Organizational Behavior (W.)

Course objectives

• Understand organizational behavior and its importance
• Study theories of employee motivation
• Explain why groups and teams are essential contributors to organizational effectiveness
• Appreciate the challenges of managerial decision making
• Study the types of organizational structures managers can design, and their relative advantages and disadvantages
• Understand organizational culture

Course description
Organizational behavior is a course that brings insights from economics, psychology, and sociology to bear on a variety of issues that are central to our capacity to understand and manage business companies and other organizations. Topics covered include theories of motivation, business decisions, group processes, organizational design and organizational culture.

Learning methods
Stimulate an applied understanding and develop a critical mindset about individual and group behaviour within organizations through lectures, case study discussions, and group work

Attendance
No compulsory class attendance is requested.

Examination information
In Organizational Behavior the evaluation of coursework is based on two group works and a final exam. The first group activity (labeled ‘Hands on!’, see syllabus for more details) is meant to give you a practical grasp of the concepts discussed in class. The second group activity relates to the presentation and critical discussion of a case study. The final exam involves a multiple-choice test based on the materials discussed throughout the entire course.

The ‘Hands on!’ assignment contributes to 40%; the presentation of the case for 20%; final exam for the remaining 40% of the final mark (a minimum grade of 6 is required to make use of the presentation and group work for averages). The grades of the group assignments can be averaged with the exam grade within the same academic year. In subsequent academic years the exam will account for 100% of the final grade.

Required material
Talya Bauer & Berrin Erdogan (2012/2015/2018). Organizational Behavior. Nyack, NY: Flat World Knowledge
Various case studies and articles (see syllabus for details)