INTRODUCTION TO
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
OB 6301 – PM Certificate (Classroom) 2002 - 2003
Dr. Joseph C. Picken Email: jpicken@utdallas.edu
Hoblitzelle 2,808 Phone (UTD office): (972) 883-4986
University of Texas at Dallas Fax (UTD office): (972) 883-6381
PO Box 830688 MS HH15 Phone: (McKinney office): (972) 562-5401
Richardson, TX 75083-0688
INTRODUCTION
The discipline of organizational behavior seeks to understand human behavior in organizations. The scope
is broad: one definition describes an organization as “a system of two or more persons, engaged in
cooperative action, trying to reach some purpose”; another describes organizations as “bounded systems
of social interaction featuring authority relations, communications systems and the use of incentives”.
Thus organizations might include families, businesses, churches, hospitals, etc.
This course will explore human behavior at the individual, group and organizational levels. The course
begins with a brief overview of the field and then addresses, in turn, organizational context, perception
and attitudes, motivation, group behavior, and the role of teams in organizations. The second half of the
course focuses on issues of leadership and management, including conflict, communications, decision-
making, power and political behavior, and organizational change.
The objective of the course is to provide you with a common vocabulary and a set of concepts and
theoretical frameworks that can be used to better understand and interpret things that happen in
organizations. It is useful to think of these as tools in your managerial tool kit. It is as important to
choose the right tool for the situation as it is to apply it correctly. In order to prepare you to use these
tools, we will use the text, readings and on-line lectures to introduce the concepts, and written case
analyses and teleconference discussions to demonstrate their use and application.
TEXT, READINGS & CASES
The course will be structured around the Champoux text, supplemented by readings chosen either to
provide additional depth or present contrasting points of view. Case analyses and discussions will be used
to illustrate the application of the concepts. All of the materials listed below are required and will be
provided by the program office.
(a) Text: Champoux: Organizational Behavior: Essential Tenets for a New Millenium (2/e), South-Western
College Publishing 2003. ISBN 0-324-11489-3 (Paperback)
(b) Readings: Natemeyer & McMahon: Classics of Organizational Behavior, Waveland Press, Inc. 2001.
ISBN 1-57766-172-9 (Paperback)
(c) Course Pack: Cases & selected readings
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
Several brief written assignments will be required in addition to the integrated assignments, as detailed in
the SESSION SUMMARY. Some of these will be individual assignments; others will be prepared as a
group assignment. Some will be graded; others will be for class participation credit only, as detailed
below under GRADING. Written assignments should be emailed to me at jpicken@utdallas.edu and will
be due on the dates and at the times indicated on the SESSION SUMMARY.
Late Paper Policy. Late papers turned in less than one week after the due date will be graded, but 10
points will be deducted from the grade. Late papers turned more than one week, but less than two weeks
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OB 6301 – Introduction to Organizational Behavior
Project Management Certificate 2002-2003
after the due date will be graded, but 15 points will be deducted from the grade. Late papers not received
within two weeks after the due date will receive a zero. I will grant you two “mulligans”. Each “mulligan”
will be worth a one week extension of the due date for an assignment. A mulligan must be requested more
than 24 hours prior to the date and time the paper is due. You may use one or both of your mulligans on
the same assignment. Once used, they are gone, so use them judiciously.
Format Guidelines. The body of each written assignment should comply with the page length guidelines
specified for the assignment. Page limits are established for two purposes: (a) to provide each of you with
about the same number of words within which to address the assignment; and (b) to encourage you to be
clear and concise in your writing. The use of charts and exhibits is encouraged, to the extent that they help
you make your points. Charts and exhibits should be numbered and appropriately referenced in the body of
the document. A list of references should be attached as required. Cover pages, charts or exhibits, and lists
of references are not included in the page count.
The manuscript should use 11-12 point type, double-spaced, with 1” margins all around. Appropriate titles
and section headings should be used. Number the pages, put the course and section number and your name
(names of all group members on group papers) at the top of each page and staple in the upper left corner.
Binders and report covers are neither necessary nor desired.
File Naming Convention. Papers should be emailed to me in MS Word format (Excel or Powerpoint exhibits
are OK). The file name should identify the course, assignment number and your name. For example:
“PM_CERT_ 6301_2_J Smith.doc” would identify John Smith’s written assignment #2.
Effective Communications. Effective written and oral communications are critically important in the
business world. It is equally important that students "put their best foot forward" in written assignments.
Papers should be written in a narrative style, unless otherwise indicated. The use of section headings,
bullets, numbered lists, etc. is recommended, as appropriate, to the extent that they help you to
communicate your message clearly and succinctly. Poor organization, convoluted sentence structures,
mangled grammar and misspelled words have no place in effective communications, and will be
considered in the evaluation of your work and ideas.
CASE ANALYSIS GUIDELINES
Written assignments and exams will often require the analysis of case situations. In addition, preparation
for class discussions will frequently require the analysis of a case situation. Case analysis assignments are
designed to evaluate and develop your skills in:
identifying key organizational issues (decisions or actions required in a given situation)
analyzing the situation (identifying problems; understanding the underlying causal factors; and
identifying and evaluating options)
recommending specific actions to address the key issues.
The following approach to case analysis is recommended:
Read the case quickly. Identify the key issues and decisions/actions required.
Decide what kind of recommendations should be made (and to whom)
Choose appropriate analytical tools/frameworks from those contained in the readings
Reread the case. Analyze the situation thoroughly
Draw logical conclusions based on your analysis
Make specific recommendations for action (what should be done, who should do it, when and in
what sequence).
In general, there are no “right” or “wrong” answers for a specific case – different approaches and insights
are possible, depending on your individual perspective and approach. Regardless of your approach and
conclusions, I expect you to make recommendations that: (1) address the identified issues; (2) follow
logically from your analysis and conclusions; and (3) make sense (are feasible) in the context of the case
situation.
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OB 6301 – Introduction to Organizational Behavior
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GRADING
Grading will be based on both integrated and course-specific assignments as detailed below. Integrated
assignments will comprise 50% of the total course grade; group case analysis assignments will comprise
35% of the course grade; with class participation accounting for 15% of the course grade. The class
participation grade will be based, in part, on five brief individual assignments. Contribution to class
discussions will also be considered as a factor in class participation.
Integrated Assignments # 3 and # 5 will be primary assignments for OB 6301 and will be focused
primarily on organizational behavior issues in the project management environment. Integrated
assignments #6 and #8 will be secondary assignments for OB 6301 and will have a secondary focus on
issues of organizational behavior. Grades on these assignments will be weighted accordingly in
determining your final grade in OB 6301.
ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION GROUP/ DUE DATE WEIGHT
INDIVIDUAL
1 Case: The Strategy that Wouldn’t Travel Individual 11/7/02 Participation
2 Cognitive Style Self Assessment Individual 11/7/02 Participation
3 Case: Karen Leary (A) Group 11/8/02 5%
4 Personal experiences with motivational techniques Individual 11/9.02 Participation
INTEGRATED #3 Primary Integrated Assignment: to be assigned Individual 12/12/02 20%
5 Case: Aston-Blair, Inc. Group 1/17/03 10%
6 Personal experience with teams in organizations Individual 1/17/03 Participation
INTEGRATED #5 Primary Integrated Assignment: to be assigned Individual 2/20/03 20%
INTEGRATED #6 Secondary Integrated Assignment: to be assigned Individual 3/20/03 5%
7 Case: Changing the Culture at British Airways Group 3/22/03 10%
8 Analysis of Organizational Change Individual 3/22/03 Participation
9 Case: General Electric: Jack Welch’s Second Wave Group 4/11/03 10%
INTEGRATED #8 Secondary Integrated Assignment: to be assigned Individual 5/8/03 5%
Class Participation Class Participation Credit Individual Entire Course 15%
TOTAL 100%
Grading criteria for individual and written assignments will include the following factors:
Fully addressed the requirements of the assignment
Quality of observations and insights
Effective application of course concepts and frameworks
Logical conclusions and recommendations
Effective communications
I will provide you with a written grade sheet and critique of each graded assignment. I will be looking for
evidence that you understand the models, frameworks and concepts provided in the readings and lectures
and are able to apply them effectively in your analysis of the problems or case situations. The discussion
questions provided for each case are provided to help you focus on the important issues. I expect you to
fully address each of the discussion questions in your response. Page limits and format guidelines will be
monitored; abuse will be noted in your communications grade.
GROUP WORK
You are encouraged to discuss the readings and cases for any of the assignments with your classmates, to
the extent you find it helpful in developing a full understanding of the material. Individual and integrated
assignments are to be prepared individually; group assignments are to be prepared as a group.
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OB 6301 – Introduction to Organizational Behavior
Project Management Certificate 2002-2003
OFFICE HOURS & CONSULTATIONS
I welcome the opportunity to interact with you individually in order to clarify assignments, review your
performance on specific assignments or address other issues of concern. I would recommend that you
initiate any such discussions by email. If you feel the need for a more direct discussion, we can set a
mutually convenient time for a phone call or arrange a face to face meeting in my office.
SESSION SUMMARY
Assignments for each of the eight sessions in this course are detailed in the table below
SESSION DATE ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
14 Thurs ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR: HISTORY/CONTEXT/ETHICS 1:00 – 2:00 Strategy
11/7/02 that Wouldn’t Travel
Champoux: Chapters 1-3
(PM) 2:00 – 3:00
Taylor: Principles of Scientific Management (Natemeyer: 3-18) Organizational Behavior:
Weber: Bureaucracy (Natemeyer 351-357) Key Questions/ History
Argyris: The Individual and the Organization (Natemeyer 358-374) 3:00 – 3:15 Break
Reitz, Wall & Love: Ethics in Negotiation: Oil and Water or Good Lubrication (HBS 3:15 – 4:15
Organizational Behavior:
BH004) Context/Ethics
Case: The Strategy that Wouldn’t Travel (HBR 96602) 4:15 – 4:45 Cognitive
Style Self-Assessment
Case Preparation: Following the case analysis guidelines (page 2 of the syllabus), address
the following questions:
1. What are the key issues facing Karen Jiminez at the end of the case?
2. What are the root causes of her dilemma?
3. What actions would you recommend?
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT #1 – Individual Assignment. Address the case preparation
questions in a 2-3 page outline form response. Submit to instructor by email
(jpicken@utdallas.edu) by 8:00 AM on Thursday, November 7, 2002 (class participation
credit)
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT # 2 – Individual Assignment. Complete the Cognitive Style
Self-Assessment (time provided during class) and turn in last page (only) to instructor
(class participation credit).
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Project Management Certificate 2002-2003
SESSION DATE ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
16 Friday INDIVIDUAL PERCEPTION/ATTITUDES & PERSONALITY/ 1:00 – 2:00
11/8/02 Perception/Attitudes
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND SOCIALIZATION
(PM) 2:00 – 3:00 Karen Leary
Champoux: Chapters 4-6 (A)
Hall: The Johari Window (Natemeyer (208-223) 3:00 – 3:15 Break
Hire for Attitude, Train for Skill (Fast Company Aug 1996) 3:15 – 4:00
Organizational Culture &
Case: Karen Leary (A ) (HBS 9-487-020) Socialization
Case Preparation: 4:00 – 4:45 Southwest
1. As general manager of the Elmville Branch, describe Karen Leary’s agenda, style and Airlines
effectiveness.
2. Describe Ted Chung’s agenda, style and effectiveness.
3. Why are Karen Leary and Ted Chung having a problem? (consider differences in
personal agenda, personality, and style, and organizational culture and socialization
processes)
4. What decisions should Karen Leary make about Ted Chung’s office request? Why?
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT #3 – Group Assignment. Address the case preparation
questions in a 2-3 page outline form response. Email to instructor
(jpicken@utdallas.edu) by 8:00 AM on Friday, November 8, 2002 (graded
assignment).
Case: Southwest Airlines: Using Human Resources for Competitive Advantage A &B
(HBS HR-1A, HR-1B)
Case Preparation:
1. What is the business strategy of Southwest Airlines?
2. How and why is SW successful with this business strategy?
3. How important are culture and socialization to the implementation of this strategy?
4. What challenges does SW face in the decade ahead? How would you address them?
18 Saturday MOTIVATION, REWARDS & JOB DESIGN 1:00 – 1:45 Motivation:
11/9/02 Need Theories
Champoux: Chapters 7-9 1:45 – 2:15 Motivation:
(PM)
Herzberg: One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees? (Natemeyer: 81-95) Cognitive & Behavioral
Kerr: On the Folly of Rewarding A while Hoping for B (Natemeyer 113-128) Theories
Latham & Locke: Goal Setting – a Motivational Technique that Works (Natemeyer 129-140) 2:15 – 3:00 Discussion of
personal experiences with
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT #4 – Individual Assignment. Prepare brief written movivational techniques.
summaries of two personal experiences with motivational techniques (1-2 paragraphs 3:00 – 3:15 Break
per experience). Select one example of the successful application of motivational 3:15 – 4:00 Intrinsic
techniques and one example where the motivational approach was unsuccessful. Email Rewards & Job Design
to instructor (jpicken@utdallas.edu) by 8:00 AM on Saturday, November 9, 2002 (Class 4:00 – 4:45 – Starbucks
participation credit). Case
4:45 – 5:00 Integrated
Discussion Preparation: Come to class prepared to discuss your experiences with Assignment #3
motivational techniques. I will select examples from your experiences for class
discussion.
Case: Starbucks (Fortune: December 9, 1996)
Case Preparation:
1. Apply the job characteristics model to Starbucks. What does the model reveal?
2. What other insights have you gained about Starbucks from this article?
INTEGRATED ASSIGNMENT #3 (Primary) Assigned: 11/9/02
Due: 12/12/02
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OB 6301 – Introduction to Organizational Behavior
Project Management Certificate 2002-2003
SESSION DATE ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
25 Thursday GROUPS & INTERGROUP PROCESSES 8:00 – 8:30 Discussion
1/16/03 of Readings
Champoux: Chapter 10 8:30 – 9:00 Model of
(AM)
Schein: Groups and Intergroup Relationships (Natemeyer 189-196) Team Effectiveness;
Tuckman & Jensen: Stages of Small Group Development (Natemeyer 241-251) Team Process
Observation Guide
Handout: Model of Team Effectiveness; Team Process Observation Guide; Seating Chart 9:00 – 9:15 Assignments
Film: Twelve Angry Men 9:15 – 10:00 Begin Film
Case Preparation: 10:00 – 10:15 Break
Discussion assignments based on the readings and handouts will be made prior to viewing 10:15 – 11:30
the film. You should be thoroughly familiar with the concepts and models presented in Film/Discussion
the Team Process Observation Guide. 11:30 – 12:00 Wrapup
Discussion
28 Friday TEAMS IN ORGANIZATIONS 1:00 – 2:00 Discussion
1/17/03 of Readings
Schein: Groups & Intergroup Relationships (Natemeyer 189-196) 2:00 – 3:00 Aston Blair
(PM)
Katzenbach & Smith: The Discipline of Teams (HBR 4428) Case
Handout: Outward Bound: Linking Teams to Their Organizations; Incorporating the 3:00 – 3:15 Break
External Perspective; External Strategies of Teams 3:15 – 3:45 Aston Blair
Case
Case: Aston-Blair, Inc. HBS 9-494-015
3:15 – 4:45 Class
Case Preparation: discussion of experiences
1. What are the problems facing Bacon at the end of the case? with teams in
2. What are the underlying causes and how did the problems evolve as a result? organizations
3. What actions would you recommend to Bacon and his sponsors at the end of the case?
Why?
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT #5 – Group Assignment. Address the case preparation
questions in a 5-7 page essay. Email to instructor (jpicken@utdallas.edu) by 8:00 AM
on Friday, January 17, 2003 (graded assignment)
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT # 6 – Individual Assignment. Briefly summarize (1-2
paragraphs each) two examples of your experiences with teams in organizations, with
particular focus on the management of external relationships with project sponsors, other
teams, project opponents, etc. Email to instructor (jpicken@utdallas.edu) by 8:00 am on
Friday, January 17, 2003. I will use these as the basis for class discussion (class
participation credit)
INTEGRATED ASSIGNMENT #5 (Primary) Assigned: 1/17/03
Due: 2/20/03
36 Saturday COMMUNICATIONS, DECISION-MAKING, POWER & POLITICAL BEHAVIOR 8:00 – 8:45
2/22/03 Champoux: Chapters 13-16 Organizational
Communications &
(PM) Krackhardt & Hanson: Informal Networks: The Company Behind the Chart (HBS 93406) Decision-Making
Salancik & Pfeffer: Who Gets Power – and How They Hold On to It (Natemeyer 303-320) 8:45 – 9:45 Decision-
Making Case
French & Raven: The Bases of Social Power (Natemeyer: 253-265)
9:45 – 10: 00 Break
Handout: Sources & Uses of Power (Miller & Dess)
10:00 – 10:45 Power &
Case: Decision Making at the Top: The All Star Sports Catalog Division (HBS 9-398-061) Political Behavior
Case Preparation: 10:45 – 12:00 Erik
Peterson Case
1. Analyze ASC’s decision process. Is it “broken” or does is function effectively?
2. What conclusions should ASC’s management team draw from each of the survey
instruments (Exhibits 4, 5, and 7) and the communications data (Exhibit 8)
3. Based on the information in the case, what recommendations would you make to
improve decision-making at ASC?
Case: Erik Peterson (A) (HBS 9-494-005)
Case Preparation:
1. Erik Peterson is the general manager of GMCT. How much power does he really
have? What are its sources? How effectively has he used his power?
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OB 6301 – Introduction to Organizational Behavior
Project Management Certificate 2002-2003
SESSION DATE ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
2. Who has real political power is this organization? Who are Erik’ allies and
supporters? How are they helping him? Who are his challengers? How are they
hurting him?
3. The environment is rife with conflict. What are Erik’s top five challenges. Analyze
the relationships and identify the sources of conflict.
4. What kinds of political strategies would you recommend to Erik?
INTEGRATED ASSIGNMENT # 6 (Secondary) Assigned: 2/22/03
Due: 3/20/03
42 Saturday LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT 1:00 – 2:00 Concepts of
3/22/03 Leadership
Champoux: Chapter 12 2:00 – 3:00 Changing the
(PM)
Kotter: What Leaders Really Do (HBR 90309) Culture at British
Airways
Kotter: Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail (HBR 95204)
3:00 – 3:15 Break
Case: Changing the Culture at British Airways (HBS 9-491-009) 3:15 – 3:45 Changing the
Case Preparation: Culture at British
Airways
1. Analyze the culture of BA in 1980 (see Champoux, Fig. 4.1). What are the external
3:45 – 4:45 Discussion of
artifacts; what values and basic assumptions underly the company’s culture? examples of
2. What were the pivotal events in the transformation of BA during the 1980’s? organizational change
Internal? External? How successful was the transformation?
3. Analyze Marshall’s leadership using Kotter’s model of transformational leadership.
What was done well? What was not?
4. The issues in the 1990’s are different. How well do you think BA’s culture will
serve the company in meeting these challenges?
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT # 7 – Group Assignment. Address the case preparation
questions in a 5-7 page essay. Email to instructor (jpicken@utdallas.edu) by 8:00 AM
on Saturday March 22, 2003 (graded assignment)
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT # 8 – Individual Assignment. Briefly analyze an
organizational change with which you are familiar (successful or unsuccessful) , using
Kotter’s process model. Prepare a brief (1-2 page) analysis in outline form and email to
instructor (jpicken@utdallas.edu) by 8:00 am on Saturday March 22, 2003. I will select
3 or four examples for class discussion. Be prepared to describe the situation and present
your analysis to the class in a 10-15 minute discussion.
45 Friday LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT: CURRENT PERSPECTIVES 8:00 – 9:00 Discussion:
4/11/03 What makes a good
Goffee & Jones: Why Should Anyone Be Led by You? (HBR R00506) leader?
(AM)
Goleman: Leadership that Gets Results (HBR R00204) 9:00 – 10:00 General
Electric Case
Kets deVries: The Dark Side of Entrepreneurship (HBR 85609)
10:00 - 10:15 Break
Case: General Electric: Jack Welch’s Second Wave (A) (HBS 9-391-248) 10:15 – 11:00 General
Case Preparation: Electric Case
11:00 – 12:00 Class
1. Analyze the evolution of Welch’s management style (using Goleman’s typology)
Discussion
and priorities from the time he assumed the position of CEO in 1981 until the end of
the case in 1991. Was the style consistent or did Welch adapt to the changing
situation? Support your analysis with specific examples from the cases.
2. Evaluate Welch’s performance as a transformational leader, using Kotter’s
framework. Could his performance have been improved?
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT # 9 – Group Assignment: Address the case preparation
questions in a 5-7 page essay. Email to instructor (jpicken@utdallas.edu) by 8:00 AM
on Friday, April 11, 2003.
INTEGRATED ASSIGNMENT #8 (Secondary) Assigned: 4/12/03
Due: 5/8/03
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