SYLLABUS
MGMT 5305
ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY
Wayland Baptist University, Phoenix Campus, School of Business
Mission Statement: Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically challenging,
learning-focused and distinctively Christian environment for professional success and service to God and
humankind.
Term: May, 2011
Instructor: Dr. W. M. Talboys
Dr. Bill Talboys has been with Wayland University since 1999. He is an educational and training specialist, senior park
ranger, and medic with the Regional Park Service, an instructor in the Maricopa County Executive Management Institute
and Counselor with Emergency Services Mgt. Group EAP in the area of critical incident management. He is also
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Everest and Corinthian Colleges. Dr. Talboys holds faculty positions with Western
International University, Arizona State University, Paradise Valley Community College, Estrella Mountain College and is
a curriculum advisor to The National Fire Academy. In his academic career he has served as Dean of Graduate and
Professional Studies at Grand Canyon University, Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies at Colorado Christian
University, Business Department Chair at Parks College and has served on the faculties of The University of Colorado,
Colorado State University, Denver University, The University of Southern California’s Marshal School of Business,
Peperdine University’s Graziadio School of Management and Business and Aquinas College in Michigan. Prior to his
education career, Dr. Talboys was a police patrol officer, police medic with ESU, a detective, a supervisor, an FTO and an
academy instructor. He also served 9 years active duty in the United States Marine Corps and 13 years in the Marine
Corps Reserve (while serving as a police officer), retiring from law enforcement and the military the same year. Dr.
Talboys holds a doctorate from Colorado State University, Masters Degrees from Regis University and the University of
Phoenix, Bachelors Degrees from the University of Wisconsin and an AAS from SUNY. He has authored numerous
articles, texts and papers on research, humor, leadership, public safety and higher education.
Office Phone: 623-935-6056
Office Hours, Building, and Location: by appointment only
Class Meeting Time and Location: Monday, 5:30 to 9:40 – Downtown Campus
Catalog Description: organizations as complex systems impacted by environmental forces, and structure and
design dimensions required for effectiveness.
Prerequisites: MGMT 3304 or approved substitute
Required Textbook and Resources:
BOOK
Organizational Theory
and Design
Optional Materials: provided
AUTHOR
Daft
ED YEAR PUBLISHER
10th
2010
Cengage
Learning
ISBN#
REVIEW
0324598890
Spring 12
Course Outcome Competencies:
Upon completion of this course the student should be able to:
 Describe an organization as an open system & hypothesize its application.
 Summarize the difference between a goal and a strategy.
 Identify the forces that influence environmental uncertainty.
 Differentiate between mimetic, coercive, and normative forces.
 Outline Woodward’s classification of organizational technologies.
 Illustrate an information system and subsystem design for managerial control, decision making, and
knowledge management.
 Contrast Weber’s framework against current organizational control strategies.
 Compare the differences among rites of enhancement, renewal, and integration.
 Discuss the focus in modern organizations on the History of Western Industrialization.
 Develop a methodology for studying organizations.
 Summarize the development of the theory of organizations.
 Summarize how designing the organization to fit strategy and other contingencies can lead to
organization effectiveness.
 Compare the five approaches for assessing organization effectiveness.
 Discuss the interface of design components, coupling, and technology.
 Using levels of analysis, explain the systemic relationship between environment, adaptation, and
change.
 Differentiate between the stages of organizational life cycle development in relation to growth,
development, and decline.
 Compare the different decision-making process models with the contingency framework.
 Rank the impact of globalization on the future of organizations and their design.
 Identify the five structural strategies for grouping organizational activities.
 Describe the symptoms of structural deficiency.
 Explain the institutional view in relation to organizational design and similarity.
Attendance Requirements:
Disability Statement: “In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), it is the
policy of Wayland Baptist University that no otherwise qualified person with a disability be excluded
from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational
program or activity in the university. The Coordinator of Counseling Services serves as the coordinator
of students with a disability and should be contacted concerning accommodation requests at (806) 2913765. Documentation of a disability must accompany any request for accommodations.”
Tentative Schedule
Week One
Foundations of Organizational and Individual Behavior
This week’s activities support the following course learning outcome(s):
Discover and utilize the factors that impact organizational culture and the role of diversity in the global
environment.
Week Two
Characteristics of the Organization
This week’s activities support the following course learning outcome(s):
Report the internal and external variables that influence individual behavior, performance, and
motivation, including reward systems.
Week Three
Motivation and Decision Making
This week’s activities support the following course learning outcome(s):
Report the variables that influence decision making in an organization.
Week Four
Organizational Dynamics
This week’s activities support the following course learning outcome(s):
Determine the roles of formal and informal groups in organizations, with special emphasis on work
teams.
Week Five
Organization Dynamics continued
Articulate the complexities of leading and communicating organizational change and how to deal with
conflict.
Discover and utilize the factors that impact organizational culture, with emphasis on the role of diversity
in the global environment.
Articulate the complexities of organizational structure and the design of jobs within that structure.
Compare the organizational development needs of various types of businesses.
Week Six
Organizational Power, Conflict and Communications
This week’s activities support the following course learning outcome(s):
Articulate the complexities of leading and communicating organizational change and how to deal with
conflict.
Week Seven
Power and Conflict continued
This week’s activities support the following course learning outcome(s):
Articulate the complexities of leading and communicating organizational change and how to deal with
conflict.
Compare positive and negative roles of stress and conflict, as well as conflict management strategies
Week Eight
Decisions
Recognize decision making as a process that articulates systematic approaches.
Weeks Nine and Ten
Course Wrap-Up
This week’s emphasis will be on student presentations
Course Requirements and Grading Criteria:
Attendance and participation
Discussion Questions*
Final Paper**
Presentation**
10 points
30 points
40 points
20 points
*Discussion questions will be provided.
**Final Paper and presentation topics and requirements will be provided in separate handout.
The University has a standard grade scale
A = 90-100, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F= below 60, W = Withdrawal, WP = withdrew passing,
WF = withdrew failing, I = incomplete. An incomplete may be given within the last two weeks of a long
term or within the last two days of a microterm to a student who is passing, but has not completed a term
paper, examination, or other required work for reasons beyond the student’s control. A grade of
“incomplete” is changed if the work required is completed prior to the last day of the next long (10 to 15
weeks) term, unless the instructor designates an earlier date for completion. If the work is not
completed by the appropriate date, the I is converted to an F.