OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES:

            "A learning organization is one that clearly sees its own vision and mission in the world and understands the importance of every single member and somehow operates to draw forth the best in them."

                                    Sue Miller Hurst, co-author, Fifth Discipline Fieldbook.

This course is a survey of the principles of management, its functions, practices, concepts and challenges in a changing local and global economy. The course analyzes and synthesizes historical and current theories in leadership, group processes, organizational structures, personnel policies, motivation and training to build individual knowledge and skills to perform the managerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling organizations.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The key decision-making role of managers in modern organizations. Includes the study of organizations, management styles and selected administrative problems. Prerequisites:

College mathematics proficiency, 261, 271 and 272. Junior standing preferred. 3 credits.

 

PERFORMANCE BASED LEARNER OUTCOMES:

With your active involvement, by the end of the course you will:

•   be familiar with management and leadership theories and practices.
•   have an understanding of the five basic management functions and how they are applied in organizational settings.
•   understand the concept of mission statements and why they should drive organizational strategic planning and strategy critical activities.
•   understand the evolving role and the challenges facing management in an environment characterized by uncertainty and change.
•   understand how organizational change is initiated and the sources of resistance to change.
•   explain the role of human resource management in strategic planning.
•   understand how diversity and harassment issues affect the workplace.
•   develop an insight into attitudes and human motivation and how these impact the organizational environment.
•   have an understanding of the fundamentals of leadership, teamwork and group processes.

THESE OUTCOMES WILL BE ASSESSED BY:

Two written exams, and two chapter reviews. See details below.

EXAMS:

There will be a midterm and final essay exam. The midterm exam will cover chapters 2-10 and the final will cover chapters 11-16. The essay exams will typically consist of  written responses to three or four questions. A one-half page minimum to two page maximum , single spaced answer, for each part, will be required to adequately respond to a question.

 

CHAPTER REVIEWS:

There will be two written chapter reviews. One from chapters 4-10, and one from chapters 11-16. These papers are worth 25 points each for a total of 50 points, one-fifth of your total grade. Late papers will not be accepted. Talk to me if there are extenuating circumstances.

The first review is due no later than January 24^th. The second review is due no later than February 5^th. Early submittals are encouraged in this short term.

There are three optional formats for completing this assignment:

a.   These reviews may take the form of a “summary” provided it includes some material on why its content is of value to the management process within the workplace.

b.   The reviews may also be in the form of a “reflection” which could be your reaction to the material being presented and how it has stimulated some new thoughts or possibly a conflict with your current thinking or beliefs or raised a problem that requires additional learning or information.

c.   The last option would be a ”discussion” where you elaborate and provide examples of how the chapter subject matter relates to, or is in conflict with current organizational practice. You should also consider whether the practice or the theory is deficient. You may wish to do a Web search for additional information and sources in support of you thinking.

PRIMARY TEACHING METHOD AND COURSE ACTIVITIES:

*  Web based introductions and lecture notes provided by your professor.

*  Textbook reading.

*  Search and read on-line articles and web pages related to this course.

*  Share questions, comments and discussions with class members and instructor.

A. A careful reading of the assigned materials by the assigned date is required in order to participate in on-line courses.  This course is intended to stimulate thought and discussion as well as providing a body of management knowledge. There will be voluntary, un-graded, weekly on-line discussions to allow you to ask and respond to questions.

B. Rules of discussion: The classroom and forum should be a safe haven within which individuals can discuss the widest possible range of topics without fearing retribution, ridicule, or attack. In order for this to happen, we must assume that we are all persons of intelligence and good will who may ultimately disagree, sometimes to a profound degree, with one another, but whose characters are not impugned or intelligence disparaged because of this disagreement. These discussions are not a forum for proselytizing, nor are they a soapbox for diatribes by either students or faculty. For the academic endeavor to succeed, we must treat each other with civility, courtesy, and respect. All perspectives and questions are welcome, as long as they are impelled by a genuine desire for knowledge, can be articulated thoughtfully, and supported by sound reasoning.

C. On-line education is still a new form of learning for many of us. Our primary purpose is to learn the course material. Computers, the web based technology and WebCT software are tools and the better we understand and utilize our tools, the more we will get out of the process. However, do not lose sight of the primary objective of learning the course material. Please don’t let any potential frustrations with technology issues prevent your successful completion of this course. Talk to your classmates and professor if you are having problems.

CLASS POLICIES:

A. CONTACTING YOUR PROFESSOR: The best way to contact me is by e-mail through WebCT. Normally I will get back to you on the same day. However, I am a part time instructor and not always on-line or at home. There may be times when you will not get a timely response. I will, however, try to let you know in advance if I will not be available for a few days. Also please e-mail (or phone) me if you are going to be unavailable. If this is a planned absence, try to get ahead and submit your work early.

B. COMPLETING ASSIGNMENTS: Though we can be somewhat flexible, this is a very short term, so strive to meet the required assignment due dates. You will be penalized for late work unless you contact me before the due date and an extension is granted. One of the major reasons that students do poorly or do not complete on-line courses is that they get too far behind.

C. ACADEMIC HONESTY: Plagiarism is the use of the ideas and words of others in your writing and/or the failure to give credit to others when quoting from their work. A simple restating of the ideas of others using different words may not be adequate to prevent plagiarism. Remember that plagiarism includes “ideas and words”. When in doubt, use quotation marks and give appropriate credit in your footnotes. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. It is the policy of Linfield College and my policy to penalize plagiarism. This may result in receiving a failing grade for the assignment and/or entire course and may be subject to further college sanctions.

D. INCOMPLETES: A grade of Incomplete (I) is given only in emergency situations. The student must request an incomplete in writing and must obtain my permission. All uncompleted work must be completed within the time limits set. If you do not complete the missing work your grade will be based on the work turned in with all missing work receiving no credit.

E. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: While this is normally not an issue with on-line courses, students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, who have any emergency medical information the instructor should know of, or who need special arrangements, should contact the instructor as early as possible, no later than the first week of the term.

TEXT BOOK:

Understanding Management. 4^th  Ed.  Daft & Marcic.  Thompson-Southwestern © 2004.

ISBN 0-0324-25918-2. This is a very good and readable text. It is very important that all text readings and other assignments be completed by the date assigned in order to be able to actively participate in discussions and assignments.

COURSE GRADING

 

COURSE ASSIGNMENT AND READING SCHEDULE: