Exam 3a and some term grading information

ONCE ASSIGNMENT #8 CREDITS ARE POSTED SOMETIME TOMORROW (12/1), YOU SHOULD MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL THE POINTS YOU HAVE EARNED.  IF ANY CREDIT IS MISSING FROM YOUR RECORD AT THAT POINT, PLEASE EMAIL THE TAs BEFORE THIS SATURDAY, 12/3.

(EXCEPTION: EMAIL THE PROFESSOR DIRECTLY ABOUT

ANY PROBLEM WITH YOUR CLICKER POINTS.)

Exam 3a grades have been released on Blackboard's "my grades" screen.

The relevant class average for this test was approximately 79%, so the curve factor for increasing actual term grades will likely be 1.02 or 1.03.  You should be able to see your adjusted, pre-final exam letter grade sometime before our last class meeting next Tuesday.

Actual term grades are calculated as follows:
      Exam average times .75, plus
      Total assignment points added to liaison bonus (maximum = 10), plus
      Hotseat points, plus
      Total clicker points times .091 (maximum = 10.01), plus
      Quiz total (maximum = 5).

Every student will receive one (really free!) point each for assignment #9, assignment #10, and quiz #5.

2nd blog entry of exam 3a-3b questions/reminders

Q: The IDEO example I can't find in my notes.  I know it was a video, was that the video we watched on the nature of conflict, factors, stages, and actions to resolve the conflict.  I'm having a really hard time remembering and I know I was in class for it.

A: The ideo case is a shopping cart design segment in the “decision making” part of virtual session #21 on electronic reserve.

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Q: Also, for the last class that we had a guest speaker, do we need to know his case study of his company (demographic profiling, segmentation, location comparison charts, etc.)?  Or just the information from the beginning of the powerpoint that coincides with the textbook as well?

A: There won’t be all that much detail from Dr. Ken’s presentation.  If you review earlier versions of Exam 3a, you’ll get a good idea of what to expect this time.

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Q: Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! I'm on Chapter 7 of my study guide, and I just have a quick question regarding The Rational Model.
In the textbook, it says the steps of making rational decisions is to: 1. identify the problem, 2. generate solutions, 3. selecting solution, 4. Implementing and evaluating the solution. However, your Powerpoints go into more detail with the steps and have 6. I was wondering which decision making steps I should focus and study more for the test.

A: Either one will give you all you need for exams 3a and 3b.

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Q: For Chapter 10 dealing with Power and Politics what were the main contributions of Barnard, Machiavelli and Milgram.  I'm not sure if this is correct but I have Milgram who dealt with relationship between obedience and authority but i'm clueless about the others.

A: I talked about key aspects of what those two “folk heroes” are known for in class.  The concepts I talked about are also included in these two url’s.  best…mf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machiavellianism
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070406114540AA8w0NM

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My answers and/or references noted below…

Q: This email is regarding the answer of the following question. The answer key says D. is the right answer but I think B. is the right answer. which one is correct?

Fall 2008 3a (verson 1)

19. Apathy, lack of creativity, indecision, and missed deadlines are often signs of .,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

A. Availability bias                                                             D. Too little conflict

B. Too much conflict                                                          E. Participative management

C. Company growth

Answer key says D.   My answer is B.

The answer is D.  You can recheck this if you reread the first few pages of chapter 8.

Also, if you can explain the following topics as well, I am still confused on them. 

1. Ethical realism

2. The tree ring distinction

3. Self managing team, semi- autonomous team & self designing team.  

A:

1.      The term “ethical realism” is defined, among others, in the international ethics section of the session 23 notes.

2.      “Tree ring distinctions” and other ethical considerations in high-tech startups are discussed at length in one of the session 23 readings.

3.      This classification of groups and teams according to their level of autonomy was discussed and depicted graphically in session 18 and its notes.

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Q: Where can I find the Michigan Hospital Case for classifying groups for Groups and Teamwork Chapter 6?
A: It's the case we covered in class on 11/1--the one in which teams and TQM were applied to solve several cross-functional problems.

First blog entry of reminders for Exam 3a

Some items that should be added to the list of topics for students to prepare for next Tuesday's exam:

Communication styles of women and men


Handling intergroup conflict

When you review different conflict handling styles in our various sources on that topic, remember that some of these styles are called by more than one name.  One example of this is that the terms "dominating," "forcing," and "authoritative command" are all synonyms in this sense.

Blackboard Assignments #6, #7, and #8

Regarding Blackboard Assignments #6, #7, and #8

Due November 11, 17, and 28, respectively

For your convenience as we approach the term’s crush period, assignments #6, #7, and #8 are posted together. They have different deadlines, as you can see, but you are encouraged to complete them as early as possible. (Please do not do Asg08 TOO early.) Liaisons have no extra responsibility on assignment #8; they should just do what all the other students do. Liaisons (and everyone else) are also advised that there will be no Blackboard contributions #9 and #10. For those two assignments, everyone gets two **really free** points. If liaisons want to be sure to take their two individual Blackboard Assignment "days off," assignments #6, #7, and #8 will be their last opportunities to do so. Liaisons completing seven or eight assignments receive the same 10 total individual contribution points as those who do just six of them.

As always, REMEMBER TO POST EACH ASSIGNMENT AS A THREAD. Do not create any other forum. Since forums are neither identified with individual students nor time-stamped by Blackboard, they will not earn any credit.

Blackboard Assignment #6 (Asg06-Group##)

Due FRIDAY(!!!), November 11

Lives people generally consider to be "well-lived" are often characterized by extensive community involvement, so "service learning" is a topic we've mentioned more than once in class. Though doing a project to benefit both the student and the community is an important part of students' preparation for business careers, such an activity is not easily mentored and evaluated in a survey course like Management 341. Knowing and thinking about SL, however, remains an objective of this course. In your group discussion forum, CREATE A THREAD that consists of a short report (1-3 paragraphs) covering one of three topics: (1) a service learning project you began and sustained throughout this term, (2) some such project you carried out at any time in the past, or (3) a project you will or might engage in at some time in the future. Include a discussion of the activity's benefits to you and to the community.

There is a wealth of information at the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse web site (http://www.servicelearning.org/what_is_service-learning/service-learning_is/index.php). Along with a more detailed definition and explanation of the process, you will find a glossary of terms and a list of some jobs/activities to give you ideas. Appropriate local undertakings might include work on the campus drive to increase organ and tissue donation, cooperating with the Junior Chamber of Commerce to teach economic concepts to public school students, or running a campaign to provide household or medical supplies to less privileged populations here or in developing nations. Due date: FRIDAY, November 11.

In addition to doing what is required of everyone else for this assignment, liaisons should create a thread (subject line Asg06-Grp18-LIAISON) to the FULL CLASS DISCUSSION. In this posting, please indicate which of the other students’ exercises you considered to be of the greatest overall learning and service value in each category ([1] those that are in progress, [2] those actually completed, and [3] those that are planned or imagined). Indicate why you chose this posting above the others in that category. Of course, you can skip any category for which none of your group members posted. Liaison posting deadline: ***MONDAY***, November 14.

 

Individual Blackboard Assignment #7

Due on THURSDAY, November 17

In the "student edition" of the premium content site, take the Self Assessment titled “Assessing Your Ethical Decision-Making Skills.” Read the feedback and write one or two sentences reporting your score and reacting to it in any way you like. Look over Session number “23 Supplemental Ethics Case Slides.”

Then go to the Manager's Hot Seat section and complete Scenario #2: Ethics: Let’s Make a Fourth Quarter Deal. Review the profiles, references, scenario, and dossier before you create your report.

Answer the questions throughout the case in your assignment posting, and add a paragraph evaluating Jason’s performance.

Please create the thread for your assignment as Asg07-GrpNN, where NN represents your 2-digit group number. If you are in Group 18, for example, the subject heading will include "Asg07-Grp18" with no spaces, and the posting will be created in the Grp18 discussion forum.

In addition to doing the same assignment as everyone else, liaisons should read everyone else’s assignments and create a thread (Asg07-Grp18-LIAISON) in the FULL CLASS DISCUSSION. First, liaisons should list people’s scores on the assessment (not their names, just their scores), and then write a paragraph discussing very generally the variation among group members’ evaluations of Jason’s performance. Indicate whether you think the group could have been led to any consensus about Jason’s overall behavior in this scenario and how YOU believe he should proceed at this point.

This liaison report is due by MONDAY (that’s MONDAY!), November 21.

Blackboard Assignment #8 (Asg08-Grp##)

Due MONDAY, November 28

Write one or more paragraphs analyzing your experience in this course. Which topics did you find most (or least) helpful and interesting? Especially welcome are your opinions of the various tools and instructional techniques, including the text and other readings, regular and "second chance" exams, quizzes, short in-class videos, downloadable review slides, virtual discussion groups, the hotseat, guest speakers, clickers, and on-line contributions like this one. What changes might improve the course for the students who will follow you? React also to any new ideas mentioned in class, including the possible video replacement of additional class lectures in future semesters. Liaisons do only what is required of everyone else for this assignment. Due date: ***MONDAY***, November 28.

Clarification regarding 11/2 clicker/quiz questions

I believe I contradicted myself in class yesterday, possibly twice in one class, .  Here's what the slide I gave you indicates, which is also what I meant to say in person and examine on both clicker and quiz questions: 

Research cited in the text on the effectiveness of self-managed teams indicates that their implementation had a positive effect on productivity and on specific attitudes relating to self-management (e.g., responsibility and control).  However, no significant effect was found on general attitudes (e.g., job satisfaction and organizational commitment) or on absenteeism or turnover.

I regret any misstatement or omission, especially since it is important for you to know this information.   ...mf