syllabus Overview This syllabus contains all relevant information about the course: its objectives and outcomes, the grading criteria, the texts and other materials of instruction, and weekly topics, outcomes, assignments, and due dates. Consider this your roadmap for the course. Please read through the syllabus carefully and ask questions if you would like anything clarified. Please print a copy of this syllabus for reference. Course Description 3 Credits Prerequisite: None This course is designed to provide insight into business ethics and human dynamics in modern organizations. Students will explore what managers need to know about organizations and people within organizations. This class will develop an understanding of the key issues managers need to master in order to manage the interface between people and organizations. The course begins with a focus on the individual within the organization, including topics of attitudes, motives, and personality. The course then progresses to a broader focus on groups in organization, decision making, and the dynamics of change in organizations as a whole. The theme of ethics and organizational behavior is woven throughout the course and emphasized in the final week. Course Outcomes At the completion of this course, students should be able to: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of theory and research related to current issues and future trends in organizational behavior. 2. Demonstrate an understanding of the links between individual behavior and its social and organizational context. 3. Diagnose and develop constructive proposals for dealing with work issues from an OB perspective. Faculty Information Faculty information will be emailed to you prior to the start of class. Your section will be taught by the course author or an instructor with experience in Organizational Behavior. © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 1 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior Materials and Resources Required Text or Resources: 1. Bauer, T., Erdogan, B. Customized by Marrapodi, J. (2010). Organizational Behavior V1.1. FlatworldKnowledge. This text is from Flatworld Knowledge for this course. The textbook is available for free access online through Flatworld, but you may order a print version if you prefer. Access the text at http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/node/438161#web-0 Note that you may need to look around for the link to read the book for free. 2. Change Management Simulation. Harvard Business Publishing. Online. Purchase for $12.50. Begin in week 1. http://forio.com/signup/F1744760 3. Hagel, J., Brown, J.S., Davison. (2010). The power of pull: How small moves, smartly made can set big things in motion. New York: Basic Books/Deloitte Development, LLC ISBN: 0465019358 This book will be discussed in Week 4. 4. Kotter, J., et.al. (2006). Our Iceberg is Melting: Change and Succeeding Under Any Conditions. St. Martin’s Press. ISBN: 9780312361983 This book is discussed in Week 5. Library Services: Detailed information about online and on-ground library services can be found in the Getting Started section of the course. Help Desk and Technical Questions: If you experience problems accessing your course, downloading content items, or posting discussion threads, your first troubleshooting resource is the Technical Services Help Desk. There are 3 ways to contact them: Using the Student Support Request Form at http://www.necb.edu/support_epic.asp By email at support@necb.edu By phone at 1-800-997-1673 Additional Epic support and resources, including the Student Support Request Form (generates a ticket # to track your resolution) and Student Reference Guides, are available on our website: http://www.necb.edu/support_epic.asp. Be sure to notify your professor of any technical difficulties you are experiencing since it may be impacting other students as well. © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 2 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior Week by Week Schedule Week 1 Outcomes Readings Lectures Videos Discussion Question 1 What is Organizational Behavior and the Impact on the Individual Examine the influence of the individual in a group or organization Analyze and compare personality assessments Apply the elements of Hofstede’s Cultural Framework, personality traits and moral identity to describe an individual Organize the ethical implications of using personality testing Bauer & Erdogan text Organizational Behavior, Chapters 1-3 o Understanding Organizational Behavior o Understanding People at Work: Individual Differences and Perception o Managing Demographic and Cultural Diversity Drucker, P. (2005). Managing Oneself. Harvard Business Review.(83) 1. Online: EBSCOHost via Business Source Premier Swaidan, Z. and Hayes, L.A. (2005). Hofstede theory and cross cultural ethics conceptualization: Review and research agenda. Journal of American Academy of Business. 6 (2). Online: from Business Source Premier. Bernstein, A., Radosevich, D J, Clesca, C F, & Masco, J. L. (Nov 2008). Personality predictors of teamwork behaviors and decision-making style. Review of Business Research, 8, 6. p.205(6). Retrieved November 22, 2010, from Academic OneFile via Gale McFerran, B., Aquino, K. and Duffy, M. (2010). How personality and moral identity relate to individuals’ ethical ideology. Business Ethics Quarterly. 20 (1). From EbscoHost in Business Source Premier The Individual in the Organization Workplace Diversity How Does Diversity Impact Business Today Diversity DNA Cultural Dimension – Communication Cultural Dimension – Time Cultural Dimension – Me or We Cultural Dimension – Display of Emotion Cultural Dimension – Power Distance Is it ethical to use personality tests for hiring employees? Choose one of the debate boards (yes/no) and state your rationale for your answer, considering what you read about in the Bernstein, et al. article, and the practices at Kronos your read about in your textbook. For your follow on postings, provide a rebuttal to two of the students who answered on the opposite board. Week by Week Schedule (continued…) © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 3 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior Discussion Question 2 Assignments Walk a mile in my shoes: Choose three characteristics about yourself (i.e. race, gender, age, religion, cultural background, body type, etc) then name the opposite of two. Consider how your world would be different based on the characteristics you selected to change and write about the impact of those changes. As a self assessment to your expertise with Organizational Behavior, begin the Change Management Simulation, Power and Influence in your first role. You will play one role this week, as you are new to organizational behavior, and another the in Week 5 after you have studied the subject. Pay attention to your thoughts and decisions as you go through the simulation Determine your type at TypeFocus. Online: http://www.typefocus.com You will need to follow the directions on the assignment screen to obtain the password. John, O. (2000). The Big Five Personality Test. Online: http://www.outofservice.com/bigfive/ Complete the TypeFocus and BigFive Personality assessments to determine your individual results. Create a mindmap about yourself including the attributes that were revealed in these assessments, and others you may have considered from your reading. In a 2-5 page paper, describe the accuracy of the MBTI and Big Five from a personal perspective of what you know about yourself, then cite research regarding their reliability and validity from an academic perspective. Work on your final project, part 1: Create a mind map identifying how individual differences can be described based on what you have studied this week Week 2 Groups and Teams Outcomes Contrast strengths and weaknesses of several models of group development Identify group member roles using the Parker Team Player and Belbin Team roles Describe the elements of a successful team Explain barriers to team effectiveness Lectures Groups Teams Videos Leading and Developing Teams The Abilene Paradox Readings Organizational Behavior, Chapter 4: Managing Groups and Teams Hellerstedt, K. and Aldrich, H.E. (2008). The impact of initial team composition and performance on team dynamics and survival. Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings 2008. P. 1-6 Gratton, L.and Erickson, T. (2007). 8 ways to build collaborative teams. © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 4 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior Harvard Business Review. 85 (11). p100-109 Post, C. et al. (2009).Capitalizing on thought diversity for innovation. Research Technology Management. 52(6). p14-25 Kuipers, B.S. and Stoker, J.I. (2009). Development and performance of self-managing work teams: A theoretical and empirical examination. International Journal of Human Resource Management. 20(2). p399419 Sarker, S. and Suhay, S. (2003). Understanding virtual team development: An interpretive study. Journal of the Association for Information Systems. v4. p1-36 Parker Team Player Survey Burkhardt, V. and Duncan, G. (2008). An interview with Glenn Parker, author of Team Players and Teamwork: New Strategies for Developing Successful Collaboration. IdeaConnection. Online: http://www.ideaconnection.com/articles/00080-Effective-Teams.html Belbin Associates. (2007-2010). Belbin Team Role Theory. Online: http://www.belbin.com/rte.asp?id=8 Kennedy, R. (2010). Four Stages of Area Based Team Development. CTPM Australia. Personal Correspondence. Tuckman, B.W. and Jensen, M.A.C. (1977). Stages of small-group development revisited. Group and Organization Studies. Dec. 1977; 2 (4) p 419-427 Wheelan, S.A., Davidson, B., Tilin, F. (2009). Group development across time. Small Group Research. 34(2) April 2003. 223-245. Druskat, V.U. and Wolff, S.B. (2001). Building the emotional intelligence of groups. Harvard Business Review. March. p80-90 Week by Week Schedule (continued…) Lab & Discussion 1 Mapping Group Dynamics: Observe a group you are familiar with and chart the interactions. Post the map of their interactions on the discussion board. What can you tell about the group after watching the discussion? Discussion 2 Reflect on a time in your life when you have been part of a group or team that was/is excellent (it can also be one that you have observed). Describe this team when it was at its best—what were the indicators of excellence? Identify what you believe are the major contributors to this team’s excellence. Justify why you single these out as contributors. Assignments Analyze a team that you have been part of for an extended time, and describe how it developed using two of the frameworks from your reading in a 4-6 page paper. Cite pertinent references, using at least 3 sources from the eLibrary. Final Project Work on your final project, part 2: Create a mind map identifying team development theories along with discoveries you made this week. © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 5 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior Week by Week Schedule (continued…) Week 3 Outcomes Motivation, Stress, Decision-Making and Conflict Compare and contrast theories of motivation Apply motivation theories to workplace problems Identify ways to motivate the workforce Explain the impact of stress on the individual and the organization Identify emotions and explain the five level model of emotions in organizations Identify different types of conflict and apply conflict resolution strategies Lectures Theories of Motivation Designing a Motivating Work Environment Stress and Emotions Conflict and Negotiations Videos Jumping for Jelly Beans, Parts 1&2 B.F. Skinner and Behaviorism Employee Motivation The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us The Marshmallow Challenge TED Talks – Kathryn Schultz: On Being Wrong Susan Boyle – Organizational Behavior Readings Organizational Behavior Text: Chapters 5-7 o Theories of Motivation o Designing a Motivating Work Environment o Managing Stress, Emotions and Conflict Shah, K. & Shah, P.J. (2010). Theories of Motivation. Laynetworks. Online: http://www.laynetworks.com/Theories-of-Motivation.html Gagne, M. and Deci, E. (2005). Self-determination theory and work motivation. Journal of Organizational Behavior. 26, p331-362. DOI: 10.1002/job.332 Online: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/job.322/pdf Linder, J.R. (1998). Understanding Employee Motivation. Journal of Extension. 36(3) June 1998. Online: http://www.joe.org/joe/1998june/rb3.php Nohria, N., Groysberg, B. and Lee, L.E. (2008). Employee motivation. Harvard Business Review. 86(7/8). p78-84 Schweitzer, M.E., Ordonez, L. and Douma, B. (2004). Goal setting as a motivator of unethical behavior. Academy of Management Journal. 47(3). P422-432 Week by Week Schedule (continued…) © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 6 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior Bazerman, M.H. and Tenbrunsel, A.E. (2011). Ethical Breakdowns. Harvard Business Review. 89(4) p58-65 Ashkanasy, N.M. (2003). Emotions in organizations: A multi-level perspective. Multi-Level Issues in Organizational Behavior and Strategy. Research in Multi-Level Issues, Volume 2. p. 9-54. Online: http://icos.groups.si.umich.edu/Ashkanasy%20%28RMLI,%202003%29. pdf TypeFocus exercises on conflict Conflict Resolution Network. (n.d.) CR Kit. Conflict Resolution Network, Chatswood, Australia. Online: http://www.crnhq.org/pages.php?pID=12 The crowd and judges initially made a wrong decision about Susan Boyle. Kathryn Schultz devotes her career to being wrong. Part 1: Reflect a time you were wrong in a business setting, whether it was about an individual, project, or decision. What did you learn from it? Discussion 1 Part 2: Imagine you are a manager, and the new hire assigned to your team generates a first impression similar to what Susan Boyle did in her audition with your staff responding in a similar way. How will you handle the situation to motivate your team to accept this new colleague? Discussion 2 Imagine that you are a manager at a consumer products company. Your company is in negotiations for a merger. If and when the two companies merge, it seems probable that some jobs will be lost, but you have no idea how many or who will be gone. You have five subordinates. One is in the process of buying a house while undertaking a large debt. The second just received a relatively lucrative job offer and asked for your opinion as his mentor. You feel that knowing about the possibility of this merger is important to them in making these life choices. At the same time, you fear that once you let them know, everyone in the company will find out and the negotiations are not complete yet. You may end up losing some of your best employees, and the merger may not even happen. What do you do? Do you have an ethical obligation to share this piece of news with your employees? How would you handle a situation such as this? Assignments Google and China case study. What should Tom do? Students will choose to debate for or against moving forward. Final Project Continue working on your final project, adding a mindmap about motivation, decision-making, stress and conflict. © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 7 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior Week 4 Thinking About the Organization Outcomes Define Organizational Structure and identify its basic elements Explain what influences organizational structure Describe the culture shift in today’s workforce and explain the difference between pull and push organizations Contrast two organizations using organizational culture and structure terms Lectures Organizational Structure Organizational Culture Videos Google’s Culture Monsters, Inc. Readings Organizational Behavior, Chapters 8&9 o Organizational Structure and Change o Organizational Culture Hagel, Brown, Davison. (2010). The power of pull: How small moves, smartly made can set big things in motion Erickson, T.J. and Gratton, L. (2007). What it means to work here. Harvard Business Review. March 2007. P104-112 Hagel, Brown, Davison. (2010). The power of pull: How small moves, smartly made can set big things in motion o Read options from http://www.edgeperspectives.com/pop.html o Listen to lecture from http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=2425 Discussion 1 Apply the metaphors of the given illustration (Square Wheels) to the functioning of organizations. Discussion 2 Consider what you learned from reading The Power of Pull. Does the culture of your organization fit more into the push or pull organization? Are you functioning on the edge? Should you be? Assignments Rent and watch the movie Monsters, Inc. making note of the culture of the organization. Create a chart to analyze and compare the culture at Monsters, Inc. and the company you currently work for, or one that you have worked at previously, answering the following questions: 1. What is the company’s business model? 2. Describe the external environment that the company operates in. 3. What are the visible roles within Monsters, Inc.? 4. What is the structure of the company? 5. Describe the environment inside the company. 6. What are some of the rituals? 7. What are the underlying shared values and beliefs? Final Project Continue your work on your final project, creating a mind map about organizational development and structure. © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 8 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior Week 5 Change Management Outcomes Identify and describe the impacts of organizational change on individuals Apply change management strategies in the workplace Lectures A Compass for Change Organizational Change Videos Change Management - 30 Second Management Training How Organizations Change, Part 1 How Organizations Change, Part 2: Obstacles to Learning How Organizations Change, Part 3: Drive Out Fear Our Iceberg is Melting John Kotter: Leading Bold Change Readings Kotter, J., et.al. (2006). Our Iceberg is Melting: Change and Succeeding Under Any Conditions. St. Martin’s Press. Kotter, J.P., Schlesinger, L.A. (2008) Choosing strategies for change. Harvard Business Review. 86 (7/8). p130-139. Online: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=32709 007&site=ehost-live Kotter, J.P. (1995). Leading Change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review. 73 (2). p59-67. Online: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=95032 81992&site=ehost-live Myerson, D.E. (2001) Radical change, the quiet way. Harvard Business Review. 79 (9). p92-100 Online: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=53292 85&site=ehost-live Aiken, C. and Keller, S. (2009). The irrational side of change management. McKinsey Quarterly. 2009 (2). p100-109. Online: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=37817 229&site=ehost-live Zigarmi, P. and Hoekstra, J. (2011, July). What's killing your change initiatives? Chief Learning Officer. p20-22. Online: http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mediatec/clo0711/index.php?startid=2 0#/22 Discussion 1 Discussion 2 Describe a change you have personally experienced, and relate it to the materials that have been covered this week. Now that you know about change management, is there anything you might have done differently or that might have helped you during that time? Repeat the simulation from the beginning of the course in your second assigned role. Discuss what you learned in the simulation playing your different roles. © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 9 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior What did you discover? What did you do differently in the second trial? What did you discover about change management? © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 10 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior Week by Week Schedule (continued…) In The Power of Pull, a huge paradigm shift is advocated for the world of business. In The Iceberg is Melting, no one wants to believe that a change is needed, yet is it critical that it occur for survival. Do you believe that Assignments organizations of the 21st century are sitting on a melting iceberg, oblivious to the need for change? Write an essay discussing your perspective on this issue, considering what, if any, your role should be in your organization as a change agent knowing what you now know as a result of this course. Final Project Complete and submit your final project, adding a mind map about change management with this week’s content.. © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 11 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior Grading and Evaluation Your grades will reflect the way in which you present and support your topics and positions in the various learning activities used in this course. The grades will be based on the quality and quantity of your comments and responses in the various activities. The grades for the course will be based on an accumulation of points throughout the course. The various graded activities are weighted as follows: Course Element % of Grade Discussions 40% Individual Assignments 40% Final Project 20% Total 100% Please refer to the rubrics provided in the course for specific grading criteria. The final course grading criteria is described in the table below. Letter Grade Grade % Description A 94 – 100% A- 90 – 93% Very Good to Excellent. Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. B+ 87 – 89% B 83 – 86% B- 80 – 82% C+ 77 – 79% C 73 – 76% C- 70 – 72% D 60 – 69% Marginal. Minimum knowledge and understanding of subject matter. F Below 60% Failing. Unacceptable level of knowledge and understanding of subject matter. Good. Moderately broad knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. Satisfactory. Reasonable knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. Make-Up Exams or Assignments To be determined by the instructor on a one-to-one basis. All Assignments are due on time and the Mid Term and Final Exams must be completed during the stated exam period. There will be NO exceptions. Reasonable Accommodations Policy – Individuals with Disabilities © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 12 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior NECB does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of physical or mental disability and is fully committed to providing reasonable accommodations, including appropriate auxiliary aids and services, to qualified individuals with a disability, unless providing such accommodations would result in an undue burden or fundamentally alter the nature of the relevant program, benefit, or service provided by NECB. To request an auxiliary aid or service please contact the VP for Academic Affairs at NECB, 10 High Street, Boston, MA 02110 Individuals requesting an auxiliary aid or service will need to complete an Application for Auxiliary Aid. To enable NECB to timely provide an auxiliary aid or service, NECB requests that individuals complete and submit the Application for Auxiliary Aid six weeks before the first day of classes, or as soon as practicable. Disagreements regarding an appropriate auxiliary aid and alleged violations of this policy may be raised pursuant to NECB’s grievance procedures. Course Policies and Procedures Learner Success Guidelines These policies and guidelines will help you complete this course more successfully: Participate in the class introduction activity on the first day of class. Submit ALL assignments and take the Mid Term and the Final Exam by the posted due dates and times. Check your emails daily. Put your first and last name and your course number (i.e., Joan Brown, ENG101), on each of the emails you send to your Professor and/or other NECB staff. Participate fully in all threaded discussions. Contact the help desk by email (preferable) at support@necb.edu for resolutions to your technology problems. Contact your Professor (by telephone or by email) if you have questions about an assignment or need additional help completing your work successfully. Academic dishonesty is grounds for dismissal from the program. Student Attendance It is strongly recommended that students post class introductions the first day of class. In line with the College’s Add/Drop Policy, it is required that students post attendance (log into the class and introduce themselves) within the first three days of the term. Students who are registered for a course must officially withdraw from the course within the first three days of the Term if they do not plan on continuing in the course. Registered students are not automatically withdrawn from any course. Students who withdraw from the course after the third day (Wednesday) will be subject to partial to full tuition charges as outlined in the College’s Withdrawal Policy. NECB’s add/drop and withdrawal policies can be reviewed on NECB’s website in the Academic Catalog or Student Handbook. Additional Expectations Students will be expected to meet all the deadlines of the class as indicated throughout the course and in the syllabus. This is primarily so we don't get behind in the course. In addition, discussions cannot overlap from one unit to the next. This is to ensure that all discussions and submissions take place within the week they are scheduled in order to be of value to the entire © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 13 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior class as well as to help you not get behind. If there are extenuating circumstances, you will need to communicate that to the professor and make arrangement accordingly, if appropriate. Asynchronous and Synchronous Work All required work for the course may be done asynchronously; i.e., students can login to the course, read/download materials, post to the Discussions, and submit assignments throughout the course week. Please carefully follow syllabus and the weekly checklists to help manage your time throughout the course week; once we enter week 2 or 3, students typically become much more comfortable with the pace and flow of the course. Students are strongly encouraged to post questions to the Questions & Answers section in each of the modules. The Q & A is the optimum place for a discussion about questions that could affect the entire class with responses from the instructor/TA that could affect the entire class. Feedback You can expect frequent and consistent feedback from your instructor. Academic Honesty, Student Integrity & Plagiarism Academic honesty and student integrity are of fundamental importance at NECB. We want students to understand this clearly. Every member of the NECB Community is expected to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty. Plagiarism or self-plagiarism in any form is a serious violation of those standards and will not be tolerated at NECB. A student shall not receive credit for work that is not the product of a student’s own effort. A student's name on any written document constitutes a statement that the work is the result of the student's own thought and study, stated in the student’s own words, and produced without the assistance of others, except in quotes, in-text citations, footnotes or references with appropriate acknowledgement of the source. Students must be aware that material (including ideas, phrases, sentences, etc.) taken from the College’s eLibrary, the Internet and other resources must be appropriately cited using APA Style Guidelines in any written work turned in for any NECB class. ‘Self Plagiarism’ or submitting one’s own work to more than one course is absolutely prohibited by NECB. NECB does not allow a student to turn in the same assignment to more than one course without prior explicit written permission from the instructor of the second course. The reason for this is that a grade and credit for completed work has already been previously received in a course. If a student submits work to a second course, the student is expecting to receive credit twice for a previously submitted assignment. In addition, a student is not allowed to submit work that has been completed in collaboration with someone else without prior explicit permission from the instructor. (This excludes ‘group work’ within a course as part of the course requirements.) Failure to properly cite resources may result in a referral from the instructor to the VicePresident of Academic Affairs. The outcome of this action may involve academic and disciplinary sanctions, which could include but not be limited to such penalties as receiving no credit for the assignment in question, receiving no credit for the related course or suspension or dismissal from NECB. © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 14 of 15 MBA510 Ethics and Organizational Behavior Caveat The above schedule, content, and procedures in this course are subject to change in the subject field, changes in the knowledge base or other unforeseen circumstances. © 2011 New England College of Business and Finance Page 15 of 15