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BUSN 2350 Syllabus

Course Syllabus

BUSN 2350 - Organizational Behavior

3 Credit Hours

Course Information

Course Description:

This course examines the importance of understanding human relations in the workplace and developing the skills necessary to foster more effective communication and motivation. It is designed to help you gain insights into specific people skills that you can use on the job to motivate people, communicate better, and create more effective teams. It provides a basic knowledge of behavior as it relates to the way people (individuals and groups) act in organizations as well as the organization system itself. It encompasses a wide range of topics such as values, attitudes, perception, and ethics of individuals, motivation of individuals and groups, team building, effective communication, leadership and management, conflict and negotiation, training and development, performance appraisals, and cultural changes.

Course Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

  • Explain the importance of interpersonal skills to manage effectively when dealing with change and/or conflict within the workplace.
  • Describe the impact in the workplace of globalization, cultural differences, workforce diversity, and ethics and discuss the role of leadership in achieving effective organizational performance.
  • Differentiate between group and individual behaviors and analyze various group dynamics and how they may have an impact on the organization.
Prerequisites & Co-requisites:

None

Course Topics:
  • Introduction to Organization Behavior
  • Individual Processes and Behavior
  • Interpersonal Processes and Behavior
  • Organizational Processes and Structure
Specific Course Requirements:

Because all assignments will be completed using the Internet, you will need:

  • a basic knowledge of the computer
  • access to the Internet
  • a commitment of time

Therefore, any student taking an online class should be self-motivated, mature, and capable of meeting deadlines without being reminded. The most successful students get started with the assignments immediately and communicate with the instructor on a regular basis. Though taking a web course is not for everyone, it can be a great alternative to traditional face-to-face classes. It not only allows total flexibility of your time, it provides a means of furthering your education without missing work and often without leaving your home. Everything you will need for this course (except the textbook) will be provided to you within the course. If you have any questions, please contact your instructor.

Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements

Required Textbooks:

Please visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course. Move your cursor over the "Books" link in the navigation bar and select "Textbooks & Course Materials." Select your Program, Term, Department, and Course; then select "Submit."

Supplementary Materials:

None

Hardware and Software Requirements:

Minimum hardware requirements can be found here.

Minimum software requirements can be found here.

Common applications you might need:

Web Resources:

Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab (for APA, MLA, or Chicago style)

The Writing Center Online Writer's Handbook

Student Resources:
  • Technical support information can be found on the TN eCampus Help Desk page.
  • Smarthinking virtual tutoring is available FREE of charge. to access Smarthinking, visit the course homepage and select Smarthinking under Course Resources. You also view sample sessions to see what Smarthinking offers and how it works.
  • Information on other student issues or concerns can be located on the TN eCampus Student Resources page.

Instructor Information

Please see "Instructor Information" in the Getting Started Module for instructor contact information, virtual office hours, and other communication information. You can expect to receive a response from the instructor within 24-48 hours unless notified of extenuating circumstances.

Participation, Assessments, & Grading

Testing Procedures:

Each chapter will have a timed, objective online quiz covering the content. In addition, you will have a timed, objective online mid-term and final test covering content from a range of chapters. You may complete all quizzes and tests at any location that has a computer with a good Internet connection. They are not proctored; thus, you will not be required to visit a testing center.

Grading Procedures:

In addition to reading the chapters in your textbook, each student will participate in online discussions, complete chapter quizzes, take a comprehensive Mid-Term Test, complete a comprehensive Final Test, and submit a 3-page reflection paper sharing your understanding of the overall content based on the learning outcomes for the course. A brief description of each assignment is below. Specific details are available within the course.

Grading Scale:
Point RangeAssigned Grade
900 - 1000 pointsA
800 - 899 pointsB
700 - 799 pointsC
600 - 699 pointsD
under 599 pointsF

 

Assignments and Projects:

Discussion Board Posts:

The discussion board is a means in which you share your thoughts about a topic. It is not a private venue; thus, your classmates as well as your instructor can view it. To earn maximum points, each post must consist of complete sentences, using proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Though emails and discussion posts seem informal, they represent who you are. In business, this means showing that you are a professional through your writing and feedback. This is not the time to use “texting” lingo. In addition, it is disrespectful to others who read your work to have to muddle through incorrect spellings, typos, and/or other errors. Please pay special attention to what you type before posting. For many students, it is easier to first type your work using a word processing program (such as Microsoft Word), run spell check, then copy and paste your work into the body of the discussion board. You may also use the spell checker that is available via the discussion board box.

Original Posts: When indicated within the module, each student will compose an ORIGINAL post in response to a topic provided. Each original post should consist of 200-225 words of quality content that is relevant and meaningful to the topic. The content within this post should be exceptionally clear and focused, thought provoking, strongly supported with text references, and stimulate inquiry, investigation, and further discussion. Each ORIGINAL post is worth a maximum of 30 points.

Reply Posts:

In addition to posting an original post, each student will read and REPLY to at least two (2) different classmates’ posts. These posts should be clear and focused, demonstrate a critical and thoughtful understanding of the topic, and bring the discussion to a higher level of inquiry and investigation. Each of the reply posts should be a minimum of 50 words and add “value” to the discussion. Just agreeing or indicating you like someone’s post is not acceptable. Each REPLY post is worth a maximum of 10 points.

Once the deadline passes, your instructor will review each of your posts and enter your grade along with personal comments to you. You may review your score and comments by clicking on the ASSESSMENT link and then Grades.

Please DO NOT share your thoughts as an attachment; you will not get credit for the assignment.

Quizzes:

At the end of each chapter, you will complete a quiz covering content from that chapter. Each quiz will consist of approximately 25 multiple-choice questions with 40 minutes available to answer them and submit your quiz. You may take each quiz twice, if desired, with the highest grade recorded. At the end of the course, your two lowest quiz grades will be dropped automatically and not calculated into your final course grade. After the deadline for each quiz has passed, you may review any missed questions in preparation for your comprehensive mid-term and final test. If you think something was marked wrong by mistake, please send your instructor an email with the quiz number, attempt, question number, and why you think your response was correct.

Mid-Term Test (Comprehensive Chapters 1-9):

About half way through the course, you will complete a comprehensive mid-term test covering content from each of the chapters covered up to that point. This test will consist of approximately 40 multiple choice questions and you will have 60 minutes to answer the questions and submit the test. You may only take this test once. This test may not be one of your drop grades.

Final Test (Comprehensive Chapters 1-18):

At the end of this course, you will complete a comprehensive final test. This test will include questions from each of the chapters covered in class. It will include 40 multiple choice questions and you will have 60 minutes in which to respond and submit the test. You may only take this test once. This test may not be one of your drop grades.

Reflection Paper:

A formal 3-page reflection paper will be written near the end of this course. This paper will serve to demonstrate your understanding of the overall content of this course based on the learning outcomes set.

Graded Items:

DescriptionPointsPercentage

18 Quizzes (drop 2 lowest) 16 @ 25 points each

40040%

6 Discussion Board assignments @ 50 points each

(30 pts original post; 10 pts each reply post)

30030%

1 Mid-Term Test @ 100 points

10010%

1 Final Test @ 100 points

10010%

1 Reflection Paper @ 100 points

10010%
Total Points1000100%

 

Class Participation:
  • Students are expected to communicate with the instructor via email within the course as deemed necessary.
  • Students are asked to communicate with other students on the Discussion Board.
  • Students are required to check the course calendar for all assignment and test due dates.
Late Policy:
  • Students are required to be prepared for and participate in assignments and discussion boards.
  • All assignments and discussion board postings must be completed by the due dates provided.

Course Ground Rules

The following two statements (1., 2.) were derived from the TBR System-wide Student Rules document, released January 2012:

RULES OF THE TENNESSEE BOARD OF REGENTS STATE UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM OF TENNESSEE SYSTEMWIDE STUDENT RULES CHAPTER 0240-02-03 STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS

Read the document in its entirety here.

1. Standards of Conduct:

  • Students are required to adhere to the same professional, legal and ethical standards of conduct online as on campus. In addition, students should conform to generally accepted standards of "netiquette" while sending e-mail, posting comments to the discussion board, and while participating in other means of communicating online. Specifically, students should refrain from inappropriate and/or offensive language, comments and actions.

2. Review the TN eCampus Academic Integrity/Academic Honesty Policy:

  • In their academic activities, students are expected to maintain high standards of honesty and integrity. Academic dishonesty is prohibited.

Such conduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • an attempt by one or more students to use unauthorized information in the taking of an exam
  • to submit as one's own work, themes, reports, drawings, laboratory notes, computer programs, or other products prepared by another person,
  • or to knowingly assist another student in obtaining or using unauthorized materials.

Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited.

Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are subject to disciplinary action through the regular procedures of the student’s home institution.  Refer to the student handbook provided by your home institution to review the student conduct policy.

In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed, the instructor has the authority to assign an "F" or zero for an activity or to assign an "F" for the course.

Other Course Rules:

Students are expected to:

  • Participate in all aspects of the course
  • Communicate with other students
  • Learn how to navigate in Brightspace
  • Keep abreast of course announcements
  • Use the assigned course management (Brightspace) email address rather than a personal email address
  • Address technical problems immediately:
  • Observe course netiquette at all times.

Guidelines for Communications

Email:

  • Always include a subject line.
  • Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way. Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.
  • Use standard fonts.
  • Do not send large attachments without permission.
  • Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
  • Respect the privacy of other class members

Discussions:

  • Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker then a discussant.
  • Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.
  • Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other’s ideas.
  • Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.
  • Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.
  • Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
  • Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.

Library

The Tennessee Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in TN eCampus programs and courses. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading will be included within the course modules. To access the Virtual Library, go to the course homepage and select the Virtual Library link under Course Resources.

Students with Disabilities

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes

The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify students of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this syllabus is for general information purposes only. While we endeavor to keep this information up-to-date and accurate, there may be some discrepancies between this syllabus and the one found in your online course. The syllabus of record is the one found in your online course. Please make sure you read the syllabus in your course at the beginning of the semester. Questions regarding course content should be directed to your instructor.


Last Revised on July 12, 2021