MANAGEMENT SKILLS, Spring 2015

FACULTY INFORMATION:
Professor Terri R. Kurtzberg, PhD
Management & Global Business Department
100 Rockafeller Road, Room 2155 (Little Foot)
Piscataway, NJ 08854-8054
Phone: (848) 445-4457
Email (preferred method of contact): tk@business.rutgers.edu
Office Hours: Mondays 5-6pm & Tuesdays 12:15-1:15pmplease arrange ahead of time
COURSE INFORMATION:
Section Number: 33:620:302:02
Day/Dates: Tuesdays (1/20/15 4/28/15)
Time: 1:40pm 4:40pm
Location: 100 Rock, Room 1144 (Livingston Campus)

COURSE OVERVIEW:
This course focuses on specific concepts and critical skills for individuals to:
Work more effectively with others in organizations
Work well in teams
Lead teams and organizations successfully
This course will explore material through each reading about and discussing the fundamental
concepts and theories of organizational behavior (and related disciplines), analyzing and
applying the concepts to real business issues, and participating in skill-building activities
(both individually and in teams) designed to enhance individual proficiencies in those areas
deemed most relevant by scholars, business leaders, recruiters, and human resource professionals
to be critical to success in todays workplace.
This course is designed to complement Management 301 (Introduction to Management).
Management is about getting the right work done well. In Management 302, we will focus
on getting the right work done well by exploring essential personal and interpersonal skills that
include: self-awareness, appreciation and mobilization of others, problem-solving, and reaching
agreement. In Management 301, students will explore the right work to be done (strategic
management, managing organizational design, and the creation of a positive and productive work
environment). Management 302 can be taken either prior or subsequent to Management 301.
There are no prerequisites for this course.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THIS COURSE:

By the end of this course, it is expected that you will:

Possess a more complete understanding of the essential skills of successful managers

Increase your awareness about your own managerial skills

Be able to better understand and work more effectively with others

Be positioned to work more effectively in teams, as leaders and members

Be able to leverage the skills you have practiced in this course both to facilitate academic
performance in other courses (especially those that require group project work) and to
enhance future work performance, including both internships and real jobs after
graduation, with the goal of ultimately improving professional and personal success

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS:

1) Course Packet (CP) We will be using a customized course packet that consists of a set of
readings designed specifically for this course. The course packet is $129.95 and is available
for purchase from University Publishing (www.upublishing.com). You can purchase the
course packet directly and have it shipped to you via the following link: http://ow.ly/H6WDZ
For questions regarding the purchasing of the course packet or course exercises, please
contact University Publishing directly at info@upublishing.com.
2)

Assessments Three online self-assessments are available for this course. Please
copy-and-paste (or type) these links into your web browser to complete the assessments:
The MBTI assessment link: http://bit.ly/1wdUffJ (Please complete this in advance of Class 3
so your team can review the results at that time.)
The EQ assessment link: http://s.mhs.com/g7Q2C
The TKI assessment link: http://bit.ly/1BBeW8G

3)

Additional Readings and Assignments - To be handed out in class or posted on

Blackboard.

Blackboard: https://blackboard.rutgers.edu
Blackboard is the primary course management tool for this course. Make sure that you have
access to Blackboard and that you get all announcements and emails sent through that system.
Assignments, announcements, some readings, and other important information will be posted
there. NOTE: If there are weather-related issues, Blackboard is where I will post updates on
whether or not our regularly scheduled class will change in any way, no later than noon on the
day of class.
2

COURSE GRADE:
The course grade you earn will be comprised of the following components:
Individual
Team

Class Participation / Written Work

Midterm Exam (in-class, closed book)
Take-Home Final Exam
Organization-Analysis Project
TOTAL

30%
20%
20%
30%
100%

EXAMS:
Midterm Exam (closed book, multiple choice and short-answer): You will be responsible for all
assigned readings (whether covered in class or not) and all material covered in class, including
cases, readings, assignments, activities, and exercises.
No make-up examinations will be given for a missed in-class examination. Failure to show up
for an examination will result in a 0 and will be factored into the final course grade as
calculated above. Extenuating circumstances (which are very few) must fall under the definition
of an acceptable and authenticated absence, as described in Section 60.14f of the University
Regulations manual.
Final Exam (take-home): The final exam will be cumulative, but with more emphasis on the
material covered in the second half of the class. It will focus on demonstrating your ability to
apply the material in the course and analyze your experiences in an effective and sophisticated
manner.
CLASS PARTICIPATION and WRITTEN WORK (30%):
Participation (5%): Your attendance is critical and is necessary in order for you to participate in
class. In addition to being present, your involvement in the class is crucial. The level and quality
of your participation will be demonstrated by your engagement in class activities and the extent
to which you thoughtfully, consistently, and actively contribute to class discussions.
Please also note that I will use a predominantly cold-calling process in class. Your name sign is
required to be out in all class sessions.
Note: Repeated tardiness and/or more than two class absences will cause you to incur a penalty
towards your final course grade. Be prepared ahead of time for a lot of work: it is expected that
this course will require 5-6 hours per week outside of class to complete readings, homework,
project work, and studying.
The end of every class will require you to write a one minute memo to me with your thoughts
and observations about the days lessons. This will help me to stay in touch with your ideas about
the course content.

Individual Written Work (25%):

1. Case Study Questions for all 6 cases (12 points): A one-paragraph hard-copy answer will be
required in every class with a Case Study in it. These are worth 2 points each and unless I see a
serious problem, they will be graded on a pass-fail basis.

(Class 2) Case #1: Harry and the Learning Team: Whose responsibility is/are the
problems occurring in the Learning Team #28? As part of your answer, justify why you
think the responsibility lies in the hands of the party/parties you have chosen and not the
other individual(s) involved in this case.
(Class 3) Case #2: Bobs Meltdown: Of the three main characters in the case Jay, Bob,
and Annette who would you say was the most responsible for Bobs meltdown and
why? Post Meltdown what do each of these three characters need to do to manage the
aftermath?
(Class 6) Case #3: Michael Simpson: What issues of fairness are present in the Michael
Simpson case? Why does this lead to poor motivation in employees?
(Class 10) Case #4: Best of Intentions: Do you think Cynthia should offer the job to
Steve? Do you think he should accept it if offered? Why or why not? What should each
do to help make this decision? What should the company and each person do to ensure
that Steve succeeds if he is in the new job?
(Class 11) Case #5: Cardiotronics: What solutions do you suggest? Why?
(Class 12) Case #6: Karen Leary: What kinds of conflict do you see occurring in this
situation? What might you suggest be done to start to resolve these issues?

2. Class 5: Values Assignment (8 points)

Instructions: Please read the article called Clarifying Your Values (in the course packet).
Then, answer the following questions. Note: Your submission should be 2-3 double-spaced
pages in length (1 inch margins and font size 12).
1. The Clarifying Your Values reading provides a list of core values (in a table towards the
end). Identify three to five values that are most important to you and explain how these
values have influenced key decisions you have made in your life.
2. Describe an ethically challenging situation that you experienced in which you spoke up,
and one in which you did not speak up. What did you do (or not do), and what was the
result in each case? What factors (e.g., individual, situational, organizational) were
present that influenced whether or not you spoke up? How did you feel based on the
outcome of each situation?
3. Class 10: Teams Skills Analysis Assignment (5 points). To be posted on Blackboard after the
Team Skills Special Session.
TEAM PROJECT (30%): Please see separate Team Project Document for all details related to
this project. It is posted under Assignments on Blackboard.
5

CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE AND EXPECTATIONS:

It is expected that all students will conduct themselves in professional manner. This means:

Treating all classmates and the course instructor with respect

Arriving on time for class and avoiding early departures

NO use of cell phones, laptops, tablets, or other electronic instruments or recording

devices during class

Failure to comply with these expectations may cause you to incur a penalty to your grade.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
There is a University-wide policy on academic integrity, and in this course, integrity is
paramount. You are expected to conduct yourself with integrity and honesty in all aspects of your
work at Rutgers. In this regard, it is important that you read the policy on Academic Integrity at
Rutgers University: http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/policy-on-academic-integrity.
It is also expected that you will abide by the universitys honor pledge. he honor pledge is to be
written and signed on all examinations and major course assignments submitted for grading:
On my honor, I have neither received nor given any unauthorized assistance on this
examination (assignment).

Date
Class 1
1/20
Class 2
1/27
Class 3
2/3

Topic
Overview

Readings
None

Building
Teams
Norms
Roles
EQ
Personality

Ch: Understanding Work Teams

Case Study 1: Harry & Learn
Team
Team Handbook: C15-C30
Article: What Makes a Leader
Ch: Psych. Processes in Orgs
Case Study #2: Bobs Meltdown
Ch: Managing Diversity
Article: Managing Cultural Div.

In-Class
Marshmallow Tower
Silicon Creations
Case discussion
Team Assignments
and introductions

Assignments Due
Purchase Course Packet
(Release Form in class)
MBTI and EQ Online
Assessments Completed
CSQ#1

Case Study
Discussion
Team MBTI session
Island of Diedra
Multicult. Video
(Virtual) Communic.
Values Interview
Missed Promotion

CSQ#2

Class 4
2/10

Diversity

Class 5
2/17

Values
Fairness

Class 6
2/24

Motivation
Feedback

Class 7
3/3

Midterm

Class 8
3/10

No class
(see below)

--

--

SPECIAL
3/13
Class 9
3/24

TEAMS
SESSION
Influence
Persuasion

NONE

9:30-12:30
RAC on Livingston
12 Angry Men
Vanatin Role Play

Class 10
3/31

Individual
Problem
Solving
Group
Problem
Solving

Class 11
4/7
Class 12
4/14

Conflict

Class 13
4/21
Class 14
4/28

Negotiations

Ch: Clarifying Whats Important

Article: Giving Voice to Values
Article: Values-Workplace Ethics
Ch: Motivation Concepts
Ch: The Not-So-Secret Ingredient
Case Study #3: Michael Simpson
Team Handbook: C31-C33, C6C13
NONE

Ch: Soc. Infl, Pers. Grp Dec.

Article: Harness. Sci Persuasion
Article: Nec. Art of Persuasion
Ch: Decision Making
Article: Hidden Traps Dec. Mkg
Case Study 4: Best of Intentions
Ch: Problem-Solving
Article: Dec. Mkg. in Orgs.
Team Handbook: S16-S23
Case Study 5: Cardiotronics
Article: Taking Stress Out Conv.
Article: Conflict Impt. Dimens.
Case Study 6: Karen Leary
Ch: Negotiations
Article: Six Habits Eff. Neg.

Gallery
Walk

Team Norms Contracts

Due (T1)
Individual Values
Assignment

Fish Video
Case Study
discussion

Team Project Overview

Due (T2)-record
session?
CSQ#3

TEAM Feedback 1

1-page individual
feedback for team (T3);
group disc. in class
Team Feedback Write-up
(T3) HARD COPY
DUE BY 5pm (under
my office door)
--

Case Discussion
Decision-Making
Quiz
Case Study
Discussion
UA 173
Case Discussion
Role Play
TEAM Workshop
The Player
TEAM Feedback 2

Team Skills Assignment

(assignment posted after
session)
Team Project Update
(T4)
CSQ#4
CSQ#5

TKI inventory
CSQ#6
Final Team Paper (T5)
(In class worksheet)
Final Team Poster (T6)
Take-Home Final due