01 Jan 2. Using French & Raven’s

Module 1 discussion

1. After reading Hofstede’s dimensions of cultural differences in Chapter 2 (pages 40-44) and looking up and reviewing near the bottom of Geert Hofstede’s web page (http://www.geert-hofstede.com/), describe a significant difference between cultures that you have witnessed. Use the Geert Hofstede comparison tool (at the link below) to compare the two cultures in your example and describe the relative merits of the different approaches in an organizational situation.

2. Compare and contrast two cultures using information contained at http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.php (If the Hofstede website is not working, please do your best with the summary information in the book, or other sources you may find).

3. Use Saint Leo University’s core value of integrity as the foundation to form an opinion concerning whether the developing global economy will cause ethics and social responsibility to become more similar or more distinct across cultures? Be certain to explain why and how and provide examples.

Module 2 discussion

For this discussion, you will use what you learned in Chapter 3 of the textbook and expand your critical thinking about the differences in people and how to appreciate and effectively manage these differences in the workplace.

1. Take the abbreviated (and less accurate) Myers-Briggs test. Reveal your MBTI type in your response and describe the following scenarios:

a. An organizational situation (job function, event, team assignment, etc.) where your personality type could be at a disadvantage (real world or hypothetical)

b. A situation where your personality type might be an advantage (real world or hypothetical)

c. Based on your MBTI, how you learn best?

2. Respond to the following two questions about negative effect and self-monitors:

a. Imagine that you have a person with negative affect in your organization. What might be a positive contribution that this person could make in a group where everyone else has positive affect and similar backgrounds?

b. What contributions can high self-monitors make in organizations? Low self-monitors?

When you answer the personality part of this question, make sure that you have viewed the module material, including ideas on how to think about where your personality type is at an advantage or disadvantage (i.e., the Nurse MBTI example) and the definition of negative affect! And, with respect to how you learn best, consider the MBTI introvert/extravert differences (page 94) and “You 1.2” from Chapter 1, Module 1.

Module 3 discussion

This discussion will help you build your perspective of human motivation and equity theory (Chapter 5), and link this new understanding to performance considerations that are introduced in Chapter 4.

1. In your current (or previous) organizational role, are you motivated by lower or higher-order needs and motivators or hygiene factors? Discuss and explain which specific needs and Herzberg factors seem to be most important to you? Also use the theories presented in Figure 5.2 and Table 5.2 to explain your primary needs and motivators.

2. Reflect on the complex factors that go into job satisfaction and performance (pages 126-130) and integrate the following considerations into your answer

a. Has job satisfaction generally led to higher performance? Or, has higher performance led to job satisfaction? Has this varied by situation?

b. To the extent that job satisfaction has led to the greater performance, what has been the most important source(s) of that satisfaction? Have the most important areas been the Social environment, money, health benefits, physical environment, facilities, job location, or perks? Explain your reasoning.

3. In your organization, what inequity affects people the most? Which textbook method seems to be used to resolve that inequity? What ways are people finding to change inputs and outputs or do they leave the organization? Alternatively, are the people just living with the inequity and still meeting organizational goals? Explain.

NOTE: Remember that equity compares an individual’s specific effort-reward ratio against other organizational members or people with comparable skills, location, job conditions, etc. Even when there is wage (or other) dissatisfaction, the perception of inequity is less well-founded when the groups are not comparable in the most important ways. If you stretch the limits of comparability far enough, you can easily find examples that will make you feel both lucky and cheated, and many people make that choice based on personality factors like positive vs. negative affect.

Module 4 discussion

This discussion is centered on the material in Chapter 9 – teamwork.

1. Describe the most effective group or team of which you have been member? What factors made the group or team effective? In your answer, consider both individual factors in part 2 of your textbook (e.g., values, motivation, feedback/learning, etc.) and group factors in Chapter 9, such as diversity (pages 331-332), the group characteristics in Table 9.1, and the group behavior concepts on pages 317-319.

2. What are the most significant barriers to teamwork and to empowerment that you have experienced and why were these barriers important? Consider trust and other factors introduced during the interaction part of this module.

Module 5 discussion

This discussion is oriented around the material in Chapter 11 and also draws on the concepts from Chapters 10 and 12.

1. Using the dimensions of empowerment in the book (pages 412-417), analyze and describe the degree to which people in your work environment are empowered. Then, review the first box in Figure 12.3 and describe the approach your supervisor or manager uses when making key decisions. Finally, with respect to both participation in decision-making and team member empowerment, what strategies would you change if you were the manager of your or another organization? Consider all of Figure 12.3 and pages 366-368 in Chapter 10.

2. Do you think of yourself as powerful, powerless, or a little of both? Explain your basis for these perceptions? In your answer integrate the specific symbols of power in the textbook (pages 403-404).

3. Who is the most powerful person you know personally? What makes this person so powerful? Does this person’s power use empowerment as a tool or do they make all the decisions? In your answer use French and Raven’s five specific interpersonal forms of power (pages 397-398), and the textbook’s addition of “information power” (page 398) to assist you in your analysis.

Module 6 discussion

1. While reflecting on Chapter 13, explain and analyze the issues that cause the most significant conflict in your personal life or work environment.

2. Use textbook terminology to analyze a conflict or repeating pattern of conflict that you have witnessed or unfortunately participated in. Feel free to disguise your comments to maintain privacy.

a. Which of the causes listed in the book were at the root of the conflict?

b. Which form or forms of conflict were displayed?

c. If interpersonal conflict was involved what defense mechanisms were manifested (Table 13.2) and did you observe these defense mechanisms in use?

d. Describe effective and ineffective conflict management techniques that were used during this conflict and the conflict management styles demonstrated. In the end, did the conflict turn out to be dysfunctional or functional?

Module 7 discussion

At this point in the course, you have many things to keep in your mind about organizational behavior. Chapter 14 addresses job design to the organizational behavior model.

As Chapter 14 implies, models are often oversimplified and leave out the complicating factor of individual differences (refer back to Figure 3.1 on page 83). Herzberg pointed out that not every job or person is a fit for enrichment. Businesses and their strategies differ and the kinds of skills, procedures, and behavior required on the factory floor is quite different from those required for a leading-edge design shop. In addition, people with the same abilities and personalities may be at different levels in terms of satisfying their needs (e.g., Maslow’s hierarchy). It should be no surprise to you that both job and organizational design are situational and interdependent with many other concepts involved in the “management of human energy.”

1. In either designing the job, or in hiring to fill the job, does your organization consider any of the individual factors that might influence success? Explain your answer and consider the following factors:

– Cultural differences in the people (Chapters 1 and 2)

– Personality factors like MBTI type, conscientiousness, locus of control, and hardiness

– Where a person is in satisfying their higher- and lower-level needs (Chapter 5)

2. In your organization, are there any jobs that appear to have been successfully designed (either initially or as they have “evolved”) using ideas like those described in the textbook? Anchor your comments in the achievement of the three critical states described on page 525, and in the achievement of “engagement” as described on pages 526-527.

3. How would you describe the organization you work for on each of the basic design dimensions (pages 557-558)? What changes in these dimensions have you seen in your organization due to pressures for improved cost/effectiveness or to meet other changes in the environment/competition?

Case Analysis 1

Read the Netflix profile in Case 2-6h. As you are reading, think about the following questions:

Describe each of the four major challenges that Netflix faces. Which of these four challenges will be the most difficult to address? Why? Which challenge will be the easiest to address? Why?

How do each of the four major challenges faced by Netflix relate to worldwide organizational trends (e.g., dealing with globalization, diversity, and ethics)?

How could Netflix convert any of four major challenges into meaningful opportunities for the company?

Formulate your response in a 2-3 pg. (12pt, double-spaced) essay

5 C’s: Content, Creativity, Clarity, Critical Thinking & Correctness

Submit the Assignment to the Dropbox according to the instructions provided by the instructor.

Case Analysis 2

What About Kim?

Read the Ethical Dilemma in Chapter 4 (p. 149 in text). Sarah is struggling with what to do for Kim Evans who excels at meeting deadlines and works at a level above her peers, but also finds downsides to everything and is a moody nitpicker full of negativity.

Sarah has come to you, her own supervisor with this dilemma. Based on the info given in the case, should Sarah shift Kim onto the marketing team (and away from her own team)? Describe a specific plan of action that Sarah should take based on what you have learned about personality, attitudes, emotions, affect, ethics, and motivation.

Expect to take 2-3 pages, (12pt, d.s.) and deliver to Assignment Dropbox by the due date

Submit the Assignment to the Dropbox according to the instructions provided by the instructor.

Case Analysis 3

Preventive Program for Industro-Blade

Industro-Blade, Inc.

“If it’s Metal & Sharp, We Can Make It…We’re On the Cutting Edge of Quality”

You are an organizational consultant working with Industro-Blade, a privately-owned manufacturing firm with 400+ employees. About 60% of the employees run or maintain machinery, the other 40% are floor supervisors, salespeople, customer service staff, and administrative staff (HR, accounting, purchasing, distribution).

The owners, Mr. & Mrs. Sharpe have asked you to propose a “Preventive Stress Management Program” to help support their employees and minimize distress. Your program should include actionable strategies to use primary, secondary and tertiary preventive techniques on the part of both the employees and the company.

Summarize the characteristics and strategies of your proposed program in a 2-3 page prospectus (d.s./12 pt). Be sure to be specific in your actionable strategies and recommendations.

Case Analysis 4

Groupon: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

The Chapter 10 case in our textbook discusses Groupon, the well-known internet coupon/discount organization. Read the case and respond to the following questions (note the questions below are slightly different from those given in the text).

Discuss 2 decisions that Groupon founder Andrew Mason made. Are these programmed or non-programmed decisions? Explain.

Were these the right decisions for the organization? Why or why not? You may need to do research outside the text to determine how the decisions turned out.

How (if at all) did creativity and intuition play a role in the decisions to found and rapidly expand Groupon?

Let’s suppose you were considering launching your own online coupon business (to compete with Groupon and others). Discuss 2 decisions you would need to make in order to determine whether to launch into the online coupon marketplace.

Expect to take 2-3 pages (d.s., 12pt.) to address these questions. Include references if needed. Turn in to the dropbox by the due date specified for this assignment.

Case Analysis 5

If you let them build it, they will come

Read the Chapter 12 case on Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA.

Answer the questions below (not the questions in the textbook):

Differentiate between Kamprad’s leadership and management of his company.

What would you say is Kamprad’s leadership style, based on the many different styles described in the textbook?

How do these compare to your own leadership style, either in your organization or elsewhere? Even if you do not lead or manage in your professional career, take a critical look at your leadership skills and leadership style – how could it improve based on what you’ve learned?

Expect 2-3 pages (12pt, d.s.) turned into dropbox by the due date for Class Meeting 6.

Case Analysis 6

Driving Ford

Read the case in Chapter 15 on Alan Mulally’s restructuring of Ford Motor Co. Answer the questions below (different from the ones in the book):

Describe 3 issues in org. structure that Mulally encountered when he took over Ford and discuss how he addressed these issues.

What role do Ford’s strategy and goals play in forming its organizational structure?

What role does the business environment play in influencing Ford’s organizational structure?

Expect 2-3 pages of body, [12pt, d.s.] into Case Study 6 dropbox by the due date

Midterm Exam Organizational Behavior

This exam is open note and open book, but no collaboration is allowed.

Please answer 2 of the 3 short answer questions (your choice).

Indicate which question you are answering.

Expect to take 2-3 sentences to answer each.

Please answer 2 of the 3 essay questions (your choice).

Indicate which question you are answering.

Expect to take about 1 page (double spaced) to answer each.

Submit to the Assignment dropbox for “Midterm Exam” and check to ensure it was received before you leave.

SHORT ANSWER (pick 2 only) 5 points each:

Choose globalization, diversity OR ethics and briefly explain why it presents a major challenge to organizational behavior.

Use 3 of the many individual characteristics identified in Chapter 3 to describe an individual who would most likely be a strong performer in the workplace.

Provide an example of how both positive and negative reinforcement can be used in the workplace.

ESSAY (pick 2 only) 20 points each:

During an executive strategy meeting, your organization’s CEO tells you that you should do everything you can to improve Job Satisfaction so that employees will increase their Job Performance. You happen to know that studies show there is actually very little relationship between the two, but you’ve got to respond to your CEO. Prepare a response that explains why Job Satisfaction is important to the organization even though it might not lead to better Job Performance.

It’s the busy time of year at your organization. You have your entire team to plan to put in extra hours for the next 3 weeks. Discuss how Vroom’s Expectancy Theory can be used to be sure you are correctly motivating your employees.

The VP of Retail Sales at your organization has come to you with a problem. Retail Sales Associates across the company are complaining that their jobs are too intense, too broad, and there are too many responsibilities. There is evidence that the job duties are leading to an unusually high level of stressors and strains. Explain to your VP why and how job redesign could help the company to minimize stress.

Term Project

Term Project: This is your opportunity to go deeper into a very specific topicor issuecovered in the course. Teams of 2-3 studentswill be responsible to choose their own topic/issueof interest (and make sure it is approvedbytheinstructor). •The presentation is a mini-lecture ofmaximum10minutesthat will inform the rest of the class about your topicor issue.•ThepresentationMUST INCLUDEa visual aideand anactive-learningcomponent.•Your presentation should touch broadly on recent news, research and best practices related to your topic. •You may additionally choose to include anecdotal information from outside sources and even your own experiences, where applicable

Chapter presentation

Chapter Presentations: Teamsof 2-3 studentswill be responsible to prepare and present onemini-lecturethat provides a high level summaryand review of the information in one of our textbook chapters. Presentations will be assigned during our first class. Chapter Presentations will be too short to cover everything in the

3chapter, but instead should highlightimportantinformationandemphasize helpingthe class understand the material in the text.•Thepresentationmust include an applied view on how the chapter is relevant to an organization of your choice. •You musthighlight,defineanddiscussthetop5importanttermsinyourchapter•You are allowed a maximum of 10 slides(or frames) and 20minutes. Time is part of your grade! •Creating some sort ofvisual aid (Power Point,Prezi presentation, handout) is required.

Final Exam

SHORT ANSWER (pick 2 only)

1. Describe 3 ways that communication technology can impact organizational behavior.

2. Using French & Raven’s theory of interpersonal power, provide one specific, applied example of effective use of power and one specific, applied example of ineffective use of power.

ESSAY (pick 2 only):

1. Your city of 125,000 people has been awarded a federal grant to build a new community center and is trying to decide where to locate it. The groundbreaking for the new facility must occur within 3 months or the grant will be forfeited. The City Council, in cooperation with the city Mayor are having trouble agreeing on where the location should be. As an expert on organizational behavior, you have been called in to help mediate the decision. Determine who should make the decision (Mayor or City Council) and defend your answer by providing information on the advantages and disadvantages of using an individual vs. group process to make this decision.

2. Explain the distinction between incremental, strategic, and transformational changes and provide one example of each from one or more of the organizations discussed this term (e.g., Netflix, Groupon, IKEA, Ford, or your own organization) Note: the examples do not all have to come from the same organization.