Organizational Behavior in Administration

54-616 Spring 2010

Facilitator: Terry Coalter, JD PhD Email: coalter@nwmissouri.edu
Office: Colden Hall 2667 Terry@Coalter.net
Phone: 660-562-1656 Office Hours: Catch me before or after class
Mail Box: Colden Hall 2900

Required Text:
Organizational Behavior and Management by John M. Ivancevich, Robert Konopaske, and Michael T. Matteson, 8th
ed. (ISBN: 978-0-07-340508-7).

Course Description:
A consideration of various behavioral concepts which are found in organizational settings and which have
implications for management personnel. Emphasis is on practical application of various topics such as teamwork,
leadership, motivation, organizational change and development. Prerequisite: Management 54-313.

Course Objectives:
Understanding of behavioral concepts and the practical application of those concepts to managing today’s
organization.

Instructional Methods:
Although there will be very limited lecture, the class will be conducted primarily as a graduate seminar. Participation
is expected and required. Because of this instructional method, it is imperative that each student arrives at class having
read the assigned material and prepared to discuss and participate. The professor’s primary role in the class is more as
a facilitator than an instructor.

Grading Policy:
Exam – 100 points
Final Exam. No exams will be given early, and make-up exams will be extremely rare. If a student misses an
exam, it is the student's responsibility to contact the instructor within 24 hours. If exams are not made up within
three days, or when the exams are returned (whichever is earlier), a make-up may not be allowed. Exams will be
primarily multiple choice questions but may also contain other types of questions.
OB Essay/Research Paper – 50 points
On the date of the final exam, you are required to turn in a essay/research paper regarding Organizational
Behavior. In addition to turning in a hard copy of the paper on the due date, it must be submitted to TurnItIn.com
by the time the final exam begins. Specific requirements for the paper will be discussed in class. Late papers will
not be accepted.
Online Quizzes – 160 points (16 @ 10 points each)
Expect an online quiz for each chapter to be completed before we cover the chapter in class. Each ten-question,
multiple-choice quiz will be based on the assigned text readings. Missed quizzes cannot be made up under any
circumstances. You will receive a zero for all quizzes missed.
Online Discussions – 50 points (5 @ 10 points each)
You must respond to and participate in a discussion regarding a series of online questions for each of the of the
first five class meetings.
In-Class Quizzes – 125 points (5 @ 25 points each)
Expect a quiz at the end of each class meeting. Each twenty-five point quiz (mostly multiple choice) will be based
on the material covered that day. Makeups will be very rare.
Current Events – 30 points (3 @ 10 points each)
Each student will be assigned three separate occasions to prepare a discussion of a current event relating to
organizational behavior. Current event discussions will start at the second class meeting; additional requirements
will be discusses at the first class meeting.
Article Selection – 20 point penalty for missing, late, or inappropriate selections
Each student is required to select a collection of academic or practitioner journal article for the class to
read and discuss. The articles should be relevant to the chapter scheduled that evening/day, and each
should focus on how to better use the theoretical material. On the Article Selection date, you must email
(coalter@nwmissouri.edu) the following information to the instructor: a complete citation in APA
format (see http://www.nwmissouri.edu/library/citing/apa.htm#ebsco), the persistent link to the article,
and a one to two sentence summary of the article. Note that authors’ first names are designated by
initial(s) in APA format; therefore, if you were citing an academic article by George W. Bush, the name
part of the citation would be: Bush, G. W. We will discuss article selection during the first class
meeting.
General guidelines for article selection:
1. There is no length requirement, but articles under five pages are suspect with respect to quality
and usefulness, and I have a story to tell about a student who picked an article over 45 pages.
2. Generally, the articles should be peer reviewed.
3. You might want to actually read the article before you offer it as a class reading.
4. The article must be related to the material covered that day.
5. The article should not merely repeat what is included in the text.
6. Case studies are acceptable.

Regular Summaries: ~54 points (2 points each) Each individual student is required to summarize each
article covered in the class and submit a hard copy of each summary at the end of the class in which it’s
due. The summary should be single-spaced and must be no longer than one page with a one-inch margin
on each side in 11 or 12 point Times Roman or Arial font. The first paragraph of the summary should be
a one to two sentence summary of the article. The summary should be your own individual work. It is
not acceptable to cut and paste from the printed document. Any indication that a student is using
someone else's article summary is a violation of academic integrity and will be treated as such. If you
are absent, you must email your summary to the instructor by the time the class starts on the day it is
due, otherwise the summary will not be accepted. Each summary should have a centered heading that
includes the article's name, the author(s) name(s), the source, the article number (provided by the
instructor), and your name in the following format:
“A Theory of Human Motivation”
Abraham H. Maslow
Psychological Review, July 1943, pp 370-396
Summarized by Reeliegood Stu Dent (##)

Super Summaries: 10 points each. For each article you select, you are required to complete a “Super
Summary” (SS). The SS:
1. Must be single-spaced and must be no longer than two pages with a one-inch margin on each
side in 11 or 12 point Times Roman or Arial font.
2. Must consist of the following parts:
a. A one paragraph summary of the article.
b. At least three (or more if appropriate) important take-a-ways from the article.
c. How the information in the article can be useful for a practicing manager.
d. A critical review of the article (what was done poorly and what was done well).
e. And, at least three discussion questions that we can use for a jumping off point for the article.
3. Must be emailed to the instructor at least 48 hours before the beginning of the class in which it
will be discussed. (You are not required to submit a regular summary when you submit a super
summary.)
4. Must include an “SS” before the article number in your summary heading, thus the last line will
read:
Summarized by Reeliegood Stu Dent (SS##)
Attendance Policy:
Attendance is recommended and expected. Excessive absences will result in significant grade reduction.

Grades:
90% or higher – A
80% to less than 90% – B
70% to less than 80% – C
60% to less than 70% – D
Less than 60% – F

Turn-Around Time:
All materials/grades will be returned within two weeks.

General Course Policy:

Learning is an active process. Be at each class on time and prepared. Classes will be a combination of lecture,
discussion, and exercises – you should actively participate in each part. You are responsible for the assigned readings
(even if not covered in class), and what is covered in class (even if it is not in the assigned readings).

Make-Up Policy:
Exam make-ups will be allowed only in unusual circumstances.
Quizzes cannot be made up.
Other material, if accepted late will incur a severe late penalty.

Academic Dishonesty:
Students should refer to the university policy on academic dishonesty. Any incident of academic dishonesty, no matter
how small, will result in the harshest punishment possible.

Disability Accommodations:
Students in this course who need disability accommodations/modifications should present a copy of their official
Northwest Accommodation letter from the LAP/S Committee to the instructor during private office hours as early in
the term as possible. Additional information can be found in the "Services for Students with Disabilities" brochure
available at the Student Services Center in the Administration Building or online at:
http://www.nwmissouri.edu/swd/index.htm.
Tentative Course Schedule:

Meeting 1 Saturday Game Plan; Research

Online Quizzes for Chapters 1, 2, and 3
Online Discussion
Discuss Chapters 1, 2, and 3 in Class
Articles 01-06
In-Class Test
Meeting 2 Thursday Online Quizzes for Chapter 4
Online Discussion
Discuss Chapter 4 in Class
Articles 07-09 (Tentative)
Discuss Current Event Articles
In-Class Test
Meeting 3 Saturday Online Quizzes for Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8
Online Discussion
Discuss Chapters 5, 3, 7, and 8 in Class
Articles 10-15 (Tentative)
Discuss Current Event Articles
In-Class Test
Meeting 4 Thursday Online Quizzes for Chapters 9, 10, and 11
Online Discussion
Discuss Chapters 9, 10, and 11 in Class
Articles 16-19 (Tentative)
Discuss Current Event Articles
In-Class Test
Meeting 5 Saturday Online Quizzes for Chapters 12, 13, 14, 15, 17
Online Discussion
Discuss Chapters 12, 13, 14, 15, and 17 in Class
Articles 20-27 (Tentative)
Discuss Current Event Articles
In-Class Test
Meeting 6 Thursday Final Exam
OB Essay Due

***This syllabus is subject to correction, clarification, updating, and significant change.***