MBA522 - Organization Behavior and Leadership

Achieving optimal effectiveness in today’s workplace is a challenge for even the most seasoned leaders. In order to remain competitive in a domestic and global market, leaders need to be able to leverage internal competencies to create a culture that fosters innovation while instilling an entrepreneurial spirit throughout the firm. Students will learn how leadership styles directly influence the organizational culture; affect problem-solving, workplace stress, and conflict resolution; and influence the level of motivation within an entity. In addition, students will explore the linkages between power and politics, change management, and organizational success, as well as the challenges, benefits, and tactical approaches to forming and managing high performing, diverse workgroups and teams. Finally, students will learn the key attributes of successful leaders to include professionalism, being accountable for one’s own actions and those of subordinates, the ability to demonstrate flexibility and adaptability when situations are dynamic and expectations are ambiguous, an awareness of the ethical implications of decision-making, establishing a shared vision, effective communication, and working well within groups and autonomously to achieve established goals and objectives.
Prerequisite(s): MBA 500
Fulfills: 4+1
Credits: 3
Course Learning Outcomes

Evaluate leadership skills and interpersonal processes that increase organizational effectiveness in a diverse workplace. [PLO1, 2, and 3]
Analyze the roles problem solving, decision making, and goal setting have on organizational performance. [PLO4 and 7]
Examine organizational factors affecting job satisfaction and stress in organizational life and within teams/ work groups. [PLO1 and 6]
Apply motivational theories to workplace environments to demonstrate the effects of motivation on employee performance. [PLO1 and 6]
Synthesize the leader’s role within the dimensions of influencing organizational culture, managing change, and using power and politics. [PLO2 and 4]
Evaluate, using a leader’s perspective, a variety of organizational situations to determine the most effective courses of action available. [PLO3, 5, and 7]