National University of Singapore
NUS Business School
Department of Management and Organisation
Course Module: MNO2007 Leadership and Ethics
Session: Semester 1, 2012/2013
Course Coordinator: Dr William Koh (bizkohlk@nus.edu.sg; Office number: 65163190;
Mobile: 91163126; Office location: BIZ1 8-50)
Course Description: The 21st Century has witnessed constant upheavals caused by rapid
technological changes, globalisation and changing employee values. It is in this context that
leaders must enact effective behaviour in order to bring out the best in their followers and
enhance organisational effectiveness. Organisational effectiveness is no longer driven alone
by the availability of capital and machines. Increasingly, managers are beginning to realize
that they need to harness the creative energies of the people that they work with: Human
Capital.
This course is premised upon the philosophy that leadership plays a critical role in
organisational success, and that effective leadership is able to bring out the best in every
member of an organisation in the context of constant change in the external environment.
We will take a multi-disciplinary approach toward the examination of key issues related to
leadership. For instance, in some of the readings, when biographers take a decided political
science viewpoint toward leadership, we will use ideas from that discipline to draw
important leadership lessons. For others, it could well be from a developmental psychology
viewpoint when leaders talked about the life events that shaped their leadership
philosophies. Yet others could be from an organisational behaviour viewpoint, talking about
how they brought about successful changes in their organisations.
Course Objectives: At the end of the course, students will have deep understanding of the
following key issues: What is leadership? What are the forces that shape a leader's
behaviours? How does one empower followers? How to be a servant-leader? How to
appreciate the situational context in order to bring about changes successfully?
All the above information should equip the BBA students’ with the necessary behavioural
skills, values, and body of knowledge to be better leaders for their immediate and long term
future.
Embedded throughout the course will be the key idea that leaders are to exhibit ethical
behaviour. It is not good enough to get the job done; leaders must get the job done using
ethical methods.
Key Course Topics
1. What is leadership? What is the difference between
Leadership and Management? Are leaders born or made?
2. Leadership in the 21st Century
3. Leadership, Culture and Ethics
4. Leadership Traits
5. Power, Influence and Empowerment
6. Transformational Leadership
7. Servant Leadership
8. Ethics and Charisma
9. The Role of Leadership in Organisational Change
Assessments:
Class participation – 15%
Individual Test – 30%
Individual Essay – 15%
Group Project – 40%
Basic Text:
Leadership R. Daft (5rdEd.) Cengage Learning, 2011
Reference Books:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
4.
Avolio, B J. 1999. Full leadership development, Sage Publications.
Tichy, N.M. and Devanna, M.A. 1990, The transformational leader, John Wiley.
Jay A. Conger and Beth Benjamin. 1999. Building Leaders. Jossey-Bass.
Kouzes, J.M. and Posner B.Z. 1995. The leadership challenge. Jossey Bass.
Bass, B. M. & Avolio, B. J. (1994). Improving organizational effectiveness through
transformational leadership. Thousand Oaks CA: Sage.
Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectations. New York: Free
Press.
Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper.
Bennis, W. G. & Nanus, B. (1985). Leaders: The strategies for taking charge. New York:
Harper & Row.
Block, P. (1993). Stewardship. San Francisco: Bennett-Kochler.
5. Yukl, G. (2002). Leadership in organizations. 5th edition, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Biographies:
1. Powell, C., with Joe Pirsico. 1995. My American Journey. New York: Random House,
2. R. Grove. 1997.The Disney Touch/Chicago: Irwin, 1997
3. Thomas, B. 1976. Walt Disney. New York: Simon and Schuster.
4. Kotter, John. 1997. Matshushita Leadership. New York: Free Press.
5. Fatima, M. 1990. Higher than Hope: The authorized Biography of Nelson Mandela. New
York: Harper and Row.
6. Shirer, W.L. 1979. Gandhi. New York: Simon and Schuster.
7. Kathryn Spink. 1998. Mother Teresa, a Complete Authorised Biography. Harper, San
Francisco
8. No Great Love 1997. (editors: Teresa and Becky Benenate; Mother Teresa; Thomas
Moore), New World Library.
9. Richard Branson: The Authorised Biography. Mick Brown, 1998, Hodder Headline
10. Losing my virginity. Richard Branson, 1999, Crown Publishing Group.
11. Personal History (Katherine Graham). 1997 Publisher: Knopf Alfred. A
Useful Reference
1. Leaders and the leadership process Pierce, J. L and Newstrom J.W. 2006. McGraw-Hill.