BUS 5113-01 Organizational Theory and Behavior -

AY2023-T3
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Syllabus

BUS 5113: Organizational Theory and Behavior

Credits: 3

Course Description: This course is designed to expose the student to the fundamental principles with which to understand human behavior
inside public organizations. The course examines various theories developed in an attempt to explain and predict employee behavior in an
organizational context. This course investigates individual and interpersonal behavior in organizations, including personality, decision-
making, personal perceptions, teamwork, conflict, leadership, power, ethics, and influence. In addition, this course seeks to analyze
organizational-level factors affecting behavior, including change management, internal reward systems, culture, and organizational
communication.

Required Textbook and Materials: UoPeople courses use open educational resources (OER) and other materials specifically donated to the
University with free permissions for educational use. Therefore, students are not required to purchase any textbooks or sign up for any
websites that have a cost associated with them. The main required textbooks for this course are listed below and can be readily accessed
using the provided links. There may be additional required/recommended readings, supplemental materials, or other resources and websites
necessary for lessons; these will be provided for you in the course's General Information and Forums area, and throughout the term via the
weekly course Unit areas and the Learning Guides.

Laegaard, J., & Bendslev, M. (2006). Organizational theory. Ventus Publishing & Bookboon. Download the PDF Version.

Software Requirements/Installation: No special requirements.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Examine fundamental theories and concepts developed to explain human behavior inside organizations.
2. Explain individual, group, ethical and organizational behaviors within the workplace.
3. Articulate insight developed into individual strengths, interpersonal dynamics and organizational influence on employee behavior.
4. Evaluate the theoretical concepts related to motivating personnel and effective leadership as a basis for developing a philosophy of
management and leadership.
Course Schedule and Topics: This course will cover the following topics in eight learning sessions, with one unit per week.

Week 1: Unit 1 - Introduction to Organizational Theory and Behavior

Week 2: Unit 2 - Attitudes, Perceptions, and Behaviors

Week 3: Unit 3 - Employee Motivation

Week 4: Unit 4 - Organizational Communication

Week 5: Unit 5 - Organizational Conflict

Week 6: Unit 6 - The Art of Working with Teams

Week 7: Unit 7 - Leadership, Power, and Ethical Behavior

Week 8: Unit 8 - Organizational Culture and Change

Learning Guide: The following is an outline of how this course will be conducted, with suggested best practices for students.

Unit 1: Introduction to Organizational Theory and Behavior

Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment

Introduce Yourself to your classmates in the Course Forum
Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum
Respond to three of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum
Complete and submit the Written Assignment

Unit 2: Attitudes, Perceptions, and Behaviors

Peer-assess Unit 1 Written Assignment

Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum
Respond to three of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum
Complete and submit the Written Assignment
Complete and submit the Portfolio Assignment

Unit 3: Employee Motivation

Peer-assess the Unit 2 Written Assignment

Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum
Respond to three of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum
Complete and submit the Written Assignment
Complete and submit the Portfolio Assignment

Unit 4: Organizational Communication

Peer-assess Unit 3 Written Assignment

Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum
Respond to three of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum
Complete and submit the Written Assignment
Complete and submit the Portfolio Assignment

Unit 5: Organizational Conflict

Peer-assess Unit 4 Written Assignment

Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum
 Respond to three of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum
Complete and submit the Written Assignment
Complete and submit the Portfolio Assignment

Unit 6: The Art of Working with Teams

Peer-assess Unit 5 Written Assignment

Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum
Respond to three of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum
Complete and submit the Written Assignment
Begin Group Activity - Due Unit 7

Unit 7: Leadership, Power, and Ethical Behavior

Peer-assess Unit 6 Written Assignment

Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum
Respond to three of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum
Complete and submit the Written Assignment
Complete and Submit the Group Activity

Unit 8: Organizational Culture and Change

Peer-assess Unit 7 Written Assignment

Read through the Learning Guide and the Reading Assignment
Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum
Respond to three of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum
Complete and submit the Portfolio Assignment
Complete the Course Evaluation

Course Requirements:

Discussion Assignments & Response Posts/Ratings

Some units in this course require that you complete a Discussion Assignment. You are required to develop and post a substantive response
to the Discussion Assignment in the Discussion Forum. A substantive response is one that fully answers the question that has been posed by
the instructor.

In addition, you must extend the discussion by responding to at least three of your peers’ postings in the Discussion Forum.

Discussion Forums are only active for each current and relevant learning week, so it is not possible to contribute to the forum once the
learning week has come to an end. Failure to participate in the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum as required may
result in failure of the course.

Written Assignments & Assessment Forms

Some units in this course require that you complete a Written Assignment. Assignments can vary in type: short papers, research-based, case
studies, and the like. You are required to submit your assignments by the indicated deadlines and in addition, to peer-assess three of your
classmates’ assignments according to provided instructions. During this peer-assessment, you are expected to provide details in the
feedback section of the assignment’s Specimen Assessment Form, indicating why you awarded the grade that you did to your peer. Failure to
submit assignments and/or peer-assessments may result in failure of the course.

Any materials cited in this course should be referenced using the style guidelines established by the American Psychological Association
(APA). The APA format is widely used in colleges and universities across the world and is one of several style and citation formats required for
publication in professional and academic journals. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a free website that provides excellent
information and resources for understanding and using the APA format and style. The OWL website can be accessed here:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html
Group Activities

During this course, you will be required to complete work as part of a small group. Group work is an important component of your
coursework, allowing you to deepen relationships with classmates, get a more thorough understanding of the topics and it mimics the
business environment in which projects are often conducted in small teams across different departments. Unless otherwise noted, you will be
randomly assigned to groups and are expected to work with your teammates throughout the term.

Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities are tools for self-reflection and evaluation within the context of the course. These activities are designed as a means to
document and reflect upon your learning process and critical thinking skills. Ideally, you will draw from your experiences inside and outside
of the classroom, as well as what you’ve learned in other courses, to showcase your overall growth and examine ways in which you can
continue to develop and sharpen your professional goals.

Portfolio activities may prove helpful to you when you take the Capstone course near the end of your program. Be sure to keep these
assignments in a place where you can reference them at a later point.

Course Forum

The Course Forum is the place to raise issues and questions relating to the course. It is regularly monitored by the instructors and is a good
place to meet fellow students taking the same course. While it is not required to participate in the Course Forum, it is highly recommended.

Course Policies:

Grading Components and Weights

Each graded component of the course will contribute some percentage to the final grading scale, as indicated here:

Portfolio Activities 25%

Discussions 20%
Written Assignments 30%
Group Activities 25%
TOTAL 100%

Grading Scale
This course will follow the standard 100-point grading scale defined by the University of the People, as indicated here:

Letter Grade Grade Scale Grade Points

A+ 98-100 4.00
A 93-97 4.00
A- 90-92 3.67
B+ 88-89 3.33
B 83-87 3.00
B- 80-82 2.67
C+ 78-79 2.33
C 73-77 2.00
C- 70-72 0.00
D+ 68-69 0.00
D 63-67 0.00
D- 60-62 0.00
F Under 60 0.00
CR N/A N/A
NC N/A N/A
NF N/A N/A
W N/A N/A
Grade Appeal
If you believe that the final grade you received for a course is erroneous, unjust, or unfair, please contact your course instructor. This must be
done within seven days of the posted final grade. For more information on this topic, please review the Grade Appeal Procedure in the
University Catalog.

Participation
Non-participation is characterized by lack of any assignment submissions, inadequate contributions to the Discussion Forums, and/or lack of
peer feedback to Discussion/Written Assignments. Also, please note the following important points about course participation:

Assignments must be submitted on or before the specified deadline. A course timeline is provided in the course schedule, and the
instructor will specify deadlines for each assignment.
Any student showing non-participation for two weeks (consecutive or non-consecutive) is likely to automatically fail the course.
Occasionally there may be a legitimate reason for submitting an assignment late. Most of the time, late assignments will not be accepted
and there will be no make-up assignments.
All students are obligated to inform their instructor in advance of any known absences which may result in their non-participation.

Academic Honesty and Integrity

If and when you submit any work that requires research and writing, it is essential to cite and reference all source material. Failure to properly
acknowledge your sources is known as “plagiarism” – which is effectively passing off an individual’s words or ideas as your own. University of
the People adheres to a strict policy of academic honesty and integrity. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in sanctions by the
University, including dismissal from the University or course failure. For more information on this topic, please review the Academic Integrity
Policy in the University Catalog.

Any materials cited in this course should be referenced using the style guidelines established by the American Psychological Association
(APA). The APA format is widely used in colleges and universities across the world and is one of several style and citation formats required for
publication in professional and academic journals. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a free website that provides excellent
information and resources for understanding and using the APA format and style. The OWL website can be accessed
here: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

Code of Conduct
University of the People expects that students conduct themselves in a respectful, collaborative, and honest manner at all times. Harassment,
threatening behavior, or deliberate embarrassment of others will not be permitted.

Any conduct that interferes with the quality of the educational experience is not allowed and may result in disciplinary action, such as course
failure, probation, suspension, or dismissal. For more information on this topic, please review the Code of Conduct Policy in the University
Catalog.

Last modified: Wednesday, 12 January 2022, 12:12 PM

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