Organizational Behavior 6301-503

Spring, 2006
Syllabus
Instructor: Dr. Orlando Richard
Office: SOM 4.413
Office Hours: By Appointment
Class Hours: Thursday, 7:00-9:45PM in SOM 2.722
Phone: 972-883-4073 (Office)
Electronic mail: pretty@utdallas.edu

Graduate Assistant: Ping Wu: Office, SOM 4.102: Phone, 972-883-6112

Required Textbooks
Robbins, Essentials in Organizational Behavior, 8th ed.
CD Self Assessment 2.5 (optional)
Bowen et al., Experiences in Management and Organizational Behavior, 4th ed.
Ritti et al., The Ropes to Skip and The Ropes to Know, 6th ed.

Course Objectives
This course will provide a broad overview of the organization behavior (OB)
field. The goals of this class are threefold: to understand the various content areas (e.g.,
attitudes, personality, leadership) in the OB field, to advance oral competencies through
professional presentations and intra-class discussion/debate, and to strengthen written
competencies by offering feedback and revision opportunities on written assignments
(e.g., 7-page paper). While understanding OB content is important for a class of this
nature, the improvement of oral and written competencies can be employed in a variety
of arenas. Time management represents a secondary objective.

Course Policies
1. Please try to arrive on time for class. If you think that you will be tardy frequently,
consider withdrawing from this section of OB 6301. Turn cellular telephones off.

2. EXAMS will include (1) lecture materials and (2) textbook information as well as (3)
definitions provided from interactive group presentations. Makeup exams will be given
only for legitimate absences as defined in the student handbook. Please bring adequate
documentation. Makeup exams must be scheduled within one week of the original date.
Notify me well in advance if you will need to miss an exam on original scheduled date.

3. INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION: All students must be individually prepared to

discuss EXPERIENCES IN MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
cases and exercises and/or ROPES TO SKIP AND ROPES TO KNOW mini-ropes on a
daily basis. Exercises usually do not require a written assignment but you should be
prepared for the in-class discussion. You should prepare a 1-page conceptual analysis for
all cases in the Experiences in Management and Organizational Behavior. We will have
three class periods designated for mini-ropes in the Ropes to Skip and Ropes to Know
text. Please read the Prologue before starting any of the mini-ropes. In addition, I
recommend that you browse the introduction before each section of the assigned mini-
ropes. On those days, you should prepare a 1 page conceptual analysis for each of the
Rope to Skip and the Ropes to Know mini-ropes readings (select four of the ropes
assigned for a total of 4 pages to turn in for participation grade). Please bold or italicize
all OB related terms in concepts in which you apply to regular cases and mini-ropes. (IN
SUMMARY, THE NUMBER OF PAGES FOR DOUBLE-SPACED TYPED
ANALYSIS TO BE TURNED IN TO ME IS 0 FOR EXERCISES, 1 FOR CASES, AND
4 FOR MINI-ROPES).

4. CHAPTER ASSESSORS: Several times over the course of the semester there will be a
short chapter assessor. They will be brief (including several questions testing your
reading of class materials) and related only to the assigned class readings for that day
from the Essentials of Organizational Behavior. The format varies (e.g., true/false, short
answer).

5. FACILITATION EXPERTS: Each of you must join a team to facilitate an exercise, a

case, or set of mini-ropes. This must do done only once during the semester and on that
day your team will moderate the discussion to make sure all pertinent information is
covered. Facilitation grade is based on team outcomes. Experts that facilitate an exercise
do not have to prepare an analysis based on the exercise. Experts should prepare, as a
team, a 1-page analysis for cases. Each mini-ropes reading also requires a 1-page
analysis resulting in 4-full pages from the team. (IN SUMMARY, THE MAGIC
NUMBER OF PAGES FOR TYPED ANALYSIS TO BE TURNED IN TO ME IS 0
FOR EXERCISES, 1 FOR CASES, AND 4 FOR MINI-ROPES summary).

6. INTERACTIVE PROJECT: This should ideally be a group project but can be done
individually. The project will consist of two components: oral and written. The oral
component, depending on your topic, can range from 30 to 35 minutes and is intended to
be not only informative but also interactive. This requires substantive content and full
coverage of the topic (what should the class know?) and literature should be delivered
professionally (e.g., power-point, transparencies, note cards, business attire). I strongly
encourage rehearsal of your presentation. The oral component may be inclusive of a
short video application, a group exercise, a role-play, etc. Straight lecture is
discouraged. All group members are not required to participate in the oral component
as long as overall project workload is equally distributed. The written component should
follow a format similar to articles published in refereed or peer reviewed journals (see the
appended Sample Diversity Outline for 7-page paper). You must decide whether to
emphasize depth, breath, or a balance.

7. Several times during the semester I will give you an opportunity to gain bonus points
for attending business or OB related lectures and providing a summary of the discussion
along with your personal reactions. In addition, you can obtain points for writing a 2-
page essay describing yourself based on what you learned from the Self Assessment CD
2.5. Please turn in both the 2-page essay and your score tabulation.
8. Students needing testing or classroom accommodations based on disability are
encouraged to discuss the need with me as soon as possible.

Exams and Grading

Component Points Percentage Grade Total Points

Exam #1 200 90-100 A 900-1000

Exam #2 250 80-89 B 800-899

Exam #3 100 70-79 C 700-799

Individual Participation 60 <70 F <700

Chapter Assessors 50

Facilitation Experts 40

Interactive Team Project 300

------------ ------
Total 1000
 Tentative Schedule for Organizational Behavior

Date Subjects Chapter Readings

Jan 12 Course Coverage: Introductory Lecture: Assign Practice Case 1

19 Lecture: Perception&Attribution, Personality&Attitudes, 1,2,3

Problem Solving: Facilitation & Interactive Project Team-up

26 Library and Project Research: Exercize: My Asset Base, 14 (45 min.)

Feb 2 Ropes Day 1: Section II (mini-ropes 8-11): Socialization & Attribution

Section VII (mini-ropes 47-50): Mobility…(70 min. each section)

9 Lecture on Learning and Reinforcement: Exam Discussion

Case 27: Larry Ross: A Case for Discussion (40 minutes)

16 Exam #1

23 Lecture on Motivation, Intra-group Dynamics 4,5,6

Interactive Presentation 1, 2, and 3, (30 minutes each)

Mar 2 Ropes Day 2: Section III (mini-ropes 14-16, 18): Section V (mini-ropes 33-36)
(70 min. each section)

9 No Class: Enjoy SPRING BREAK

16 Lecture on Inter-group Dynamics 7,8,9

Interactive Presentation 4, (35 minutes)
Interactive Presentation 5, (35 minutes)
Exercize 5: Money Motivation Debate (35 minutes)

23 Interactive Presentation 6, (35 minutes)

Interactive Presentation 7, (35 minutes)
Exercize 21: Two Person Negotiation: The Ugli Orange (35 minutes)
Exercize 49: Valuing Diversity (30 minutes)

30 Exam #2 and (Distribute Take-Home Exam)

April 6 Interactive Presentation 8, (35 minutes) 10,11,12

Interactive Presentation 9, (35 minutes)
Ropes Day 3: (mini-ropes 39, 40, 59, 60)
13 Lecture on Selected Topics and Exam Elaboration
Interactive Presentation 11, (35 minutes) 13,14
Interactive Presentation 12, (35 minutes)
Exercise 24: My Best Boss Leader (30 minutes)

23 Case 39: Peoples National Bank…., (35 minutes)

Interactive Presentation 13, (35 minutes)

27 Final Exam
 Facilitation Experts List
Facilitator/s 1 Class Exercise: My Asset Base, 14 (page 14) (45 minutes)
Names________________________________________
Facilitator/s 2 Ropes Day 1: Section II (#8-11): Socialization&Attribution (70 min)
Names____________________________________________
Facilitator/s 3 Ropes Day 1: Section VII (#47-50): Mobility... (70 min).
Names____________________________________________
Facilitator/s 4 Case 27: Larry Ross: A Case for Discussion (page 183) (40 minutes)
Names____________________________________________
Facilitator/s 5 Ropes Day 2: Section III (#14-16, 18): Motiva...& Rein... (70 min)
Names____________________________________________
Facilitator/s 6 Ropes Day 2: Section V (#33-36): Motiva...& Rein... (70 min)
Names____________________________________________
Facilitator/s 7 Exercise 5: Money Motivation Debate (30 minutes)
Names____________________________________________
Facilitator/s 8 Exercise 21: Two Person..: The Ugli Orange (page 134) (35 minutes)
Names____________________________________________
Facilitator/s 9 Exercise 49: Valuing Diversity (page 328) (30 minutes)
Names____________________________________________
Facilitator/s 10 Ropes Day 3: (mini-cases 39, 40, 58, 59)

Names____________________________________________
Facilitator/s 11 Exercise 24: My Best Boss/Leader (page 158) (30 minutes)
Names____________________________________________
Facilitator/s 12 Case 39: People’s National Bank….(page 260) (35 minutes)
Names____________________________________________

Bold requires 4-page write-up

Italic requires 1-page write-up
 INTERACTIVE GROUP PRESENTATION LIST

(30 minutes each)

Presentation 1 Topic and Name/s ____________________________________________
Presentation 2 Topic and Name/s ____________________________________________
Presentation 3 Topic and Name/s ____________________________________________

(35 minutes each)

Presentation 4 Topic and Name/s ____________________________________________
Presentation 5 Topic and Name/s ____________________________________________

(35 minutes each)

Presentation 6 Topic and Name/s ____________________________________________
Presentation 7 Topic and Name/s ____________________________________________

(35 minutes each)

Presentation 8 Topic and Name/s ____________________________________________
Presentation 9 Topic and Name/s ____________________________________________
Presentation 10 Topic and Name/s ___________________________________________

(40 minutes each)

Presentation 11 Topic and Name/s ___________________________________________
Presentation 12 Topic and Name/s ___________________________________________

(40 minutes each)

Presentation 13 Topic and Name/s ___________________________________________
Suggested Topics for interactive group presentation (other acceptable if approved)
Glass Ceiling: Causes and Effects
Violence at Work
Workplace Creativity
International Organizational Behavior
Conflict Resolution
Stress: Antecedents and Outcomes
Cross-Cultural Teams
Virtual Teams
Team Demography
Workplace Mentoring
Emotional Intelligence
Cultural Intelligence
Organizational Justice
Workplace Romance
Business Ethics and Morality
Organizational Socialization
International Human Resource Management
Managing Diversity Practices: Antecedents and Consequences
Political Behavior
Impression Management
Trust and Benevolence
CEO Power and Influence
The Psychology of Selection
Organizational Change and Development
Organizational Climate
Organization Citizenship Behavior
 Sample Outline for 7-page written manuscript

INTRODUCTION
• Workforce diversity (def.) and its relevance (1/2 page)

BODY
• Two dimensions of diversity (1/4 page)
-primary dimension versus secondary dimension

• Types of diversity (1/4 page)

-intra-national versus cross-national

• This review will focus exclusively on the primary dimensions of diversity in an intra-
national context. (e.g., race, gender, and age diversity in home country) (3 pages)

• Why do companies diversify human resources?

• Behavioral factors working against diversity in organizations

• Proposed Negative Effects (Tie in other OB topics)

-Conflict
-Communication Barriers

• Proposed Positive Effects (Tie in other OB topics)

-Creativity
-Problem-Solving Abilities

• How are companies managing diversity to reap the positive benefits? (2 pages)
--Company examples
(1) the diversity practices they are using and (2) positive outcomes

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

• What are the managerial implications for what we know? (1/2 page)

n What do we need to know? What research is needed? (1/2 page)

FORMATTING ISSUES
• Cover sheet, outline, and reference page (American Psychological Association style
guide) should accompany the 7-page written report.
• Use double spacing and 12 point font.
• Use only refereed journal material for the body of your report.
• Plagarism will result in a failing grade

KEY: Provide me and the class with a 1-page summary of (1) list of
definitions and (2) key findings.