BUS 318 Complete Class (All Discussions & Assignments)
WEEK 3
Week 3 Individual Assignment: Article Critique:
Article Critique.Investigate professional journals and locate two articles pertaining to organizational behavior that are of interest to you. You are to critique each of the two articles according to the instructions below. The articles should be less than three years old. You are encouraged to use the ProQuest Database found in the Ashford Online Library.
Each one- to two- page critique (a total of two to four pages for both critiques) must include the following three parts and must be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide (including title page, in text citations and reference list).
Identification of the Article – Provide the reader with enough information about your article so he/she will be able to locate the article.
Summary of the Article- List the main points that the author has tried to establish (i.e., 1, 2, 3 or first, second, third). There normally will be three to five main points. If you are summarizing a court case, you should discuss: What provision of the law was at issue? Briefly state the facts of the case. What legal tests were applied? Were there any unusual elements in the case?
Your Critique – Provide your reaction (insightful, critical, and logical) to the points that the author tried to make, or an overall critique of the entire article. A simple statement of agreement or disagreement is not sufficient. While you may make such a statement by way of introduction to your reaction, you must clearly and logically state the reasons for the position that you have taken.
WEEK 5
Week 5 Final Paper
The purpose of the Final Project Paper is for you to culminate the learning achieved in the course by describing your understanding and application of knowledge in the field of Organizational Behavior. The Final Paper should also focus on real life, real time application of topics covered in this course; the uses you have seen and the uses you can envision.
Focus of the Final Paper
Select a topic of interest in organizational behavior that you would like to explore with additional research (must use at least five references). Some suggested topics for your paper are:
Personality
Stress
Attitudes
Motivation
Attribution
Performance Management
Team building
Leadership
Decision Making Process
Communication
Organizational Goals
Your paper must:
Apply the research to your personal working environment, or an environment you have previously experienced.
Describe how will you use the knowledge you have gained in this course to change the way you interact and do business in the future?
Writing the Final Paper
Must be six to eight double-spaced pages in length, exclusive of Appendix, References, Exhibits, etc.
Formatted according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide (including title page and reference list).
Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.
Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
Must conclude with a restatement of the thesis and a conclusion paragraph.
Must include at least five appropriately documented, academic sources.
Must include, on the final page, a Reference Page that is completed according to APA style as outlined in the student guide.
All Discussions (Week 1 to Week 5)
Week 1 Discussions:
Week 1 DQ 1: Attribution Theory
Your boss has recently heard a little about attribution theory and has asked you to explain it to him in more detail, focusing on its possible usefulness in managing your department. How do you address his request? Please make sure you indicate your department. .
Week 1 DQ 2: Career Planning
Describe how career planning is useful throughout ones career and is not just carried out during initial entry.
Week 2 Discussions:
Week 2 DQ 1: ERG Theory:
Give an example of how the ERG theory could be used to explain your motivation to work in a job you have had. Be specific.
Week 2 DQ 2: Compressed Work Week:
What are the potential advantages and disadvantages of a compressed work week? Would you want to work in a compressed work week? Why or why not?
Week 3 Discussions
Week 3 DQ 1: Managing a High-Performance Team
While surfing the Internet, you encounter this note posted in your favorite discussion group: Help! I have just been assigned to head a new product design team at my company. The division manager has high expectations for the team and me, but I have been a technical design engineer for four years since graduating from college. I have never managed anyone, let alone led a team. The manager keeps talking about her confidence that I will create a high-performance team. Does anyone out there have any tips to help me master this challenge? Help! [signed] Galahad. As a good citizen of the Internet, you decide to answer. What message will you send out?
Week 3 DQ 2: Strategy and Influence
Identify and explain at least four strategies of managerial influence. Give examples of how each strategy may or may not work when exercising influence, both downward and upward, in organizations. Give examples of each based on experiences you have had at a job.
Week 4 Discussions
Week 4 DQ 1: Unplanned Change
Describe a situation where you have encountered unplanned change. What did you do? Would you do it differently now? Thinking back, what were the other options at the time and why did you not choose them?
Week 4 DQ 2: Organizational Communication
“People in this organization dont talk to one another anymore. Everything is e-mail, e-mail, e-mail. If you are mad at someone, you can just say it and then hide behind your computer. With these words, Joe expressed his frustrations with Delta Generals operations. Charley echoed his concerns, responding, I agree, but surely the managing director should be able to improve organizational communication without losing the advantages of e-mail. As a consultant overhearing this conversation, how do you suggest the managing director respond to Charleys challenge?
Week 5 Discussions
Week 5 DQ 1: Negotiating Salary
Discuss the common pitfalls you would expect to encounter in negotiating your salary for your first job, and explain how you would best try to deal with them. Share any experiences you have had that you feel might help your peers in the future. Respond to at least two of your classmates posts.
Week 5 DQ 2: Organizational Controls
Describe some of the side effects of organizational controls in a large mechanistically structured organization, such as the United States Postal Service. Identify at least one other large mechanistically structured organization that could have the same problems. Respond to at least two of your classmates posts.