Mgt 201ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT
DESCRIPTION
The course presents an integrated approach to organizational concepts, management principles, philosophy, and theory in public and private organizations. The evolution of management thought, functions, and practices is covered, stressing present management approaches, systems theory, and quality improvement methods. Organizational behavior is emphasized.
OBJECTIVES
1. To review the body of knowledge in the field of organization, management, and leadership from various academic perspectives.
2. To examine how changes in modern societies are producing new concepts and practices in organization, management and leadership.
3. To engage students in applying this knowledge to their particular field of study, organization, and interests.
4. To experience the complexity of organizational behavior and the challenge of guiding it to serve some purpose.
INSTRUCTOR
Stuart A. Umpleby, Professor of Management Science and Director of the Research Program in Social and Organizational Learning (www.gwu.edu/~rpsol), 2033 K Street (entrance on 21st Street), Suite 230 (enter through Suite 240), tel: 202/994-1642, fax: 994-5284, email: umpleby@gwu.edu, http://www.gwu.edu/~umpleby.
REQUIRED TEXT
Ivancevich, John M. and Michael T. Matteson. Organizational Behavior and Management. Latest Edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Class notes are available at www.gwu.edu/~umpleby/mgt201. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
The principal requirements for the course are class participation, three short papers, and a group project.
1. Members of the class are expected to participate actively in the class discussions. As part of their class participation students, in teams of two, will make a presentation on the readings for that week. Presentations are 10 percent of the course grade. In addition, students are expected to make comments and ask questions via Blackboard. These discussions are 10 percent of the grade.
2. Three papers of two or three pages each are due early in the semester. They should be on topics related to the course and of interest to the student. Papers should combine personal experience and references to the text. Problem solving papers are preferred. Each paper is 10 percent of the grade.
3. Groups of three to five students will agree on a project which will improve the functioning of some organization. The project is the laboratory for the course. At the end of the semester the group will present both an oral and a written report describing: a) what the group accomplished; b) how what the group did illustrates concepts discussed in class; and c) how the group worked together. An evaluation by the client is required. Follow the directions on how to prepare the report, which can be found in the class notes, available on the web. Projects are 50 percent of the grade.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Course overview: syllabus, requirements, review of the text A brief introduction to the history of management thought Trends in management and the development of organizational behavior as a field Mode 1 and Mode 2 knowledge Process improvement methods as an example of Mode 2 knowledge
2. Introduction to the text Chapter 1 Fundamentals of process improvement
3. Organizational culture and individual differences Chapter 2 and 3 First short paper is due The law of requisite variety and intelligence amplification
4. Motivation Chapter 4 The red bead experiment
5. Evaluation, feedback and rewards Chapter 5 Description of group project and client is due Quality improvement tools, Five methods of systems analysis
6. Job design and stress Chapters 6 and 7 Second short paper is due An exercise in the Technology of Participation
7. Group behavior Chapter 8 Facilitative leadership vs. leadership in hierarchical organizations
8. Conflict and negotiation Chapter 9 Getting to Yes, veil of ignorance, principled negotiation vs. positional negotiation
9. Organizational power and politics Chapter 10 Kaizen, a comparison of Japanese and American approaches to management
10. Leadership Chapters 11 and 12 Third short paper is due Baldrige Award vs. Deming Prize
11. Communication Chapter 13 The nursing case study, a quality improvement priority matrix
12. Decision making Chapter 14 Discussion of corruption, globalization
13. Organizational structure and design Chapter 15 Beer’s Viable System Model
14. Organizational change Chapter 16 Ackoff’s interactive planning
15. Student group presentations Group reports are due |