Write course reflection.

Here is the course information, just write what ever, you can talk about the project you wrote about:

? Course Description and Goals ?

Organizations primarily exist to produce a good or provide a service.  Increasing competitiveness places pressures on organizations to closely understand what it is they do better than others and why.  As a result, significant attention has focused on the contributions of human capital (the hard to duplicate skills and wisdom of people as a critical resource and competitive advantage) to organizational effectiveness and efficiency. These principles are particularly critical in professional and knowledge-based organizations.

The roles and responsibilities of managers regarding these human resources have been a topic of debate since the term was coined.  Early discussions focused primarily on the boundaries of managerial authority in directing internal activities such as production and personnel. However, over time, the debate has explored (some would say advocated) the extent to which managers have a moral as well as legal responsibility to the communities in which they operate and the communities their goods and services serve.  Each of the past several decades has at least one highly visible event defining the “ethical issue of the day.”  At a more local level are discussions of work-life balance and community stewardship.  Indeed, environmentalism, product liability, employee relations, community citizenship, and diversity are major elements  formerly measured by the Kinder-Lynder-Dominici index used by The Conference Board, various external agencies, and academic researchers. Formerly known as Corporate Social Responsibility, the practice is now known as ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) used by major investment firms and others to evaluate organizational performance. Recent events have shown the significant influence this metric has on organizational decisions.

Contemporary trends continue to accelerate the need for better mastery of “people technology” as former hierarchical systems of titles and authority are replaced with the need for managers to develop personal influence and social capital.  Thus, as with any emerging or re-emerging trend, the study of organizational behavior often experiences a bandwagon effect.  Popular book titles, seminars, and newfound gurus promote the latest fads guaranteed to immediately solve an organization’s management or leadership crises.  We even see other functional areas significantly “discovering” the significant effect of people issues within their disciplines.  The field of organizational behavior traces its roots to the 1930’s when the role of human behavior in organizations was first recognized and accepted as a distinct phenomenon. OB resurged again in the 1960’s when behavioral scientists migrated to business schools to create the human potential/human resource approach to management.  In the 1990’s as business schools prioritized focus for moving into the “21st Century.” Today, we again see a peaking of interest in people related concepts as organizations recover from the significant impacts technology and COVID created in the way organizations operate.

Given this preamble, the objectives of this course can be seen as many and varied.  However, we can categorize them into the following content and skill sets: 

1. An appreciation for the role of organizational behavior for developing interpersonal management skills. An understanding of the core intellectual foundations as developed within OB or imported from other disciplines that drive effective managerial behavior.  Some might say this is the theory side of the coin.  Much of the readings will emphasize this aspect.
2. To identify current trends in interpersonal skills such that one can separate new developments from the recycling of existing ideas.  An eye for evaluating “pop fads” in light of existing theory and concepts to determine their potential effectiveness or “fluff factor.”  Some might call this the critical consumer approach.  Readings from the popular press (Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Newsweek) may be introduced to illustrate these trends.  You are encouraged to use your favorite popular business journal to add to this discussion.
3. To develop the ability to identify key relevant data (chafe versus wheat), analyze critical factors creating success or failure, diagnose situations using applicable concepts; recommend appropriate action to improve behavioral effectiveness.  This would be labeled the critical thinking component and will involve class discussions.
4. To develop a self-awareness of one’s own interpersonal tendencies and their implications for organizational behavior.  To evaluate and develop one’s capacity to work in an interdependent team environment.  To consider potential methods to improve one’s interpersonal and leadership skills.  This would be considered the experiential, “real-life,” skill development benefits of the course and will be addressed by various take-home and in-class exercises.
5. To further develop the communication skills to package and impart one’s mastery and insights to others in a logical, grounded, clear, and persuasive manner.  To do so in a method that entertains and integrates multiple perspectives and alternatives, but considers the optimal mutual benefit to the problem and the participants.  This could be considered the communication skills component of the course.

? Class Teaching Philosophy ?

This class examines underlying theoretical principles that have led to specific recommendations for successful managerial behavior. I view my role as providing explanations and models that will assist you in guiding your leadership and team behavior. My role is also to facilitate input from and discussions among the class members to incorporate the wealth of personal experiences in the online classroom. As such, the group discussions will range from theoretical to practical to topical to anecdotal. In the end, each lesson should provide a test of ‘the book’ against the realities of ‘the street.’ The product of these interactions will likely not be a right answer or recipe, but rather a framework of questions and contingencies that provides a framework for you to evaluate appropriate strategies to pursue. To this end, there are certain expectations:

1. I require assignments to be completed ahead of time. The online lectures and videos are designed to integrate and build upon the readings and personal assessments. If you skip or only skim the material you will likely feel “lost.”
2. The online discussion sessions are designed to provide collegiate interaction and an experiential “lab” to identify experiences and create insights for the readings and lectures. These discussions can generate questions and themes that will be used by me to incorporate into “real time” lecture postings and to develop FAQ postings.
3. While this is an online course, it is not a self-directed, independent study. I have structured the course into 5 weeks (with 2 exams) organized around online lessons per week. While you are free to work at your pace within the modules, be sure to complete your work along the schedule provided. This will be critical as you will need to coordinate your discussions with your group members.

   In addition, I view “class time” as only part of the total learning process. One can “get by” (defined as possibly scratch out a B in the course) by just watching the videos, participating in the discussion sections, and completing the assignments. However, those who are interested in a more extensive learning experience will also recognize the benefit of devoting time “outside of class” to mastering the course material (potential to EARN an A grade). Indeed, the assignments and projects are designed to create an opportunity to explore and understand the application of the course material to a range of potential applications.

4. It is likely that the online material will only cover part of all the potential issues raised by the readings or by discussion activities. Thus, I strongly encourage the discussion groups to use time to further examine the material, their implications, and their potential application to individual objectives.
5. Additionally, each student will enter the class with different backgrounds, experiences, and learning objectives. As such, it may not always be possible to address each specific curiosity or personal application within the confines of the online classroom. In addition, group discussions may reach a point where further progress requires “off line” consultation.  Therefore, I encourage you to utilize opportunities (Logistics/Q&A forum, appointments, email) for interactions with me or the TA’s to fill in gaps.

Students should be aware that this class deals with significant issues that may tend to address personal matters and concerns.  By the same token, the course deals with matters that do not always have “black and white” answers.  Therefore, there is a potential for ambiguity that can cause discomfort.  There will also be an emphasis on students internalizing or personalizing the material within their own schema.  Thus I may not always advocate the “right” answer, or that a universal “right” answer exists.  However, I do believe there is a right approach to finding that answer.  To quote contemporary pedagogy, I am not here so much “to teach” as much as to facilitate your effort “to learn.”  Many find this approach challenging and in some cases uncomfortable.  However, there is no one “best way” to manage people.  Yet there are proper frameworks to help determine the most appropriate way given the situation and people involved.