MIS 24163 Fall 2011 Baker

Principles of Management, Kent State University, Kent Campus

M&IS 24163 (Section: 2, CRN: 23687)

Fall 2011

Professor:                            David Baker

E-Mail:                                 DLBAKER1@KENT.EDU

Class Meetings:                   Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m., in the BSA – Room 200

Office Hours:                      Tues./Thurs. 6:50 – 9:15 p.m.; or by prior appointment.  My office is by Room A420.

COURSE OVERVIEW

This course presents an overview of the fundamental principles and concepts of management theory and practice. It focuses on the basic roles and functions of management, with special attention to managerial responsibility for effective and efficient achievement of organizational goals. We will emphasize the importance of leadership, teamwork, ethics and social responsibility, while managing in a rapidly changing workplace.  This is a hybrid course with in-class lectures and case studies with extensive online content including exams, video cases, and other assignments.               

Objectives of the course: Provide students theoretical and experiential inputs to:

1. Develop an understanding of the core concepts and frameworks of management,
2. Gain knowledge of basic management skills with emphasis on decision making,
3. Understand the critical role of leadership in organizations,
4. Learn to work effectively in teams, and
5. Recognize the importance of effective written and oral communication.

Learning Outcomes: On completion of this course, students would be expected to:

1. Become familiar with key management concepts, functions and processes,
2. Be aware of the various approaches to leadership in organizations,
3. Know the do’s and don’ts of functioning effectively in teams, and
4. Know the basic rules of effective written and oral communication using technology.

TEXTS: Bundled Package, Both Items Are Required: Kinicki & Williams, 2011, Management: A Practical Introduction, McGraw-Hill, ISBN-10: 0-07-752860-3; ISBN-13: 9780077528607 plus Connect Plus Access Card w/ LearnSmart for Management, 5th edition (this second item is necessary to access all online testing activities).

COURSE CONTENT

Organizations and Environment: The Changing Landscape

Management involves working with people to realize organizational objectives in a changing environment. Central to this process is the effective and efficient use of limited resources. In this introductory module, you will learn how the fundamental principles of management are relevant to all functional areas of business and why an understanding and mastery of these principles is essential to your success as future managers in a rapidly changing workplace. The underlying forces contributing to this change are diversity, technology and globalization of the market place, which we will explore at length.

Group Dynamics and Teamwork

In this module, you will learn the importance of high-performance teams in an organizational setting. You will be introduced to the skills necessary to function as members of an effective and supportive team. A combination of conceptual discussion, case analyses, videos and perhaps guest lecturers are used to inform you on how you could build and manage effective goal-oriented teams. You will learn how to build consensus, lead through example, and manage disparate views in an organizational setting.

Effective Business Communication

The module will focus on managerial communication, which includes both business speaking and business writing skills using technology. Effective communication is an absolutely essential and critical component of a manager’s professional development today. In this module you will learn how to improve your communication abilities, both oral as well as written.  Through a series of discussions, you will understand the basic rules of effective business communication and thereby help enhance your written, oral and other (non-verbal) communication skills.

Motivation

Motivation is one of the most important keys to the effective functioning of organizations.  We will discuss the major theories that have been used to explain goal-directed behavior in organizations (such as equity theory and expectancy theory).  This knowledge helps develop strategies for motivating team members to achieve full potential.

Leadership 

Students will gain knowledge of the important role that leaders play in the effective functioning of teams.  Topics to be covered include the Trait Approach, Behavioral Approach, and various Contingency Approaches to Leadership.  Knowledge gained in this section can later be applied by students in group-related assignments in other courses and in answering exam items in this class.

Human Resource Management  

Students will learn that staffing organizations is where the process of team development begins.  A process by which the most appropriate team members can be selected will be discussed.   This process will emphasize recruitment, development of selection measures, analysis of the measures in terms of reliability and validity and performance appraisal.   Students will demonstrate the knowledge gained in this area by answering exam questions.

Globalization and its Impact on Management

It is essential that leaders / managers clearly understand the pervasive influence of Globalization of markets and products in order to effectively navigate the emerging competitive environment.   The phenomenon of globalization, the variety of ways in which organizations engage in global business and cross-cultural issues in management will be examined.  Students will learn to apply the above knowledge to the analysis of organizational problem through the answering of exam inquiries.

Planning and Decision Making

Planning and decision making are core management functions. This week’s module will introduce the primary management functions of planning and decision making. Properly executed plans, well defined objectives and identifying and choosing alternative courses of action are essential for organizations. There are many resources, tools and alternatives available for today’s manager when planning for the long and short term as well as when critical decisions must be made. Students will become familiar with the critical skills, functions and tools of planning and decision making.

Organizational Structure and Control

Understanding organizational structure and control is an essential to management and greatly impacts decision making. This week’s module identifies the basic characteristics common to all organizations, theoretical views of organizations, and the coordinated system of authority relationships and task responsibilities. Organizations have different structures and designs and often these evolve over time. Students will become familiar with the essentials of organizational structure and control. 

Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility

A theoretical and practical understanding of business ethics and corporate social responsibility is important to today’s management role. This week’s module will explore the notion that there is a broader responsibility in today’s corporate world than that of solely making a profit and what the role of management is in this social responsibility. Additionally, the area of business ethics will be dissected and the critical role of management discussed.  Students will become familiar with critical roles and key concepts in ethics and social responsibility.

Managing Organizational Change

Planning for and managing organizational change is a critical function of management. Organizations rarely remain static and the environments in which they operate rarely remain static as well. There exists an imbalance between stability and change in today’s organizations and management’s response is critical, especially with so many individuals resistant to change and potential for conflict. There are internal and external influences that necessitate change and managers need to be active agents of change with foresight and adaptability. Students will become familiar with the essential skills necessary to manage organizational change.

Strategic Management

Strategic management is a core concept in management and is a crucial element for the long term success of organizations and a core skill for today’s managers. Strategic management is an ongoing process that skillfully balances strategic planning, implementation and control at the enterprise level. The key element is that it is an ongoing process, subject to careful implementation and review, particularly as environmental conditions change. Students will become familiar with the critical process and core management function of strategic management and the components of strategic planning, implementation and control.

COURSE POLICIES

Proper Course Registration

Students have responsibility to ensure they are properly enrolled in classes. You are advised to review your official class schedule (using Web for Students) during the first two weeks of the semester to ensure you are properly enrolled in this class and section. Should an error exist in your class schedule, you have until Sunday, September 11, 2011 to correct the error with your advising office.  If registration errors are not corrected by this date and you continue to attend and participate in classes for which you are not officially enrolled, you are advised now that you will not receive a grade at the conclusion of the semester for any class in which you are not properly registered.

Attendance Policy

Attendance at all class meetings and participation in all the activities is extremely important as this is a course that relies heavily on a variety of classroom activities. Since this is a large lecture hall class with nearly 200 students I cannot possibly take attendance.  Therefore, you are somewhat on your own.  The good thing is that you could remain incognito.  The not so good thing is that perhaps I won’t be able to know you personally if you choose to remain discreet.  The choice here is all yours.  Decide how best to approach this.  Students who are absent for legitimate reasons (such as medical reasons that require absence) should inform the instructor as soon as they can, provide documentation such as a original signed doctor’s note (or hospital admission paperwork), and request make up work (see below for more info). Given the nature of learning in this course, there is a level of absences over which it is not possible for a student to make up for absences and still receive a passing grade in the course.  Should attendance wane, your professor reserves the right to administer pop quizzes.

Professional Conduct and Classroom Decorum

Students are expected to exhibit personal professional conduct that is courteous to the instructor and to all the other students. Each student is responsible to ensure his or her own personal, professional conduct and the professionalism of his or her work product at all times. If you feel that any student may be injurious to you or to others, please let me know.  All assignments must be submitted by the due date and time. Late submissions may be subjected to an appropriate deduction in grades.  You are expected to be on time for all classes so as not to disturb your instructor and classmates. Also to not disturb classmates, your instructor expects that there will be no reading or talking during lectures, cases, videos, or presentations; as well as no eating or chewing gum during class.  Cell phones, pagers and beepers must be turned off upon entering the classroom.  There will be no use of headphones, computers, or iPods in class as well as no talking or texting on any electronic devices during any classroom activities.  This is disturbing to your classmates.  If a student’s device rings during class, exams, or quizzes, the instructor reserves the right to ask that student to leave the room for the remainder of that class period.  Please don’t let it happen a second time, as other, often stronger actions may then be necessary.  You (as well as all of your classmates) are in this class to learn.

Academic Dishonesty

Academic honesty is essential to the educational process and serves to protect the integrity of the University. The use of the intellectual property of others without giving them appropriate credit is a serious academic offense. Your professor embraces a “zero-tolerance” philosophy with respect to issues in this class related to academic dishonesty, plagiarism, cheating, and other violations of the educational process as spelled out in your university handbook.  Please understand that, as a condition of taking this course, you agree that you are aware of your rights and of your responsibilities in this course as a responsible member of the KSU academic community. In this class any violations of the academic integrity policy will result in a failure grade (0 points) for the work or course.  Repeat offenses may result in dismissal from the University.

Email Communications

Please utilize your Kent.edu email accounts. Important course announcements and university updates are forwarded by your professor only through your student email account. You will need to consistently keep at least 2 megabytes of space open for such contact.  Failure to do so may result in your being unaware of important course activities.

Students with Disabilities

University policy 3342-3-18 requires that students with disabilities be provided reasonable accommodations to ensure their equal access to course content. If you have a documented disability and require accommodations, please contact the professor at the beginning of the semester to make arrangements for necessary classroom adjustments. Please note, you must first verify your eligibility for these through the Student Accessibility Services (contact by phone: 330-672-3391 or visit: http://www.registrars.kent.edu/disability/ for more information on registration procedures).  I expect you to do this on the first day of classes. Please do not come to me the day before an exam and inform me of the need for these accommodations.  I am simply unable to assist you at that late date.

Student Athletes

If you are a student athlete and plan on traveling to games this semester then please come and inform me of this on our first class meeting.  That way I’m aware of your possible travel schedule which may interfere with class events.

Outside Reading Essential

Consider reading regularly, valuable business publications such as: The Economist (UK), Financial Times (UK), The Wall Street Journal (US), Barron’s (US), and Investor’s Business Daily (US).  Discussions may be conducted and perhaps assigned from these publications and your informed and current awareness is essential to your exemplary progress in this course.

Grading

Evaluation of your performance will be based on a variety of activities, weighted as indicated below:

                Cases (Two; Due on Oct. 16^th & Nov. 13^th, online)                                       10.0% (@  5.0% each)       

                Midterms (Three; Due on Sept. 25^th, Oct. 23^rd, Nov. 20^th, online)              67.5% (@ 22.5% each)

                Final Exam – Comprehensive (One; Due on Dec. 16^th, online)                  22.5%                                                   

                Total                                                                                                                      100%    

Use the following value guide to ascertain your corresponding final letter grade in this class.  Multiply your grade on each item by the percentage figure as shown above (i.e., a score of 80% [or 80.00] on the first exam would be multiplied by 22.5% [or 0.225] for a value of 18 points on that one item).  Then add up all of your items.  Scores are rounded off to the nearest one-hundredth of a point.  Therefore, an earned final course grade that is near the cusp, of say 79.95 points will, unfortunately, not be able to earn you a letter grade of a “B”.  Here is the grade chart:

A             100.00 – 90.00 total points

B             89.99 – 80.00

C             79.99 – 70.00

D             69.99 – 60.00

F              Below 60.00

Office Hours 

My office hours will be immediately following most every class meeting, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, until 9:15 p.m.  While I prefer to have you set and confirm a previous appointment, I will have an open door policy and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.  In the event that you wish to come to office hours after 7:45 p.m., it will be best to email me prior to that time to make certain of my availability.  Should you have a conflict with these existing days or times, please see me after class (and/or email me) and I’ll be happy to make other arrangements.  I aim to be as flexible as possible to accommodate your calendar and I can possibly do appointments during other days or evenings, or perhaps even weekends if necessary. 

The location of my office on Tuesdays only is on the fourth floor of the College of Business Administration (BSA) Building.  (On Thursdays my office hours will be in our usual classroom, where I will remain, since there is no class immediately after ours on that day only).  I’ll be happy to show you where I will be, but if not then let me give you some helpful directions here.  As you are facing the BSA from the west (the main parking lot side), enter through the outside double doors to your far left (north side) and then, once inside the building, make a left turn and then a brief right turn.  Take the single elevator (or the stairway) there to the 4^th (and top) floor of this section of the building.  As you get off of the elevator you will go forward about 5 steps and then turn left (the only way that you can go here).  The Management and Information Systems (M&IS) Department will be right in front of you now!  We are in the “newer” wing of the BSA, known as the “A” Wing.  Please note that we are the only department in the entire building with carpeting (easier to find us) – we truly rate!  Come to the middle of that floor and you will see our copy room (#A420) there and my desk is just beyond that door.  If I happen to not be at my desk, then please check in the area where a computer is located just past that, in a small partitioned cubicle; or check in the M&IS Conference Room that’s in the far corner, Room A404.  If you have problems finding me, just ask anyone you see where is the M&IS Department.  Most people should know.  Hope that this all helps you locate me easily.  If you are having any problems in this course, do see me immediately; please don’t wait until the semester ends.  By then it may simply be too late for me to help you.

OTHER ASSIGNMENTS, ACTIVITIES, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Course Activities

The best place to check for all current and future course items will be on the McGraw-Hill Connect Link (an Icon) in our course Blackboard Site. This will have the most recent updated calendar for 6-8 weeks at a time.

Mid-Terms and Final Exam

The Mid-Terms and Final will be designed to test your understanding of the course concepts and their application to practical situations. Questions will be of both objective/multiple-choice type and also perhaps short paragraph type.  You will have at least four days to complete each Mid-Term Exam (online), from Thursday, at 12:01 a.m. ET, until 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday evening.  Each Mid-Term Exam will have 50 multiple choice questions, drawn from the 4 chapters of that portion of the course.  The time limit allotted is 80 minutes with one attempt to complete all the questions included.  One of these exams will be dropped – it will either be the one with the lowest grade or the one that you have missed taking.  (The Final Exam will have a different schedule, will have more questions, and therefore more time; it will have a similar format and shall also be online as well). 

Syllabus

While this is primarily intended to be a strict overview of this course, it is not a contract.  Things happen: accidents, emergencies, weather conditions, catastrophes, and the like, and thus, this syllabus is therefore tentative.  As professional business leaders you must be flexible to change and engage a full understanding of that dynamic.  Your professor will give you as much lead time as possible on all changes, so that you do have ample occasion to prepare.

Important Dates

Last Day to Add Classes or Change Grading Option                                           Sunday, September 11, 2011

Last Day to Apply for December 2011 Graduation                                             Before Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Last Day for Completing a Grade of “I” for the Fall 2011 Term                      Sunday, December 11, 2011

Last Day for Withdrawing With a Grade of “W”                                                  Sunday, November 6, 2011

Before considering dropping this class please come and discuss it first with your instructor, as options may exist.

Students’ Absences, Missed Classes/Activities/Exams

Along the same line as things that can happen above, your instructor realizes that circumstances may occur in your schedule as well that may preclude your attendance for class activities: such as serious illnesses, family emergencies/events, deaths in the family, accidents, work commitments and business travel out of town, etc.  Advance notice to me will most always be required (at the very least, suggested).  The only exceptions to this notice are serious illness or death in your immediate family.  IMPORTANT: Note that make-up work will be available for the four Exam(s) ONLY, and then only under very limited and extenuating circumstances.  This means that no make-ups are available for any of the following items; including, (but not limited to): Any Other Tests or Exams, Quizzes, Pop Quizzes, Cases or Case Discussions, Extra Credit, Additional Assignments, Teamwork Activities, Experiential Exercises, Presentations, Projects, and/or Participation or Attendance Items.  In order to be considered for any make-up work you will first need to provide me with written, original proof of any absence to be excused, usually in the form of an original doctor’s note, original emergency room physician’s statement, and/or original hospital billing statement(s) with clear admission dates and full treatment methods.  It is not realistic to come to me after any unattended classroom program and then explain a situation, other than that of a dire emergency or family death, and expect to get a make-up exam.  At the very latest then, you (or your representative) need to notify me not later than 48 hours immediately after any missed class activity

TENTATIVE SUMMARY CLASS SCHEDULE (TUESDAY/THURSDAY FROM 5:30 TO 6:45 P.M.)

Cogito Ergo Sum

At this level of your college career, there should be no prodding by instructors to get you to do the work on a daily basis.  This class will be run much like an upper division business class.  However, if the instructor sees people not prepared, reading the course material, cases, or assignments for the first time in class, and thereby holding up classroom progress, then it is very possible that your instructor may need to revert to more classical teaching methods, as distasteful as they may be, to make sure that all students are fully prepared.  This course is designed to accentuate and strengthen previous work in the business program, thereby providing a total business perspective.  You will see how the foundations of management will integrate and build upon material which you have formerly learned in your accounting, economics, finance, international business, marketing, organizational behavior, organizational theory, philosophy (professional ethics) and psychology courses.