MGMT 350: Leadership & Social Responsibility Spring 2014 Meeting times: M/W 2pm 3:15pm Section 01 Classroom: ECTR 101

Transcription

1 MGMT 350: Leadership & Social Responsibility Spring 2014 Meeting times: M/W 2pm 3:15pm Section 01 Classroom: ECTR 101 Instructor: Elise Perrault, M.B.A., Ph.D. Office: B Phone: Office hours: M/W: 12pm 2pm, 3:15-4:15pm, and by appointment A. COURSE DESCRIPTION This course explores issues that arise in the context of doing business and leading organizations. Specifically, this course helps students see how leaders deal with the many dilemmas they face when making business and organizational decisions, given the organization s internal, competitive, social and global environments. The course covers the leadership issues that arise out of dilemmas of corporate governance and social responsibility as well. In addition, attention is placed on the changing environment of business and the implications for organizational structure, effectiveness, firm-stakeholder relations, and internal organizational dynamics including culture and power. In particular, the class will look at not just how the organization relies on its environment for resources human, physical, technological, financial, legal, etc but also how the organization impacts its environment socially, ethically, environmentally, as well as financially. B. OVERALL COURSE GOALS Students will develop an understanding of the changing environment of business and how it impacts organizations. Learning Objectives: Know the major theories of organization and the stakeholder and stockholder theories of the firm; Develop an understanding of the importance of the macro-environment of business and of strategy, structure and efficacy in organizations; Describe the role of organizational change, internal dynamics of organizations and ethics in the everyday functioning of firms; Transfer knowledge from self to others. Skills: Compare and contrast theories of organization and theories of the firm Apply course concepts and strategies in presenting case studies of organizations Design and produce an organizational analysis of a present day firm

2 2 Demonstrate professional presentation skills In addition to the specific course goals developed above, the course will promote the general goals of the School of Business as per below: Communication skills: Students will have to effectively discuss and present arguments related to business social responsibility and leadership, both at the group and the class level. Quantitative fluency: Students will have to apply the course techniques and tools in each of the cases discussed, so as to display logical reasoning and data analysis skills. Global and civic responsibility: Students will have to identify and define how to address social, ethical, environmental and economic challenges at local, national and international levels in the context of the cases discussed in class and more generally as it applies to the business environment. Intellectual innovation and creativity: Students will have to demonstrate problem-solving abilities and creativity in analyzing the situations discussed in class. Synthesis: Students will have to integrate concepts presented throughout the semester to inform a cogent argument in their analysis of cases and application of course concepts. C. COURSE FORMAT The class will involve a mix of interactive lectures and class discussions, case analyses, and decision making exercises. The class will address the emerging and complex issues of management and organization theory and change in six basic content areas: 1. Introduction to Organization Theory: Focusing on the evolution and development of management and organization theory; emphasis is placed on the organization as the unit of analysis and the reciprocal interaction between organizations and their environment. 2. Organization Structure and Design: This segment examines the different dimensions /determinants of organizational structure, and the ways in which organizations can be designed. Focus is placed on how the environment, technology, firm size and strategy affect organizational structure, and an examination of specific dimensions of organizational structure such as formalization, centralization, and complexity. 3. The Changing Environment of Business: This portion of the course examines the changing environment of business and the implications of these changes for management and organization. Among the areas considered are: advanced information and manufacturing technology, work and the workplace; employee attitudes and orientations; public attitudes and expectations; regulation and public policy; business ethics and social responsibility; international competition and the global marketplace; and the challenges of stakeholder management. Emphasis is placed on the sustainable relation between organizations and the natural environment. 4. Stakeholder relationships: This unit probes the relationship between organizations and a set of important stakeholders: stockholders, customers, employees, government, and the community. Specific approaches to organizational theory and effectiveness examined include the general systems perspective, contingency theory, resource dependence, institutional theory and strategic constituencies, emphasizing especially the stakeholder framework. We also consider the ways in which organizations can be measured in terms of different bottom lines and via financial, social, environmental and governance metrics. 5. Internal Organizational Dynamics: Focus is placed on the macro-level dynamics that influence and shape the attitudes and behaviors of organizational members including

3 3 organizational culture and culture changes efforts, ethics programs, and organizational conflict and power dynamics. 6. Organizational Change: Emphasis is placed on understanding the dynamics and processes associated with organizational change. Specific attention will be placed on the technical (financial/economic), stakeholder, political and social/cultural dimensions of change and related implementation considerations. A Note on Teaching My goal in this course is to emphasize teaching you how to learn and think rather than knowledge dispensing alone. Therefore, my classroom focus will be more on asking you to analyze the material you ve read for that particular class meeting. We will be spending more class time on analyzing and evaluating the case, article and textbook material, bringing in key evidence to support our positions and formulating problem solutions and less time on reiterating the readings. This approach will allow you to spend the majority of your time on learning and thinking. Please note, this format will not be successful unless you prepare all of the reading materials in advance. Those who do not will either be lost during class time or not get much out of the course, or both. This approach also ties in well to the class participation quantity vs. quality scale below. D. COURSE MATERIALS TEXTBOOK: A customized textbook has been arranged by your professor for your convenience (e.g. by pulling together readings from various sources) and to spare you some expense (e.g. by offering a lower-grade printed product that saves you cost). Perrault, Elise, Business, Leadership & Society, MGMT 350, ISBN , McGraw-Hill. The class is also supported by an OAKS site: assignments and PowerPoint slides will be placed on the site. Please note that each class requires preparation. Additional homework may be added to the assignments as the course progresses, if necessary. Class discussion will focus on and use this material. Please be prepared to critique, discuss and apply the readings during class. E. COURSE REQUIREMENTS/ GRADING The following components comprise the overall grade that will be given in this course: Requirements and Evaluation: Participation (includes homework) 30% Midterm 20% Final exam 30% Presentations (2 each) 20% NOTE: Class participation is much more than attendance; it includes lively discussion of the case, commenting thoughtfully on articles or asking questions during the lecture to clarify points. You are graded on both the quantity and the quality of your comments. The following are examples of quality class contributions: making or raising issues that are relevant to the current focus of the class using data or examples to support conclusions

4 4 taking into consideration the ideas already offered by others offering support for your arguments helping others to feel comfortable about participating (disagree agreeably). GRADING SCALE Letter grades will be assigned according to the following scale, in conjunction with the new College of Charleston standard: Superior/Excellent range: A (4.0) = % A- (3.7) = 90-93% Very Good/Good range: B+ (3.3) = 87-89% B (3.0) = 84-86% B- (2.7) = 80-83% Average range: C+ (2.3) = 77-79% C (2.0) = 74-76% Below Average range: C- (1.7) = 70-73% D+ (1.3) = 67-69% D (1.0) = 64-66% D- (0.7) = 60-63% Failing range: F (0.0) = <60% F. PRESENTATIONS Each student will be required to present twice during the semester, on the topics assigned in the syllabus. Presentation time slots will be allotted in class at the beginning of the semester, and will require students to integrate the course concepts learned in the class with real life business examples. The organizational presentations will last approximately 5-10 minutes and be performed in teams of 2. G. ATTENDANCE AND HOMEWORK POLICY ATTENDANCE IN THIS CLASS IS MANDATORY. It is expected that students will attend all classes. Absences must be justified by a doctor s note, or discussed with me beforehand. NOTWITHSTANDING, for each session missed, please hand in a summary of the session s assigned readings, as listed on the syllabus. Make-up work that is over two weeks old will not be accepted. H. COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON HONOR CODE AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY Lying, cheating, attempted cheating, and plagiarism are violations of our Honor Code that, when identified, are investigated. Each incident will be examined to determine the degree of deception involved. Incidents where the instructor determines the student s actions are related more to a misunderstanding will handled by the instructor. A written intervention designed to help prevent the student from repeating the error will be given to the student. The intervention, submitted by form and signed both by the instructor and the student, will be forwarded to the Dean of Students and placed in the student s file. Cases of suspected academic dishonesty will be reported directly by the instructor and/or others having knowledge of the incident to the Dean of Students. A student found responsible by the Honor Board for academic dishonesty will receive a XF in the course, indicating failure of the course due to academic dishonesty. This grade will appear on the student s transcript for two years after which the student may petition for the X to be expunged. The student may also be placed on disciplinary probation, suspended (temporary removal) or expelled (permanent removal) from the College by the Honor Board.

5 5 Students should be aware that unauthorized collaboration--working together without permission-- is a form of cheating. Unless the instructor specifies that students can work together on an assignment, quiz and/or test, no collaboration during the completion of the assignment is permitted. Other forms of cheating include possessing or using an unauthorized study aid (which could include accessing information via a cell phone or computer), copying from others exams, fabricating data, and giving unauthorized assistance. Research conducted and/or papers written for other classes cannot be used in whole or in part for any assignment in this class without obtaining prior permission from the instructor. Students can find the complete Honor Code and all related processes in the Student Handbook at I. TIMELINESS - MOBILE TELEPHONES - INTERNET As a courtesy to me and to the others in the class, please arrive to class on time and turn off all mobile telephones for the duration of the class period. There is no need for a computer in the course, so all laptop computers should be closed for the duration of the class, as well as any PDA s. J. ADA STATEMENT If there is a student in the class who has a documented disability and has been approved to receive accommodations through the Center for Disability Services / SNAP, please come and discuss this with me during my office hours. A request for accommodation must be made known to me as early as possible in the semester but no later than 48 hours prior to an examination. K. COURSE OUTLINE TEXTBOOK refers to the MGMT 350 textbook created by Pr. Elise Perrault, ISBN , McGraw-Hill. All readings are required and should be completed before the class session for which they are assigned.

6 6 Date PROGRAM AND ASSIGNMENTS W Jan 08 Class Organization and Introduction M Jan 13 Topic: Ethics, Economics, the Law and the Corporation Preparation: Textbook p.1-10 W Jan 15 Topic: Theories of Organizations W. Richard Scott - REFELECTIONS ON A HALF-CENTURY OF ORGANIZATIONAL SOCIOLOGY, Annual Review of Sociology; 2004; 30: 1-12 (only). Textbook p (inclusive) As you read, focus on the article s introduction of the following theories and/or concepts: open systems, contingency theory, transaction cost, resource dependence, institutional theory, power. Come prepared with questions and examples, by first outlining the idea of each theory in your notes. W Jan 22 Presentations 1 and 2 M Jan 27 Topic: Business and Its Environment Preparation: Textbook p The Corporation and Its Stakeholders W Jan 29 Topic: Stakeholder Analysis and Power Relations Preparation: Textbook p.56-74; Preparation Case: A Brawl in Mickey s Backyard, p Presentation 3 M Feb 3 Topic: Corporate Social Responsibility Preparation: Textbook p Debate: Pros and cons of CSR W Feb 5 Topic: Social Responsibility in the Marketplace Preparation: Textbook p ; Presentations 4, 5, 6

7 7 M Feb 10 Topic: Leadership and social responsibility HOMEWORK: Bring to class an article that demonstrates leadership in an area of social responsibility Presentations 7, 8 W Feb 12 Topic: Ethics & Ethical Reasoning Preparation: Textbook p Preparation Case: The Warhead Cable Test Dilemma, p M Feb 17 Topic: Organizational Ethics and the Law, Ethical Safeguards Preparation: Textbook p , focus on p Preparation Issue 5: Can Ethics Codes Build True Corporate Ethics? p W Feb 19 M Feb 24 MIDTERM EXAMINATION covering all lecture material and assignments for sessions Presentations 9, 10 Mid-term review W Feb 26 Topic: Managing Issues in the Natural Environment Preparation: Textbook p ; HOMEWORK: Select a business with which you are familiar and come to class with recommendations for steps the business could take to become an environmentally sustainable organization. Tip: This could be a start to your organizational analysis. For help see Presentation 11 M Mar 10 Topic: Government Regulation of Business & Regulatory Organizations Preparation: Textbook p Presentation 12 W Mar 12 Topic: Stockholder Rights and Corporate Governance Preparation: Textbook p ;

8 8 Presentation 13 M Mar 17 Topic: Business, Government, and Shareholders Preparation Issue 6: Textbook p Presentation 14 W Mar 19 Topic: Managing Technology and Innovation Preparation: Textbook p ; Preparation Case: Vidding Free Expression or Copyright Privacy? P Presentations 15, 16 M Mar 24 Topic: Consumers and the Organization Preparation: Textbook p Preparation Case: Big Fat Liability, p Presentation 17 W Mar 26 Topic: Computers, People and Social Participation Preparation: Textbook p ; Presentation 18, 19 M Mar 31 Topic: The Law and consumers Preparation Case: Mattel and Toy Safety, p Presentations 20, 21 W Apr 2 Topic: Employees and the Corporation Preparation: Textbook p ; Employee Rights: Whistleblowing Preparation: Textbook p Preparation Issue 10: Textbook p M Apr 7 Topic: Employee Rights: Privacy

9 9 Preparation: Textbook p Preparation Issue 11: Textbook p Presentations 22, 23 W Apr 9 Topic: Community Relations and Corporate Philanthropy Preparation: Textbook p Preparation Case: Corporate Philanthropy and the Arts, p M Apr 14 W Apr 16 Presentations 24, 25, 26 Topic: Global Corporate Citizenship Preparation: Textbook p M Apr 21 W Apr 23 Presentations 27, 28,29 Presentation 30 Final exam period Review for Exam, Evaluation FINAL EXAMINATION, covering all lecture material and assignments for sessions Please Note: Changes to the syllabus may occur during the semester.