Fundamentals of Management and Organizational Behavior

Greensheet/Syllabus
College of Business, San Jose State University
(160, Section 11)

Course Information:
Instructor Nancy Bussani
Department Organization and Management
Class Hours & Location 6:00-8:45 p.m. Monday, BBC 226
Office Hours 5:45 – 7:00 p.m. Wednesdays or by appointment
Office Location BT 660
E-mail nancy.bussani@sjsu.edu
Office Phone 408-924-8041

Formal Course Description:

This course provides a foundation for major topics in management and organizational behavior by
surveying theories and practices relating to managerial roles, organizational cultures, fundamental
strategic issues, planning, team building, communication, motivation, leadership, decision-making,
control, structure and change.

Course/Learning Objectives:
Successful management requires knowledge of people’s behavior in organizational settings. This course
is designed to provide you with an overview of the managers’ role in organizational settings and an
introduction to the concepts and theories that can be useful in facilitating effective leadership.

The course will promote learning outcomes directed at achieving four primary goals:
 Gaining an appreciation of theories and concepts of organization and management so that you
understand basic behavioral theory and its application to modern-day organizations.
 Gaining an understanding of group functioning and dynamics and the role of communication
within those functions in order to successfully enter the business world and society after the
classroom.
 Developing skills to become a diagnostician of organizational systems, structure, and processes
using conceptual and analytical frameworks derived from behavioral and management theories.
 Gaining introspective understanding of yourself from a management and leadership perspective
and developing ways to use this information to be more successful.

Required Texts/Readings/Materials:
1. Textbook – Jennifer M. George and Gareth R. Jones, Understanding and Managing
Organization Behavior, 6th Edition. Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
2. Other Readings – additional readings will be made available to students throughout the
semester.
3. Scantron and Exam Books – Scantron Form 882E and exam books will be needed for each
midterm and the final exam.

1
Course Schedule:
The core reading, homework, projects and exams are listed below. Reading and homework should be
completed BEFORE coming to class. Bring your book to class each session since we will refer to it for in-
class activities. Interesting issues will arise during the semester so this schedule is subject to change!

Date Topic Assignment (completed BEFORE class)

Course Overview & Getting  Reading - Review Syllabus
Acquainted  In-class – Survey Monkey
Aug 25 Introduction to  Reading - Chapter 1 & related appendix
Organizational Behavior  Homework - Review company websites for Xerox, IBM,
Southwest, Trader Joe’s, IKEA, Apple, Amazon & Accenture
 In-class – Topic for debate (p30)
Sept 1 CAMPUS CLOSED Labor Day vacation

Individual Differences:  Reading - Chapter 2

Personality & Ability
Sept 8 Values, Attitudes, Moods &
Emotions
Perception, Attribution & the
Management of Diversity
Sept 15
Learning & Creativity
MIDTERM EXAM ONE
 Homework - Complete exhibits 2.5, 6, 7, 9 ,13
 In-class - Project team selection & contract development
 Reading - Chapter 3
 Homework - Increasing Self-Awareness Exercise:
Understanding Your Own Experience of Work (p91), bring
to class or email to instructor before class
 In-class – Preview of Team Project
 Reading - Chapter 4
 In-class - Group Break-out Dealing with Salience (p123)
 In-class – Exam review session
 Reading - Chapter 5
 Homework - With your project team, do the Experiential
Exercise: Managing the Learning Process (p152)
 In-class – Project teams to give 3 minute report-outs

Sept 22 Playing at Work  Reading – Teamwork Games to Engage Employees at

Work by Zaina Ghabra, August 23, 2012.
The Nature of Work  Reading - Chapter 6
Motivation  Homework – Bring in an article that demonstrates how
Sept 29 motivation benefits or hinders a company’s performance
Creating a Motivating Work  Reading - Chapter 7
Setting  In-class – Experiential Exercise: Managing Autonomy (p208)
Pay, Careers & Changing  Reading - Chapter 8
Employment Relationships  Homework – Prepare for Costco Closing Case (p241) using
Oct 6 additional current information
Managing Stress & Work-Life  Reading - Chapter 9
Balance  In-class – Topic for debate (p273)
Oct 13 MIDTERM EXAM TWO

2
 The Nature of Work Groups  Reading - Chapter 10
& Teams  In-class – Increasing Self Awareness Exercise: Analyzing a
Oct 20 “Real” Group (p302)
Effective Work Groups &  Reading - Chapter 11
Teams  In-class – Your project team dynamic and contract rules
adjustment
Leaders & Leadership  Reading - Chapter 12
 Homework - View TED Talk by Simon Sinek on Leadership
Oct 27 Power, Politics, Conflict &  Reading - Chapter 13
Negotiation  In-class – Increasing Self-Awareness: Understanding
Conflict & Politics (p397)
Communicating Effectively in  Reading - Chapter 14
Organizations  In-class –Small Group Break-out: Implementing IT in a
Medical Clinic (p430)
Nov 3 Decision Making &  Reading - Chapter 15
Organizational Learning  Homework – With your project team, complete Increasing
Self-Awareness: Analyzing Individual & Group Decisions
(p464); bring written response to class or email instructor
before class
Nov 10 MIDTERM EXAM THREE
Nov 17 PROJECT PRESENTATIONS  Project Paper – Paper portion of team project due for ALL
teams at start of class.
 In-class –eight project teams will present; other assigned
teams will lead the Q & A session for each presenting team
Nov 24 PROJECT PRESENTATIONS  In-class –eight project teams will present; other assigned
teams will lead the Q & A session for each presenting team
Organizational Design &  Reading - Chapter 16
Structure  In-class –A question of Ethics: How to Lay Off Employees
(p495)
Dec 1 Organizational Culture &  Reading - Chapter 17
Ethical Behavior  Homework – View Ted Talk where Damon Horowitz calls
for a "moral operating system"
Organizational Change &  Reading - Chapter 18
Development  Homework – Choose one company profiled in the chapter
and describe in writing how they managing change now;
Dec 8 bring to class or email instructor before class.
Review for Final Exam  MDP – Management Development Plan due start of class
 In-class – Cumulative exam preparation
Dec 15 FINAL EXAM Monday, Dec. 15, 5:15-7:30 pm

3
Course Core Components:
Each of the following core components is important to your learning and to your ultimate class
performance. Make sure to get all the points you can from the “easy” components and spend the
needed time to succeed on the more challenging components.
 Exams. There are a total of four exams for this course – three throughout the semester and one
final exam. Grades will be based on your performance on two of the three mid-term exams as
well as the final exam. This means that you may drop your lowest grade from the first three
exams but your final will be included no matter what. The exams will be based on materials
from the text, other readings, projects, lectures, discussions, and other in-class work. The
format will generally consist of multiple choice and short, written answers. They will be closed
book and closed notes. No make-up exams will be given. The first three exams will NOT be
cumulative; however the final exam WILL BE cumulative. You will need Scantron Form 882-E
and an exam book in order to take all the exams. All exams will be worth 20 points.
 Team Project. During the third week of class, we will select project teams. Details of the
project will be shared in class and made available in writing. The project grade will be based on
three components: a paper, a class presentation and peer evaluations. In your professional and
personal life, it is important for you to function well within a cooperative, focused and goal-
oriented group. The team selection process will require that you seek out fellow student that
you have confidence will be good teammates and with whom you will develop rules by which all
members agree to abide. This project is worth 20 points of your final grade.
 Management Development Plan (MDP). Changing behaviors on an individual or an
organization level can be challenging and most people underestimate the difficulty. During this
course and through participation in group projects and in-class activities, you will gain
knowledge about your own leadership skills and abilities. A personal and professional
management development plan will help you think through and document your interests, skills,
strengths and weaknesses as a leader and manager. Your MDP will be comprised of a 10-12
page paper that reflects your personal insights gained from concepts in the course about your
goals. More detail about this plan will be provided after exam one. This project will be worth 10
points of your final grade.
 Homework and Participation. Homework assignments will occur throughout the semester as
identified in the course schedule. All must be completed prior to coming to class that day; many
of them are turned in at the start of class or via email to me PRIOR to the start of class.
Completion of homework prepares you for the discussion of the day and will contribute to what
you get out of the class; it is a strong indicator that you are prepared and engaged in the class.
Some of the criteria that make for effective class participation include:
 Involvement: Are you following the discussion attentively? Are you contributing ideas but
also being aware to not monopolize the discussion? Are you respectful of others in how
you formulate your contributions?
 Listening: Are you a good listener? Are your points relevant to the flow of the discussion?
Do you link them to the comments made by others?
 Adding value: Do your comments show evidence of analysis? Do they make use of
relevant experience? Do your comments clarify and highlight aspects of earlier ideas?
 Risk-taking: Are you willing to test new ideas, or are all your comments “safe”? Do your
comments raise “difficult” questions that challenge us to think more deeply?
Homework and participation are closely connected and are worth 10 points of your final grade.

4
Grading Criteria:
I want you to succeed! Activity* Points
Midterms (3 total, two scored at 20 pts. each) 40
This class is one you must Final Exam 20
prepare for and where you Team Project 20
must attend and be actively
Development Project 10
involved. If you feel you are
Homework and Participation 10
not doing as well in this class
as you would like, do not be Total 100
afraid to ask for help. I will *No late work will be accepted.
meet with you or your team
and go over any issue that is
holding you back. I am also A+: 98%-100% A: 94%-97% A-:93%-90% B+: 89%-87%
available to review drafts and B: 86%-84% B-: 83%-80% C+: 79%-77% C: 76%-74%
provide feedback if desired.
Do not wait until you are too C-: 73%-70% D+: 69%-67% D: 66%-64% D-: 63%-60%
far behind or are failing to F: Below 60%
discuss any challenges.

University Policies:
 Academic integrity. The University’s Academic Integrity Policy is available at
http://www.sa.sjsu.edu/download/judicial_affairs/Academic_Integrity_Policy_S07-2.pdf
Your own commitment to learning, as evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University
and the University’s integrity policy, require you to be honest in all your academic course work.
Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical
Development. The website for Student Conduct and Ethical Development is available at
http://www.sa.sjsu.edu/judicial_affairs/index.html. Instances of academic dishonesty will not be
tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism (presenting the work of another as your own, or the
use of another person’s ideas without giving proper credit) will result in a failing grade and
sanctions by the University. If you would like to include in your assignment any material you have
submitted, or plan to submit for another class, please note that SJSU’s Academic Policy F06-1
requires approval of instructors.
 Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act. If you need course adaptations
or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case
the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see
me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities
requesting accommodations must register with the DRC (Disability Resource Center) to establish a
record of their disability.
 Student Technology Resources. Computer labs for student use are available in the Academic
Success Center located on the 1st floor of Clark Hall. Additional computer labs may be available in
your department/college. Computers are also available in the Martin Luther King Library. A wide
variety of audio-visual equipment is available for student checkout from Media Services located in
IRC 112. These items include digital and VHS camcorders, VHS and Beta video players, 16 mm,
slide, overhead, DVD, CD, and audiotape players, sound systems, wireless microphones, projection
screens and monitors.

5
  Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC). The LARC is located in Room 600 in the Student
Services Center. It is designed to assist students in the development of their full academic
potential and to motivate them to become self-directed learners. The center provides support
services, such as skills assessment, individual or group tutorials, subject advising, learning
assistance, summer academic preparation and basic skills development. The LARC website is
located at http:/www.sjsu.edu/larc/
 SJSU Writing Center. The SJSU Writing Center is located in Room 126 in Clark Hall. It is staffed by
professional instructors and upper-division or graduate-level writing specialists from each of the
seven SJSU colleges. Our writing specialists have met a rigorous GPA requirement, and they are
well trained to assist all students at all levels within all disciplines to become better writers. The
Writing Center website is located at http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/
 Peer Mentor Center. The Peer Mentor Center is located on the 1st floor of Clark Hall in the
Academic Success Center. The Peer Mentor Center is staffed with Peer Mentors who help
students manage university life and tackle problems from academic challenges to interpersonal
struggles. Peer Mentor services are free and available on a drop –in basis, no reservation required.
The Peer Mentor Center website is located at http://www.sjsu.edu/muse/peermentor/ .
 Dropping and Adding Classes. Students are responsible for understanding the policies and
procedures about add/drops, academic renewal, etc. Information on add/drops are available at
http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/soc-fall/rec-324.html. Students should be aware of the
current deadlines and penalties for adding and dropping classes.

College of Business Policies:

To ensure that every student who takes courses in Boccardo Business Center (BBC) has the opportunity
to experience an environment that is safe, attractive, and otherwise conducive to learning, the College
of Business has established the following policies:

 Eating. Eating and drinking (except water) are prohibited in the BBC. Students with food will be
asked to leave the building. Students who disrupt the course by eating and do not leave the
building will be referred to the Judicial Affairs Officer of the University.
 Cell Phones. Students will turn their cell phones off or put them on vibrate mode during class.
They will not answer their phones in class. Students whose phones disrupt the course and do not
stop when requested by the instructor will be referred to the Judicial Affairs Officer.
 Computer Use. In the classroom, faculty allow students to use computers only for class-related
activities. These include activities such as taking notes on the lecture underway, following the
lecture on Web-based PowerPoint slides that the instructor has posted, and finding Web sites to
which the instructor directs students at the time of the lecture. Students who use their computers
for other activities will be asked to leave the class, will lose participation points for the day, and
may be referred to the Judicial Affairs Officer of the University for disrupting the course. Such
referral can lead to suspension from the University. Students are urged to report to their
instructors computer use that they regard as inappropriate.
 Academic Honesty. Faculty will make every reasonable effort to foster honest academic conduct
in their courses. They will secure examinations and their answers so that students cannot have
prior access to them and proctor examinations to prevent students from copying or exchanging
information. They will be on the alert for plagiarism. Faculty will provide additional information,
ideally on the green sheet, about other unacceptable procedures in class work and examinations.
Students who are caught cheating will be reported to the Judicial Affairs Officer of the University,
as prescribed by Academic Senate Policy S04-12.