ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

INSTRUCTOR: R. C. Chrisman (503)526-0562

e-mail: rchrisma@xprt.net

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is a survey of organizational behavior (OB) covering the essentials of behavioral science theory and management applications, organizational culture, change and development. Subjects include global and cultural diversity, motivation, group dynamics and behavior, work teams, leadership, corporate politics, organizational structure, technology and work design, policies and practices, change and development.

(3 credits).

CLASS SCHEDULE: Winter Semester, 2004 – This is a Computer Mediated Conferencing Course. Class will be conducted online through the college internet services (WebCT).

TEXT: (Required):Robbins, S. P. (2004). Essentials of Organizational Behavior, 8^th ed. New York: Prentice Hall.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: By the end of the course students will:

* Describe the value of knowledge of OB for managers .

* Identify the contributions made by behavior science disciplines to OB.

* Understand the relationship between attitude and behavior, and the importance of documenting observable behavior.

* Be able to discuss the major theories of motivation.

* Develop and practice communication skills in an online environment.

* Be able to differentiate between management and leadership, and describe the major

theories of leadership.

* Differentiate between informal and formal groups and describe how group norms

influence individual behavior.

* Describe an organization’s culture and recognize the importance of culture in the

change process.

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY: I earned a bachelor’s degree in human relations with double majors in psychology and sociology, intent on going into personnel administration when I ‘grew up.’ As the son of a World War II warrant officer, I realized a dream and followed President Kennedy’s challenge to serve my country by spending the next four years at sea as a naval officer. After my service I began my 25+ career in human resource administration as a personnel assistant for a school district. I was recruited by Stanford University Medical Center where I served as employment manager and assistant personnel director. I then went on to serve in several health service organizations as personnel director, director of labor relations, associate administrator, and vice president-human resources; a career of over twenty years. Concurrent with this career I completed the coursework for a master’s degree in general systems theory, focusing on human resource systems, at San Jose State. I was invited to teach a graduate course in personnel administration at San Francisco State University, and fell in love with leading the learning process. I decided to improve my teaching skills and earned a master’s degree in education at Heritage College, Toppenish, WA. I have had the privilege of leading courses in business administration, computers, and adult learning since 1990. I continue my own quest for learning and have completed the coursework for a doctorate in educational leadership at Gonzaga University (through week-end and summer courses), and I earned a certificate in online teaching through UCLA.

ASSESSMENT:

Course grades will be determined by the following:

 Active participation 20%

 Journal 20%

 Quizzes 20%

 OB news reports 20%

 Research paper/project 20%

Active participation is evidenced by meeting all assignments on time and sharing resources, comments, questions and helping each other in a collegial manner. Points are allocated for reviewing and commenting on colleague’s news reports, comments and questions: logging in and commenting on a couple of items each week will satisfy this requirement. (10 points per week = 50 points).

Journals will be short daily entries (5 per week for 5 weeks = 25 entries) of a significant event in your day (a word or sentence is sufficient) and what you would do the next time a similar event occurs that would improve the outcome for you (a sentence or short paragraph will suffice, about 5 minutes should do it). While events in OB would be preferred, they just don’t happen everyday. Any event involving another human will work for the journal entries. Our objective will be to improve personal performance through this reflective practice. When reviewing (scanning) your entries, I look for active, positive verbs: “next time I will …” Your journal will be private, submitted through the personal section or emailed directly to me.

Quizzes – Short quizzes covering material from the text will be posted on alternate weeks from the news reports. The learning objective of the quizzes are to serve as a review of the material read and help move the information from short-term to long-term memory. As this is an online course, the quizzes are ‘open book.’ (5 quizzes @ 10 pts. = 50 points)

OB news reports – Students will read newspapers, magazines, journals or surf the internet for current news of OB activities. Any subject covered in our text is suitable for inclusion in these reports. (Note that television reports may stimulate interest for follow-up, but are seldom of sufficient depth for serious study). Brief synopsis of articles will be prepared and shared with classmates five times during the course (each report will thus be 5% of your grade = another 50 pts.). The learning objective of the reports is to update our material from today’s real world.

Research report/project – The objective of the term paper is to help students improve the quality of their academic writing. Any area of OB that is of interest of the student is appropriate. Papers will be written using the American Psychological Association style (guidelines will be provided), and should be between four and ten double-spaced typewritten pages. At least two publications and two internet sources should be used as references. Drafts of papers may be turned in any time for feedback before submitting your final report. All papers must be submitted on or before the last week.

The APA model structure is recommended (but not required): I. Introduction – talk about the general nature of the subject or problem and why it is worthy of discussion (why are you interested in this subject), include any operational definitions necessary. II. Review of related literature – Who and what are the current thinking on this subject. III. Design and procedures – this chapter/section is required only if you are doing formal research. IV. Results – what did you learn about this subject. V. Summary and conclusions – discuss action that may help resolve the problem or enhance positive outcomes, or what further research is needed. I am also very interested in what you learned in the process of research. You may express your opinion here, but make sure you clarify the difference between facts and opinion.

Projects may be submitted en lieu of a paper, please contact the instructor for approval of special projects.

MEDIUM: (Notes on Computer Mediated Conferencing intranet learning.)

I was provided my first personal computer (PC) back in the dark ages of 1983 and spent six months of curiosity and frustration learning how to use it, spreadsheet and word processing applications. I then bought my own ‘IBM clone’ and have been upgrading ever since. I started surfing the net, using a 400 baud modem and America Online, around ten years ago and discovered how much ‘free and easy’ information is available. The internet has provided me with tons of material for my doctoral dissertation, as well as lots of fun. I have been able to share my learning in several computer courses I have taught.

I provided ‘technical support’ (loading software, showing how to log-on and navigate the system, etc.) when my wife completed an online fiction writing course in 1997. We both became fascinated with the potential for learning using this new technology. We are both now taking courses on online teaching/learning. I will be learning right along with you. Any suggestions or ideas you have about enhancing learning through this medium will be appreciated.

We know that success in distance learning is dependent on self-discipline. It can be all too easy to put off work until it is overdue. We must all commit to meeting the class schedule. I check my mail every morning, and usually again in the evening. I will respond to your individual requests within 24 hours (OK, give me a break on weekends), and to scheduled class assignments as soon as possible. Term papers are due the week before our last class so that I can give you feedback before our course ends. We can wrap everything up, and I can let you know what grade I will be submitting on the week after our last session. Please let me know of any problems you encounter (don’t forget I also have a telephone and we can talk).

OTHER STUFF:

Assistance: If you require any specific instructional accommodations or assistance, please notify me at your earliest convenience. Students with physical or learning challenges, or special needs, please discuss them with me at any time, but preferably at our first meeting.

Students with disabilities: Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, who have any emergency medical information the instructor should know of, or who need special arrangements in the event of evacuation, should make an appointment with the instructor as early as possible, no later than the first week of the term.

Academic honesty: Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated Any student found to be engaging in either of these activities at any point in the course will receive a failing grade for the course and may be subject to further college sanctions.

Pla-gia-rize, pla-gia-rism

1. To use and pass off as one’s own (the ideas or writings of another).

2. To appropriate for use as one’s own passages or ideas from (another).

verb, intransitive

To put forth as original to oneself the ideas or words of another.

Note that it is quite appropriate to quote the work of others in academic work, just ensure that the author(s) is given credit in citations and references.

Incompletes: A grade of incomplete is given only in emergency situations. The student must request an incomplete in writing and must receive the instructor’s approval. All work must be completed within time limits set by the instructor. If work is not submitted by the due date, a grade will be calculated only on work previously received by the instructor.

Late work: Assignments turned in late will lose 5 points per day of tardiness. All scheduled

assignments are due by 8:00 p.m. on the Mondays indicated. This should give you the weekend to complete and post it after the workday on Monday.

Academic freedom: Collegial discourse should be a place where individual thought can be

expressed without fear of retribution, ridicule, or attack. Disagreement is encouraged, and will be rewarded when succinct, relevant and articulate. Critique is encouraged, along with

consideration, courtesy and respect. The authors of the text, as well as the instructor, are

humans. As such, we are imperfect and subject to making mistakes. Students will be honored for illuminating such mistakes.

Copyright: Students are advised to honor all copyrights, and specifically to not download or copy material from the internet except for educational puposes.

FINIS

(12/04)