College of Computing & Information, University at Albany, SUNY
Department of Information Studies
IIST 614-0001 (3496)
Administration of Information Agencies (3 Credits)
Spring 2014 Syllabus (22 Pages), Prepared 01/21/2014
Instructor: Frank D’Andraia Class Meets: Thursday, 4:15PM – 7:05PM
Office: 141A Draper Classroom Location: HS 106A
Phone: 518.442.5118 Email:
Office Hours:*
By Appointment or
Tuesday, 9:00PM - 3:00PM;
Wednesday, 9:00AM - 5:00PM;
Thursday, 9:00AM-3:00PM;
Teaching Schedule:
Tuesday-IST 601, Information Environment, 4:15PM-7:05PM, HS106A and
Thursday-IST 614, Administration of Information Agencies, 4:15PM-7:05PM, HS106A.
*PLEASE NOTE: During the spring term I offer directed/independent study and on occasion these students may make an appointment during scheduled office hours. Also, internship site visitations and/or faculty meetings may require scheduled office hours to periodically vary.
For Whom Planned:
The course is designed for students currently enrolled in the master’s degree program in Information Studies.
Course Description:
Information administrators operate in a world of constant change. The ability to manage that change requires learning about key organizational competencies and about working with and for others.
Learning Outcomes/Objectives:
· Apply management principles to the creation, administration, and promotion of information organizations and systems
· Assist participants to develop an increased understanding of organizational theory and behavior, management functions, and managerial roles and techniques
· Identify and use the major sources of information and literature pertaining to management and administration in class discussions and assignments
· Formulate personal judgments regarding management and administrative issues and develop some facility in expressing these judgments clearly and succinctly in class discussions and assignments
· Discern current ethical issues facing information agency personnel and express points of view on these challenges in class discussions and assignments
· Engage participants in common management and leadership issues, such as personnel and policy matters
· Explore, discuss, and reflect on participants attitudes, philosophies and skills related to managing personnel
· Promote participants understanding and practice of team work as required skill for professional life
Teaching Strategies:
The course will be conducted in a discussion/presentation/lecture format which will require active class participation. Students make oral reports, write short essays, prepare annotated bibliographies, create summaries, discuss case studies, and organize presentations. Class sessions will involve discussion of the assigned readings and current issues in administration of information agencies. You owe it to your colleagues to come to class prepared to discuss assigned readings and to provide feedback on class reports.
Attendance Policy/Obligations/Expectations:
Students are expected to come to class on time and remain for the entire class session. Students are expected to advise the instructor if there are any accommodations necessary due to disabilities. Absences of two (2) or more without prior permission or reasonable excuse will be considered excessive and will reduce your final grade by ten (10) points. Students are to advise the instructor in advance when it is necessary to be absent from class. Class participation does not mean monopolizing class discussion, but being prepared as well as actively contributing to discussion in a reflective way.
Students are expected to adhere to the Community Rights and Responsibilities and to give proper credit in the presentation of ideas (Graduate Bulletin: http://www.albany.edu/grad/requirements_general_admissions.html#grading_graduate).
Cell Phones: Please turn off your cell phone and pagers during class.
Note Taking: You should take good notes of lectures and discussions. I do not make copies of my lecture notes available. My experience indicates that note taking dramatically increases your recall and keeps you more involved in class deliberations.
Late Submission: Assignments submitted late will be marked down ten (10) points.
Email Communications: The instructor will reply to student e-mail within 48 hours.
Recommended Text: Quinn, Robert E., Faerman, Sue R., Thompson, Michael P., McGrath, Michael R., Becoming a Master Manager: A Competing Values Approach. 5th ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2010.
Assignments Format: Papers are due at the start of class. Papers should be double-spaced, except where noted, (12 point font), paged in the upper right hand corner, stapled in the upper left. A cover page should include your name, the title of the assignment, the course number and date. No binders, etc. please. Formal written work must be word processed or typed and reflect use of a style manual. There are style guides available in Dewey and on the University Library webpage.
Recommended Journals: Harvard Business Review; MIT Sloan Management Review; California Management Review; Personnel Psychology ( A Study of People at Work); Team Performance Management; Management International Review; International Journal of Human Resource Management; Academy of Management Journal; Academy of Management Perspectives/Executive; Academy of Management Review; Journal of Library Administration; Journal of Management; Library Administration and Management; and MIS Quarterly.
Recommended Web Sites
ALA http://www.ala.org/
ARL http://www.arl.org/
American Management Association (AMA) http://www.amanet.org/
Fred Pryor Seminars/Career Track http://careertrack.com/site/default.aspx
Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA) http://connect.ala.org/llama
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) http://www.shrm.org/Pages/default.aspx
Grading and Due Dates Summary: There is no final examination in this course. You are graded on weekly class participation and the completion of oral and written assignments that have specific due dates and they are as follows:
Activity/Assignment Weighting Due Dates
· Class Participation…………………………………20%...... Weekly
Speaker summaries, while not graded in themselves, will be used in determining the final assessment for the class participation component of the final grade.
· Assignments
1. Team Presentations (Begins) ………..…………………….10%...... February 6
2. A/B Contemporary Management Issues ……………..…15%...... March 6
3. Reaction Essay ………….………………………………………...20%...... March 27
4. Diversity Issues ………………………………………………..…..15%………April 3
5. Team Case Study Presentations (Begins)…………………20%...... April 10
6. Speaker Summaries (See class participation)…..…….April 17 and May 1 & 8
Letter Grade / A / A- / B+ / B / B- / C+ / C / C- / D / EScale / 95-100 / 90-94 / 86-89 / 83-85 / 79-82 / 75-78 / 71-74 / 68-70 / 60-67 / 0-59
Course Outline
January 23 (Week 1): Orientation and Working in Teams
· Introductions
· Syllabus Review
· Other
· Teamwork
January 30 (Week 2): working in Groups and Changing World of Today’s Administrator/Manager & Hiring Process: Position Descriptions
· Due Today:
Readings:
---Cowen, Tyler. A Dearth of Investments in Young Workers.” New York Times, September 8, 2013.
----“The Graying of America: Youngest Boomers Turn 50 This Year.” Wall Street Journal, January 2, 2014 (graphs and maps/not an article)
---Korkki, Phyllis. “Communal Breaks: A Chance To Bond.” New York Times, July 15, 2012
---Purcell, Maud. Generation Y can be an asset to employers.” Albany Times Union, September 15, 2012
---Zimmerman, Eilene. “As a New Manager, Get to Know Your Team.” New York Times, December 19, 2009
---Zimmerman, Eilene. "Are You Cut Out for Management." New York Times, January 15, 2011 (reserve)
· Teamwork
February 6 (Week 3): Administrator/Manager & Hiring Process: Resume; Interviews; & Selection
· Due Today:
---Assignment #1: Team Presentations, Teams A and B
· Readings:
---Barden, Dennis. “Not Dressing the Part and Other Interview Mistakes.” The Chronicle of Higher Education May 17, 2013
---Barden, Dennis. “Treating Candidates Like Supplicants and 9 Other Recruiting Mistakes.” The Chronicle of Higher Education May 24, 2013
---Cohen, Mark. “More Companies Adopt Online Recruiting Tools to Find Top Candidates.” New York Times, May 16, 2013.
---Friedman, Thomas L. “Need a Job? Invent It.” New York Times, March 31, 2013.
---Korkki, Phyllis. “How to Say ‘Look at Me!’ To an Online Recruiter.” New York Times, January 27, 2013.
---Quinn, Introduction, pp 1-34
February 13 (Week 4): Administrator/Manager & New Employee: Mentoring
· Due Today:
---Assignment #1: Team Presentations (continued), Teams C and D
· Readings:
---Garfinkel, Perry. “Executive Life; Putting a Formal Stamp on Mentoring.” New York Times, December 19, 2009
---Hewlett, Sylvia Ann, “Mentors Are Good. Sponsors Are Better.” New York Times, April 14, 2012.
---Zimmerman, Eilene. “How Wise Newcomers Find Their Way.” New York Times, October 7, 2007
---Zimmerman, Eilene. “A Modern Mentor Is a Listener, Too.” New York Times, June 5, 2010
--- Quinn, Module 1, pp 35-107
February 20 (Week 5) Classes Suspended
February 27 (Week 6): Annotated Bibliographies and Administrator/Manager & Personnel Evaluations
· Due Today:
---Assignment #1: Team Presentation (continued), Team E
· Readings:
---Quinn, Module 2, pp 108-177
March 6 (Week 7): Administrator/Manager & Contemporary Management Issues
· Due Today:
----Assignment #2: Annotated Bibliography Contemporary Management Issues
----Be prepared to discuss your annotations
· Readings:
---Quinn, Module 3, pp 178-253
March 13 (Week 8): Contemporary Management Issues
· Due Today:
· Readings:
---Quinn, Module 4, pp 254-328
· Teamwork
March 20 (Week 9) Classes Suspended
March 27 (Week 10): Administrator/Manager & Communicating and Case Studies
· Due Today:
-----Assignment #3: Reaction Essay
-----Be prepared to discuss your reaction essay selections
· Teamwork
April 3 (Week 11): Equality, Equity, and Diversity in the Work Place
· Due Today:
-----Assignment #4: Diversity - Presentation order, Teams B; C; A; E; and D
-----Be prepared to discuss your selection
· Readings:
---Bernard, Tara Siegel. “The Unspoken Stigma of Workplace Flexibility.” New York Times, June 15, 2013.
---Bouton, Katherine. “Quandary of Hidden Disabilities: Conceal or Reveal?” New York Times, September 22, 2013.
---Nelson, Colleen McCain. “Poll: Most Women See Bias in the Workplace.” Wall Street Journal, April 12, 2013.
---Schwartz, Nelson D. “Easing Out the Gray-Haired. Or Not.” New York Times, May 28, 2011
---Quinn, “United Chemical Company,” pp 66-69
· Teamwork
April 10 (Week 12): Case Studies
· Due Today:
-----Assignment #5: Case Study ---Team E
· Readings:
---Korkki, Phyllis. “The Shifting Definition of Worker Loyalty.” New York Times, April 24, 2011.
---Peruse the United University Professions, UAlbany Chapter website: http://www.albany.edu/uup/
· Guest Speaker: (speaker and date subject to change) Candace Merbler, Immediate Past President, UUP Albany Chapter. Merbler will talk about United University Professions and UUP/management interactions. NOTE: Speaker may assign readings.
April 17 (Week 13): Unions and Management and Case Studies
· Due Today:
-----Assignment #6A: Merbler Summary
-----Assignment #5: Case Study ---Team D
· Teamwork
April 24 (Week 14): “Memo Speak” and Case Studies
· Due Today:
-----Assignment #6: Case Study ---Team C
· Readings:
-----Halvorson, Heidi Grant, “How to be a Better Boss.” Wall Street Journal January 2, 2012.
· Guest Speaker: (speaker and date subject to change) Richard J. Naylor, Director, William K. Sanford Town Library, Loudonville, NY. Mr. Naylor will talk on being a manager of a publicly supported organization. NOTE: Speaker may assign readings.
· Teamwork
May 1 (Week 15): Contemporary Management Issues and Case Studies
· Due Today:
-----Assignment #6B: Naylor Summary
-----Assignment #5: Case Study ---Team B
· Guest Speaker: (speaker and date subject to change) Christian Filstrup, former Dean, Stoney Brook University Library, SUNY. Mr. Filstrup will talk on being a manager. NOTE: Speaker may assign readings.
May 8 (Week 16): Case Studies and Wrap-up
· Due Today:
-----Assignment #6B: Filstrup Summary
-----Assignment #5: Case Study ---Team A
· Readings:
---Pozen, Robert C. “They Work Long Hours, but What About Results.” New York Times, October 7, 2012.
---Shellenbarger, Sue. “What Makes a Risk-Taker.” Wall Street Journal, May 22, 2013.
---Vaillancourt, Allison M. “Are You Prepared to Walk Away?” The Chronicle of Higher Education May 10, 2013.
Assignments:
Assignment #1, Team Presentations: begins February 6
The class shall be divided into groups or teams; the exact number in a group depends upon the class size. Each team is responsible for leading a fifteen to twenty (15-20) minute discussion on a common management and leadership theme. The team led discussions are scheduled, throughout the term on designated dates found in the syllabus. Groups, topics, and presentation dates are randomly selected.
Required: Each group is responsible for how they use their allotted time. The following web site may be of assistance in planning an approach: http://presentationsoft.about.com/od/classrooms/tp/student_tips.htm
Each group presents on a single theme.
1. “Master Managers” can easily be “buried” in information. One of the main elements of this assignment is that managers need to be able to evaluate, synthesize and communicate clearly to employees. This assignment emphasizes communication, collaboration and decision making;
2. The group is responsible for researching the topic and selecting content for presentation;
3. Students are to use a variety of sources, such as the recommended text, books, on-line sources, and scholarly and professional journals. On the Monday prior to each groups presentation, teams are to distribute (print or online) to classmates a one (1) page summary of key points to be made, as well as a bibliography of sources used to develop and frame their discussion;
4. Each team is expected to answer questions from the class;
5. When presenting, each group member must identify one meaningful sentence or passage from a used source and explain what they found meaningful about it; and
6. Each group is required to clearly communicate what you read, what you learned and what you share.
Objective: The intended objectives are as follows: learning about a management/leadership theme; sharing your new knowledge; understanding group dynamics; encourage active learning, improving communication skills, enhancing your ability to be an effective manager, and to engender a higher level of class engagement.
Evaluation: Group presentations are evaluated on appropriateness of content shared; sources selected; quality of the presentation discussion; ability to communicate information clearly and concisely to your peers; and level of collaboration; and on the “required” elements noted above.
Each team member is required to complete and return to the instructor a survey form (see end of syllabus). The form is due the week following the presentation. The self-assessment survey is part of the evaluation process.
All members of the groups receive the same grade.
Presentation Assignments
Theme #1: Managing Interpersonal Relationships. Class is to read: Conger, Jay A. “The Necessary Art of Persuasion.” Harvard Business Review, May-June 1998, pp 84-95.
· Group A, “Guidelines for Effective Listening”
· Group B, “Giving and Receiving Feedback”
· Group C, “ Nonverbal Communication”
Theme #2: Theme: Coaching and Performance: Class is to read: Nicholson, Nigel. “How to Motivate Your Problem People.” Motivating People, January 2003, pp 57-65