ORSC 201 Organizational Behavior Fall Semester 2017 Instructor Dr. M. Abdur Rahman Malik Room No. Room 417, 4 th Floor, SDSB building Office Hours TBA Email abdur.malik@lums.edu.pk Telephone 8037 Secretary/TA Mr. Kashif Saeed TA Office Hours TBA Course URL (if any) http://suraj.lums.edu.pk/~ro/ COURSE BASICS Credit Hours 3 Lecture(s) Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week 2 Duration 75 minutes Recitation/Lab (per week) Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week Duration Tutorial (per week) Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week Duration COURSE DISTRIBUTION Core Yes Elective Open for Student Category Close for Student Category COURSE DESCRIPTION Organizational behavior is a field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behavior within organizations, for the purpose of applying such knowledge toward improving an organization s effectiveness. This course focuses on such topics as leadership skills, personality, motivation, team building organizational change and culture. COURSE PREREQUISITE(S) NIL COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. LEARNING OUTCOMES 1. 2. 3. 4. The course is designed to: Expose students with the theoretical underpinnings of the field of organizational behavior. Familiarize students with the factors at personal, group and organizational level that affect human behavior in organizational settings. Prepare students for taking decisions to solve people related problems. After taking this course students will be able to: Understand some of the most important organizational theories. Understand the drivers of human behavior in organizational context. Apply the acquired knowledge for decision making and problem solvin in organizational context. Evaluate various managerial and organizational initiatives.
GRADING BREAKUP AND POLICY Project(s): 20% Presentation(s): 10 % Quiz(s): 20 % There would be one quiz every week. n 2 policy applies for grading Attendance and Class Participation: 15 % (10% for CP and 5% for attendance). Max 4 absences (including petitions) allowed. From 5 th absence, there will be 1 % negative grading in place. Final Examination: 35 % UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM LEARNING GOALS & OBJECTIVES General Learning Goals & Objectives Goal 1 Effective Written and Oral Communication Objective: Students will demonstrate effective writing and oral communication skills Goal 2 Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Objective: Students will demonstrate that they are able to identify and address ethical issues in an organizational context. Goal 3 Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills Objective: Students will demonstrate that they are able to identify key problems and generate viable solutions. Goal 4 Application of Information Technology Objective: Students will demonstrate that they are able to use current technologies in business and management context. Goal 5 Teamwork in Diverse and Multicultural Environments Objective: Students will demonstrate that they are able to work effectively in diverse environments. Goal 6 Understanding Organizational Ecosystems Objective: Students will demonstrate that they have an understanding of Economic, Political, Regulatory, Legal, Technological, and Social environment of organizations. Major Specific Learning Goals & Objectives Goal 7 (a) Discipline Specific Knowledge and Understanding Objective: Students will demonstrate knowledge of key business disciplines and how they interact including application to real world situations (including subject knowledge). Goal 7 (b) Understanding the science behind the decision making process (for MGS Majors) Objective: Students will demonstrate ability to analyze a business problem, design and apply appropriate decision support tools, interpret results and make meaningful recommendations to support the decision maker How the course learning objectives specifically relate to program learning goals and objectives. PROGRAM LEARNING GOALS AND COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES COURSE ASSESSMENT ITEM OBJECTIVES Goal 1 Effective Written and Oral Communication Although not a core learning objective of this course, written and oral communication will be frequently used and tested. Written: Project, Quizzes, & Exam. Oral: CP, & Presentations. Goal 2 Ethical Understanding and Reasoning Goal 3 Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills Goal 4 Application of Information Technology Goal 5 Teamwork in Diverse and Multicultural Environments Major Goal: CLO # 3 (Prepare students for taking decisions to solve human related problems) Although not a core learning objective of this course, students will work in diverse teams to complete group project & presentation. Fair and Ethical treatment and grading of students. CP and Projects Preparing and delivering projects and presentations. Group Projects & Group Presentations
Goal 6 Understanding Organizational Ecosystems Goal 7 (a) Discipline Specific Knowledge and Understanding Goal 7 (b) Understanding the science behind the decision making process EXAMINATION DETAIL Major Goal: CLO # 2 (Familiarize students with the factors at personal, group and organizational level that affect human behavior in organizational settings) Major Goal: CLO # 1 (Expose students with the theoretical underpinnings of the field of organizational behavior). CLO # 2 (Familiarize students with the factors at personal, group and organizational level that affect human behavior in organizational settings) Major Goal: CLO # 3 (Prepare students for taking decisions to solve human related problems. Midterm Exam Yes/No: No Final Exam Yes/No: Yes Combine Separate: Combined Duration: 150 minutes Exam Specifications: TBA COURSE OVERVIEW LECTURE TOPICS RECOMMENDED OBJECTIVES/ READINGS APPLICATION 1 Intro to the course Intro to course outline. 2 What is Organizational Behavior? Chapter 1 Getting students familiar with OB. 3 Attitudes and Job Satisfaction Chapter 3 Explaining why these attitudes are important. Briefing students about the research on these topics. 4 Emotions and Moods Chapter 4 5 Emotional Intelligence What Makes a Leader (Goleman) 6 Personality and Values Chapter 5 7 Personality and Values Case or Exercise Case / Exercise Explaining why emotions are important in organizational context. Introduction of emotions taxonomy. Introduction to the concept of EQ, its dimensions and its importance in managing people Explaining the role of personality as a predictor of human behavior. Explaining the role of personality as a predictor of human behavior. 8 Perception and Individual Decision making (C/E) Chapter 6 Explaining how individuals interpret and process information and use it for decision making.
9 Motivation Concepts Chapter 7 10 Motivation Application Chapter 8 11 Motivation Application Case / Exercise 12 Foundations of Group Behavior Chapter 9 13 Understanding Work Teams Chapter 10 14 Understanding Work Teams Case / Exercise Explaining why motivation is important in organizational contact. Introducing the classical motivation theories to the students. Explaining how motivation theories can be applied in the organizations. Explaining how motivation theories can be applied in the organizations. Explaining why individuals exhibit specific behavior when in teams/ groups. Explaining the stages in team formation and their performance patterns. Explaining the stages in team formation and their performance patterns. 15 Revision Session Making sure that everyone is onboard. 16 Leadership Chapter 12 17 Leadership Case / Exercise 18 Organizational Culture Chapter 16 19 Organizational Culture Case / Exercise 20 Power and Politics Chapter 13 21 Diversity in Organizations Chapter 2 22 Conflict Chapter 14 23 Negotiation Chapter 14 24 Organizational Change Chapter 17 25 Stress Management Chapter 17 26 Open space for special topics / Revision TBA Explaining the importance of leadership in organizational context. Introduction of Leadership theories. Explaining the importance of leadership in organizational context. Introduction of Leadership theories. Explaining how organizations acquire and retain specific cultures. Explaining how organizations acquire and retain specific cultures. Introduction to the concepts of power and politics in organizational context. Introduction to various sources of power. Issues in the management of a diverse workforce. Understanding the dynamics of a diverse workforce. Introduction of various factors that initiate / influence conflicts. Introduction to the factors that affect the negotiation process and its outcomes. Explaining why organizations need change. Introduction to various organizational change initiatives. Introducing the important sources of stress, methods to deal with stress and the effects of stress. 27 Presentation / Projects / Others Estimating students progress. 28 Presentation / Projects / Others Estimating students progress. 29 Final Exam Estimating students progress.
TEXTBOOK(S)/SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS Stephen P. Robbins, Timothy Judge & Neharika Vohra, Organizational Behavior, 15th edition (Pearson Education 2013) The course will also comprise of readings and articles from other sources, such as business magazines, national dailies / journals, classics in OB and management, popular media, best sellers etc. These will be announced in class and material will be made available either electronically (via LMS) or through LUMS photocopier. Useful Information about the method of instruction, grading instruments and some useful hints. Project (20%): There would be one group based project for which the group would conduct research in an organization on an assigned topic. The final outcome would be in the form of a report due one week before final exam. However, there would be two progress review meetings before the submission of final report. Presentation (10%): There would be at least one group based presentation (in class) on a topic assigned to the group. Method of instructions: Class will consist of lectures, discussions, videos, cases and activities to enrich learning. As class discussions play a significant role in learning and understanding of the subject, it is your responsibility to adjust your personal schedules and ensure your active presence in all the class sessions. It is essential that you: 1. Prepare for the classes. Please read the assigned reading(s) before each class. 2. Attend all classes. 3. Actively contribute to class discussions and activities. 4. Thoroughly and thoughtfully complete assignments. In addition to reading each chapter before it is covered in class, to enhance your learning you should do the following: 1. After reading the chapter opening (a one to two page incident at the beginning of each chapter), think about what occurred and why. When you are finished reading the chapter, you should be able to explain what happened, using the concepts in the chapter. 2. Complete, and when possible, score, the experiential exercise at the end of each chapter. Think through how this information can be helpful to you on a personal and professional level. Group assignments / project To be discussed and decided in the class Class participation Class Contribution is and can be: Making observations that integrate concepts and discussions, Citing relevant personal examples, Being an active participant in group discussions, Working with others to come to a common understanding of the topics. By extension, contribution is not continuously dominating the class and group discussions. It also means listening to what others say they have a right to contribute (and you may learn something!). Contribution is not coming to class unprepared and illequipped to intelligently discuss the topic of the day. Contribution is not repeating the points others just made to get the CP credit. Working in Teams Students frequently complain about having to work on group assignments. The primary reasons for these complaints are (a) often some members will "drag their feet" and force others to pick up the slack, and (b) interpersonal conflicts arise in the group context. Although there is certainly some merit to these complaints, we insist on incorporating the group projects as a significant element in the course because of two major considerations.
First, this course is about human behavior in organizational settings. Learning about the concepts in this course (as is true of the concepts in most any course) is facilitated by permitting direct experience with them. Thus, by forming mini organizations in each class meeting, you are given a greater chance to directly experience some of the things you are trying to learn about. Second, the vast majority of you will find yourself if you haven't already done so working in groups at some time or another (in fact, many of you will spend the majority of your working lives as members of a group). There is no chance whatsoever that you will avoid slacking group members and interpersonal conflict after college. Why not face the music and start now to learn how to cope with these frustrating elements of group work? Plagiarism University s ethics code applies. Helpful hints As a leader in an organization, you are going to have to be clear and precise in both your oral and written communications. People with whom you communicate will continually be suffering from information overload. Therefore, you will have to organize your thoughts clearly and make your points logical, brief and with supporting rationale. This leads to the following suggestions: 1. Organize your presentation well. What is the main point? How will you support it? 2. Link your ideas to class concepts. Integrate with other readings, speakers, etc. 3. Show your own independent thinking. Focus on new understandings. 4. Present your ideas cleanly, clearly, and logically. Style is important.