MBA 6001, Organizational

Research and Theory

Course Syllabus

Course Description
Organizational Research and Theory provides an examination of organizational theory and managerial concepts of
human behavior in organizations. Topics include theoretical and practical application of motivation, leadership, power, and
reward systems. Provides a balanced view of the structural and human sides of organization design.

Course Material(s)
No physical textbook is required; resources are integrated within the course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Analyze the effects and applications of various organizational structures and levels of authority on employee
motivation, morale, and culture.
2. Compare and contrast the impact of models of leadership on decision making and change within the
organizational structure.
3. Explore sources and effects of power on managing conflict within an organization.
4. Examine the relationship between reward systems, organizational goals, and productivity.
5. Apply the practices of research and theory to models for organizational change.
6. Distinguish among organizational design models and organizational structures.
7. Evaluate organizational design and strategy within the global operations environment.

Credits
Upon completion of this course, the students will earn three (3) hours of college credit.

Course Structure
1. Study Guide: Each unit contains a Study Guide that provides students with the learning outcomes, unit lesson,
required reading assignments, and supplemental resources.
2. Learning Outcomes: Each unit contains Learning Outcomes that specify the measurable skills and knowledge
students should gain upon completion of the unit.
3. Unit Lesson: Each unit contains a Unit Lesson, which discusses lesson material.
4. Reading Assignments: Each unit contains Reading Assignments from outside resources.
5. Suggested Reading: Suggested Readings are listed in each units study guide. Students are encouraged to read
the resources listed if the opportunity arises, but they will not be tested on their knowledge of the Suggested
Readings.
6. Learning Activities (Non-Graded): These non-graded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their
course of study.
7. Unit Assignments: Students are required to submit for grading Unit Assignments in Units II, IV, VI, and VIII.
Specific information and instructions regarding these assignments are provided below. Grading rubrics are
included with each assignment. Specific information about accessing these rubrics is provided below.
8. Participation-Discussion Assignment: Those students who will be attending the classes taught by Vietnamese
professors are not required to answer the discussion board questions. Instead they will discuss the questions
listed in the discussion board with their professors and peers during class participation sessions. Those students

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

who will not be attending the classes are required to e-mail the responses to the discussion board questions to
their CSU professor.
9. Final Exam: Final Exams will be administered by the CSU professors while in Vietnam.

CSU Online Library

The CSU Online Library is available to support your courses and programs. The online library includes databases,
journals, e-books, and research guides. These resources are always accessible and can be reached through the library
webpage. To access the library, log into the myCSU Student Portal, and click on CSU Online Library. You can also
access the CSU Online Library from the My Library button on the course menu for each course in Blackboard.
The CSU Online Library offers several reference services. E-mail (library@columbiasouthern.edu) and telephone
(1.877.268.8046) assistance is available Monday Thursday from 8 am to 5 pm and Friday from 8 am to 3 pm. The
librarys chat reference service, Ask a Librarian, is available 24/7; look for the chat box on the online library page.
Librarians can help you develop your research plan or assist you in finding relevant, appropriate, and timely
information. Reference requests can include customized keyword search strategies, links to articles, database help, and
other services.

LibGuides
Click here for the LibGuide for this course.
Think of a LibGuide (a Library Guide) as a mini-website to help you with your assignments. It has relevant information
such as databases, ebooks, and websites specific to your courses. If you have any questions, please reach out to your
friendly library staff.

Unit Assignments
The Unit VIII PowerPoint Presentation will be group based, meaning you will collaborate with other students to
complete the assignment. Please begin preparing for the assignment in Unit V. Preparing for the assignment will
allow you to be efficient when completing the assignment with your classmates. Additional instructions can be
found below.
Unit II Project
Analyze your own personality by completing a personality test using the following site: http://www.humanmetrics.com/test.
Reflecting on your own personality, respond to this project in an essay addressing each item below. You will also include
research from at least one scholarly source from the CSU Online Library to support your responses.

Describe how emotional intelligence and understanding personality types is important for developing
relationships.
Examine the extent to which you believe that personality profiles can help to reduce workplace conflicts.
Describe personality types of co-workers that cause personality conflicts for you based on your own personality
assessment.
Describe a time you experienced a personality conflict and discuss how you addressed it.

Format your essay consistent with APA guidelines. Your essay should be two pages in length, not including the title page
or reference page. All sources used must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying intext citations in the proper APA format.
The MyCSU Student Portal has great learning resources available for students. Please click here to access an Essay
Example template to use as a guide for this assignment.

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

Unit IV Essay
Select an organization of your choice. You may select a company you have worked for, would like to work for, or design
your own organization. Another option is to select two of the most admired companies or two companies of your choice
and determine the organizational design and structures they use. In an essay, address the following topics:

Describe organizational functions as they relate to the organizational structure, culture, and design of the
organization(s).
Define and provide an example of how the organizations design can help a company.
o Achieve a competitive advantage
o Deal with contingencies
o Increase efficiency and
o Manage change

Format your essay consistent with APA guidelines, and use at least one scholarly source from the CSU Online Library.
Your essay should be two pages in length, not including the title page or reference page. All sources used must be
referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying in-text citations in the proper APA format.
The MyCSU Student Portal has great learning resources available for students. Please click here to access an Essay
Example template to use as a guide for this assignment.
Information about accessing the grading rubric for this assignment is provided below.
Unit VI Essay
In a persuasive essay, link organizational technology, value, and strategy. You may use a real-life organization you have
researched (or worked for) in order to illustrate your argument. Cite at least one article from a CSU Online Library
database to support your essays main ideas. Use section headers to share your findings, and persuade readers on the
following topics:

Identify three kinds of technology in an organization.

Explain how different types of technology create different competencies.
Describe how technology impacts organizational culture.
Explain how technology can help organizational effectiveness.
Relate how technology can propel an organizations global expansion strategies.

You can find an article for this assignment by going to the CSU Online Library, which is found in the left-hand side menu
in the Student Portal. Choose a database to search for your article, and then type key words in the database search box
to find an article related to your topic. If you have any questions, the librarians contact information can be found on the
right side of the library page.
Your essay should be two pages in length, not including the title page or reference page. You are required to cite at least
one article from the CSU Online Library. All sources used must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must
have accompanying in-text citations in the proper APA format.
The MyCSU Student Portal has great learning resources available for students. Please click here to access an Essay
Example template to use as a guide for this assignment.
Unit VIII PowerPoint Presentation
In previous units, the concept of working in groups, and minimizing conflict within teams was presented. For the Unit VIII
PowerPoint Presentation you will be placed in groups of five (5) and will apply the skills needed to effectively work in
groups or teams. You will each be assigned a specific role:

Coordinator: Provide leadership and direction for the group and oversee the completion of the presentation.
Ensure each team member stays on task and the assignment is completed on time.
Data Collector: Compile the information needed to prepare the presentation.
Drafter: Prepare the presentation using the compiled information.
Reviewer: Review the presentation, and provide feedback and edits to the presentation.
Presenter: Present the groups completed presentation to the class.

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

Along with your individual group role, each member is expected to:
Support the work of the group
Contribute ideas about the content
Listen and respect the opinion of others
All members of the group will receive the same grade. Naming your group is not a graded item, but you can do so to
individualize your group.
As a group, imagine you are an executive for an organization of your choice and you are preparing a presentation for the
board of directors about the organizations direction.
Create a (approximately 10- to 15-slide) PowerPoint presentation, with speaker notes, in which you address the following
components:

Describe the organizational structure and design.

Examine the organizations differentiation and growth strategy.
Analyze strategic options and a management approach the organization uses as it relates to the organizations
goals and strategies.
Analyze the corporate culture and methods used to influence employee satisfaction and retention.

Format your presentation consistent with APA guidelines. You must reference paraphrased and quoted material and
sources used must have accompanying in-text citations in the proper APA format. Use at least one scholarly article from
the CSU Online Library.
PowerPoint Best Practices is a tutorial that will help you learn to build a presentation using techniques that make your
PowerPoint easy to view and understand. Click here to access this webinar.

APA Guidelines
The application of the APA writing style shall be practical, functional, and appropriate to each academic level, with the
primary purpose being the documentation (citation) of sources. CSU requires that students use APA style for certain
papers and projects. Students should always carefully read and follow assignment directions and review the associated
grading rubric when available. Students can find CSUs Citation Guide in the myCSU Student Portal by clicking on the
Citation Resources link in the Learning Resources area. This document includes examples and sample papers and
provides information on how to contact the CSU Success Center.

Grading Rubrics
This course utilizes analytic grading rubrics as tools for your professor in assigning grades for all learning activities. Each
rubric serves as a guide that communicates the expectations of the learning activity and describes the criteria for each
level of achievement. In addition, a rubric is a reference tool that lists evaluation criteria and can help you organize your
efforts to meet the requirements of that learning activity. It is imperative for you to familiarize yourself with these rubrics
because these are the primary tools your professor uses for assessing learning activities.
Rubric categories include: (1) Assessment (Written Response) and (2) Assignment. However, it is possible that not all of
the listed rubric types will be used in a single course (e.g., some courses may not have Assessments).
The Assessment (Written Response) rubric can be found embedded in a link within the directions for each Unit
Assessment. However, these rubrics will only be used when written-response questions appear within the Assessment.
Each Assignment type (e.g., article critique, case study, research paper) will have its own rubric. The Assignment rubrics
are built into Blackboard, allowing students to review them prior to beginning the Assignment and again once the
Assignment has been scored. This rubric can be accessed via the Assignment link located within the unit where it is to be
submitted. Students may also access the rubric through the course menu by selecting Tools and then My Grades.
Again, it is vitally important for you to become familiar with these rubrics because their application to your
Assessments and Assignments is the method by which your instructor assigns all grades.

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

Grading
Essays (2 @ 18%)
Unit II Project
Unit VIII PowerPoint Presentation
Participation/Discussion
Final Exam
Total

= 36%
= 18%
= 18%
= 13%
= 15%
= 100%

Course Schedule/Checklist (PLEASE PRINT)

The following pages contain a printable Course Schedule to assist you through this course. By following this schedule,
you will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted.

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

Course Schedule

By following this schedule, you will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted. Please keep this
schedule for reference as you progress through your course.
WEEK 1: 08/01/2016 08/07/2016
Read Professor's Profile - Email your professor and introduce yourself. Read over Course Syllabus.
WEEK 2: 08/08/2016 08/14/2016
Complete Unit I and Unit II and Submit Unit II Project.
Unit I
Review:
Read:
Submit:
Notes/Goals:

Unit II
Review:
Read:
Submit:
Notes/Goals:

Organizational Structures and Levels of Authority

Unit Study Guide
Learning Activities (Non-Graded): See Study Guide
Reading Assignment: See Study Guide
Suggested Reading: See Study Guide
None

Power, Politics, and Conflict

Unit Study Guide
Learning Activities (Non-Graded): See Study Guide
Reading Assignment: See Study Guide
Suggested Reading: See Study Guide
Project

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

Course Schedule

WEEK 3: 08/15/2016 08/21/2016

Independent Studies
WEEK 4: 08/22/2016 08/28/2016
Complete Unit III and Unit IV and Submit Unit IV Essay.
Unit III
Review:
Read:
Submit:
Notes/Goals:

Unit IV
Review:
Read:
Submit:
Notes/Goals:

Models for Organizational Change

Unit Study Guide
Learning Activities (Non-Graded): See Study Guide
Reading Assignment: See Study Guide
Suggested Reading: See Study Guide
None

Organizational Design Models and Organizational Structures

Unit Study Guide
Learning Activities (Non-Graded): See Study Guide
Reading Assignment: See Study Guide
Suggested Reading: See Study Guide
Essay

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

Course Schedule

WEEK 5: 08/29/2016 09/04/2016

Independent Studies
WEEK 6: 09/05/2016 09/11/2016
Break Week - Use this week to complete any remaining assignments. Review Units I - VIII to prepare for Final Exam.
WEEK 7: 09/12/2016 09/18/2016
Complete Unit V and Unit VI and Submit Unit VI Essay.
Unit V
Review:
Read:
Submit:
Notes/Goals:

Unit VI
Review:
Read:
Submit:
Notes/Goals:

Leadership, Decision Making, and Organizational Strategies

Unit Study Guide
Learning Activities (Non-Graded): See Study Guide
Reading Assignment: See Study Guide
Suggested Reading: See Study Guide
None

Organizational Design and Strategy within the Global Operations Environment

Unit Study Guide
Learning Activities (Non-Graded): See Study Guide
Reading Assignment: See Study Guide
Suggested Reading: See Study Guide
Essay

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

Course Schedule

WEEK 8: 09/19/2016 09/25/2016

Independent Studies
WEEK 9: 09/26/2016 10/02/2016
Complete Unit VII and Unit VIII and Submit Unit VIII Assessment.
Unit VII
Review:
Read:
Submit:
Notes/Goals:

Unit VIII
Review:
Read:
Submit:
Notes/Goals:

Reward Systems and Productivity

Unit Study Guide
Learning Activities (Non-Graded): See Study Guide
Reading Assignment: See Study Guide
Suggested Reading: See Study Guide
None

The Direction of Organizational Research and Theory

Unit Study Guide
Learning Activities (Non-Graded): See Study Guide
Reading Assignment: See Study Guide
Suggested Reading: See Study Guide
PowerPoint Presentation

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

Course Schedule

WEEK 10: 10/03/2016 10/09/2016

Independent Studies
WEEK 11: 10/10/2016 10/16/2016
Final Exam and Participation/Discussion.

Review:
Submit:

Final Exam And Participation

All Unit Study Guides and Assessments to prepare for Final Exam
Final Exam
Participation/Discussion

Notes/Goals:

WEEK 12: 10/17/2016 10/23/2016

Final Exam and Participation/Discussion.

Review:
Submit:

Final Exam and Participation

All Unit Study Guides and Assessments to prepare for Final Exam
Final Exam
Participation/Discussion

Notes/Goals:

MBA 6001, Organizational Research and Theory

10