UNDERGRADUATE SYLLABUS
Course Number: ELE1004
Course Name: SOCIOLOGY FOR BUSINESS
Instructor: Dr. Modena
Credit Hours: 3
Class Room: Mont Blanc
E-mail: imodena@sumas.ch
Class Time: Tuesday, 9.30-12.30am
Course Prerequisite: none
1. Course Description
The sociological perspective is useful for managers working in complex organizations. This
course explores sociological-related issues that affect managerial work relations and the
interconnections between organizations with global and intercultural societies.
Sociological concepts, organizational theories, historical perspectives of sociologists as well
as relevant cases will be compared on a micro-macro level of analysis.
2. Course Objectives
 To train students to manage complex work relations in modern organizations;
 To provide students with historical and critical analysis useful to understand the
links between organizations with their stakeholders ;
 To familiarize students with the global challenges affecting managerial work ;
 To raise awareness of leadership potentials.
3. Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course students will be able:
 To explain complex relationships in international and multiethnic work environments;
 To manage social and intercultural relationships inside organizations ;
 To develop leadership skills in global settings;
 To compare sociological theories and concepts.
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4. Required Text book or Reader
PDF files of book chapters and academic journals are listed in the teaching schedule in
par. 16.
5. Class Material
Videos, handouts, case studies.
6. Course Approach
The class will incorporate visual and interactive teaching methods intended to reinforce
the information presented in the class. Each session will include class debates to develop
students’ critical thinking and communication skills. Students are encouraged to ask
questions, actively participate in discussions, and comment on case-studies. Students
are also encouraged to share relevant information gleaned from outside sources, current
events and personal experiences.
7. Grading Criteria
Your grades for the course will be determined from a variety of activities, as outlined below.
Individual class participation & contribution, attendance
20%
(20 points)
Class Presentation (PowerPoint handout and one-page executive
30%
(30 points)
15%
(15 points)
35%
(35 points)
summary)
Case-studies
Final Class Exam
Total
8. Grading Scale
2
100% (100 points)
[Undergraduate]
A = 93-100
A- = 90-92
B+ = 87-89
B = 83-86
B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79
C = 73-76
C- = 70-72
D = 63-69
F = 0-62%
9. Main Grading Activities
9.1. Mid-term Exam: Class Presentation
Students will prepare a PowerPoint presentation on a subject to be selected in consultation
with the instructor.
Presentation Format: The presentation should be a PowerPoint presentation and should last
for 15-20 minutes . You will be timed and timing will count towards your mark.
Students will hand in a one page executive summary and the ppt presentation.
9.2. Case-studies
3 case-studies will be discussed in class and the assignment must be completed
individually at home by answering all questions. The work has to be handed in by
Tuesday 10th December 2013.
9.3. Final Class Exam on the 10th December 2013
There is one final closed-book exam. The exam lasts two hours. The final exam will be
directed at testing your knowledge of all topics covered in class, including suggested
readings. The exams may consist of multiple choice, short answers, essay questions, and
self- reflection.
10. Classroom Participation
3
It is expected that all students will:
 Be present (attend class).
 Be on time (promptness matters).
 Be prepared (read the assigned material).
 Be considerate of others (listen, do not interrupt, switch cell phones off).
 Be engaged (actively participate in the class).
11. Appeals
There are no verbal appeals on any assignment or the final exam. If you feel that your
contributions have not been graded correctly, please provide a statement in writing as
to why you believe there is a problem. The Academic Director will then provide you
with a decision before the end of the term. Please note that in this case the Professor
will re-grade the entire exam and your grade may decrease or increase.
12. Attendance
In the event of illness or other exceptional circumstances, students must get written
permission from the Academic Director to be excused from classes.
12.1. Class punctuality
Students arriving more than fifteen minutes late to the class are asked to remain
outside until the next class break.
12.2. Examination Punctuality
No student is permitted to take examinations later than fifteen minutes from the start
time. No exceptions. Students who are late due to a non-medical reason must meet
with the Academic Director.
13. Make-Up Examinations
Make-up examinations may only be taken if the original exam date was missed due to a
medically related issue. A stamped medical certificate from a local certified physician
or an official translated medical document in French of English must be submitted as
proof. Only the Academic Director can grant permission for a student to take a makeup examination. Each Make-Up Examination costs a fee of 600 CHF.
All make-up examinations will be taken on the day set by the Academic Officer.
14. Academic Integrity
If caught cheating, submitting plagiarised work, or any other act of
dishonesty, students will be subject to failure upon a first offence and
academic dismissal thereafter.
PLAGIARISM is when a student submits written material copied from other sources
without the acknowledgement of its author(s). This is a serious academic offence and
will result in failure.
4
15. Student and Professor Conduct
The School has strict rules, which apply to all students and professors. Please refer to
the Students Book for the Code of Conduct.
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16. Teaching schedule
Week
Date
Subject:
Required Reading :
Induction Week
Main sociological
theories and historical
frameworks,
Sociology of Work
-Watson, Tony J. (2005). Sociology, Work and
Industry. “London and N.Y.: Routledge, 6th Ed.: pp. 5374, pp. 173-175.
-Case: “Ecuadorean Valentine Roses”
1
2
4 Oct.
3
8 Oct.
Globalization,
Uncertainties,
Resistance to Change
-Merton, R. K. (1936) The Unanticipated
Consequences of Social Purposive Action. American
Sociological Review. 1(6): 894–904.
-Modena, I. (2008) Uncertainties and Resistance to
Change. Proceedings (2007) Association for Business
Communication Annual Convention, Washington D.C.
-Steger, Manfred B. (2003). Globalization. Oxford
University Press. Chp. 1.
15 Oct.
Sociology of
Consumption,
The McDonaldization of
Society
-Video “Super size me”
-Veblen, T. (1898). The Theory of the leisure class.
Chp 4.
-Re: Thinking Consumption. A study by BBMG.
5
6
22 Oct.
29 Oct.
Fall Break
Intercultural
Marketing: Global-local
relations in
corporations, standard
policies and local
adaptations
7
5 Nov.
Class Presentations
8
11 Nov
4-7pm
Leadership styles,
group processes and
work teams
4
Movie “Invictus”
-Robertson, R. (1995) Glocalization: time-space and
homogeneity-heterogeneity. In: Featherstone, M., Lash,
S. and Robertson, R. (eds.) Global Modernities. London,
Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: Sage Publications: pp. 2544.
-Ohmae, K. (1983). “Planting for a global Harvest.
Harvard Business Review.
-Modena, I. (2008) “Uncertain Process of Global
Organizing”, Proceedings 8th Asia Pacific Conference of
the Association for Business Communication, Nanyang
Business School, Nanyang Technological University,
Singapore.
-Case-study “Mc Donald’s and Hindu Culture” in: Hill
(2005) International Business: 125.
Greenberg, J. and Baron, R. A.. (2003). Behavior in
Organizations. Prentice Hall: pp. 271-314.
Kottler, J.P. (1998). “What Leaders really do”, pp. 3760. In: Harvard Business Review on Leadership.
Harvard Business School Publishing.
- Zaleznik, A. (1998). “Managers and Leaders: Are
they different?”, pp. 61-88. In: Harvard Business
Review on Leadership. Harvard Business School
Publishing.
6
9
19
Nov.
Human Capital,
Motivation at work and
engagement
Greenberg, J. and Baron, R. A.. (2003). Behavior in
Organizations. Prentice Hall: pp. 188-220.
-Case-study “The Road to Hell” in: Konopaske and
Ivancevich. (2004) Global Management and
organizational behaviour: pp. 83-87.
10
26
Nov.
Goslin, R.A., Hill M., Fee, L.K., Taylor, S. (1994).
Introduction to Sociology, University of London
Press: pp. 85-92.
11
12
3 Dec.
10 Dec.
Power relations,
authority and
comformity
Revise
End of term exam
Deadline case-study analysis
17. Common Professional Component (CPCs)
CPC
Functional Areas
a. Marketing
b. Business Finance
c. Accounting
d. Management, including productions and Operations
Management, Organizational Behavior, and Human
Recourses Management
The Business Environment
e. Legal Environment of Business
f. Economics
g. Business Ethics
h. Global Dimensions of Business
Technical Skills
i. Information Systems
j. Quantitative Techniques and Statistics
Integrative Areas
k. Business Policies, or
l. A comprehensive or integrating experience that
enables a student to demonstrate the capacity to
synthesize and apply knowledge and skills from an
organizational perspective
Total Estimated CPC Coverage Hours
This outline is subject to change
7
HOURS
5
12
2
12
2
6
39