INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT SAMBALPUR

MBA
AY: 2023-24 Term: I

TITLE OF THE COURSE: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR - I

CREDITS: 3

Name of the Faculty (Course Email Contact Number

Facilitator)
Prof. Atri Sengupta atrisengupta@iimsambalpur.ac.in 7583032416

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course aims at understanding and analyzing human behaviour in the workplace. It demonstrates how
behaviour creates impact on organizational events and vice-versa; individual differences; how individuals
behave differently in team framework; how inter-personal dynamics affect managerial decisions; how to
motivate employees to transform organizational performance; decision-making process in crisis; how to deal
with changing pattern of employee behaviour with respect to business life cycle; and most importantly, how to
manage an organization amidst COVID-19 pandemic or crisis.

PEDAGOGY AND EXPECTATIONS FROM THE STUDENTS:

Experiential learning approach with flipped classroom mode will be followed in this course. Case studies,
business simulation and management games, problem solving, project and presentation, psychometric tests,
story, video, and discussions will be uses for the course extensively. Students are expected to learn through
experiencing managerial perspectives in the organization as it would be simulated in the class. Therefore, they
are required to acquire theoretical knowledge and practical insights from various sources: course facilitator,
business magazines, academic journals, course materials, books. The primary methods of learning for this
course are self- and peer-learning. Pre-readings and informal discussions outside the class are absolute
prerequisites for this course. Course sessions are meant for creating new knowledge on the scheduled topic
where both the facilitator and the participants will collaborate to experiment real-life business situation, for
which, industry practitioners will also be invited in a few sessions for projecting their perspectives.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
This course will enable the students to analyze and comprehend the business scenario from the following
perspectives.
• Fundamental factors governing individual behavior at work place;
• Effective management of self, others, and organization;
• Foundations of interpersonal sensitivity and interpersonal effectiveness;
• Creating managerial mindset;
• Managerial Decision Making;
• Resilience during crisis.

ADDITIONAL READINGS AND TEXT BOOK:

1. Materials uploaded in Learning Management System (LMS), business magazines available in library.
2. Textbook: Organizational Behaviour: A South-Asian Perspective; authored by Nelson, Quick, & Khandelwal;
Publisher: Cengage

The course is designed by Prof. Atri Sengupta, IIM Sambalpur.

EVALUATION: INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT AND GROUP COMPONENT

Component Weightage
Case Study and Class Participation (Individual + Group Assessments) 15%
Quiz/Viva (Individual Assessment) 25%

Mid and End Term Exam (Individual Assessment) 35%

Term-Project and Presentations (Group Assessment) 25%
Total 100%
NB: If any student doesn’t pre-read case studies scheduled for a session, he/she will be marked absent for the
session. No requests will be entertained for this afterwards.

Please note that plagiarism is strictly prohibited and an punishable offence. Marks will be deducted
heavily in case of any plagiarism is found.

Term-Project Details: Each group will be given a project assignment (term-project) and how to conduct the
research at the beginning of the course. They are required to consult with the course instructor on regular basis
for the roadmap of the project. Evaluations of the term-project will be done twice—during mid-term and during
end-term. Each group is required to submit a PDF form of project report including the data sheet.

Project Title: Future of work amid changing landscape of business in …………..(a company): Issues of
diversity and inclusion / Issues of millennials (both GenY and GenZ)

MODULES AND SESSIONS:

NB: (i) Unpublished cases will be available through online (non-downloadable version) for a very short time
period. Link will be shared with the participants well in advance. (ii) Published cases and articles will be shared
in a compendium. Students are required to compulsorily pre-read the same before joining to the respective
session. (iii) Pedagogy includes experiential learning in flipped class room mode. Experiential learning
pedagogy includes case study, real life problem solving methods, business simulations, small projects based on
real life data, psychometric test, management games, debate, critical discussions. Flipped classroom expects
creation and dissemination of knowledge, for which students are required to read theories outside the classroom
(pre-read), self-study, peer-learning, and informal discussion with the course instructor; and then solve the real-
life problems as managers in the class. (iv) Evaluation indicates the class participations and other components
based on the respective session. (v) Additional resources are desired to go through before coming to the class
apart from the pre-read articles which are essential for the class discussion. A live Google Sheet will be created
for exchanging knowledge and addressing additional questions.

Module I: Organizational Behaviour (OB) in the New Normal Era

Session Topics of Discussion Learning Objectives

Number

The course is designed by Prof. Atri Sengupta, IIM Sambalpur.

 1&2 • Relevance of OB in today’s Business Why a manager,
irrespective of
functional
Class Exercise: What if your employee is COVID-19 positive? Authored specialization, needs to
by Atri Sengupta (Under publication) learn OB?

Pre-read article for session: Note on workplace psychology theories.

Authored by Karen MacMillan, Ivey Publishing (W18651). OB during the crisis

Pedagogy: Story, Discussion, and Problem Solving

Evaluation (Group): Class participation

with respect to the case outlined above.

3&4 • OB in the new normal era: The changing landscape of business Dynamics of
changing
workplace.
Pre-read Case for session 2: GBS India: Should remote working continue
after the lockdown?, Authored by Atri Sengupta, Manoj Kalra, and Dinesh
Murugesan, Ivey Publishing (9B21C012) Basics of individual
behaviour and
Pre-read article for session 2: What is the next normal is going to look like? organizations in the
Illustrated by Adi Ignatius, Harvard Business Review, July-Aug 2020 new normal era.
(S20042-PDF-ENG).

Pre-read article for session 3: How resilience works. Authored by Diane L. Resilience in
Coutu, Harvard Business Review, May 2002 (HBR Reprint R0205B). organizations

Pedagogy: Story, Discussion, Video, Problem Solving, and Small Project

(Flipped Class & Online)

Evaluation (Group): Students are required to offer solutions to the case

outlined above using the pre-read and other articles. Problems will be given
in the class.

5 Industry Guest Speaker:

• Human Behaviour in today’s organizations

• Managing crisis

6 • Business life cycle and OB How OB changes

with business life
• Behavioural dynamics in Start-ups cycle

Pre-read Case: MD Solutions: Working from home. Authored by Atri Why context
Sengupta, Anuj Gupta, and Pankaj Singh, Ivey Publishing (W16840). specific decision is
important
Pre-read article: Why startups like Uber stumble over problems they could
have avoided. Authored by Chris Zook and James Allen, Harvard Business
Review, June 2017 (HBR Reprint H03R3A).

Pedagogy: Story, Discussion, Problem Solving (Flipped Class & Online)

The course is designed by Prof. Atri Sengupta, IIM Sambalpur.
 Evaluation (Group): Students are required to offer solutions to the case
outlined above using the pre-read and other articles. Problems will be given
in the class.

7 • Behavioural Dynamics of Organizational Decline and Turnaround Behavioural

dynamics and
resulting decisions
Pre-read Case: Immediate survival or long-term growth? Case of an of the declining
Indian organization, Authored by Atri Sengupta and Esrafil Ali (2017), organization
Vikalpa, Vol. 42(2).

Pre-read article: Cracking the code of change. Authored by Michael Beer

and Nitin Nohria, Harvard Business Review, May-June 2000 (HBR Reprint
R00301).

Pedagogy: Story, Discussion, Problem Solving (Flipped Class & Online)

Evaluation (Group): Students are required to offer solutions to the case

outlined above using the pre-read and other articles. Problems will be given in
the class.

Additional Resources: Class note on Module I: Understanding organizational

behaviour in the new normal era.

Module II: Individual Differences and Managerial Decision Making Processes

8&9 • Top management decisions: Upper Echelons Perspective How leaders’

decisions are
• Socio-political dynamics affected by
sociopolitical
• Perceiving self and others dynamics of the
region

Pre-read Cases for session 8: (1) A Popular HR Chief Burnt to

Death: People Management Dynamics at the Indian Subsidiary of Understanding the
Suzuki Ltd. Authored by Debi S. Saini (HBP, HK1081). philosophy of
(2) Labour Dispute at Dr. Reddy’s: Tip of the iceberg in a globalization individual
effort. Authored by S. Ramnarayan and M.V. Anuradha, July 2014 differences
(HBP, ISB039). and role of
perception in
Pre-read Article for Session 9: Hambrick, D.C. (2007). Upper Echelons decision-making
Theory: An Update. The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 32, No. 2, pp. process
334-343.

Pedagogy: Story, Discussion, Problem Solving, Management Game (Flipped

Class & Online)

Evaluation (Group): Class Discussion

Additional Resources: A PPT on “Module II: Managerial Decision

Making Process and Individual Differences”

10 • Stakeholder perspectives of business How leader’s values

The course is designed by Prof. Atri Sengupta, IIM Sambalpur.

 • Work Values affect his/her
decision making
• Managing Diversity process

Pre-read Case: Collective resistance to collective collaboration: A leader’s How to manage

introspection. Authored by Atri Sengupta & Sonawane Bhaurao, Emerald diversity in the
Emerging Market Case Studies, February 2000 (ISSN: 2045-0621). organizations
Pre-read Article: Contemporary corporate communications: Stakeholder
engagement and the business model. Authored by James R. Rubin, Feb 2013
(HBP, UV6599). How to collaborate
with the
Pedagogy: Story, Discussion, Problem Solving, and Small Project (Flipped stakeholders
Class & Online)

Evaluation (Group): Students are required to offer solutions to the case

outlined above using the pre-read and other articles. Problems will be given in
the class.

11 & 12 • Personality Understanding

personality
• Person-environment fit

Psychometric Assessment: MBTI Understanding

career choice
behaviour
Pre-read Article for session 11: How to be good at managing both extroverts
and introverts. Authored by Rebecca Knight, Harvard Business Review, Nov
2015 (HBR Reprint H02HW0). How to craft your
own Life
Pre-read Case for session 12: Organizational culture, values and fit in the
workplace
Making the right job choice. Authored by Alison Konrad, Ivey Publishing,
W11240.

Business Simulation for session 11: HBP 7211

Pedagogy: Discussion, Psychometric Assessment, Management Game,

Business Simulation, and Small Project (Flipped Class & Online)

Mid-Term Examination & Mid-Term Project Evaluation

13 & 14 • Role of attitudes and emotions in workplace Understanding

mindsets of
managers
Pre-read article 1 for session 13: Managers and leaders: Are they different? and leaders
Authored by Abraham Zaleznik, Harvard Business Review, March-April,
1992
(HBR Reprint R0401G). Understanding
emotions
Pre-read article 2 for session 13: The mindsets of a leader. Authored by
Modesto A. Maidique and Nathan J. Hiller, MITSloan Management Review,
Summer 2018, Vol. 59(4) (HBP, Reprint 59410).

The course is designed by Prof. Atri Sengupta, IIM Sambalpur.

 Pedagogy: Story, Discussion, Problem Solving

Evaluation (Group): Class participation

Additional Resources: A PPT on “attitudes-workplace emotions”

15 & 16 • Understanding inner drama of stress Understanding

stress
• Managing stress at work

Class Exercise: Video and Know Your Stress Level Managing

workplace stress:
Pre-read article for session 15: Managing the high-intensity workplace. Self and others
Authored by Erin Reid and Lakshmi Ramarajan, Harvard Business Review,
June 2016 (HBR Reprint R1606G).

Pre-read Case for session 15: Amazon as an employer. Authored by

Jyotsna Bhatnagar and Sweta Jaiswal, March 2016 (HBP W16106).

Pedagogy: Story, Discussion, Problem Solving (Flipped Class & Online)

Evaluation (Group): Students are required to offer solutions to the case

outlined above using the pre-read and other articles. Problems will be given in
the class.

Additional Resources: A PPT on “Self and Stress Management”

Module III: Managing Employee Performance

17 & 18 • Motivation and performance Understanding

fundamentals of
• Motivating self motivation and its
connection with
• Motivating others performance

Pre-read article 1 for session 17: The best advice I ever got: Kris
Gopalakrishnan. HBR Reprint F0803H. How to motivate
self and others
Pre-read article 2 for session 17: Motivation: The not-so-secret ingredient
of high performance. HBP, 7386BC.

Pre-read article for session 18: How to motivate your problem people.
Authored by Nigel Nicholson, HBR Reprint R0301D.

Pedagogy: Story, Discussion, Video, Problem Solving (Flipped Class &

Online)

Evaluation (Group): Class participation

Additional Resources: A PPT on “Motivation”

The course is designed by Prof. Atri Sengupta, IIM Sambalpur.

 19 • Learning and Performance in today’s organizations
Understanding
workplace learning
Pre-read article: Perspectives into learning at the workplace. Authored by and performance
Päivi Tynjälä, Educational Research Review, Vol. 3, 2008.

Pedagogy: Industry Guest Speaker

Evaluation (Group): Class participation

Additional Resources: A PPT on “Workplace Learning”

20 • Decision making Understanding

managerial decision
making process
Business Simulation for session 20: HBP, 7077-HTM-ENG.

Pre-read Case for session 20: Decision-making and leading through crisis.
Authored by
Gerry Yemen and Erika H. James, HBP, UV0792.

Additional Resources: A PPT on “Managerial Decision Making”

Special Industry Guest Speaker: Understanding

Session resilience in
• Leading self and others organizational
context

End-Term Examination and End-Term Project Evaluation

The course is designed by Prof. Atri Sengupta, IIM Sambalpur.