3 Semester Credit Hours

Course Description

In nature, there are rules and formulas that technologists, scientists, and engineers learn that describe the "big picture," or "rules of thumb," which articulate the interconnection between various measurable properties of a system. These formulas are known as Equations of State.

This course focuses on another kind of interconnected system, the corporate organization, and will deliver the rules and formulas which describe this system in terms and concepts that can be utilized to manage organizational behavior, development, and change.  

The course covers the theory and practice of making organizations more effective by changing individual attitudes and behaviors, group relationships, and organizational cultures. Students will gain an understanding of organizations—how they work, and the people in them. Theory and models of organizational behavior; individual, interpersonal, and group dynamics; influence; motivation; communication; change and change management; and organization climate will be presented.

Prerequisites

Admitted status or Chair permission

Course Objectives

Students will:

• Explore organizational structures, communication, culture, and dynamics
• Learn how organizations function or dysfunction
• Understand the human side of the enterprise
• Learn how to plan for, cope with, and manage change
• Learn how the various business units and business functions interact, interconnect, depend on each other, and negotiate with each other
• Develop a context for the remaining courses and MBA experience

Course Topics

The following topics will be covered in the order given.

• Introduction to the MBA program and to this course
• Overview of organizations and management
• Historical background
• Workforce diversity
• Quality management
• Technology, organizations, and management
• The global environment of organizations
• Theories of ethics
• Managing for ethical behavior
• International aspects of ethics
• Perception
• Attitudes
• Personality
• Organizational culture
• Diagnosing organizational culture
• Creating, maintaining, and changing organizational culture
• Organizational socialization
• Stages of organizational socialization
• Need theories of motivation
• Cognitive and behavioral theories and techniques
• Intrinsic rewards and job designs
• Groups in organizations
• Model of cohesive group formation
• Electronic groups and self-managing teams
• Stages of group development
• Conflict in organizations
• Conflict episodes
• Conflict and negotiation
• Conflict management model
• Leadership and management
• Theories of leadership
• Alternative views of leadership
• Other aspects of leadership and management
• Communication in organizations
• Types of communication
• Functions and dysfunctions of organizational communication
• Listening and active listening
• Improving communication in organizations
• Decision making and problem solving
• Decision-making models
• Group decision making
• Contaminants of decision making
• Improving decision making in organizations
• Power
• Political behavior
• The dark side of organizational politics
• Organizational change
• Planned organizational change
• Resistance to change
• Organizational development

Technical Requirements

There are no additional software or application requirements for this course. You will be required to have Windows Media Player to view the lectures. For the standard technical requirements, please go to the link below: http://www.waldenu.edu/c/Files/DocsGeneral/Getting_Started_Guide.pdf

Textbooks

Required: Organizational Behavior: Integrating Individuals, Groups and Organizations, Joseph Champoux, 3rd edition, ISBN: 0-324-32079-5, 2006, South-Western, Thomson Learning.

Disclaimer: The course syllabus may differ slightly  from this course. Descriptions will be provided in your online course. Textbook information is provided only to give more information about the course.  Do Not use this information to purchase a textbook.  Up-to-date information will be provided when you register.