School of Business and Economics
Department of Management
1200 Murchison Road
Fayetteville, NC
28301-4298
MGMT 615-D44 Organizational Behavior
I.
LOCATOR INFORMATION
Semester:
Summer 2013 6/3-8/2/2012
Course Number and Name: MGMT 615 Organizational Behavior
Number of Credit Hrs:
3
Day and Time:
Online
Classroom
Online
Instructor:
Dr Kathleen Gurley
Office Location:
SBE 387
Home Phone:
910-245-4894
E-mail Address:
kgurley@uncfsu.edu
Office Hours:
By appointment, or call me at home
FSU Policy on Electronic Mail: Fayetteville State University provides to each student, free of
charge, an electronic mail account (username@broncos.uncfsu.edu) that is easily accessible via
the Internet. The university has established FSU email as the primary mode of correspondence
between university officials and enrolled students. Inquiries and requests from students
pertaining to academic records, grades, bills, financial aid, and other matters of a confidential
nature must be submitted via FSU email. Inquiries or requests from personal email accounts are
not assured a response. The university maintains open-use computer laboratories throughout the
campus that can be used to access electronic mail. Rules and regulations governing the use of
FSU email may be found at http://www.uncfsu.edu/PDFs/EmailPolicyFinal.pdf
II. COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is a combination of understanding theoretical
concepts, applying them through a simulation-based approach to learning, and then relating the
behavioral concepts to real life experiences with management and organizations. The topics to
be covered fall into three major categories: (1) individual behavior and processes, (2) team
processes, and (3) organizational processes.
Note: If you are not familiar with Blackboard, visit the Student Support Site at
http://www.uncfsu.edu/conted/studentsupport/ for Tip Sheets and Tutorials.
Please visit
http://www.uncfsu.edu/conted/ONLINE%20ORIENTATION%20FOR%20BLACKBOARD%20Fi
nal.doc for the Online Orientation to Blackboard.
III. DISABLED STUDENT SERVICES
In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities
ACT (ACA) of 1990, if you have a disability or think you have a disability please contact the
Center for Personal Development in the Spaulding building, Room 155 (1’st floor); 910-6721203.
IV. TEXTBOOK
Required textbook:
1. Steven McShane and Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2013. Organizational Behavior, 6th Ed.,
McGraw-Hill, ISBN 978-0-07-811264-5.
This book should be in the bookstore, but you may also be able to buy it online through
Half.com or Amazon or other used book locations. You may also purchase the 5th edition if it
is cheaper.
2. Virtual Leader Simulation available through SimuLearn. Selected the Best Learning Product
of 2003 in the software category by Training Media Review. See Blackboard under Course
Information for instructions on how to purchase the simulation.
V. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
The course is intended to facilitate cognitive learning, increased self awareness and interpersonal
skill development. Students should benefit through:
 Increased understanding of concepts and theories of organization behavior
 Building skills for continuous learning by learning how to learn from experience
 Developing your leadership skills in a multi-scenario based simulation followed by analyzing
your performance and comparing your approaches with other class members and the
simulation’s suggested best approach.
 Greater awareness of individual differences and their impact on group and organizational
effectiveness
 Knowledge of various leadership models and how they impact organization performance
 Improved understanding of group behavior and ways of building effective teams
VI. COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA
A.
Grade Distribution
Virtual Leader Scenarios
30%
Research Paper
20%
Quizzes
10%
Discussion Boards
20%
Final Paper
20%
B.
Grading Scale
90 - 100% = A
80 - 89% = B
70 - 79% = C
Below 70 = F
Please note the following University policies:
INTERIM GRADE X = NO SHOW – Assigned to students who are on a class roster, but never
attend class. For warning purposes only; NOT a final grade.
INTERIM GRADE EA = EXCESSIVE ABSENCES - Assigned to students whose class absences
exceed 10% of the total contact hours. For warning purposes only, NOT a final grade.
FN = FAILURE DUE TO NON-ATTENDANCE – Assigned to students who are on class roster, but
never attend the class. An FN grades is equivalent to an F grade in the calculation of the GPA.
NOTE TO STUDENTS ABOUT CLASS WITHDRAWALS:



Students receive no refund for withdrawing from individual classes and they slow their
progress toward degree completion.
Students who withdraw from or fail more than one-third of their classes will no longer be
eligible for financial aid.
STUDENTS MUST STRIVE TO EARN CREDIT FOR ALL THE CLASSES IN WHICH THEY
ENROLL. STUDENTS SHOULD WITHDRAW FROM CLASSES ONLY WHEN IT IS
ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
NOTE: IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO READ AND UNDERSTAND THE
FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS COURSE.
1. Technology Requirements
This course assumes you already have a demonstrated competence in basic computer skills as
listed below. If you are not familiar with the items listed below, you will need to use tutorials,
additional self-help tools, or campus resources to improve your competency.
o Blackboard Interface. You should be familiar with blackboard, including the use of on-line
quizzes and accessing information.
o The Internet. You must be capable of using the Internet, especially for purposes of getting
course-related information from the web page of the textbook hosted by the publisher. The
professor may also send you email updates requiring that you visit selected web sites as part
of the participation portion of the course and/or homework and tests.
o Email Services. You must be proficient in sending and receiving email, including the use of
attachments. And, you need to check your e-mail often for course updates/announcements..
o Turnitin software. You will be required to upload writing assignments to Turnitin.
Instructions will be given to you.
2. Online Participation (Discussion Board)
Participating on the discussion board is very similar to class participation in a face to face class.
In this course, the discussion board is 20% of your grade. Discussion posts will be due on
Thursday and Sunday of the week that they are assigned.
The basic rule for this course is that you are expected to join the discussion board at least once a
week and complete assignments on a timely basis. Students are expected to:
 Your post must be a minimum of 150 words.
 Read assignments in advance of joining the discussion board. It is often helpful to start
your response with a brief definition of the concept.
 Read other class members’ input and respect their views, even when different from your
own
 Enter into exercises or simulations with an open mind and help make this learning
experience useful for yourself and others.
 Write your response using good grammar and spelling. I consider the discussion board a
form of business communication so organize your thoughts, be clear, direct and concise.
No texting abbreviations.
 Your participation on the discussion board will be graded using the rubric posted on
Blackboard. I will post your participation grade for each week in the grade center.
3. Quizzes Due on Sunday of the week assigned
The quizzes are study guides which consist of mainly multi-choice questions. You can take the
quizzes three times to improve your score. It is suggested that when you get answers wrong, you
go back and reread the section of the textbook that relates to question. The quizzes are due on
the date that they are listed on the syllabus. No late quizzes will be accepted unless you have
justification for an excused absence or you have obtained my permission for turning it in late.
4. Virtual Leader Exercises Due on Sunday of the Week that they are assigned
The Virtual Leader simulation consists of five scenarios. Virtual Leader allows you to assume
the role of leader in a simulated environment, and to receive a score on how well you respond to
typical leadership situations. You can practice and are expected to practice the scenarios several
times to fine tune your leadership style. Be sure to read the simulation workbook because it
provides strategies that will help you improve your score. After completing the scenario, you are
required to submit a paper (Key Learning Points) answering a set of questions posted on the
Blackboard. Your grade for the scenario will be based on 50% your VL score and 50% your
paper grade.
5. Research Paper on Best Practices of Corporations due July 14th
You are to select one of the concepts from the course and do further research on the best
practices of corporations related to this concept. For example, you may be interested in
knowledge management and want to write your paper on this concept. You should then find
articles that describe how companies are building and utilizing their intellectual capital by
applying knowledge management practices. The expectation is that you would describe at least
three companies and their best practices and base the paper on at least ten references. In addition
to the content, the way you present your ideas on paper will contribute to the grade. This
includes the organization of the paper, logic flow, development of ideas, grammar, spelling, and
mechanics. The following guideline will be used. You need to get the topic for your paper
approved by me.
Thesis and Organization
20%
Well organized: clear statement of the thesis, body paragraphs supporting thesis, and conclusion
Use of References
30%
 Well researched: Demonstrate a good understanding of the articles you have found and
integrate them effectively into your paper. Select thoughtful journal articles. Reference
the articles correctly in your paper: Use APA; if you are not familiar with this style or
writing use the APA writing manual.
Assessment of the Best Practices
30%
 Well thought out: Add your thinking to what you have researched. Compare and contrast
different company’s best practices, add your own experience, assess feasibility of practices
and/or provide your evaluation of the effectiveness of the various approaches
Grammar, Spelling and Mechanics
20%
 Well written: Clean of errors in spelling, grammar and mechanics
6. Final Exam
The final exam will be a based on what you have learned throughout the course including
concepts from the textbook and from the scenarios in the Virtual Leader. The final exam must
be proctored by an UNC system approved proctor. It is the responsibility of the student to
arrange for a proctor.
7. Academic Dishonesty
Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses and may be punished by failure on exam; failure in
course; and/or expulsion from the University. Plagiarism is a serious academic and business
(legal) offense and is considered theft of intellectual property. Please visit the Georgetown
University web site (http://www.georgetown.edu/honor/plagiarism.html) for plagiarism
discussions. All students enrolled in FSU classes at all levels are responsible for knowing what
constitutes plagiarism. Whether by design or by accident, plagiarized content is unacceptable.
There are no explanatory circumstances.
Plagiarism occurs when:

Students submit work that directly quotes or paraphrases the work of another, without
specific citation of the passages crediting the creator of the work

Students combine the works of another with their own original effort, including comments on
those passages, without specific citation of the passages crediting the creator of the work.

Students include a list of references at the end of an assignment but do not indicate which
words or passages specifically (by use of quotation marks) are from those sources and which
words or passages are original work
8. Policy on Missed or Late Assignments - All assignments are considered due before 11:55
on the due date. Make-up quizzes will not be given. Missed quizzes will result in a zero.
Assignments will be assessed a late penalty of 10% per day, with a maximum of 50% credit
after 5th day of tardiness. No assignments will be accepted after the sixth day except if you
have been granted an extension by the instructor. This applies to written assignments as
well as discussion board postings.
VII. COMMUNICATION WITH THE INSTRUCTOR
This is an online course using Blackboard (http://blackboard.uncfsu.edu/). All class
announcements and materials such as syllabus, handouts, presentations, and study guides are
available on Blackboard. The grade book posts all student grades associated with tests and
assignments, but it does not calculate your midterm or final grade.
You should use the
Blackboard grade book to review your grades and then refer to the syllabus for the weighting (%)
to calculate your course grade. Please check the Blackboard frequently for updates related to the
class, especially read all announcements.
I will primarily use the Blackboard’s e-mail system to communicate to students. Although you
can change your e-mail address in Blackboard, the University’s Banner system updates
Blackboard weekly and will change your e-mail address back to your FSU e-mail address so it is
essential that you check your FSU e-mail.
Contacting the Instructor: My preferred means of communicating is my e-mail and I do check
my e-mails several times a day. Even if you want to talk with me on the phone, it may be best to
also e-mail and set up a time to talk. My home phone number and cell phone number are listed
on Blackboard. I do not check my cell phone messages regularly unless I am traveling. I do not
get reception at my home on my cell phone. So PLEASE CALL MY HOME PHONE
NUMBER (910-245-4894) During the summer months I am not if my office at the university
and do not check my voice mail.
Submitting Assignments: All assignments should be submitted through Assignments on
Blackboard because this gives both of us a documented track record of your work. If you have
trouble with this function on Blackboard and are up against a deadline, as a last resort you can email it to me.
IX.
COURSE OUTLINE WITH ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
ALL QUIZZES AND VIRTUAL LEADER SCENARIO ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE DUE
ON SUNDAY OF THE WEEK THAT THEY ARE ASSIGNED. WHEN THERE ARE
TWO DISCUSSION BOARD POSTS, THE FIRST IS DUE BY THURSDAY AND THE
SECOND BY SUNDAY.
JUNE
Week of:
3rd
Introduction to the Field of OB
Individual Behavior, Personality, and values
Chapt 1
Chapt 2
Introduction of Class Members
Discussion Board Week One (two forums for participation)
Quizzes 1-2
10th
Perceiving Ourselves and Others in Organizations
Chapt 3
Workplace Emotions, Attitudes and Stress
Chapt 4
Virtual Leader Practice Sessions 1 – 5
Discussion Board Week Two (two forums for participation)
Quizzes 3-4
VL Learning the Principles Quiz
17th
Foundations of Employee Motivation
Chapt 5
Virtual Leader Scenario 1
Discussion Board Week Three (two forums for participation)
Key Learning Points for Scenario 1
Quizzes 5-6
24th
Decision Making and Creativity
Chapt 7
Team Dynamics
Chapt 8
Virtual Leader Scenario 2
Discussion Board Week Four (two forums for participation)
Key Learning Points for Scenario 2
Quizzes 7-8
JULY
Week of:
1st
Summer Break!
8th
Communicating in Teams and Organizations
Virtual Leader Scenario 3
Discussion Board Eight and Nine
Key Learning Points for Scenario 3
Research Paper Due: July 14th
Quizzes 9-10
Chapt 9
15th
Power and Influence in the Workplace
Conflict and Negotiation in the Workplace
Virtual Leader Scenario 4
Discussion Board Ten and Eleven
Key Learning Points for Scenario 4
Quizzes 11-12
Chapt 10
Chapt 11
22rd
Organization Culture
Virtual Leader Scenario 5
Discussion Board Twelve
Key Learning Points for Scenario 5
Chapt 14
Quizzes 13-14
JULY/AUGUST
Week of:
29th
Organizational Change
Discussion Board Thirteen
Quiz 15
Final Exam Due by: August 2nd
Chapt 15
X. BIBLIOGRAPHY
The following references are additional resources for this class.
1. Bennis, W. G. (2003) On Becoming a Leader: The Leadership Classic. Chicago: Basic
Books.
2. Bolman, L. and Deal, T. (1986) Modern Approaches to Understanding and Managing
Organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
3. Bolman, L. (2003) Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership, 3 Ed.,
New York: John Wiley & Sons
4. Chawla, S. and Renesch, J. (eds) (1995) Learning Organizations. Portland: Productivity
press.
5. Collins, J. (2001) Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others
Don’t. New York: Harper Collins.
6. Conner, Darryl (1992) Managing at the Speed of Change. New York: Random House.
7. Cummings, T. and Huse, E. (1980) Organization Development and Change. New York:
West Publishing.
8. Galbraith, J. (1995) Designing Organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
9. Goleman, D. (1995) Emotional Intelligence. New York: Batman Books.
10. Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R. and McKee, A. (2002) Primal Leadership. Boston: Harvard
Business School.
11. Katzenbach, J. and Smith, D. K. (2003) Wisdom of Teams: Creating a High Performance
Organization. Harper Business.
12. Kolb, D. (1984) Experiential Learning. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
13. Kotter, John (1996) Leading Change. San Francisco: Josey-Bass.
14. Lawrence, P. and Nohria, H. (2002) Driven: How Human Nature Shapes Our Choices,
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
15. Nadler, David et al. (1994) Discontinuous Change: Leading Organizational
Transformation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
16. Nonaka, I and Takeuchi, H. (1995) The Knowledge-Creating Company, New York:
Oxford University Press.
17. Schein, E. (1985) Organizational Culture and Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
18. Senge, P. (1990) The Fifth Discipline: The Art and practice of the Learning Organization.
New York: Doubleday.