BADM3740

MANAGERIAL AND INTERPERSONAL BEHAVIOR

FALL 2019

Peter Diplock Office Hours: Tuesday 4:00-5:00

333 Rowe; 486-2915 (& by appointment)
peter.diplock@uconn.edu

Course Description, Goals and Learning Outcomes

This course examines the complexity of individual behavior and group dynamics in
organizational settings. The primary objective of this course is to provide you with an
opportunity to gain increased self-awareness and an improved understanding of your
behavioral predispositions and impact of your behavior on others in organizational
environments. We will approach the study of organizational behavior and attempt to
better understand contemporary issues from three interconnected levels of reference; the
individual, the group, and the organization.

More specifically, this course will:

 Introduce you to the major theoretical traditions in organizational behavior

(i.e. psychology, sociology, economics, political science, cultural
anthropology), and specific theories related to perception and bias,
motivation, individual and group performance, decision making, job and
organizational design; and leadership
 Provide you with an opportunity to gain greater ‘situated’ self-awareness
and increased awareness and empathy of ‘situated’ otherness and the
impact of your behavior on others through a variety of self-assessments
and skill-building experiential exercises;
 Address contemporary organizational issues and challenges including
power and privilege, equity, diversity and inclusion, ethics, leadership,
person-job fit, person-organization fit, and performance management;
 Empower you with cognitive and skill-based learning that is applicable to
pattern recognition---recognizing the attributes and causes of
organizational dysfunction; and problem resolution---identifying
evidence-based strategies for enhancing organizational effectiveness.

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By the end of the course, you should be able to:

 Evaluate organizational situations from multiple vantage points (i.e.

individual, group, organizational) using a variety of theoretical lenses (e.g.
attribution theory, expectancy theory, etc.)
 Describe and analyze the key features of contemporary challenges facing
organizations including talent management, diversity, globalization,
leadership, and high performance;
 Exhibit proficiency in your diagnostic capabilities and the application of
major theories to solve organizational problems;
 Demonstrate a heightened sense of self-awareness about your behavioral
predispositions and biases based on a variety of self-report assessments
and experiential exercises;
 Recognize the impact of your behavior on others and identify strategies
for influencing others and enhancing your own behavioral effectiveness in
organizational environments.

Requirements & Grading

A schedule of readings and assignments is included below. All readings and assignments
are to be done prior to the class period for which they are assigned. Particularly
important dates and assignment due dates are marked with bold type.

We will utilize our class time together for a variety of purposes including lecture,
discussion, experiential exercises, role-plays, reflections, and case analysis. Throughout
the semester we will work together to create a learning culture to generate and reflect on
shared and unique understandings. You will be encouraged to develop and articulate your
positions. I will work to provide multiple opportunities and mechanisms for you to
express and develop your insights and opinions---I am a big fan of Karl Weick’s1
perspective on sensemaking---‘how do I know what I think until I see what I say’---and
will provide you with the opportunity to ‘see’ what you say in both oral and written
forms.

Grading is based on your mastery of the subject material, your ability to justify and
defend your position, the extent to which you can identify and understand alternative
positions, and your ability to empathize with those who advocate positions different than
your own – things that are difficult to achieve given excessive absence from class. The
format of this class encourages participation and critical reflection. I believe that
participation is the basis of learning, and serves to clarify, challenge, critique, and affirm
our understandings. Learning is not a spectator sport. Comprehension and understanding
derive from reading, writing, behavioral reflections, and participating in discussions.
Finally, I am very aware of the competing demands that may be placed on your time. I
also assume that you are aware of the opportunity cost of your education and are aware of
your responsibilities as students. If you are unable to attend class, I would ask that you
extend me the professional courtesy of letting me know as soon as possible.
1
Weick, Karl E. (1969). The Social Psychology of Organizing. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

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Grading

Exams (60%)

There will be two exams, a mid-term (worth 30%) and a final (worth 30%). The
exams will include multiple choice, short answer, case analysis, and essay type
questions. A summary of the material to be covered by each exam will be
provided one week prior to the exam.

Self-Portrait and Organizational Conditions Fit Assessment and Learning Journal

(25%)

You are required to maintain a learning journal throughout the semester. The
purpose of the journal is to serve as a reservoir for the insights, observations, and
reflections you generate throughout the course. These insights and observations
can be in reaction to self-assessment results, readings, in-class discussions,
experiential exercises or some combination thereof.

You are required to make weekly journal entries. Weekly journal entries should
be about 1 page (DOUBLE spaced) and provide you with an opportunity to
reflect on the week’s topic, readings, or in-class activities. In addition to weekly
journal entries your journal should contain the results of all of the various self-
assessments we do throughout the semester.

Toward the end of the semester you should review your learning journal together
with the results from your self-assessments and reflections from experiential
exercises (if not already in your journal) and synthesize your insights in the form
of a summative self-portrait. (5 pages DOUBLE spaced). This self-portrait may
be thought of as an interpretive collage that synthesizes your journal insights and
your self-identified traits and behavioral predispositions, strengths, weaknesses
and developmental opportunities. Following completion of the self-portrait, you
will be in a position to more effectively identify and describe the organizational
conditions (e.g. job/role expectations, culture, leadership style, organizational
structure, work conditions) that you would respond to and ‘fit’ with most
favorably in a way that sustains your satisfaction, commitment, and high
performance. This is called the organizational conditions fit assessment (2-3
pages DOUBLE spaced).

In summary, this assignment requires you to:

1. Complete and compile results of all self-assessments.

2. Make weekly journal entries comprised of reflective observations and
your sense-making in relation to readings, in-class discussions and
activities. (10%)
3. Synthesize your insights and reflections in a clear and coherent self-
portrait (5 pages) (10%)

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 4. Identify the organizational conditions under which you believe
represent the highest level of personal and professional fit,
organizational conditions fit assessment (2 pages) (5%)
5. Collate everything with a binder clip and submit results from all
completed self-assessments, original journal entries (typed),
summative ‘self-portrait’, and ‘organizational conditions fit’
assessment. Examples from previous semesters will be provided.

Participation (15%)

Your participation grade is based on a combination of factors, including

discussion posts in HuskyCT, reading assessment short quizzes, verbal
contributions to in-class discussions or small group discussions, and your active
engagement in experiential exercises.

Summary of Grading

Mid-term exam 30%

Participation 15%
Final exam 30%
Journal/Self-Portrait/Fit Assessment 25%

Final letter grades for this course will be determined based on the following scale:

93-100 A 90-92 A- 87-89 B+

83-88 B 80-82 B- 77-79 C+
73-76 C 70-72 C- 67-69 D+
63-66 D 60-62 D- <60 F

Reading Requirements

Required: Organizational Behavior (herein referred to as ‘Text’). Note, because this

is an open educational resource in html format, references in relation to
reading assignments will be made to ‘chapter’ and ‘section’ (e.g. read
chapter 3, section 3.1-3.4, 3.6-3.7)
https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/organizational-behavior

Required: Articles posted in HuskyCT

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 SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTSi
August 27 Course Introduction and Overview
Organizational Behavior: A function of the Person & Situation
Before Class: Reading: Text (Chapter 1)
During Class: Group Exercise: (1.8) Best Job – Worst Job
Exercise: Red/Blue (Handed out in Class)

September 3 Understanding People at Work: Individual Differences, Personality,

Perception, Values, and Attribution
Before Class: Reading: Text (Chapter 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4); Reading:
Powell, Reinforcing and Extending Today’s Organizations: The
Simultaneous Pursuit of Person-Organization Fit and Diversity
(HuskyCT)
Self-Assessment: Learning Styles http://vark-learn.com/the-vark-
questionnaire/?p=questionnaire
Self-Assessment: Personality Test (Big Five)
http://www.outofservice.com/bigfive/
Self-Assessment: Locus of Control
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_90.htm

September 10 Demographic and Cultural Diversity in the Workplace: Strategies to

mitigate bias and eliminate prejudice and discrimination
Before Class: Reading: Text (Ch. 2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.5, 2.6);
Review: Video Lecture Segments on Employment Discrimination
(HuskyCT);
Self-Assessment: Project Implicit
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html
Review Resource Page: https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/
During Class: Discrimination Case Examples

September 17 Workplace Attitudes and Behaviors

Before Class: Reading: Text (Ch. 4, 4.1, 4.3, 4.3)
Need Based Theories of Motivation and Equity/Justice Process Theories
of Motivation
Before Class: Reading: Text (Ch. 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3)

September 24 Process Based Theories of Motivation: Expectancy Theory,

Reinforcement Theory, and Goal Setting Theory
Before Class: Reading: Text (5.3, 6.3)
Reading: Seitjs & Latham, Learning versus
Performance Goals (HuskyCT)

October 1 Performance Management--Job Design, Performance Appraisals &

Rewards
Before Class: Reading: Text (Ch. 6, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 6.5, 6.7, 6.8)
Exercise: Merit Pay Distribution (Handed out in class)
Mid-term exam questions handed out (and mini-review session).

October 8 Mid-Term Exam

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October 15 Before Class: Reading: White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible
Knapsack
Exercise: Circles/Triangles/Squares (Handed out in class)
Note: This class will be divided in two even parts and you need to sign
up to attend either the 6:00-7:30 or 7:30-9:00 time period.

October 22 Mid-Term Exam Returned

Culture’s Consequences
Exercise: BaFa BaFa (Handed out in class)

October 29 Interpersonal and Networked Communication

Before Class: Reading: Text (Ch. 2.3)
Reading: The Power of Talk (HuskyCT)
Reading: Communication Revisited: Johari Window
(HuskyCT)

November 5 Teams and Groups: The Roles People Play and Group Decision Making
Before Class: Reading: Text (Ch. 9, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 11.4)
Reading: High Performance Work Teams (HuskyCT)
Reading: Groupthink Reconsidered (HuskyCT)
Exercise: Tower Building (Handed out in class)

November 12 Conflict Management and Negotiation

Exercise: Russian Railroad Negotiation Exercise Note: This class will be
divided in two even parts and you need to sign up to attend either the
6:00-7:30 or 7:30-9:00 time period.

November 19 Conflict Management and Negotiation: RR Negotiation Debrief

Before Class: Reading: Text (Ch. 10.1, 10.2, 10.4, 10.5, 11.3)
Reading: Groupthink Reconsidered (HuskyCT)
Self-Assessment: Thomas Kilman Conflict Handling Styles (HuskyCT)
Self-Assessment: Tolerance of Ambiguity (HuskyCT)

November 26 Thanksgiving break

December 3 Organizational Power and Influence

Before Class: Reading: Text: (Ch. 13, 13.1, 13.2 13.3)
Self-Assessment: Influence Survey
Leadership and Organizational Change
Before Class: Reading: Text: (Ch. 12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5)

December 10 Final Exam (Journal Due)

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Course Policies
All students are expected to behave in a manner consistent with the Student Code of Conduct.
http://community.uconn.edu/the-student-code/

All students are expected to act in accordance with the Guidelines for Academic Integrity at the
University of Connecticut. Because questions of intellectual property are important to the field of
this course, we will discuss academic honesty as a topic and not just a policy. If you have
questions about academic integrity or intellectual property, you should consult with me or consult
UConn’s guidelines for academic integrity.

The Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at UConn provides accommodations and
services for qualified students with disabilities. If you have a documented disability for which
you wish to request academic accommodations and have not contacted the CSD, please do so as
soon as possible. The CSD is located in Wilbur Cross, Room 204 and can be reached at (860)
486-2020 or at csd@uconn.edu. Detailed information regarding the accommodations process is
also available on their website at www.csd.uconn.edu.

Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment and Inappropriate Romantic Relationships

The University is committed to maintaining an environment free of discrimination or
discriminatory harassment directed toward any person or group within its community – students,
employees, or visitors. Academic and professional excellence can flourish only when each
member of our community is assured an atmosphere of mutual respect. All members of the
University community are responsible for the maintenance of an academic and work environment
in which people are free to learn and work without fear of discrimination or discriminatory
harassment. In addition, inappropriate Romantic relationships can undermine the University’s
mission when those in positions of authority abuse or appear to abuse their authority. To that end,
and in accordance with federal and state law, the University prohibits discrimination and
discriminatory harassment, as well as inappropriate Romantic relationships, and such behavior
will be met with appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the
University. More information is available at: http://policy.uconn.edu/2015/12/29/policy-against-
discrimination-harassment-and-related-interpersonal-violence/

Sexual Assault Reporting Policy

To protect the campus community, all non-confidential University employees (including faculty)
are required to report assaults they witness or are told about to the Office of Diversity & Equity
under the Sexual Assault Response Policy. The University takes all reports with the utmost
seriousness. Please be aware that while the information you provide will remain private, it will
not be confidential and will be shared with University officials who can help. More information
is available at http://sexualviolence.uconn.edu/.

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Note: Changes to the syllabus schedule are likely. All changes will be reflected in the version of the syllabus maintained
within HuskyCT. Updates to the syllabus will be communicated to all students via the announcement tool in HuskyCt and
by email notification.