Comm 329 Organizational Behaviour Syllabus

University of British Columbia

Sauder School of Business

Commerce 329 – Section 103

Principles of Organizational Behaviour

FLEX LEARNING SECTION:

• 10 Internet-based Modules
• 5 Mandatory Classes: Sept 2, Sept 30, Oct 21, Nov 4, Nov 25 

• Henry Angus 334 (5-8pm)

INTRODUCTION

Commerce 329 is the introductory course for undergraduates who are not majoring in Commerce. It is an introductory examination of work organizations and the behavior of individuals and groups within them. It will teach you about the effects of organizational factors, group factors and individual characteristics upon individuals and groups, as well as the wider implications for the success and effectiveness of organizations.

Throughout the course, we will emphasize how you, as an organizational member, or as a consultant, might experience, interpret and manage people, structures and processes in organizations. You will develop analytical skills to understand and solve organizational problems involving people, as well as interpersonal skills that will help you in your future career as an employee, a group member, a supervisor, or a consultant.

This course will improve your ability to diagnose and solve a range of organizational problems. Through readings, on-line lectures and exercises, and in-person experiential exercises, you will be introduced to frameworks that will be useful for understanding organizational processes and teach you how to apply these frameworks to particular situations.

FORMAT

You are required to do 10 on-line modules across 13 weeks (each module will take from 1-3 hours to complete, and attend 5 in-person sessions on select Tuesday evenings from 5-8 during the semester. These are the dates of the in-person sessions and attendance is mandatory: Sept 2, Sept 30, Oct 21, Nov 4, Nov 25.

Readings are provided to give you the theoretical grounding for each topic that will cover. They are a necessary starting point before doing the on-line component of the course, which consists of some reading, videos, and exercises. It will be absolutely critical for you to read a chapter a week before you can enter the online component for that week. That online component must be completed on a weekly basis, but you may choose when you would like to do it. We will meet at regular intervals for in person classes that range from 2 hours to 3 hours in length. These include an introduction and conclusion to the course, as well as a mid-term in the middle. In addition, we have set aside two 3-hour sessions to work in teams to complete experiential exercises that will facilitating and entrench your learning of select course material.

Please note that although most of this course is on-line providing you with flexibility, you must be in attendance for the five in-person sessions on Tuesday evening from 5-8. These dates are as follows (for the third time! ☺):  Sept 2, Sept 30, Oct 21, Nov 4, Nov 25.With the exception of a medical excuse (verified by documentation), failure to attend one of these classes will result in an automatic loss of 10% of the overall course grade.

TEXTBOOK

Organizational Behaviour: Improving Performance and Commitment in the Workplace with Connect Access Card, 2nd Edition (2012), by Jason Colquitt, Michael Wesson, Jeffrey Lepine  & Ian Gellatly