|
Section 3341, LC 2 T/Th 8:45-10:05 a.m. |
Section 4667, LC 2 T/Th 10:15-11:35 a.m. |
Professor: Dr. M. Fogelman (fogelman@albany.edu, BA-324,
518/442-5545), who personally handles all questions regarding course content, exam
and clicker questions, or class policies. Email messages and phone calls are welcome
anytime and usually answered within hours—or minutes. Email the professor only at fogelman@albany.edu, not via Blackboard or any other email address. Exception: the special use of
Blackboard mail under “Attendance” in paragraph #7 (¶7). [1]
Graduate Assistants: Ms. T. Stanko and Ms.
T. Mareddi are students’ first contacts for questions
about credit and grade recording for exams, quizzes, assignments
posted on Blackboard, and the in-class participation exercise (“the Hotseat”). Email
the GAs at mgt341ga@yahoo.com, not via Blackboard mail!! [2]
Course
Description and Objectives
This
class is a general survey of management theory and practice and of some related
concepts. It features the study of human behavior in enterprises at
the individual, group, firm-wide, and inter-organizational levels. Key topic
areas include the changing world of work and the practice of management,
decision and monitoring systems, organizing tasks, shaping the organization’s
culture, leading and empowering people, and communication. Prerequisites: A Psy 101 and either A Soc 115 or A Ant 108. [3]
Through examinations, quizzes, individual
contributions, and some group participation (both online and in class),
students will demonstrate (1) an understanding of behavioral foundations of
management in an increasingly diverse environment, (2) a knowledge of how
global socioeconomic and technological forces are affecting the theory and
practice of management, (3) an awareness of the interpersonal, ethical and other
challenges faced by today’s managers, and (4) effective participation in a
virtual organization. [4]
Office Hours and Other Instructor Access
Many
questions are easily handled within a group or the whole class via Blackboard
discussions or email, but students are always welcome to share
management and career ideas, course concerns, etc., with the instructor. The
best time to come to BA-324 is during office hours, Tuesdays and
Thursdays between 11:50 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (minus a short break for lunch on
some days). The professor is on campus most other days, so a student who
neglects to make an appointment can often just drop in. Emails to
Keys to
Succeeding in this Course: (1) download session notes or
slides, and complete assigned reading before each class; (2) pay
attention and take appropriate notes in class; (3) earn all or
most of the 30 “free” points [including 15 clicker points]; (4) subscribe to
BMgt341-L listserv and check email and Blackboard regularly; and (5) study for
exams—including previous tests on electronic reserve. Any student whose efforts
earn unsatisfactory results should meet with the professor right away! [6]
General Policies and Other Key Items
Attendance: Attendance
is important, and class content is one key source of exam (¶27) questions. Clicker points are
used to review concepts, provide feedback, and reward attendance and
promptness. If a student knows of an absence in advance, s/he must email
the instructor regarding “extreme circumstances” in order to qualify for a
makeup opportunity. Reporting
absence due to extreme circumstances is the
only reason to contact the instructor
via Blackboard mail. For any and all other reasons, students are
always welcome to send email to
Extreme Circumstances are
evaluated by the Office of the Dean (Vice Provost) for Undergraduate Education
in LC-30. When documented by the student, acceptable excuses include
hospitalization or medical emergency involving the student, death/funeral in
the immediate family, and delay due to an automobile accident—one officially
reported to the authorities—on the way to class. Unacceptable excuses
include ordinary transportation issues (flat tires, parking and mechanical
problems, bus delays, etc.); broken alarm clocks; eye, dental, medical, or
employment appointments which could be scheduled some other time;
pre-/post-vacation extensions; and social occasions such as christenings, weddings,
reunions, and Bar Mitzvahs. (See Undergrad Bulletin “Attendance” regulations
for additional details.) [8]
Academic
Dishonesty will not be
tolerated. Consequences of cheating,
using any electronic device during an exam, representing another’s work as your
own (plagiarism), or having one student operate another’s clicker include being
issued a failing grade in the course, referral of the matter to a judiciary
hearing for disciplinary probation, and suspension or dismissal from the
University. See the “non-credit” versions of the tutorials at http://library.albany.edu/usered/plagiarism/page2.html
if you are at all unsure of what
constitutes plagiarism. [9]
Class Cancellations: If a class is cancelled due to bad weather, a
national emergency, or any other reason, the following guidelines generally
apply: [10]
(a) If the missed class is
an exam date, the test will be on the first day back. Students
missing their hotseat dates because of a rescheduled
exam will join those scheduled for the next regular (non-exam) class. [11]
(b) If the missed class is
the last session before an exam, the exam will take place as scheduled, and
students missing their hotseats will join those
scheduled on the class day following the exam. [12]
(c) If the cancelled class
and the first class back are both regular class sessions, hotseat participants for both dates should come prepared to
sit up front on the first day back. [13]
(d) Students can dial (518) 442-SNOW for
University-wide updates or information on rescheduling of final exams due to
weather or other emergency. [14]
Before classes resume, make sure to check Blackboard, your email, and/or the
blog for special room assignments, exam content and logistics,
and other consequences of a class cancellation. [15]
Required
Texts and Other Materials and Tools
Organizational
Behavior: Core Concepts
by Angelo Kinicki, including
premium online content, McGraw-Hill, 2008 (available locally as ISBN
007-818958-6). Students who purchase just the text (ISBN 978-0-07-353029-1) should
make sure to get the online premium content at www.mhhe.com/obcore. [16]
The i>Clicker,
used for in-class participation, can contribute up to 15
points of credit to a student’s grade. You must purchase your clicker and
register it online in order to receive credit for in-class answers. Clicker
credit is earned only through use of the clicker during class, so students
should remember to bring the device and extra batteries to every session. Using
someone else’s clicker instead of, or in addition to, your own is a form of
academic dishonesty that subjects both offenders to automatic course
failure or other disciplinary action. (¶9) Students may, and should, monitor their accumulating clicker
point throughout the semester. [17]
BMGT341-L is a “listserv” distribution
list for assignment reminders, exam pointers, and other bulletins. To
subscribe, a student named “Jane Doe” with a local phone of all 5’s would send
a one-line email to listserv@listserv.albany.edu. The
full text of Jane’s email: subscribe
bmgt341-L Jane Doe 555/555-5555 [18]
Students should bring to every class session their
9-digit Student IDs (not SSNs), and 2 teacher-provided 8.5 by 11 sheets of paper (1pink,
1green). Photo IDs are required and #2 Pencils and erasers are
recommended for all exams. Electronic
dictionaries are not permitted in class during exams. [19]
The Blackboard homepage (1)
displays the current week’s assignment, (2) links to slides and other materials
via electronic reserve, (3) lets students view their grades and interact with other
class members, and (4) links to an archive blog of listserv broadcasts and
other communications. Individual online Blackboard assignments (10% of the
course grade) begin early, so contact the instructor before session number 3 if the Help Desk (LC-27 , 518/442-3700)
cannot help you access this course on Blackboard: Also
contact the instructor at fogelman@albany.edu with any
problems accessing premium content. [20]
Electronic Reserve is the major
source for session slides, “to read” assignments, and other key documents. Most
files are numbered by class session and downloadable at least two days in
advance. I>Clicker scores will be reported on ERes
throughout the semester. The BMgt341 password is namlegof.
[21]
Blog, or
weblog, a site where most assignments, listserv postings, and other important
communications will be archived. Be sure to follow this blog if you fail to
subscribe to the listserv, BMgt341-L. [22]
Grading and Criteria
Final grades will be based on a composite score using
weighted criteria. [23]
|
Grades: |
|
How
Grades are Achieved: |
|||||
|
92-100+ |
A |
|
77-79 |
C+ |
|
3 In-term Examinations and/or |
|
|
90-91 |
A- |
|
73-76 |
C |
|
Optional Final[s] with name and
ID number entered correctly |
75% |
|
87-89 |
B+ |
|
70-72 |
C- |
|
Individual Clicker Points
(extra credit awarded proportionally). |
15% |
|
83-86 |
B |
|
60-69 |
D |
|
In-class participation (“the Hotseat”) |
5% |
|
80-82 |
B- |
|
Below
60 |
E |
|
10 Individual Blackboard Contributions
posted to discussion groups ** |
10%** |
**including some quizzes and/or Tweets if
substituted by the instructor
Blackboard Assignments
Course grades are
based in part on the acceptability and timeliness of a student’s individual
Blackboard Contributions (up to ten of them worth one point each). A single
case, issue or general question is usually assigned a week or so before the due
date of a Blackboard posting. [24]
Special Note: The instructor will substitute one or more
in-class quizzes and possibly Twitter microblogs for
some blackboard assignment(s).[25]
Extra Credit
Aside from the points above 100%
already built into the system, there are no opportunities to do additional
work for extra credit during the semester. Therefore, students are urged to
answer in-class clicker points, submit Blackboard contributions, and
participate on the hotseat in order to earn all 30
“free” points. As indicated in the Undergraduate Bulletin, students may not
“submit additional work or … be reexamined for the purpose of improving their
grades after the course has been completed.” [26]
Graded
Course Components and Related Requirements
Examinations. Course
content is divided into segments 1, 2, and 3. The content for each segment is
tested twice—once on a 35-minute in-class exam (1a, 2a, or 3a) during the semester,
and again (1b, 2b, or 3b) during the final exam session. Each student may take
in-term exams only during the 35-minute period assigned to him or her. Other
than the three “second chances” you may select during our scheduled final
examination period (see assignment schedule), there is no additional final
exam. For each segment, students may take the in-term version, the “second
chance” exam, or both. Only the higher one of the two exam grades for
each segment counts in a student’s average. On the final,
students will have at least two hours to complete one, two or all three “second
chances” (1b, 2b, and 3b). Latecomers to any exam may be turned away at the
door. Time limits are strictly enforced for all students, including latecomers
if admitted. Since students get two chances to be examined on each segment, essay
or other makeup exams are contracted between a student and the instructor after
the final exam period and only in cases of “extreme circumstances” (¶8). [27]
It is strongly recommended that students use
#2 pencils on all exams. Though the University’s test-scoring
system can read ink, completing answer sheets with a pen can make changing
answers impossible, causing the student to lose 3 points for each extra marking
or X’d out answer. [28]
Individual Blackboard Contributions. Each
student posts in the Blackboard discussion area at least one paragraph
answering the assigned question. Intelligent responses given on time (usually
in 7-9 days) receive full credit. Submissions exhibiting inadequate thought
or up to 48 hours late get half credit. There is no credit for assignments that
are more than two days late. Students encountering technical problems at
any deadline must (1) telephone the instructor (518/442-5545) immediately,
(2) read their completed assignment into a voicemail message, and (3) post it on
Blackboard within 12 hours. Detailed instructions for each assignment will
appear on the section’s Blackboard home page. To receive credit on time for an
assignment, a student needs to type the subject header exactly as instructed.
For example, the heading for assignment number three by a student whose netid is xx999999 begins as follows: Asg03-xx999999 (with
no spaces). If this part of the header is mistyped, it is best simply to repost
the contribution right away using the correct header. [29]
SPECIFIC
STEPS TO POST TO YOUR GROUP FROM OUR CLASS BLACKBOARD HOMEPAGE: Select
DISCUSSIONS. From there, you select “Full Class Discussion,” and then CREATE THREAD.
The subject header you create for your message will read "Asg##-xx999999" where ## = the assignment number and xx999999
= your netid. Be sure to use this exact header
format, with no spaces. [30]
In-Class Participation (The “Hotseat”). During
most classes, several students spend the full session in front of the class to
discuss the reading assigned for that day, notably the “Learning Objectives” if
the assignment is a textbook chapter. (A rehearsed presentation or alternative
“dramatization” option may be initated by a student
and arranged with the instructor before April 1.) Students who fail to bring
the session slides on their hotseat dates put
themselves at an extreme disadvantage. Every student should successfully
complete this exercise by signing the colored sheet next to their names and
answering or commenting appropriately, which accounts for 5 points toward the
final course average. The Hotseat Schedule should
be posted on electronic reserve during week #2. Any student missing a hotseat due to extreme circumstances will be rescheduled
for a later date. One who misses the assigned date for some other reason can
earn the 5 points by participating up front for both of the final
two class sessions. Other forms of superior class participation will be
recognized, but will not affect the student’s
course grade. [31]
(Students may request a “special assignment” in
lieu of taking a “hotseat” turn. Pursuing this
option, which is discouraged, is much more demanding and time-consuming than
preparing to discuss a chapter in class. Any “special assignment” student will
be given a term paper topic with a list and/or packet of articles. An outline
and a rough draft must be approved before the first “complete” draft is submitted.
The instructor will work with the student on successive drafts until the
paper’s style and content are good enough to earn all 5 points. The deadline
for requesting a special assignment is class session #10, and the first “complete”
draft is due by class session #20.) [32]
Clicker Responses. There will be frequent clicker content and survey
questions, accounting for a total of 15 course points. Though students
may sit in on the other class section—if they can find seats—in-class clicker
points are earned only in the student’s assigned class and right as the questions
are displayed. Since no provision can be made for forgotten or
malfunctioning clickers, students should be sure to bring their devices and
extra batteries to each class once we start counting clicker points. [33]
Class Seating, “Cold Calls,”
and Class Notes. To
facilitate communication and accountability, everyone chooses his or her own
“assigned” seat during the second class session and generally occupies that
spot for the rest of the term. A
“roving microphone” sometimes circulates around the back of the room; with random
detours to other rows. As in any course, each student should have a “buddy” to
be counted on to share notes and announcements from any missed class. See the
instructor early in the term if there is some reason you cannot make such a
backup arrangement. [34]
Service
Learning (SL). The lives of respected leaders are often characterized
by extensive community involvement, so the topic of “Service Learning” will be
discussed more than once in class. Though doing a project to benefit both the
student and the community is an important part of students’ preparation for business
careers, such an activity is not easily mentored and evaluated in a survey
course like BMgt341. Learning about SL and thinking about it in the context of
your own life, however, are among the course objectives. [35]
An
individual Blackboard contribution assignment late in the term will require
students to write three paragraphs on one of the following: (1) a service
learning project the student began and sustained throughout this term; (2) a
similar project the student engaged in sometime in the past; or (3) a project
s/he might engage in at some time in the future. Each online
submission should describe the project itself, and also discuss the activity’s
benefits to the student and the community. (http://www.servicelearning.org/what-service-learning)
[36]