EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

                  COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

           Management, Marketing & Corporate Communication Technology Department

                                                                Course Syllabus

                                                                      Fall, 2008

 

COURSE NUMBER:  MGT 400                                   MW 10:10 – 11:25           BTC 102

COURSE TITLE:  Organization Theory

 

INSTRUCTOR:  Allen D. Engle, Sr.

 

OFFICE:  BCT 120                                          Web page: www.people.eku.edu/englea/

                  Phone:  622-6549                                  E-mail: allen.engle@eku.edu

 

OFFICE HOURS:  Mon & Wed 9:15-10:10, 11:30-1:15; Tues 8:30-12:00

 

PREREQUISITES:  MGT 300

 

REQUIRED TEXT:  Organizational Theory, Text and Cases, 5th Ed.  Gareth Jones.

 Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice-Hall (2007).

 

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS:  None, reserve reading on web page.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  Principles of organization design as they relate to goals and strategy formulation, environmental conditions, technology, job design, control systems, and decision making.

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:  This course applies problem-solving, case-oriented techniques to demonstrate the factors having a bearing on the types of organizational structure each firm should consider.  The optimal form of design will vary in accordance with such variables as goals, activities, technology, operational needs, and systems of managerial control.

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:  Students are required to contribute extensively to in-class discussions.  Class time will be devoted to: 1. reviewing the models and theories of the text, and 2. abstracting cases, defining the significant problems of the cases and recommending structural changes in the case firm in order to apply the theoretical models in the text.  The course builds upon previous definitions and models, so the student must assess new information in the light of previous material.  This requires students to integrate materials across topic areas as the course develops.  If the instructor begins to suspect the students are not properly preparing for the class discussion, he reserves the right to give a series of unannounced quizzes on the material. Students will take a series of three open book, open note, in-class exams requiring them to apply particular chapters or topics to solve a particular case problem or respond to a series of essay questions.  Teams of two to three students will select a timely topic in organizational design, research four articles from the professional literature on the topic and write up a brief, three to five typed page report on the topic and its relevance to management practices.  Three copies of these reports will be collected in an accessible spot and each student will be expected to read and write up a one paragraph summary of four student reports other than their own. Reports will be evaluated based upon the clarity of report, thoroughness in reviewing the four articles and association of the articles to our readings in the class. Participation in the Ethics Challenge Course  (11/12) is mandatory.

 

COURSE EVALUATION PROCESS:  Final course grades will be determined according to the following criteria:

Two Exams (Open Book, in-class)

100 points each                                           200 points       

Participation/Quizzes                                 100 points

Research Paper and Peer Review                 50 points

Cumulative Final                                        150 points       

Total Points Possible                                  500 points

 

Grading scale: 90%=A, 89-80%=B, 79-70%=C, 69-60=D, <60=F

 

STUDENT PROGRESS REPORTING:  Feedback on the evaluation of exams, presentations and participation status will be provided to the students as soon as possible.

 

STUDENTS’ MATERIALS: The professor retains the right to retain for pedagogical reasons either the original, or a copy, of any student’s test, written assignment, paper, video, or similar work submitted by the student, either individually or as a group project, for this class.  Student’s names will be deleted from any retained items.

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY:  Students are expected to attend all classes.  Any missed work will be made up only with a legitimate, documented excuse.  The instructor is the final judge of what is a legitimate excuse and what is not.  There will be no opportunity to make up participation, pop quizzes or presentations. 

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY STATEMENT:  Students are advised that EKU's Academic Integrity Policy will strictly be enforced in this course. The Academic Integrity policy is available at www.academicintegrity.eku. Questions regarding the policy may be directed to the Office of Academic Integrity.

 

ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATION:  If you are registered with the Office of Services for Individuals with Disabilities, please make an appointment with the course instructor to discuss any academic accommodations you need. If you need academic accommodations and are not registered with the Office of Services for Individuals with Disabilities, please contact the Office directly either in person at the third floor of the Student Services Building, by email at disserv@eku.edu or by telephone at (859) 622‑2933 V/TDD. Upon individual request, this syllabus can be made available in alternative forms.

 

ADVISING: All MMAC students must meet with their advisors on November 5, 6, and 7th, 2008.  All GBU, MGT, MKT, and CCT majors are required to come for an advising session with their academic advisor during these three days. Academic advisors will be available on the above dates from 8:00am – 6:00pm.  Please make an appointment to meet with your adviser on one of these dates in their office. Any student who does not take advantage of this advising opportunity will be advised the last two days of the advising period. 

 

 

ENGLE 8/08

 

TENTATIVE OUTLINE OF ACTIVITIES

 

 SECTION ONE:  OVERVIEW, INTRODUCTION AND DEPENDENT VARIABLES

 

Mon    8/25    Introduction, Definitions

Wed    8/27   Chapter 1, Organizations and Stakeholders

Mon    9/1      ACADEMIC HOLIDAY

Wed     9/3     Engle’s, Web reading on Organizational Effectiveness

Mon     9/8     LIB reading, cont.

Wed     9/10   LIVE CASE   Effectiveness and EKU's Business Programs- Brainstorming            

                                   

SECTION TWO:  INDEPENDENT VARIABLES:

 

Mon    9/15  Chapter 2, Systems, Design and Ethics       

Wed    9/17  Chapter 4, Organizational Design as Control

Mon    9/22  CASE 2: The Paradoxical Twins, p. 428; Chapter 5, Authority and Control

Wed    9/24   Ch. 5, cont.Chapter 6, Specialization & Control; CASE 5: Texana,  p. 456

Mon    9/29   EXAM ONE (CHAPTERS 1 & 2, 4-6)

 

 SECTION THREE:  MODERATOR VARIABLES:

                        (A) ENVIRONMENT

 

Wed   10/1   Chapter 7, Organizational Culture

Mon   10/6    Ch 7, cont.;  CASE 6: W.L. Gore & Assoc., p. 463

Wed   10/3   Chapter 3, Organizational Environment (NOTE - out of sequence)

Mon  10/13   Ch. 3, cont.

Wed  10/15  CASE 13:  Philips, N.V. p. 505; Chapter 8, Strategy and Structure

Mon  10/20  Ch 8, cont.

Wed  10/22  CASE 12: Pharmacia and Upjohn, p. 499

Mon  10/27   EXAM TWO  (Chapters 3, 7-8)

 

                                      (B) TECHNOLOGY

 

Wed  10/29   Chapter 9, The Construct of Technology

FRI   10/31  LAST DAY TO DROP

MON 11/3   ACADEMIC HOLIDAY

Wed  11/5     Ch 9, cont.;

Mon  11/10   Chapter 10, Developments in Technology  

Wed  11/12   CASE 10: Bennett’s Machine Shop, p. 484/  Ethics Challenge Course

 

SECTION FOUR:  ONGOING PROCESSES

 

Mon  11/17  Chapter 11, Organizational Renewal

Wed  11/19  Ch. 11, cont.; PAPERS DUE IN

Mon 11/24   Chapter 12, Decision Making & Organizational Learning

11/26           ACADEMIC HOLIDAY

Mon 12/1     Ch. 12, cont.

Wed 12/3    Chapter 13, Innovation and Change; PAPER REACTIONS DUE IN

Mon 12/8     Chapter 14., Power and Conflict

Wed 12/10   Ch. 14, cont.; CASE 14: "Ramrod" Stockwell, p. 508

 

CUMULATIVE FINAL EXAM WILL BE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 8:00-10:00.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENGLE 8/08