MGMT 610 Organizational Behavior & Communication (3 Credits)

About the Course

Application of behavioral science concepts within a Christian ethics framework. The emphasis is on the behavioral and communication aspects of individuals and groups for better organizational performance. Topics of interest include perception, values, attitude, motivation, group behavior, communication, leadership, power, politics, conflict, organizational culture, and organizational change. The course links behavioral understanding of individuals and groups in developing effective communication strategies.

Who Needs This Course?

• • Graduate Students
    • MBA Core
    • MSA Core
  • Business professionals
  • Employees working in an organization
  • Organizational members who wish to learn more about individual/group behaviors.

Time Investment

At least 3-5 hours/week for approximately 2 months

Required Textbook

Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2023). Organizational behavior (19th ed.). Harlow, England: Pearson Education Limited. Print ISBN: 9780137474646, 0137474644, eText ISBN: 9780137687206, 0137687206 [Kindle]

NOTE: You can buy this textbook should you decide to have a personal copy of this reference material.

Course Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, the students will be able to:

1. Understand the impact of both innate and learned individual characteristics (e.g., personality, emotional intelligence), and how these factors do and do not shape behaviour.
2. Learn how organizations shape employee attitudes, and how this in turn shapes performance.
3. Analyse and improve the motivation of subordinates and team members.
4. Anticipate and manage dysfunctional interpersonal conflict.
5. Develop effective strategies for designing jobs and providing feedback to employees
6. Adapt communication and leadership style to specific work situations; provide practical and useful guidelines to successfully lead and manage.
7. Understand that most managerial issues are multi-faceted and not always quickly resolved by the latest management fad; that management skills are not necessarily intuitive or obvious.
8. Understand the framework and fundamentals of organizational behaviour as the foundation for building and sustaining high performance and effectiveness.
9. Focus on ‘best practices’ about leading and managing methods which are critical success factors for continuous individual and organizational high performance. 
10. Demonstrate the ability to analyse and apply critical thinking and learning skills related to ‘real life’ problems and situations; and identify/apply structures, processes and methods that can improve individual and group performance and business effectiveness.

Topics to Cover

Unit 1: What is Organizational Behavior?
        Diversity in Organizations

Unit 2: Attitudes & Job Satisfaction
        Emotions & Moods
        Personality & Values

Unit 3: Perception & Individual Decision Making
        Motivation Concepts
        Motivation: From Concepts to Application

Unit 4: Review and Midterm Exam

Unit 5: Foundations of Group Behavior
        Understanding Work Teams
        Communication

Unit 6: Leadership
        Power & Politics
        Conflict & Negotiation

Unit 7: Foundations of Organizational Structure
        Organizational Culture

Unit 8: Human Resources Policies & Practices
        Organizational Change & Stress Management

Unit 9: Review and Final Exam