organizational dynamics and behavior

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Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata DIPARTIMENTO DI MANAGEMENT E DIRITTO

00133 Roma – Via Columbia, 2

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ______________________________________________________________________

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Proff. Luca Gnan & Giulia Flamini 1

ORGANIZATIONAL DYNAMICS

AND BEHAVIOR

(Prof. Luca Gnan)

TEACHING STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COURSE:

Prof. Luca Gnan

E-mail: [email protected]

Availability: Contact via e-mail

Prof.ssa Giulia Flamini

E-mail: [email protected]

Availability: Contact via e-mail

We are committed to making this course a valuable learning experience for you. After

the first month, we will spend part of a class session evaluating our progress, and we

will make any necessary changes to keep us on track. However, we welcome your

feedback at any time in the semester. It is easiest to reach us by e-mail or during office

hours, but we are always happy to set up an appointment. Additionally, if you have a

disability that requires unique accommodation, please let us know ASAP so that we can

be helpful to you.

E-mails, Office Hours & Feedback on Assignments

We endeavor to answer e-mails within one day. If you have not heard from us within

that time, please resend the e-mail. Grades & comments will be posted online in the

materials section of the course website. We will be happy to give feedback and discuss

assignments after all grading is complete for a specific task. Office hours are scheduled

by e-mail request.

We may answer questions of assignment clarification in class and via e-mails to benefit

the entire class. We may also give extra grades (see below Team Project) during the

course that, while generally designed to support learning in the course, will also help

your participation grade. These are pass/fail and do not include comments.

PRE-REQUISITES FOR THE COURSE:

None.

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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COURSE DESCRIPTION

While many of the courses in the MScBA teach you how to manage money,

information, and other material resources, this course is unique (and invaluable) in that

you will learn how to manage your performance and career by learning how to work

with and through other people even when you don't want to. Although skills in finance,

accounting, marketing, operations, and strategy are crucial for organizational success,

managing an organization, its groups, and its individuals is equally important. In your

career, you will depend on people to accomplish tasks, goals, and projects; you will

need to work for other people, work with other people, and supervise other people.

Understanding the human side of management is an essential complement to the

technical skills you are learning in other courses. Although we will focus primarily on

work, you will find that the course concepts have applications to various organizations,

including non-profits, athletic teams, social clubs, and religious and political groups.

This advanced course in organizational behavior is designed to expose you to essential

theories and concepts for analyzing, understanding, and managing human behavior in

organizations. This course will apply concrete organizational situations from our case

studies and projects to essential theories and effective management practices. In this

class, you will learn how to thrive at work by managing your relationships. In this

course, we will investigate:

• Individual behavior in organizations, including personality, decision-making,

personal networks, and ethics.

• Interpersonal behavior, including teamwork, conflict, leadership, and power and

influence.

• Organizational factors affecting behavior, including reward systems, culture, and

organizational design.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Explore from managerial perspective research and practical applications on

organizational behavior.

The objective of the training is to provide tools and analytical theory on the analysis of

individual and behavior in different group and organizational contexts to:

• Understand and use the fundamental theories on organizational behavior

• Develop capacities for applying theories to practice

• Develop problem-solving abilities with best practices discussion and case study

analysis

The study route is divided into four different sections:

• Section I: The Organization Behavior Context and Learning Community.

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• Section II: Managing Teams.

• Section III: Understanding and Managing Individuals.

• Section IV: Managing Key Organizational Processes.

At the end of the course, students will have:

1. A deeper understanding of how the study of organizational behavior can aid us

in improving the performance and well-being of people at work.

2. Understood how models, theories, and concepts about organizational behavior

could promote the effectiveness of individuals, groups, and organizations.

3. Developed skills for analyzing individual, group, and organizational functioning

that enhance their effectiveness as managers.

4. Developed a more effective and more complex representation of organizational

behavior, enabling them to contribute more effectively to the workplace.

TEACHING METHODS

Lessons will be characterized by the transfer of knowledge and the strong interaction

within the classroom; there are analyses of situations, problems, and business cases to

facilitate participants in learning.

Regular attending students are strongly recommended to participate in all the

lectures, preparations, and presentations of the business cases.

This course uses readings, lectures, exercises, cases, individual and team assignments,

and class discussions to meet its goals. Case assignments provide an essential

foundation for class discussion and must be completed before each class session. The

due dates for all cases and other assignments are listed in the class schedule at the end

of the syllabus. Lectures will highlight key points from the readings and provide

additional information to supplement the readings. Cases will allow you to apply what

you have learned to real-world issues and scenarios. Because each of you brings unique

perspectives and experiences to the class, participation in class discussions and

activities is essential to your learning and that of other class members. To further enrich

your understanding, you will also be matched with an MScBA Teaching Assistant.

MAIN REFERENCES

A) Textbooks for regular attending students (to be considered a regular attending

student, a participant should achieve at least an 85% of presence to lectures and

case discussions):

R. FINCHAM, P. RHODES, Principles of Organizational Behaviour, Oxford University

Press, 2005.

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G. H. SEIJTS, Cases in Organizational Behavior (the IVEY casebook series), Sage

Publications, Inc, 2005.

As far as the textbook Principles of Organizational Behaviour (FINCHAM, RHODES,

2005) is concerned, regular attending students must prepare the following parts:

1. Introduction pp. 1 -11 (Organization Behavior: An Overview)

2. Chapter 1 pp.19 – 50 (Expectations and Learning)

3. Chapter 8 pp. 310-359 (Leadership Dynamics)

4. Chapter 6 pp. 243-270 and Chapter 14 pp .500-510 (Team Problem, Decision

Making, and Effectiveness)

5. Chapter 7 pp. 275-305 (Group Dynamics and Performance)

6. Chapter 10 pp. 394-417 (Conflict Management and Negotiation)

7. Chapter 3 pp.93-146 (Appreciating Individual Differences)

8. Chapter 4 pp.151-185 (Appreciating Individual Differences)

9. Chapter 5 pp.191-233 (Motivation)

10. Chapter 2 pp. 54-88 (Stress and the Management of Stress)

11. Chapter 12 pp. 445-464 and Chapter 13 pp.468-491 (Organization and Work

Design)

12. Chapter 17 pp.570-592 (Creativity and Innovation)

13. Chapter 15 pp.527-544 (Organizational Culture)

14. Chapter 14 pp.513-523 (Organizational Change and Development)

During the course, ten cases (from the Cases in Organizational Behavior textbook,

SEIJTS, 2005) will be discussed:

a) Chuck McKinnon (on the leadership issue)

b) eProcure – the Project (A) (on the leading and managing teams' issue)

c) The Leo Burnett Company LTD.: virtual team management (on the team

dynamics issue)

d) INTEL in China (on the Conflict Management and Negotiation issue)

e) Blinds To Go: staffing a retail expansion (on the Appreciating Individual

Differences issue)

f) Elise Smart (on the Stress and the Management of Stress issue)

g) Martin Brass Company (A) Tom Fuller, Vice-President Manufacturing (on the

stress and the Management of Stress issue)

h) Victoria Hospital Redesign Initiative (on the Organizational design issue)

i) OP4.COM: a dynamic culture (on the Creativity and Innovation issue)

j) Deloitte & Touche: Integrating Arthur Andersen (on the Organizational Change

and Development issue).

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B) Textbooks for NON-regular attending students (to be considered regular

attending student, a participant should achieve at least an 85% of presence to

lectures and case discussions):

R. FINCHAM, P. RHODES, Principles of Organizational Behaviour, Oxford University

Press, 2005 (all chapters).

G. H. SEIJTS, Cases in Organizational Behavior (the IVEY casebook series), Sage

Publications, Inc, 2005 (all cases).

B) Supplementary textbooks

• Robins S., Judge T." Organizational behavior" 13 edition, Prentice-Hall

International, 2005

• Contemporary management" Jones, George, McGraw Hill, 4th edition, 2006

• Managing Organizational Behavior" Jones, George, Prentice-Hall International, 2007

• "Organizational change" B. Senior, J. Fleming, Prentice-Hall International 3 edition,

2006

• "Management" Hitt, Black, Porter Prentice-Hall International, Second Edition, 2008

• Organizational behavior, Debra Nelson, James Campbell Quicl, THOMSON,

SOUTHWESTERN, 5th edition

• Managing Behavior in Organizations, Jerald Greenberg, 5th edition Pearson

• Adler, P. S. 1999 International dimensions of organizational behavior London:

International Thompson

• Argyris, C. 1960 Understanding Organisational behavior Homewood IL: Dorsey

Press (HM300)

• Bandura, A. 1977 Social learning theory New Jersey: Prentice-Hall

• Barnard, C. The functions of the executive Cambridge: Harvard University Press

• Beer, M. et al. 1984 Managing human Assets New York: Free Press

• Braverman, H .1974 Labour and monopoly capital New York: Monthly Review

Press (Open shelve)

• Bryman, A. 1986 Leadership and organizations London: Routledge Kegan Paul

• Buchanan, D. A. Organisation in the computer age Aldershot: Gower

• Burns, T & Stalker, G. M. The management of innovation London: Tavistock (Open

shelve)

• Child, J. 1972 "Organisational structure, environment, and performance: The role of

strategic choice" Sociology vol. 6 # 1 pp 1- 22

• Clegg, S. & Dunkerley, D. 1980 Organisations, class and control London: Routledge

& Kegan Paul

• Conti, R. F. & Warner, M. 1993 "Taylorism, new technology and just-in-time

systems in Japanese Manufacturing" New Technology, work and employment, vol 8

# 100 31- 42

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• Cyert, R. & March, J. G. 1992 A behavioral theory of the firm NJ: Prentice-Hall

Englewoods Cliffs

• Dubin, E. (ed) 1976 Handbook of Work, Organisation and Society Chicago Rand

McNally

• Drucker, P. F. 1988 Management challenges in the 21st Century London: Heinemann

• Drucker, P. F. 1989 The new realities London: Heinemann

• Duncan, R. B. 1974 "Modifications in decision making structures in adapting to the

environment: some Implications for organizational learning" Decision sciences vol, 5

pp 704 –25

• Duncan, w. J. 1981 Organisational Behaviour Houghton: Mifflin

• French, J & Raven. B. 1958 "The bases of social power 'in D. Cartwright Studies in

social Power Ann Arbor Institute for Social Research (HM301)

• Gibson, J.L. et al. 1994 Organisations: Behaviour structure and processes (Reserve)

• Gouldner, A. W. 1954 Patterns of industrial Bureaucracy New York: Free Press

• Gruneberg, M. & Wall, T.(eds) Social Psychology and organizational behavior

Chichester: John Wiley

• Hall, E. T . Understanding Cultural differences Yarmouth: Intercultural Press

• Handy, C 1999 Understanding Organisations 4th ed London: Penguin (Reserve

HD31HAN)

• Hofstede, G. 1991 Cultures and Organisations London: McGraw –Hill

• Hodgetts, R. M. 1991 Organisational behavior: Theory and practice New York:

Macmillan company

• Kast, F.E. & Rosenzweig, J.E. Organization &Management11985 4th ed New jersey

McGraw-hill (Reserve HD31KAS)

• Kotter, J. P. 1990 "what do leaders really do?" in Harvard Business review 73 pp59-

67

• Mintzberg, H. 1983a Power in and around organizations New York: Prentice-Hall

• Mintzberg, H. 1983b Structures in fives: designing effective organizations

Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

• Moorhead, G. and Griffin, R. w. 1998 Organisational Behaviour 5th edition

Houghton: Mifflin Company

• Mullins, L. Management and Organisational behavior London: Pitman, The financial

times (Reserve)

• Perrow, C. 1970 Organisational analysis: A sociological review Belmont:

Wadsworth

• Robbins, S. P. 1998 Organisational behavior: Concepts, controversies, and

applications NJ: Prentice-Hall (Reserve)

• Simon, H 1957 Administrative behavior NY: Macmillan

• Schein, E. H. 1975 Organisational culture and Leadership San Francisco: Jossey-bass

• Vecchio, R. P. 1995 organizational behavior 3rd edition Orland: Dryden Press

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CASE DISCUSSIONS

Regular attending students are expected to be fully engaged in the entire learning

process. Regular attending students are expected to:

1) Prepare the assigned readings of the cases before each class.

2) Prepare as a group work a PowerPoint presentation on the case based on the

specific assignment.

3) Come to class prepared to participate and discuss to enhance the individual and

the class learning.

On the website of the course, students find for each case the relative assignment.

Please carefully read the questions before the session and use them for preparing

the PowerPoint presentation.

Each student will be involved in the class discussion on the cases and tie the assigned

reading for the session. The objective is to bring all class members into the debate. The

cases are designed to integrate the concepts from the case into the context of the course.

The preparation and the discussion of the cases do not exclude the study of the

theoretical concepts useful for the discussion of the cases themselves and the

passing of the course exam.

With the cases' discussions in the CLASSROOM, each student will develop:

1. The ability to set the parameters for the problem (key concepts from the case).

2. A depth of knowledge about the case subject (understanding of material,

excellent response to the observations of others).

3. The ability to tie in case with other course concepts.

4. The ability to get others involved in the discussion.

To adequately discuss the cases, students do:

• Be prepared with facts and specific quotes from the case.

• Be prepared to comment, ask a question, or develop ideas about the case.

During the discussion, students do:

• Take a position on a question or a point.

• Ask clarifying questions.

• Help keep the discussion moving and on track.

• Help draw others into the discussion.

• Integrate theories and content from other cases.

During the discussion, students do not:

• Be unprepared and show your lack of knowledge.

• Monopolize the discussion.

• Make irrelevant comments.

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• Be insensitive to other's desire to speak or to their opinions.

All the regular attending students are kindly invited to build up workgroups

(MINIMUM 3 PERSONS – MAXIMUM 5 PERSONS). Each workgroup should

prepare a PowerPoint presentation for each case. Into the first slide, the names of the

students belonging to the group should be reported.

The structure of the presentation should follow the following outline:

1. One or more introductory slides aimed at describing/reporting the story, the

characters, and all the necessary elements to define the context and boundaries

of the case clearly.

2. One slide mentioning the questions of the assignment and underlining the

learning goals of the case.

3. One or more slides reporting the answers to each question of the assignment.

4. One or more slides reporting the final remarks on the case.

5. One closing slide about the lessons learned after the group discussion of the

case.

How to prepare the PowerPoint presentation of the case?

Introduction – a short presentation of the case and a brief description of the problems

and situations that should be discussed.

Diagnosis – Problem setting of the context and the situation. Description of the mains

facts and elements connected with the concepts and models of Organizational Behavior

(e.g., organizational change, conflicts, motivation, satisfaction, leadership, managing

people, group dynamics, etc.). What went wrong, and which actions/situations, instead,

were right? Which elements could be considered for the diagnosis?

Solution – Students should provide a possible answer to questions/problems related to

the case and a possible and unambiguous indication of how to approach the situation

and how to solve it. The entire proposal should represent a consistent action plan in

terms of behaviors and expected results.

Conclusions – Conclusions should not be longer than 300-500 words and should

describe how the situation and the problem characterized the case, how Organizational

Behavior schemata might help solve the case, and what the proposed solution might

generate in terms of organizational consequences.

Lessons learned – At the end of the presentation, we should identify and report

elements/suggestions/advice that we "take home" from the case discussion.

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NOTE: During the case discussion, students should explicitly address the context and

the different situations with concepts related to Organizational Behavior and with

models and theories of this course.

Case Discussions' Class Participation

We believe that the best way to learn, especially about ODB, is actively participating in

your education. In this class, "participation" is defined as quality contributions to class

discussion and exercises. There are four pre-requisites for successful participation:

1. Be here on time and prepared. If you are not here, you cannot contribute much to

class discussion. If you need to miss class for a predictable reason (e.g., job

interview, athletic competition), please notify us at least 24 hours in advance so

that we can make arrangements for any in-class exercises and so that you can

obtain the materials distributed during the class. Of course, we realize that in

some cases, unforeseeable emergencies arise. Although we will not directly

penalize you for non-attendance, be aware that multiple absences will indirectly

hurt you by preventing you from participating in class, thereby lowering your

participation grade. To contribute to class discussion, you must come to class

having carefully prepared all assignments (i.e., readings, cases, exercises).

2. Be brave. Everyone in this class is smart, engaging, and has unique life experiences

to share. You will get the most out of this course if you ask questions, voice

opinions, and express your thoughts to one another. If you feel uncomfortable

talking in class, please send me an e-mail or set up an appointment to talk with me

early in the semester. We will do everything we can to accommodate your

circumstances, but we can only do so if they are brought to our attention.

3. Be courteous. Successful participation includes treating your classmates

respectfully and professionally. Listen carefully to the comments and questions that

your classmates voice. You may learn something new from their perspectives, and

you will be able to avoid merely repeating something that another classmate has

said earlier in the discussion. Also, it is perfectly acceptable for you to voice

disagreement with an opinion provided by another student. The open debate often

leads to the most thoughtful and informative class discussions. However, please

express your argument in a kind and considerate manner.

4. Be engaged. This class is "unplugged." Once class starts, all electronics (e.g.,

computers, cell phones, tablets, etc.) should be turned off and put away. If you

need to use a device because of a language or disability issue, you need to secure

permission at the beginning of the class. The misuse of an electronic device (e.g.,

surfing the web or texting) will adversely affect your grade.

To facilitate the visioning of its PowerPoint presentation in the classroom, each

workgroup should take a personal computer with PowerPoint installed and an

available VGA connection.

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By 8 pm of the day before the case discussion, all regular attending students should

send to the course's Instructors, attaching the case presentation prepared. ONLY

STUDENTS WHO HAD HANDED OVER ALL THE CASE PRESENTATIONS

WILL BE ADMITTED TO THE 1st EXAM AFTER THE COURSE.

Policy for Late Assignments

As in the business world, work must be received on time to receive full credit. If you are

late on an assignment, your access to the 1st exam after the course will be compromised.

You are always welcome to hand in an assignment before its due date if you know that

you will be busy as the due date approaches. If you think that you will not complete an

assignment by the stated due date, please speak with us in advance to make alternative

arrangements. Our policy on late assignments will depend on the specific circumstances

surrounding the problem and thus may differ from student to student. Providing advance

notice about a late assignment will minimize the penalty you receive on that assignment

but does not guarantee that there will be no penalty for turning the assignment in late.

OTHER LEARNING SOURCES

Slides and other materials will be available on the course website.

THE SLIDES DO NOT REPRESENT A SUPPORT FOR AN EFFECTIVE AND

SUCCESSFUL PREPARATION FOR THE EXAM OF THE COURSE. THEY

REPRESENT ONLY A HELP TO FACILITATE THE TRANSFER OF THE

KNOWLEDGE TO STUDENTS DURING THE LECTURES.

ATTENDANCE

Because of the concentrated nature of the MScBA program, attendance in class is

crucial.

Students with less than 85% of attendance to lectures and case discussions

(including arriving late or leaving early) will be required to prepare for the exam

ALL the chapters of the textbook R. FINCHAM, P. RHODES, Principles Of

Organizational Behaviour, Oxford University Press, 2005 and ALL the cases of the

textbook G. H. SEIJTS, Cases in Organizational Behavior (the IVEY casebook

series), Sage Publications, Inc, 2005.

NOTE: Attendance to the first class session is mandatory. Important information about

the course and the instructor's expectations are given during the first session. If you

know that you will have to be absent for one session, please contact your instructor to

ensure that absence from a session is acceptable.

EXAM

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The exam is a written exam. The duration is about 3-4 hours, and it includes:

a) Case discussion - You may be given a case study to which some questions may

pertain to lead the discussion. As you respond to the questions, please use

specific content and theories (use names to identify approaches and models) as

the basis of your analysis. You will not receive credit for your personal opinions

unless backed by theory, lecture, and text material. Also, describe how you see

the content/theory applying to the situation. Your answers will be evaluated

based on both quantity and quality. Solutions that are complete and demonstrate

a higher level of understanding and analysis will receive more points.

b) Some questions directly connected to the course textbooks – The questions

could be open, closed (multiple choice), or a combination of both. You may be

asked to discuss the models and the theories presented during the course. You

will be asked to interpret some real incidents and focus your attention on

specific theoretical issues.

ONLY if the number of the enrolled students to a specific date of exam is less than ten

individuals, teachers will ask enrolled students if they want to run an oral exam instead

of a written one.

1ST EXAM AFTER THE COURSE PARTICIPATION AND EXAM GRADES REGISTERING ON

THE BOOKLET

Only regular attending students (85% of attendance to lectures and case

discussions, including arriving late or leaving early) that have delivered the hard

copies of ALL the cases to the Instructors can take the 1st exam after the course

with a format explicitly dedicated to them.

Only regular registered students on the DELPHI System will be allowed to register

their grades.

The 1st exam grades will be registered after the official exam date; Teachers will

communicate that date. It is compulsory to come on that exam date to register the

grade on the Delphi and the booklet.

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TEAM PROJECT

The purpose of the project is to allow your team to apply what has been learned in the

course (through course lectures, readings, and case discussions) to problems in an

organization of your team's choice.

Class members, regular attending students, will work in teams of four (4) people.

To the Team Project, regular attending students will be allowed to achieve a -3/+3

extra points to the final grade of the 1st exam after the course. Only regular

attending students, taking the 1st exam after the course will be accepted for the

Team Project.

Your team should identify a public, private, or non-profit organization to study (Please,

no student groups).

Your team is to gather information from people in an organization through direct

contact. You may supplement this information with data from the media, the

organization's literature, and other secondary sources. You should identify a relatively

recent problem to analyze (i.e., this should not be a historical account of a problem and

the company's solution). It would be best if you focus your analysis by applying the

concepts from the course. While it is acceptable to incorporate several ideas from the

course, please aim for depth rather than breadth regarding course concepts. Your goal is

to diagnose the mechanisms causing the problem or issue of concern in the

organization. Initially, you may notice many symptoms (for instance, high turnover,

seemingly low morale, low commitment, motivation, etc.), but your task is to get to the

underlying reason for these symptoms. And beware, sometimes the initial symptoms we

think we see are not what they appear to be.

There are three broad goals for this assignment:

1. One goal of this assignment is obviously to take the initiative to contribute to an

organization positively.

2. Another primary goal is to provide an opportunity for you to learn more about

organizational behavior firsthand and use your critical thinking and reflection skills

to link your experience with this organization to your learning concerning

organizational behavior theory.

3. The final goal is to provide a forum for you to hone your team member and leader

skills and reflect on the learning gained from this team experience. Each team will

make a presentation and write a paper that describes what you did for the

organization, what you learned about organizational behavior, and what you learned

about working on a team.

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To meet these broad goals, your team should answer the following questions in the

assignments detailed below.

a) What are the issues or problems facing the organization?

b) What can course concepts be applied to understand why this problem is occurring?

c) What recommendations can you offer to help improve organizational functioning?

Deliverables of the Team Project:

1. The project proposal is due to Instructors by the 9th session of the course by 5

pm. It should include:

a) the names of your group members

b) your team name

c) the name of the organization

d) the name, contact information, and level of your contact person

e) the method you will use to gain access to the organization

f) a brief description (one paragraph) of the problem facing the organization.

2. Your written project is due to Instructors by the 18th session of the course by 5

pm.

It should contain a maximum of 15 double-spaced pages (1 cm margins, 12 point font).

You will be penalized significantly for exceeding this limit. The limit does not include

appendices, which you are free to use to provide charts, figures, or other background

material not necessary in the main body of your analysis. However, appendices that are

not directly referenced in the main text will not be read. LATE PROJECT WRITE-

UPS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

This written project should summarize what you did for/within the organization, what

you have learned about organizational behavior, and what you have learned about

working on a team.

Grading of the Team Project:

Your group project will be evaluated on the following criteria:

a) Problem definition: How well (i.e., thoroughly and concisely) do you describe the

organizational context, the relevant parties, and the factors that are important to the

problem?

b) Accurate and thorough use of course concepts.

c) Integration of course concepts with information about the company and problem, i.e.,

how well do you integrate course concepts with details about the issue to illuminate

the problem in a way that leads to solutions?

d) The extent to which recommendations are consistent with analysis.

e) Quality of written analysis.

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ANALYTICAL SYLLABUS

Session Agenda

Lecture/

Case

discussion

Instructor

Section I:

The Organization Behavior Context

and Learning Community

1

Organization Behavior: An Overview

(Introduction pp. 1 -11) Drawing on psychology and sociology, the

introductory lecture takes disciple-based

approaches, dividing the course into four

distinct levels of analysis: individual, group,

organizational, and processes (IGOP). This

IGOP framework encompasses the approaches

to explain social action and behavior and

provides an insight into this fascinating

subject.

Lecture GNAN

2

Expectations and Learning

(Chapter 1 pp.19 – 50) The lecture introduces the student to the basic

concepts of learning. An effort is made to link

these concepts to what happens in the

workplace. It is crucial that students do not

restrict themselves to just explaining

psychological terms but makes sure that they

have understood why learning is essential in

the workplace and how classical and operant

conditioning, schedules of reinforcement, the

idea of the technology of behavior, learning

strategies, and the transfer of training back to

the workplace contribute in or may inhibit

successful learning.

Lecture GNAN

3

Chuck McKinnon CASE

(Leadership Dynamics - Chapter 8 pp.

310-359) The session discusses leadership and the

Case

discussion GNAN

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relevant research that aims to define and

explain leadership effectiveness. The impact

of leadership on organizational life is two-fold,

in that successful or poor leadership affects

both those who trust the leader and assess their

qualities to make judgments about the business

(i.e., shareholders) and those within the

organization (i.e., employees). It has been

argued that poor leadership ultimately destroys

the 'human spirit' essential to ensuring

organizational effectiveness. The hierarchical

structure means that organizations continually

have to face selecting and training people to

assume positions of authority over others. At

every level in organizations and every

department, there will be groups of

'subordinates' under the control of

'superordinates' – in other words, there will be

'leadership situations.'

Section II:

Managing teams

4

eProcure – the Project (A) CASE

(Chapter 6 pp. 243-270 and Chapter 14

pp. 500-510) The session is twofold. Firstly, it explores

social interaction. This involves all the

processes that underlie the activity between

people in everyday social settings. The two

basic concepts to be examined are dramaturgy,

i.e., the expressive and symbolic aspects of

social interaction, and social skill, i.e.,

cognitive and automated processes of social

behavior. Also, it examines what kinds of

modeling and categorization are involved in

social interaction. This will help explain how

changes in social competence occur and why

some individuals are more socially apt than

others at jobs that include social skills.

Secondly, it introduces the concept of

decision-making and change management in

Case

discussion GNAN

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the organizational context. Decision-making is

the center of managerial activity, and it is

examined with managerial rationality. Finally,

change management is discussed as the

outcome of managerial decision-making, and

aspects such as the role of leadership and

resistance to change are explored. The

approach that the lecture employs seeks to

understand the complex and problematic

nature of organizational change while taking

into consideration decision-making and

managerial rationality.

5

Team Problem, Decision Making, and

Effectiveness

(Chapter 6 pp. 243-270 and Chapter 14

pp. 500-510) Again, the lecture is twofold. Firstly, it

explores social interaction. This involves all

the processes that underlie the activity

between people in everyday social settings.

The two basic concepts to be examined are

dramaturgy, i.e., the expressive and symbolic

aspects of social interaction, and social skill,

i.e., cognitive and automated processes of

social behavior. Also, it examines what kinds

of modeling and categorization are involved in

social interaction. This will help explain how

changes in social competence occur and why

some individuals are more socially apt than

others at jobs that include social skills.

Secondly, it introduces the concept of



the center of managerial activity, and it is

examined with managerial rationality. Finally,

change management is discussed as the

outcome of managerial decision-making, and

aspects such as the role of leadership and

resistance to change are explored. The

approach that the lecture employs seeks to

understand the complex and problematic

nature of organizational change while taking

Lecture GNAN

______________________________________________________________________




______________________________________________________________________


into consideration decision-making and

managerial rationality.

6

The Leo Burnett Company LTD.:

virtual team management CASE

(Group Dynamics and Performance -

Chapter 7 pp. 275-305) The session discusses groups and intergroup

behavior. They explore the effects of group

membership on the individual's behavior and

their identity and raise the notion of employee

involvement. The interest in teamwork rises

from the expectation that teams deliver more

than individuals alone. However, the session

adopts a critical standpoint and critically

explores dysfunctional group relations and the

processes that promote or undermine group

effectiveness.

Case

discussion GNAN

7

INTEL in China CASE

(Conflict Management and Negotiation

- Chapter 10 pp. 394-417) The session discusses conflict and consent at

work. It follows the path of the labor process

debate, the main body of theory about the

employment relationship, and the nature of

work. They refer to aspects of the subjectivity

of workplace relations, such as resistance and

consent, as well as gender issues, and illustrate

the scene of industrial relations conflict and

action today.

Case

discussion GNAN

Section III:

Understanding and Managing Individuals

8

Appreciating Individual Differences

(Chapter 3 pp.93-146) The lecture explores the concepts of

personality and intelligence and their impact

on organizational life. Personality has an effect

not only on an individual's working

relationships with others but also more

Lecture GNAN

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generally on the entire corporate culture. The

chapter also examines the attempts made to

describe the differences we observe day-to-day

in each others' personalities and the possible

impact on our effectiveness and organizational

culture. Intelligence and its effects on

organizations are also explored. The effect of

intelligence is not so much the result of

intelligence itself. Still, it flows more subtly

from the impact of our shared assumptions

about the impact and importance of

intellectual differences.

9

Blinds To Go: staffing a retail

expansion CASE

(Appreciating Individual Differences -

Chapter 4 pp.151-185) The session examines how the human

attributes differentiating individuals are

applied in organizations. Assessment is

initially associated with the 'point of entry.'

Increasingly, however, assessments are used

for a variety of reasons. The demand for

flexible, adaptable individuals that are high

performers requires assessments to serve

strategic functions in organizations, i.e.,

identifying such individuals. One framework

claiming to enable a more strategic approach

to assessment by linking business objectives,

organizational culture, and employee

performance more closely is competency. Its

proponents argue that this is a way of

managing people more effectively. On the

other hand, however, its critics would say that

it is merely another control mechanism. The

chapter also describes the range of assessment

methodologies and processes used in

organizational settings and examines how

these processes can be evaluated.

Case

discussion GNAN

10

Motivation

(Chapter 5 pp.191-233) The lecture discusses motivation and job

satisfaction. These are topics that have

Lecture GNAN

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______________________________________________________________________


attracted considerable interest from academic

psychologists, popular writers, and social

commentators. Motivation and job satisfaction

are essential aspects of organizational behavior

since the workplace and employees'

experiences have frequently been negative.

Factories have often been dangerous places

that hardly promote maturity and well-being.

Clerical work has been described as lacking

intrinsic satisfaction, and managers have

commonly reported feeling under excessive

pressure in their work. From a managerial

perspective, the consequences of low

motivation and job satisfaction have to be

managed to eliminate sabotage, staff turnover,

absenteeism, poor industrial relations, and low

productivity. This lecture aims to examine the

extent to which the 'human resource' school of

psychology and other writers have advanced

our understanding of the two underlying

concepts.

11

Elise Smart CASE

(Stress and the Management of Stress -

Chapter 2 pp. 54-88) The session introduces the concept of stress in

the workplace. The session is an all-inclusive

account of stress, its causes, and whether stress

can be managed or not. The session

emphasizes the importance of stress and its

impact on workplaces. Three different

approaches are presented: Stress as a response,

cause, and the appraisal concept. Types of

Stress and individual differences are all

explored.

Case

discussion GNAN

12

Martin Brass Company (A/B/C) Tom

Fuller, Vice-President Manufacturing

CASE

(Stress and the Management of Stress -

Chapter 2 pp. 54-88) The session again argues about the concept of

stress in the workplace. The session is an all-

inclusive account of stress, its causes, and

Case

discussion GNAN

______________________________________________________________________




______________________________________________________________________


whether stress can be managed or not. The

session emphasizes the importance of stress

and its impact on UK workplaces. Three

different approaches are presented: Stress as a

response, cause, and the appraisal concept.

Types of Stress and individual differences are

all explored.

Section IV:

Managing Key Organizational Processes

13

Organization and Work Design

(Chapter 12 pp. 445-464) The lecture explores the concepts of structure

and control in organizations. It presents

various critical interpretations of the

organization, the central figure of which is

Weber. The approach questions efficiency as

an issue of primary importance and focuses on

power and how it is experienced in

organizations. Students should understand the

basic parameters that surround the debate of

structure and control.

Lecture GNAN

14

Organization and Work Design

(Chapter 13 pp.468-491) The lecture introduces the topic of structure

and performance in organizations. It pursues a

managerial approach to explore the priorities

and objectives in organizations, namely

efficiency and effectiveness. It argues that one

way or the other, we are all caught up in these

issues, and hence their exploration is necessary

for a broader understanding of organizational

behavior. Students should understand the basic

ideas of organizational analysis.

Lecture GNAN

15

Victoria Hospital Redesign Initiative

CASE

(Organization and Work Design -

Chapter 12 pp. 445-464 and Chapter 13

pp.468-491) The session is devoted to apply and integrate

Case

discussion GNAN

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______________________________________________________________________


organizational behavior concepts and

Organizational design models and principles.

16

OP4.COM: a dynamic culture CASE

(Creativity and Innovation –

Chapter 17 pp.570-592) The session introduces the concept of

management knowledge and fashion. A

critical encounter of the emergence,

dissemination, and value of recent popular

ideas is examined.

Case

discussion GNAN

17

Organizational Culture

(Chapter 15 pp.527-544) The lecture discusses the concept of

organizational culture. It attempts to explain

the relationship between organizational culture

and the business context, how culture

contributes to organizational innovativeness,

the contribution of organizational culture to

management change, etc.

Lecture GNAN

18

Deloitte & Touche: Integrating

Arthur Andersen CASE

(Organizational Change and

Development - Chapter 14 pp.513-523) The session introduces the concept of



the center of managerial activity, and, in this

session, it is examined concerning managerial

rationality. Finally, change management is

considered the outcome of managerial

decision-making, and aspects such as the role

of leadership and resistance to change are

explored. The approach that the session

employs seeks to understand the complex and

problematic nature of organizational change

while taking into consideration decision-

making and managerial rationality.

Case

discussion GNAN

organizational dynamics and behavior

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