The University of Texas at Dallas

School of Management

BA-3361.501 Organizational Behavior

Fall 2007

Course Syllabus

Time & Place: Mondays and Wednesdays, 5:30 pm to 6:45 pm, SOM 2.714
Instructor: Dan Bennett, SOM 4.207
Office hours: Mondays and Wednesday, 6:45 pm to 7:45 pm or by appointment
Telephone: 972-718-4932
Email: dan.bennett@utdallas.edu

Course Description

Anyone in business, especially managers, must develop their interpersonal or people skills if
they are going to be effective in their jobs. Organizational behavior (OB) is a field of study
that investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behavior within an
organization; when that knowledge is applied organizations work more effectively.
Specifically, OB focuses on how to improve productivity, reduce absenteeism and turnover,
and increase employee citizenship and job satisfaction. As managers accomplish their work
through others, OB provides the tools for guiding the productivity of others, predicting human
behavior at work and the perspectives needed to manage individuals from diverse
backgrounds.

Course Learning Outcomes

1) Students will be able to identify and give examples of leadership concepts and theories;
2) Students will be able to classify motivational principles and understand why they are
important in high performance organizations; and,
3) Students will be able to describe team processes and explain the characteristics associated
with effective team performance.
4) Students will develop an understanding of ethical and value related issues as they relate to
human behavior in organizations and be able to apply this knowledge to make ethical and
reasonable decisions.
5) Students will be able to explain and apply major theoretical scholarly approaches,
empirical findings, and historical trends in Organizational Behavior.
6) Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how diversity and
multiculturalism affects the workplace environment and develop some strategies to bridge
differences to capitalize on the benefits of multiculturalism.

Text Book

Organizational Behavior, 11th ed., Hellriegel & Slocum, South-Western

BA-3361 1 Effective: 8/16/07

 The University of Texas at Dallas
School of Management

BA-3361.501 Organizational Behavior

Fall 2007

Course Syllabus

Exams & Grading

There will be four multiple choice exams. The fourth exam is at the end of the semester and
will be comprehensive in nature (intended for those that missed one of the other three exams
or for students that wish to improve their overall grade). For students that take all four exams,
the lowest exam score will be dropped. Each exam is worth 100 points and there are a total of
300 points that can be earned in this class.

Grades will be determined as follows:

Course Grade Percentage of Total Points Total Points for Three Exams
A+ 97 – 100% 290 – 300
A 93 – 96% 281 – 289
A- 90 – 92% 270 – 280
B+ 87 – 89% 260 – 269
B 83 – 86% 251 – 259
B- 80 – 82% 240 – 250
C+ 77 – 79% 230 – 239
C 73 – 76% 221 – 229
C- 70 – 72% 210 – 220
D+ 67 – 69% 200 – 209
D 63 – 66% 191 – 199
D- 60 – 62% 180 – 190
F < 60% < 180

Course Schedule (Tentative)

Week Date Content

Week 1 8/20 Course Overview and Expectations
8/22 Chapter 1 Organizational Behavior & Foundation
Competencies
Week 2 8/27 Chapter 2 Understanding Individual Differences
8/29 Chapter 3 Perceptions & Attributions
Week 3 9/3 Holiday
9/5 Chapter 4 Learning & Reinforcement
Week 4 9/10 Chapter 5 Fundamentals of Motivation
9/12 Chapter 6 Motivation Through Goal Setting & Reward
Systems
Week 5 9/17 Chapter 7 Workplace Stress & Aggression
9/19 Exam Review

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 The University of Texas at Dallas
School of Management

BA-3361.501 Organizational Behavior

Fall 2007

Course Syllabus

Week 6 9/24 Exam I

9/26 Chapter 8 Leading Effectively: Foundations
Week 7 10/1 Chapter 9 Leading Effectively: Contemporary
10/3 Developments
Video: Good To Great
Week 8 10/8 Chapter 10 Developing & Leading Teams
10/10 Chapter 11 Managing Conflict & Negotiating Effectively
Week 9 10/15 Chapter 12 Interpersonal Communication in Organizations
10/17 Videos: Leadership in Action
Week 10 10/22 Exam Review
10/24 Exam II
Week 11 10/29 Chapter 13 Managerial & Ethical Decision Making
10/31
Week 12 11/5 Chapter 14 Designing Organizations
11/7 Chapter 15 Cultivating Organizational Culture
Week 13 11/12 Chapter 16 Guiding Organizational Change
11/14
Week 14 11/19 Exam Review
11/21
Week 15 11/26 Exam III (Last day of class)
11/28 (No class Nov. 28)
Week 16 12/3 Exam IV (Comprehensive Final)

Classroom Citizenship

In large classes, it is easy to distract others and interfere with their learning. I expect all
students to behave professionally and as upper-level university learners. This means
contributing to a positive learning environment in the following ways:

Please do NOT:
• Forget to turn OFF your cell phones or pagers.
• Answer your cell phone in class.
• Read newspapers, magazines, other textbooks, etc.
• Study for another class or do other work during our class time.
• Surf the internet, engage in any form of video games, text messaging, etc.
• Talk to your neighbor while someone is speaking.
• Come in late and walk around the room--sit near the door you entered.

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 The University of Texas at Dallas
School of Management

BA-3361.501 Organizational Behavior

Fall 2007

Course Syllabus

Please DO:
• Get plenty of SLEEP BEFORE class (if you snore out loud, we will laugh out loud at
you).
• Be prepared – bring the correct equipment – pen, scantrons, paper, etc
• Review your notes from our previous class session prior to class.
• SKIM or READ the assigned reading.
• READ or RE-READ the assignments after class.
• Prepare for the exams a LITTLE EACH DAY.

Tips for Success after class:

• REWRITE your notes in a final neat format…this allows you to review the
information, elaborate on it, and fill in blank spots while the information is fresh.
• Look up any terms, definitions, etc that you struggled with in class.
• Study with a friend or in a group.
• Keep up with your reading.
• Ask me to clarify anything you do not understand.
• ATTEND CLASS!

As a courtesy to both your classmates and me, please turn off cell phones and put them away;
laptops should be used for taking class notes only. I will ask you publicly to leave class if you
are doing activities unrelated to class.

We will be using WebCT throughout the semester. Updates and documents will be posted on
WebCT.

When calling my office, please leave a phone number where you can be reached.

General PowerPoints from class will be posted on WebCT but these will not be exactly the
same as what you see in class. I will add/delete slides and information to encourage and
reward you for attending class.

No electronic gadgets (iPods, cell phones, computers, etc) are allowed in the room during
quizzes or exams. No hats are to be worn and no papers are to be visible on exam days.
Everything needs to be in your backpacks/bags or not brought into the classroom at all. I will
take up and hold anything on this list for the duration of your exam.

There will be several forms of each exam. While yours might appear the same as your
neighbor's, it is unlikely that all questions are in the same order and all sets of answers for
each question are in the same order. If you are looking at each others' exam to try to find the
differences in versions, I will consider it an act of academic dishonesty.

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 The University of Texas at Dallas
School of Management

BA-3361.501 Organizational Behavior

Fall 2007

Course Syllabus

Rules for Exams

1) No electronic gadgets of any kind allowed during exams including cell phones, iPods,
computers, calculators.
2) No wearing hats during exams.
3) No food or drinks allowed during exams.
4) No wandering eyes. There will be multiple forms of the exam but you do not get extra
points for figuring out the differences among them.
5) No paper, notebooks, or books visible during the exam. I will keep these articles in the
front of the room if I find they are causing a problem.
6) When you turn in your exam, please put your initials by your name on the exam roster.
7) Bring your own Scantron (Form # 882-E) for each exam. I will not have extras for you.
You may not leave to get one after the exam begins.
8) If you leave during an exam, you will submit it to be graded. This means no in and out
during an exam. Make sure you attend to issues before the exam begins.
9) You will receive your scores for your exams. If you would like to see your own exam,
please make an appointment with me during my office hours and you can review your
exam and your answer sheet. I will be happy to discuss your answers with you.

Make-up Exams

Because you are able to drop your lowest exam grade, there are no make-up exams unless
you have documented proof of an extended hospital stay and/or other lingering/extenuating
circumstances. I rarely accept excuses so please make sure that yours warrants my effort in
constructing an individual exam.

Incompletes/Drops

There will be no incompletes in this course. Please make sure you drop the course if
circumstances are such that you will not finish it. I will not drop anyone from the course. It
is your responsibility to drop. Failure to drop this course could result in a failing grade.

Class Attendance

It is fundamental to your success in this class that you attend regularly. Our time in class will
give you the opportunity to work through important topics with me and your peers and help
you to meet the objectives of the course. I will take attendance. You can earn extra points for
outstanding attendance. You will benefit greatly by being present during lectures.

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 The University of Texas at Dallas
School of Management

BA-3361.501 Organizational Behavior

Fall 2007

Course Syllabus

For Problems or Questions

I hope you enjoy participating in this course as much as I enjoy teaching it. If you are having
any problems, questions, or just want to talk, I encourage you to see me before class, during
my office hours, or call me. In any case, I want to talk to you! Don't let small problems during
the semester grow to a crisis at the end. It's always easier to fix anticipated difficulties than to
untangle a mess; please see me beforehand.

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and
regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of
each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and
regulations which govern student conduct and activities. General information on student
conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided
to all registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules
and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI,
Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s
Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to
students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist
students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of
citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’
Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for
violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or
whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty.
Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work
done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard
of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to
applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own
work or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one

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 The University of Texas at Dallas
School of Management

BA-3361.501 Organizational Behavior

Fall 2007

Course Syllabus

of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying academic records.
Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any
other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism
(see general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which
searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Email Use
We are only communicating in this class via WebCT e-mail. However, the following policy
applies to any other regular e-mail you send to faculty and students on campus:
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication
between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises
some issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The
university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s
U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only
if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high
degree of confidence in the identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the
transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be
used in all communication with university personnel. The Department of Information
Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail
forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level
courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration
procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal
requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You
must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a
course if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other

fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a
serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee

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 The University of Texas at Dallas
School of Management

BA-3361.501 Organizational Behavior

Fall 2007

Course Syllabus

with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”). Individual faculty
members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter
cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent
with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written
response provided by the respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School
Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a
written appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint
and convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is
final. The results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations.

Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational

opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room
1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.;
Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments
necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be
necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of
dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be
substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is
hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be
rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need to provide special
services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty
members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals
requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office
hours.

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 The University of Texas at Dallas
School of Management

BA-3361.501 Organizational Behavior

Fall 2007

Course Syllabus

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities
for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship
are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.
The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible
regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will
be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the
absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student
who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not be
penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the
prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment.
If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of
observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student
has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either
the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the
institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must take into
account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by
the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.

The course description and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the
instructor.

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