WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY INSTRUCTOR: Afzal Rahim

BA 510 OFFICE HOURS: M 5:00–5:30 PM

ADV ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR OFFICE: GH 212
Fall 2009, GH 238 PHONE: 745–2499
Wednesday: 5:30–8:15 PM SECRETARY: Jennifer Melear
PHONE: 745–5408

OBJECTIVE

This course will give you an opportunity to learn the basic and advanced behavioral science
theories, concepts, and skills so that you may become effective managers in the future.

The methods used to achieve this goal are of two types: cognitive and experiential. Readings,
lectures, and discussions on relevant concepts and theories in the field will provide cognitive input.
The principal focus of the course will be on the role of the individual in interpersonal and group
setting. You will get an opportunity to apply and test the behavioral science concepts and theories
in your group. It is expected that this will facilitate your experiential learning.

This course is designed to help you to learn human behavior in organizations by gaining greater
insight into your personality, leadership, intelligence, conflict-handling styles, etc. It is expected
that when you know yourself better, you will be able to deal with others more effectively.

This course is designed to help the students to learn how to learn rather than simply learning from
the textbooks. The students will be encouraged to think creatively to deal with complex problems.

ASSIGNMENTS AND TESTS

The assignments will involve a group paper and an individual article review and case analysis, etc.
There will be five tests including a comprehensive final examination. The nature of assignments,
tests, and the basis of grading will be discussed in the first class. You are required to use the
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association in writing your paper. The style
guide other than the above is not acceptable. You are required to submit your assignments on time.
For late submission of an assignment or taking a test late, you will lose 1 point each day you are
late.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance is essential. There will be a bonus of 5 points for perfect attendance. You can earn upto
12 points for perfect attendance or lose 2 points each day for your absence.

TEXT

Greenberg, J., & Baron, R. A. (2008). Behavior in organizations (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall.
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OTHER READING MATERIALS: Business Week

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COURSE SCHEDULE

Day Date Description

W 9/2 INTRODUCTION
1. Course objective
2. Learning method
3. Design of the course
4. Getting acquainted
5. Organizational socialization

Reading: Psychological Contract

Simulation: Lost on the Moon

W 9/9 I. ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND MANAGEMENT

1. What is the field of organizational behavior all about?
2. Development of management thought
3. Managerial work and roles
4. Organizational behavior and change
5. Method of studying organizational behavior
6. Introduction to organizational learning

Reading: Chapter 1 & Appendix 1

Review of an article on organizational learning
Case in point (pp. 38–39)

W 9/16 II. PERSONALITY, ATTITUDES, & INTELLIGENCE

W 9/23 1. Nature of personality, attitudes, skills, and abilities
2. Factors influencing personality
3. Theory and measure of personality
4. Personality, behavior, satisfaction, and performance
5. Various forms of intelligence

Reading: Chaptersw 4 & 6

Measurement: Demographics and Personality (9/16)
Measurement: Emotional Intelligence (9/23)
Measurement: SI–Self & SI–Supervisor (9/23)
Case in point (p. 166)

W 9/30 III. PERCEPTION AND ATTRIBUTION

1. Social perception & social identity
2. Perceptual errors
3. Perceptual organization
3. Behavior & Attribution
4. Implications for management
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Reading: Chapter 3
Review of an article on Perception and Attribution
Measurement: Social Desirability Responding
Case in point (pp. 130–131)

W 10/7 VIII. LEADERSHIP

W 10/14 1. Trait theory
2. Behavioral theories
3. Contingency theory
4. Path–goal theory
5. Transformational leadership
6. Emerging leadership theories

Reading: Chapters 13
Movie: The Challenge of Leadership (10/7)
Measurement: Transformational Leadership (10/14)
Measurement: Managerial Behavior and Firm Performance
Case in point (pp. 496–497)

W 10/21 V. MOTIVATION
W 10/28 1. Content theories (Maslow, Herzberg, McClelland)
2. Process theories (Expectancy, Equity, Goal setting, &
Reinforcement theory)
3. Motivation through job design

Reading: Chapter 7
Measurement: Job Descriptive Index (10/21)
Measurement: Organizational Justice Inventory (10/28)
Article review on motivation (Due 10/21)
Case in point (pp. 285–286)

W 11/4 IV. EMOTIONS AND STRESS

1. Nature of emotions and stress
2. Causes or Sources of stress
3. Moderators of stress
4. Effects of stress (strain: job burnout)
5. Managing stress

Reading: Chapter 5
Movie: Managing Stress
Case in point (p. 199)
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W 11/11 VI. CONFLICT

W 11/18 1. Defining and classifying conflict
2. Amount of conflict
3. Styles of handling interpersonal conflict
4. Managing conflict: An integrated model

Chapter 11
Reading: IJCM article http://ssrn.com/abstract=437684
Group paper (Due, 11/18)
Movie: Groupthink (10/11)
Measurements: Organizational Conflict (11/11)
Measurements: Conflict Styles (11/18)
Case Analysis: Minnis Service (Due, 11/18)
Simulation: Transactional Analysis (11/18)

W 12/2 VII. POWER AND POLITICS

1. Nature of power
2. Bases of leader power
3. Structural and situational power
4. Strategic contingency theory
5. Political behavior & ethics

Reading: Chapter 12
Movie: Obedience
Measurements: Bases of Leader Power
Case in point (p. 496–497)

W 12/9 IX. ORGANIZATIOL LEARNING, CULTURE,

CREATIVITY, AND INNOVATION
1. Organizational learning (cognitive and behavioral)
2. Individual versus organizational learning
3. Factors which encourage organizational learning

Reading: Chapter 14
Case study on learning organization
Case in point (p. 580)

W 12/9 COURSE REVIEW

W 12/16 FINAL EXAMINATION (7:00 pm)
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BASIS OF GRADING

Assignments and Tests Points

1. Article review (a review of 1–2 pages, Due 10/21) 20

2. Case analysis (a case of 1–2 pages, Due 11/18) 20
3. Group paper (Due 11/18) 50
4. Mini-tests 100
6. Comprehensive final exam (12/16) 50
7. Tests/Assignments 20
8. In-class Simulations 30
9. Class participation and attendance 20
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310
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Points Grade

90% A
80% B
70% C
60% D
Below 60% F

NATURE OF ASSIGNMENTS

New Concept Paper and Article Review

The instructor must approve the topic for your paper by September 9. You should consult on-line
index PsycINFO to select a topic for your paper. You are required to perform a review of empirical
studies published during 2000–09 on a new concept relating to organizational behavior. In your
paper, you are required to provide a detailed discussion of the following:

1. Importance of the new concept for management

2. Nature, definition, and dimensions (types) of the new concept
3. Relationship between the concept and job performance or effectiveness
4. Discussion which should include Conclusions, Implications for management, Directions for
future research, and Limitations of the existing studies.

You are required to turn in a paper of 12–15 pages (typed in double space), including the title and
reference pages. You are required to use Word 2007 to prepare your assignments. You are required
to use the following professional journals on management and organizational behavior to prepare
your article review and new concept paper.

Academy of Management Executive

Academy of Management Journal
Academy of Management Review
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Administrative Science Quarterly

American Psychologist
California Management Review
Decision Sciences
Human Relations
International Journal of Conflict Management
International Journal of Organizational Analysis
Journal of Applied Behavioral Science
Journal of Applied Psychology
Journal of Business Communication
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
Journal of International Business Studies
Journal of Management
Journal of Management Studies
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Journal of Social Psychology
Management International Review
Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes
Organizational Behavior Teaching Review
Organization Science
Sloan Management Review
Psychological Bulletin
Psychological Review

Case Analysis

The cases in this course are intended to enable the students to learn how to deal with different
behavioral problems in an organization. You are required to work on the following aspects of a
case:

1. Recognition of the major and minor problems of a company or one or more of its subsystems.
2. Detailed analyses of the above problems.
3. Recommendations for alternative courses of action.