Organizational Behavior
HSBC Business School, Peking University
Organizational Behavior
(3 credits)
Module II, Fall 2011 (11/09/2011 - 01/06/2012)
Wednesday/Friday, 10:30 – 12:20
Room C125
Office Hour: Wednesday, 14:00-16:00
Instructor: Prof. REN Ting, PhD
renting@phbs.pku.edu.cn, 0755-26032003, C412
Teaching Assistant: RU Jing, PhD Student
rujing08@gmail.com
Required Text
Jason A. Colquitt, Jeffery A. LePine and Michael J. Wesson (2011). Organizational Behavior: Improving Performance and Commitment in the Workplace (International 2nd Edition). McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Course Description
Organizational behavior is a field of study that seeks to understand, explain, and improve human behavior in organizations. Primary focus is put on achieving two aspects of organizational goals: (1) job performance - the degree to which individuals perform the behaviors needed for the organization to achieve its goals; and (2) organizational commitment - the degree to which employees remain loyal to the organization instead of withdrawing from their work. This course will guide you through a model that seeks to explain these two areas of organizational behavior. Particularly, in this course students will gain the understanding of main factors composing individual characteristics, affecting individual relationship in the workplace, and relating to work and organizational performance. Students will also gain understanding of how individuals interact with each other through group dynamics and leadership, and how organizational mechanisms such as structure and culture interact with the individuals and the groups.
Course Goals and Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, you will:
- Gain an overall understanding of the theories and concepts of organizational behavior at the individual, group and organizational levels.
- Obtain the insights on the factors that influence individual and organizational performance.
- Acquire a set of skills that allow you to manage and improve performance, commitment and satisfaction in organizations.
You should be able to:
- Demonstrate comprehension of key concepts and theories by actively participating in class discussions and accurately summarizing them in exams.
- Apply analytic skills in simulated settings relating to various aspects of organizational behavior.
- Synthesize multiple perspectives and theories of organizational behavior by writing short analyses and presenting group exercises.
- Evaluate the ability of different theories to explain organizational problems in case study.
- Enhance teamwork skills through group projects.
Course Structure and Requirements
To maximize learning in this course, students are expected to read assigned materials before each class, attend lectures, actively participate in class activities, conduct independent work in all the individual assignments and exams, and contribute substantially to group exercises. Students are strongly encouraged to bring questions and thoughts to the class. The overall performance will be evaluated on the basis of individual achievement as well as the contribution to group tasks. Specifically, final grades in this course will be assigned on the basis of performance on the following items:
(1) Class Participation | 20% |
(2) Case Study Presentation | 20% |
(3) Mid-term Exam | 30% |
(4) Team Project and Final Presentation | 30% |
(1) Class Participation (20%). Class activities will be based on the assumption that the student is familiar with the materials presented in the textbook; therefore, you should be prepared for class and will be called upon to discuss assigned materials. The quality of the student’s contributions in class, as determined by the instructor, will determine the participation grade. You cannot participate if you are absent. You should plan to attend every class and be on time for class. Regular absences or lateness will result in an attendance/participation grade of zero. Excessive absences will result in a grade of Fail for this course.
(2) Case Study Presentation (20%). Students will be randomly selected to form a team of Five (5) members. Your assignment is to present and discuss only One (1) Case Study to the class (20 minutes). The objective of this activity is to help you understand the knowledge introduced in the class in a practical business context, analyze and synthesize relevant issues from various angles, and apply the problem-solving techniques to the real management conflicts.
At the end of each chapter of the textbook, there is a case that presents a real life management issue in a real company. Your task is to read the case, discuss it using your own approach, and present your analysis to the class. The analysis of the case and the presentation should be a collaborative work output by all the group members.
The presentation should include, but not limited to, the following items:
1) Brief introduction of the company and the business.
2) Introduction of the managerial issue and why it’s important.
3) Use theories and models introduced in the chapter to analyze the issue raised in your case and apply solutions introduced in the chapter to resolve the conflict.
4) Focus your analysis on the questions raised in the case.
5) Use materials outside of the textbook to support and facilitate your analysis.
The grade each group member receives for the Case Study Presentation is the same as the grade assigned to the group. Please email your PowerPoint slides to the instructor and the TA by the day before your presentation.
(3) Mid-term Exam (30%). The mid-term exam consists of a set of objective questions (multiple-choice and true/false questions) and short-answer questions. The exam covers both the chapters from your textbook and the lecture notes in class. There will be no makeup exam unless the instructor has granted you a written permission.
(4) Team Project (30%). Students will be asked to form a second team of Five (5) members different from the case study group. The assignment is to select a real Chinese organization or company that will serve as a point of reference for the material we read and discuss in class, and analyze in depth the managerial topic your team selects in the context of that particular organization or company. Teams will report to the class during the last three class sessions.
Teams should prepare for a formal PowerPoint presentation for their reports. The written report should be turned in to the instructor by Sunday, December 25th, 2011 through email. The written report should be approximately 10 – 15 pages in length, excluding exhibits and attachments, with 12-point font and one-inch margins. Handouts are not required for the presentation.
Students should communicate with the TA before November 25th (Friday) with the following information: (1) the list of your members for the Team Project, (2) the name of the team organizer, and (3) the topic you select. You are encouraged to discuss with the instructor during the progress of your work.