Lahore University of Management Sciences

ORSC 201 - Organizational Behavior

Spring Semester2015
Instructor Shezeen Hemani
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Room No. Room 438, 4 Floor, SDSB building
Office Hours TBA
Email shezeen@lums.edu.pk
Telephone Ext: 5326
Secretary/TA Ms. Nabeela Shehzadi
TA Office Hours TBA
Course URL (if any) Suraj.lums.edu.pk

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 ---
Elective Yes
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)
NILL

COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The course is designed to:
1. Introduce students with the theoretical underpinnings of the field of organizational behavior.
2. Familiarize students with the factors at personal, group and organizational level that affect human
behavior in organizational settings.
3. Prepare students for taking decisions to solve people related problems.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES
After taking this course students will be able to:
1. Understand some of the most important organizational theories.
2. Understand the drivers of human behavior in organizational context.
3. Apply the acquired knowledge for decision making and problem solving in organizational context.
4. Evaluate various managerial and organizational initiatives.

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) – Program 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 OBJECTIVES
Goal 1 –Effective Written and Oral
Communication
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
Goal 6 – Understanding Organizational
Ecosystems
COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES COURSE ASSESSMENT ITEM
Although not a core learning objective of this Written: Project, Quizzes, & Exam.
course, written and oral communication will Oral: CP, & Presentations.
be frequently used and tested.
Fair and Ethical treatment and
grading of students.
Major Goal: CLO # 3 (Prepare students for CP and Project
taking decisions to solve human related
problems)
Preparing and delivering project
and presentation.
Although not a core learning objective of this Group Project & Group
course, students will work in diverse teams Presentation
to complete group project & presentation.
Major Goal: CLO # 2 (Familiarize students All Instruments
with the factors at personal, group and
organizational level that affect human
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Goal 7 (a) – Discipline Specific Major Goal: CLO # 1 (Expose students with All Instruments
Knowledge and Understanding 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)
Goal 7 (b) – Understanding the Major Goal: CLO # 3 (Prepare students All Instruments
“science” for taking decisions to solve human
behind the decision-­‐making process related problems.

GRADING BREAKUP AND POLICY

Project / Presentation: 20 %
Quiz(s): 15 % N‐1 policy applies for grading
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Attendance: 5% (Max 3 absences are allowed. From 4 absence, there will be a deduction of 0.5)
Class Participation: 10%
Mid Term:
25% Final Examination: 25%

EXAMINATION DETAIL

Midterm Yes/No: Yes

Exam Combine Separate: Combined
Duration: 90 minutes
Exam Specifications: TBA

Yes/No: Yes
Combine Separate: Combined
Final Exam
Duration: 90 minutes
Exam Specifications: TBA

COURSE OVERVIEW
RECOMMENDED
LECTURE TOPICS SESSION OBJECTIVES
READINGS
1 Intro to the course -­‐ Intro to course outline.
Module 1: Individual level processes
2 What is Organizational Behavior? Chapter 1 Getting students familiar with OB.
Explaining why these attitudes are
3 Attitudes and Job Satisfaction Chapter 3 important. Briefing students about the
research on these topics.
Explaining why emotions are
4 Emotions and Moods Chapter 4 important in organizational context.
Introduction of emotions’ taxonomy.
Introduction to the concept of EQ, its
What makes a
5 Emotional Intelligence dimensions and its importance in
leader? (Goleman)
managing people
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Explaining the role of ‘personality’
6 Personality and Values Chapter 5
as a predictor of human behavior.
Explaining the role of ‘personality’
7 Personality and Values Chapter 5
as a predictor of human behavior.
Explaining how individuals interpret
Perception and Individual Decision
8 Chapter 6 and process information and use it
making
for decision making.
Explaining why motivation is
important in organizational contact.
9 Motivation Concepts Chapter 7
Introducing the classical motivation
theories to the students.
Explaining how motivation theories
10 Motivation Application Chapter 8
can be applied in the organizations.
Application of Individual level processes
11 Case: TBA Case / Exercise

Module 2: Group level processes

Explaining why individuals exhibit

12 Foundations of Group Behavior Chapter 9
specific behavior when in teams/
Explaining the stages in team formation
13 Understanding Work Teams Chapter 10
and their performance patterns.
MID TERM EXAM
14
15 Brief Project Presentation All groups will prepare and give a 5 minute
presentation on their group projects

Introduction to Leadership theories with

16 Leadership Movie Session the use of real life characters
Explaining the importance of
17 Leadership Chapter 12 leadership in organizational context.
Debriefing Session Introduction of Leadership theories in the
light of the movie characters.
18 Introduction of various factors that initiate/
Workplace Conflict Chapter 14
influence conflicts.
Introduction to the factors that
Negotiation Chapter 14
19 affect the negotiation process and
Module 3: The organization system

20 Organizational structure Chapter 15 Explaining how organizational structure

develops
Explaining how organizations acquire and
21 Organizational Culture Chapter 16
retain specific cultures.
Explaining why organizations need
22 Organizational Change Chapter 17 change. Introduction to various
Introduction to the concepts of ‘power and
23 Power and Politics Chapter 13 Politics’ in organizational context.
Issues in the management of a
diverse workforce. Understanding
24 Diversity in Organizations Chapter 2
the dynamics of a diverse

25 Open Session: Guest Speaker/ Case

Students will present their group project
26, 27 &28 Project Presentation findings
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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 will be distributed in class.

USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT THE METHOD OF INSTRUCTION, GRADING INSTRUMENTS AND SOME USEFUL
HINTS
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 in the class. A detailed guideline for group project will be shared through email.

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 ill-equipped 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
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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.