GSBA-533: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND LEADERSHIP
Term Three 2015-2016
Instructor: / Scott WiltermuthOffice: / Hoffman Hall 405
Office Hours: / By appointment
Phone: / (213) 740-1128
Email: /
Course / RosnhiRaveendhran
Assistants: /
Gregory Bastin
Medha Raj
COURSE INFORMATION ONLINE
To help you stay up to date with course news, requirements, updates, and optional material (such as news articles), please go to:
Blackboard: Log on through your MyMarshall portal and select GSBA 533.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONEverything you learn in business school will be useless unless one of two things happens: 1) you are able to do absolutely everything alone, without ever dealing with another human being, and without needing to deal with any suppliers, government officials, consumers, or anyone else. Or 2) you have learned how to deal with human beings effectively.
Most young managers tend to believe that their technical skills and abilities are the most important factor in their own success. Even some older managers believe that putting the right technology and intelligence in place is what is required for the business’s success. This is not always sufficient. The people—and the companies—who succeed are those who realize that there are better and worse ways of dealing with human beings, and who become talented at doing so.
This is why Organizational Behavior exists. A little bit of insight into human thought and behavior, and the unique ways in which these operate in business settings, can elevate you from technician to savvy executive. By leveraging the best insights of psychology, sociology, and economics, you can make yourself a force to be reckoned with. For the next five weeks, we will give you a valuable set of tools for doing just that. Of course, five weeks is not much time. Almost every topic we cover could constitute an entire course in itself (and some are, in fact, expanded into semester-length electives at Marshall; for example, Power and Politics; Leadership). Instead, in this course, we will proceed at a rapid pace and can address only the most fundamental points for each topic.
The course uses a set of readings, cases, and experiential exercises to give you a thorough introduction to Organizational Behavior. You should leave the course with a better understanding of your own and others’ motives and behaviors, and a sense for how organizational structures and decisions can help to determine how human beings will respond. We will have developed a framework to help you organize your own past experience, which can help you respond more skillfully to new situations in the future. You will have developed an understanding of the factors that contribute to effective teamwork. You will also have learned to recognize, understand, and analyze more fully the motivations and behaviors of stakeholders inside and outside organizations. Moreover, you will leave the class with a heightened ability to apply ethical principles and professional standards in analyzing situations and making informed decisions.
To accomplish these aims, you must have plenty of concrete, practical experience at applying your emerging knowledge about working with others. Therefore, the course relies heavily on hands-on exercises; you will do at least one active exercise every week in class. However, you also must learn basic theory about topics such as decision making, team work, motivation, influence, and power. Every situation you encounter will be different, and you need to be able to abstract principles from your past experiences (at work and in class) in order to approach each new situation ready for success.
A note on “subjectivity” and “buzzwords”
Students often feel that OB deals with subjective material. It’s true that no two human beings will reliably act the same way in the same situation—even one person may behave differently from one situation to the next. However, we still know a great deal about how people are most often likely to behave. Without debating the issue of free will, let’s just say that most of us are more predictable than we think. When trying to create a management system, or to anticipate how a new initiative will be received, there may be a lot of relatively “good” or “right” answers. I recognize this. The course and the grading are flexible enough to take it into account. However, there are also many wrong answers. These answers are inconsistent with observed patterns of behavior across numerous settings. Just because we’ve seen something work in one setting does not mean that it is a good rule for future conduct.
In short, OB gives you a set of analytic tools, much like Strategy or Finance. It’s just that, in this case, we are analyzing human behavior in order to determine how best to compete and succeed. There is error and uncertainty in EVERY analytic tool, but I expect you to improve the quality of your accuracy and your forecasting based on the material in this course.
I have heard occasional complaints that OB (and OB professors) also tend to value “buzzwords,” that is, just throwing out a bunch of jargon to explain an issue. This is a misperception. First, instead of “buzzword,” think, “vocabulary.” There are real names to the concepts we discuss, and you are expected to learn them and use them properly, just as you learn the meaning and value behind jargon such as “ROI” and “net present value.” Second, it would be a serious mistake to think that anyone can succeed in this class by throwing out a bunch of jargon and seeing what sticks. The key is to use the correct words for the correct concepts in the correct situation. Understanding this will be a real asset to your graded performance.
COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTSSome basic points of conduct represent the collective preferences of the Core Faculty. In addition, over the years, students have repeatedly expressed their desire to have high standards for their own and their classmates’ conduct. It is often more frustrating for a student to see a classmate get away with “bad behavior” than to abide by some restrictions on his or her own behavior. To foster the best possible learning environment, please abide by these expectations, and be aware that I will actively enforce them. Specifically, disruptive classroom behavior will result in lower participation grades.
Be here (on time): This course relies on extensive discussion and interactive activities. If you are not here, you deprive your fellow students of the optimal learning environment. More important, you can’t learn what you don’t hear about. You are expected to attend every class on time and to stay for the entire class session. Plan ahead and take care of your physical needs so that you can stay throughout. If you have an unavoidable conflict, please do not disturb your classmates by arriving late, leaving early, or asking to have information you missed repeated during the class. If, for any reason, you need to miss class, it is your responsibility to notify me at least 24 hours in advance so I can make arrangements for any in-class exercises and ensure that you get all of the materials distributed in class.
Attend your assigned section: I recognize that you did not have choice in your class schedule, but the Core Faculty have decided that we don’t wish to cannibalize each other’s courses, so switching will generally not be allowed. However, please do talk to me if you have an urgent issue.
Be prepared: Do all the assigned reading before class, and be ready for a substantive discussion of any cases that have been assigned. This, again, should go without saying. However, time is extremely tight in the first-year Core. I have done my utmost to keep your reading load manageable, though I realize you will often be challenged to complete even that. Nonetheless, it’s essential that you do your best. I won’t waste your time by simply repeating in class what you have already read; my goal is to add value to your efforts by helping you push beyond, to a deeper level of comprehension. That is, I hope to a) give you experience in applying the concepts in the readings, b) clarify important concepts from the readings and present you with additional information beyond what you’ve already read, and c) give you an opportunity to process key points from the reading through discussion with me and your fellow students. Both reading and lecture will be tested on the exam.
Follow the general approach to case preparation that you’ve seen for other courses, but note that quantitative analysis is not emphasized in this course. Instead, key in on implications for the interpersonal and behavioral processes of management. You may be called upon to summarize key points from the readings, or to comment on potential applications. To be sure you are ready for such discussion, ask yourself:
- What is the basic argument the author makes?
- What are the key concepts and principles that are covered?
- How would I respond to arguments for and against this reading?
- So what? How does this matter for an organization?
- What is at least one example from my own work experience that is relevant here?
In addition to these general preparation questions, additional, more specific, preparation questions may be provided in class or in the syllabus. Always check the syllabus and Blackboard or for important instructions!
Put away your gadgets: I understand the temptation to multitask by using class time to catch up on emails, news, or YouTube videos. However, your own classmates regularly tell me (even if they won’t admit it to you) that such behavior is frustrating and disruptive for them. Thus, I have a “no gadgets” (laptops, cell phones, pdas, etc.) policy in class. If you need an exception (whether one-time or ongoing), please talk to me individually beforehand.
Observe the honor code: The honor code was written by Marshall students and is upheld by Marshall students. I have agreed to support the Marshall Honor Committee in its efforts to make the code relevant and meaningful by providing this reminder and endorsement of the code.
Help me help you: Students often suspect that professors are blindly devoted to our own subjects, that we don’t think anything else matters, and that we expect you to sacrifice all else to attend only to our course. This is not the case, however much it may seem to be. I have designed the course to give you what I think will most benefit you, in your professional (and even personal) life, based on my knowledge of professional demands and based on feedback from employers and former students. The topics we cover are those that offer the best potential for helping you succeed.
For all my good intentions, there will be times when the course does not work perfectly for you. In fact, with 70 students in each section, no one will get what they want all of the time. However, it’s quite likely that everyone will get what they want at least some of the time. If you have constructive feedback and ideas for how to make the course more effective for many people, I am very open to discussing your thoughts and making adaptations wherever it’s feasible. I will always take your concerns seriously.
Required Materials
Course pack: Contains readings, cases, and exercises.
Supplemental materials: Some of the exercises listed on the syllabus are not in the course pack. These will be handed out in class throughout the term.
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADINGYour final grade in this course will be based on the following components:
- Online Surveys(10%)
- Decision-Making Reflection Exercise(10%)
- Class Participation(15%)
- Individual Paper(25%)
- Final Exam(40%)
Each of these assignments is discussed in more detail below.
Online Surveys (10 %): You will complete a web survey before the term starts and one later in the term. We will use your responses in class at an aggregate level to demonstrate general cognitive tendencies that are relevant to management decision-making.
Decision-Making Reflection Exercise (10 %): You will complete a two-page maximum memo (double-spaced) describing how cognitive biases and/or suspect group decision-making processes may have affected decision-making and performance at your previous workplace. The best reflection exercises will draw on the readings, the lecture, and students’ own personal experiences to discuss how the biases and processes at work may have led to ineffective (or effective) decision-making. Critically, they will also suggest actions that individuals or the organization could take to improve decision-making. The assignment is due on Tues., November 3, in class. You will turn in a hard-copy in class.
Class Participation (15%): Because class participation is an extremely important part of the learning experience, 15% of your grade will be dependent upon your participation in class. Students who receive high participation grades will not necessarily be those who speak most during class. Rather, they will be the students who make the most meaningful contributions to discussions. Attending class without making efforts to participate will not yield a high class participation score.
Individual Assignment (25%): A key part of the learning process in this course is to take the models and theories you are learning and apply them to situations that you see happening in the world. This will help to ensure that you are prepared to apply these tools within your own professional career. To facilitate this, you are asked to take concepts, topics, or readings from the course and apply them to a situation that has been discussed in the media. You will be required to turn in at least one article from the press and to write a 3-page maximum memo (double-spaced) to the protagonist/leader/person featured in the article sharing your insights from the class regarding how course concepts apply to the key issue or situation being discussed. Please do not use an event discussed previously in class. Some questions to consider include: How does the current issue or event relate to the topics discussed in class or the readings? How might the new knowledge you have gained in class help you better understand the current situation? Is there anything the focal actors should or could have done differently based on course concepts? Depth of integration between the practical issue discussed and course material will determine the grade. The assignment is due on Thursday, December 3, in class. You will turn in a hard-copy in class.
Final Exam (40%): The final exam will be on Thursday, December 10 from 8:00 - 10:55am (all sections meet at the same time). The exam will be cumulative, closed-note, closed-book and will be a combination of multiple choice, short answer questions, and case analysis.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITYUSC seeks to maintain an optimal learning environment. General principles of academic honesty include
the concept of respect for the intellectual property of others, the expectation that individual work will be
submitted unless otherwise allowed by an instructor, and the obligations both to protect one’s own
academic work from misuse by others as well as to avoid using another’s work as one’s own. All students
are expected to understand and abide by these principles. SCampus, the Student Guidebook, ( or contains the University Student Conduct
Code (see University Governance, Section 11.00), while the recommended sanctions are located in
Appendix A.
Students will be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards for further
review, should there be any suspicion of academic dishonesty. The Review process can be found at: Failure to adhere to the academic conduct standards set forth by these guidelines and our programs will not be tolerated by the USC Marshall community and can lead to dismissal.
No audio or video recording is permitted.
STATEMENT OF ACADEMIC CONDUCT AND SUPPORT SYSTEMSAcademic Conduct
Plagiarism – presenting someone else’s ideas as your own, either verbatim or recast in your own words – is a serious academic offense with serious consequences. Please familiarize yourself with the discussion of plagiarism in SCampusin Section 11, Behavior Violating University Standards Other forms of academic dishonesty are equally unacceptable. See additional information in SCampusand university policies on scientific misconduct,
Discrimination, sexual assault, and harassment are not tolerated by the university. You are encouraged to report any incidents to the Office of Equity and Diversity or to the Department of Public Safety This is important for the safety whole USC community. Another member of the university community – such as a friend, classmate, advisor, or faculty member – can help initiate the report, or can initiate the report on behalf of another person. The Center for Women and Men provides 24/7 confidential support, and the sexual assault resource center webpage describes reporting options and other resources.