Organizational Interaction PSU Syllabus
- 1. ORGANIZATIONAL INTERACTION (See Example of Contract Grading on page 3) Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies Michael Rudolf, MBA Instructor Cell: 484.363.1717 Email: michael.e.rudolf@gmail.com “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” Upton Sinclair, American writer Class One Introduction of class members’ exercise. Review and negotiate course outline and expectations. Review and negotiate letter grade expectations. One page JOB descriptor for each class member. Class to choose Presentation topic. “A day in the life of a manager.” Answer the question: “What service do you provide?" "If you were to become an independent contractor and sell your services back to your organization, how would you describe your services?" "What would you charge for your services?" Class Two Strategic Planning: The "Big" picture – exercise & discussion. The Customer Worksheet: Your "Big" picture – exercise & discussion. McGregor Management Survey/Test & Discussion. Leadership film – discussion. How to develop a positive self-concept exercise & discussion. Professional development & image discussion. Article due. Job Descriptor due. For next week: Read Pages 683 - 699 on developing oneself (Successful Manager’s Handbook). Class Three Class Two follow-up. Interpersonal Communication exercise & discussion. Customer Profile Due. Article due. For next week: Read pages 49 - 59 on structure and staff. Class Four Class Three follow-up. Interviewing exercise & discussion. Article due. Presentation summary proposal due. For next week: Read pages 259 - 276 on valuing diversity. Read pages 282 - 291 on managing disagreements.
- 2. Class Five Class Four follow-up. Valuing Diversity exercise & discussion. Constructive Conflict exercise & discussion. Article due. For next week: Read pages 121 - 131 on speaking. Class Six Class Five follow-up. Toastmasters Speaking film – discussion. Making Presentations – didactic & discussion. Bert Decker film – discussion. Article due. For next week: Read pages 180 - 192 on written communications. Class Seven Class Six follow-up. Written Communications – exercise & discussion. Article due. For next week: Read pages 226 - 240 on organizational savvy & 245 - 254 on networking & pages 199 - 219 on building relationships. Class Eight Class Seven follow-up. Power Communicating in Organizations – discussion. Negotiating film – discussion. Article due. Class Nine Class Eight follow-up. Class Presentations. Class Ten: Welcome from Chancellor, Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies Dinner & Roundtable Discussion with “Your CEO”. Class to invite their supervisor and/or their supervisors’ supervisor (got that?). Class to assign roundtable topic. Other readings (along with additional reference books, can be used as final presentation): Pages 135 - 145 on fostering open communication; pages 644 - 653 on acting with integrity; 150 - 161 on listening to others; and pages 28 - 36 on strategic planning).
- 3. CONTRACT GRADING: EXPECTATIONS FOR OBTAINING LETTER GRADES A,B,C To obtain letter grade A, you must submit the following: One page JOB DESCRIPTOR about your work duties; also, if available, of the person(s) you report to and of staff that reports to you. Also, include organizational handouts like quarterly reports, strategic plan and/or your department’s business plan. You MUST include in your descriptor, your top 3 work goals for this fiscal/calendar year. TWO (2) ARTICLES due related to any aspect of Organizational Interaction. Write up of article must include: Title & source What in this article is important to the work I do? What am I going to do differently now that I have read this information? CUSTOMER PROFILE: Choose one key internal or external customer and complete profile. Summarize Profile "before and after", include "pro's" and "con's". Optional: Profile handed in with any names etc... deleted. Due September 23. PRESENTATION (All must be pre-approved by M. Rudolf or by class consensus): Option 1. Individual presentation (minimum of 10 minutes): Improving your Conflict Management Style exercise on pg. 285. Culture Identity Structure exercise on pg. 274. Minimizing Recurrent Conflict exercise on pgs. 289-90. Speaking with Enthusiasm and Expressiveness exercise on pgs. 126-27. Increasing your Awareness of Nonverbal Communication exercise on pgs. 130-31. Identifying the People to Include in your Network exercise on pgs. 249-50. Developing Effective Working Relationships with Peers exercise on pgs. 212- 13. Adopting a More Accepting View of Others exercise on pg. 214. Increasing the Quality of Relationships exercise on pg. 215. Increasing Feedback from you Manager exercise on pgs. 218-19. Option 2. Book Report on any topic related to our course. Handout materials to include book summary and key points (charts, key protocols etc...). You must answer the question: Now that I have read this material, what am I going to do differently in the workplace? Option 3. Web-based / Computer Program demonstration involving any organizational interaction topic related to our course. Handout materials to include executive summary and key “pro’s and con’s” of program. Complete the INTERVIEW QUESTION CHECKLIST. Class to discuss on class four. Leader of Discussion for Chapter Readings: Each class member to take a leadership role in facilitating one reading one time for one class. NOTE: Additional assignments may be assigned per instructor or at classes request or assignments may be negotiated for any/all of the above.
- 4. To obtain letter grade B, you must submit the following: One page Job descriptor (see above). One (1) articles due related to any aspect of Organizational Interaction (see write up above). Presentation: (see above). Leader of discussion for chapter readings (see above). Additional assignments (see above). To obtain letter grade C, you must submit the following: One page Job descriptor. Presentation: (see above). Leader of discussion for chapter readings (see above). Additional assignments (see above).