Center: 
Barcelona
Discipline(s): 
Psychology
Management
Course code: 
PS/MG 322
Terms offered: 
Fall
Spring
Credits: 
3
Language of instruction: 
English
Instructor: 
Adil Qureshi
Description: 

Organizations consist of individuals in relationships that together form a complex system that functions in a particular socio-cultural context. Organizational effectiveness requires much more than technical skills and knowledge. Effectiveness requires that individuals are motivated and work well together. Good management means attention to individual well-being and group dynamics.

With its base in contemporary organizational behavior, this course takes a relational and systemic approach, thematizing cultural difference in a European context. The course is specifically intended to focus on the role of individual, relational, and group functioning in the success and failure of organizations. Although innovative product ideas, good financing and marketing plans are important, business success begins and ends with the effective performance of individual employees at all levels, working effectively together as a well-functioning unit. With an eye to relational individual functioning in groups and organizations, this course takes a psychological approach in the context of contemporary organizational theory and research. Business success requires the effective application of theory to real- life situations, the capacity to diagnose and to develop an action plan, as well as effective leadership and team-building. To that end, the course will adopt a practical approach, applying theory to practice. Through the readings, discussions, assignments, and experiential activities, the course is designed to help to develop a relational and socially embedded account of individual behavior in organizations.

Attendance policy: 

Attendance is mandatory for all IES classes, including field studies. Any exams, tests, presentations, or other work missed due to student absences can only be rescheduled in cases of documented medical or family emergencies. If a student misses more than three classes in any course half a letter grade will be deducted from the final grade for every additional absence. Seven absences in any course will result in a failing grade.

Learning outcomes: 

By the end of the course, students are able to:
• Apply the concepts of organizational behavior to the functioning of organizations;
• Describe how individual psychological dynamics such as emotion, motivation, and perception impact an employee’s or manager’s functioning;
• Analyze how relational processes influence leadership as well as individual and group dynamics
• Outline key components that impact organizational effectiveness
• Compare and contrast organizational behavior in different cultural contexts
• Analyze group processes from experiential and theoretical perspectives
• Explain  the  impact  of  both  innate  and  learned  individual  characteristics (e.g.,  personality, emotional intelligence), and how these factors do and do not shape behaviour
• Analyse and improve the motivation of subordinates and team members
• Diagnose and improve organizational functioning from individual, relational, and group perspectives
• Anticipate and manage dysfunctional interpersonal conflict

Method of presentation: 

Field studies: These are classes on site in which the student has the opportunity to observe and learn about the organizational behavior of businesses in Spain.
Lectures: Lectures provide the students with an opportunity to gain an overview of the course content
and to clarify issues.
Class discussion: The aim of class discussions is to facilitate the students’ ability to apply the theoretical material to lived experience. They also offer the student the opportunity to argue their views and hear
the perspective of other students on selected topics.
Group process activities: Participation in group process activities allows for experiential learning of the
“reality” of organizational behavior.
Class leader: Each student co-directs one class during the course. This further allows the student the opportunity to actively engage with theoretical material in  order to apply it  to specific, concrete
situations, as well as to observer group and relational dynamics.
Reader: The reader is compiled of a selection of key academic readings, chosen with the aim of providing a general understanding of the subject matter.
Reading guides: These are provided, where appropriate, to aid the student in focusing on the most
relevant information.
Learning logs: Students keep “learning logs” in which they describe and analyze key experiences relevant to the course material. Because we are constantly in contact with organizations (in the broadest
sense of the word), the individual, relational, and group aspects of organizational life are part and parcel
of our daily life. Students will reflect upon their organizational experiences in the context of the course material.

LANGUAGE OF PRESENTATION: English

Required work and form of assessment: 

Midterm exam (15%); Final exam (20%); Diagnosis paper (20%); Class participation (includes reading discussion) (10%); Group presentation (10%); Group process paper (15%); Learning logs (10%)

Diagnosis paper: Students select a European organization (an existing business, an organization depicted in a film, documentary, television show, case-study) and conduct a full-scale diagnosis utilizing the
course material. The idea is to examine how problems arise and are dealt with within an organization, from an individual, relational, and group perspective, taking into consideration the material covered in class and the cultural (European) context of the organization. Once the problem itself is analyzed, the student will outline what would be an effective response. In the event that the organization in question
managed the problem effectively, the student will explain the effectiveness of the response drawing from class material.  APA reference style should be utilized (see http://www.wooster.edu/psychology/apa- crib.html or http://apastyle.apa.org/)

Group presentation: Students will prepare a group presentation about class leadership experience. In groups of 4-5, the students will work together, out of class, to develop a presentation using class material to describe both leadership and group dynamics of the classes in which students co-led the session.

The group process paper will be an individual reflection on the group experience, applying the relevant class material.

content: 

Session 1: Introduction

Session 2: Organizational behavior in an international context (15 pages)  
 Required Reading: 
Francesco, A.M. & Gold, B.A. (2005) The management of international organizational behavior. In A.M. Francesco & Gold, B.A. International
organizational behavior. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall (pp. 1-16).

Session 3: Positve psychology  and
organizations (19 pages) 
Required Reading:  
  Dutton, J. E., & Glynn, M. A. Positive organizational scholarship. In J.
Barling & C. L. Cooper (Eds.), The Sage Handbook of Organizational
Behavior (Vol. 1: Micro approaches, pp. 693-712). Los Angeles: Sage.

Session 4: Diagnose an organization (9 pages)  
  Required Reading: 
  Premo, W., & Andrews, H. R. (2010). Organizational Lifestyle Analysis
Tool. Journal of  Individual Psychology, 66(4), 482-491. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
 

Session 5: Personality: The Big 5 (17 pages)   
Required Reading:  
   McCrae, R.R., & Costa, P.T. (1997) Personality trait structure as a human universal.American Psychologist, 52, 509-516.
Neubert, S. & commentaries (2004). The five-factor model of personality in the          workplace.          Available          online          at:  http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/neubert.html

Session 6: Relational approaches to personality (30 pages)
Required Reading:
Engler, B. (2009). Human relations. In B. Engler, Personality theories: An introduction. Florence KY: Wadsworth (pp. 174-204).

Session 7: Emotion (35 pages)  
  Required Reading:  
Greenberg,  L.  (2002).  Emotions  and  emotional  intelligence  in  L.
Greenberg.  Emotion-focused  therapy: Coaching  clients  to  work through their feelings. (pp. 3-38). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.

 

Session  8:  Stress  in  the workplace (31 pages)  
  Required Reading:  
 Arden, J.B. (2002). Stressed at work In J.B. Arden, Surviving job stress: How  to  overcome workday pressures. Franklin Lakes, NJ:  Career Press. (pp. 9-16).
Arden, J.B. (2002). What is stress? In J. B. Arden, Surviving job stress: How  to  overcome workday pressures. Franklin Lakes, NJ:  Career Press (pp. 17-21).
Lazarus, R.S. (2007). Stress and emotion: A new synthesis. In A. Monat, R.S. Lazarus, & G. Reevy, (eds) The Praeger Handbook on Stress and Coping. Westport, CT: Praeger (pp. 33-53).

Session 9: Dealing with stress (25 pages)   
Required Reading:  
 Kleinke, C.L. (2007). What does it mean to cope? In A. Monat, R.S.
Lazarus, & G. Reevy, (eds) The Praeger Handbook on Stress and
Coping. Westport, CT: Praeger (pp. 289-308).
Arden,  J.B.  (2002).  Making  an  attitude  adjustment  In  J.B.  Arden, Surviving job stress: How to overcome workday pressures. Franklin
Lakes, NJ: Career Press (pp. 171-177).

Session  10:  Teams  in  the workplace (15 pages)  
 Required Reading: 
 Levi, D. (2007). Understanding teams. In D. Levi, Group dynamics for teams. Los Angeles: Sage (pp. 2-17).

Session 11: Group process (16 pages)  
   Required Reading:  
Wheelan, S.A. (2004). Models of group development. In Wheelan, S.A.
Group processes: A developmental perspective. New York: Allyn and
Bacon (pp. 7-23).
 

Session 12: Mid-term review

Session 13: Mid-term

Session 14: Organizations in Spain. Guest lecture or
field study, TBA.

Sesion 15: Culture and the workplace (19 pages)  
Required Reading:
  Binder, J. (2007). Cross-cultural colaboration. In Binder, J.
Communication, Collaboration and Management Across Borders. Ashgate Publishing Group (pp. 23-42).

Session  16:  Group  culture (19 pages)  
Required Reading:  
 Wheelan, S.A. (2004). Elements of group culture and structure. In Wheelan, S.A. Group processes: A developmental perspective. New York: Allyn and Bacon (pp. 24-43).

Session 17: Diversity management and communication (9 pages) 
Required Reading:
  Qureshi, A., & Collazos, F. (2011). The intercultural and interracial therapeutic relationship: Challenges and recommendations. International Review of Psychiatry, 23(1), 10-19.

Session 18: Conflict (16 pages)   
Required Reading: 
Levi, D.  (2007). Managing conflict. In  Levi, D.  Group dynamics for teams. Los Angeles: Sage (pp. 112-128).

Session 19: Power (30 pages)   
   Required Reading:
Levi, D. (2007). Power and social influence. In D. Levi, Group dynamics for teams. Los Angeles: Sage (pp. 129-146).
Levine, Edward L. Emotion and power (as social influence): Their impact on  organizational citizenship and  counterproductive individual and organizational behavior. Human Resource Management Review, Mar 2010, Vol. 20 Issue 1, p4-17

Session 20: Values (19 pages)  
  Required Reading:   
 Knoppen,  D.,  Dolan,  S.  L.,  Díez-Piñol,  M.  &  Bell,  R.  (2006).  A
triangulation  analysis  of  value  congruency  in  corporate  Spain: American  dream  or  Spanish  reality?. The  International  Journal  of
Human Resource Management, 17(3), 539-558

Session 21: Ethics (9 pages)   
Required Reading: 
  Gergen, K.J. (2001) The ethical challenge of global organization. In K.
Gergen Social Construction in Context. Ch. 8 pp. 137-148.  Available online at  http://www.swarthmore.edu/Documents/faculty/gergen/The_Ethical_Challenge_of_Global_Organization.pdf

Session 22: Leadership (21 pages)   
  Required Reading:  
 Kupers & Statler (2008). Practically wise leadership: Toward an integral understanding. Culture and Organization Vol. 14, No. 4, December 2008, 379–400

Session 23: Class presentations

Session 24: Final review

Final Exam

Required readings: 

Arden, J.B. (2002). Making an attitude adjustment In J.B. Arden, Surviving job stress: How to overcome workday pressures. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press (pp. 171-177).
 

Arden, J.B. (2002). Stressed at work In J.B. Arden, Surviving job stress: How to overcome workday
pressures. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press. (pp. 9-16).
 

Arden, J.B. (2002). What is stress? In J. B. Arden, Surviving job stress: How to overcome workday pressures. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press (pp. 17-21).
 

Binder,  J.  (2007).  Cross-cultural  colaboration.  In  Binder,  J.  Communication,  Collaboration  and
Management Across Borders. Ashgate Publishing Group (pp. 23-42).
 

Dutton, J. E., & Glynn, M. A. (2008). Positive organizational scholarship. In J. Barling & C. L. Cooper (Eds.), The Sage Handbook of Organizational Behavior (Vol. 1: Micro approaches, pp. 693-712). Los Angeles: Sage.
 

Engler, B. (2009). Human relations. In B. Engler, Personality theories: An introduction. Florence KY: Wadsworth (pp. 174-204).
 

Francesco, A.M. & Gold, B.A. (2005) The management of international organizational behavior. In A.M.
Francesco & Gold, B.A. International organizational behavior. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice
Hall (pp. 1-16).
 

Gergen, K.J. (2001) The ethical challenge of global organization. In K. Gergen Social Construction in
Context. Ch. 8 pp. 137-148. Available online at
 

Greenberg, L. (2002). Emotions and emotional intelligence in L. Greenberg. Emotion-focused therapy: Coaching clients to work through their feelings. (pp. 3-38). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.  http://www.swarthmore.edu/Documents/faculty/gergen/The_Ethical_Challenge_of_Global_Organization.pdf
 

Kleinke, C.L. (2007). What does it mean to cope? In A. Monat, R.S. Lazarus, & G. Reevy, (eds) The
Praeger Handbook on Stress and Coping. Westport, CT: Praeger (pp. 289-308).
 

Knoppen, D., Dolan, S. L., Díez-Piñol, M. & Bell, R. (2006). A triangulation analysis of value congruency in corporate Spain: American dream or Spanish reality?. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 17(3), 539-558
 

Kupers & Statler (2008). Practically wise leadership: Toward an integral understanding. Culture and
Organization Vol. 14, No. 4, December 2008, 379–400.
 

Lazarus, R.S. (2007). Stress and emotion: A new synthesis. In A. Monat, R.S. Lazarus, & G. Reevy, (eds) The Praeger Handbook on Stress and Coping. Westport, CT: Praeger (pp. 33-53).
Levi, D. (2007). Managing conflict. In D. Levi, Group dynamics for teams. Los Angeles: Sage (pp. 112-
128).
 

Levi, D. (2007). Power and social influence. In D. Levi, Group dynamics for teams. Los Angeles: Sage
(pp. 129-146).
 

Levi, D. (2007). Understanding teams. In D. Levi, Group dynamics for teams. Los Angeles: Sage (pp. 2-17).
 

Levine, Edward L. Emotion and power(as social influence): Their impact on organizational citizenship and counterproductive individual and organizational behavior. Human Resource Management Review,
Mar2010, Vol. 20 Issue 1, p4-17
 

McCrae,  R.R.,  &  Costa,  P.T.  (1997)  Personality  trait  structure  as  a  human  universal.American
Psychologist, 52, 509-516.
 

Neubert, S. & commentaries (2004). The five-factor model of personality in the workplace. Available online at:  http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/neubert.html
 

Premo, W., & Andrews, H. R. (2010). Organizational Lifestyle Analysis Tool. Journal of Individual
Psychology, 66(4), 482-491. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
 

Qureshi, A., & Collazos, F. (2011). The intercultural and interracial therapeutic relationship: Challenges and recommendations. International Review of Psychiatry, 23(1), 10-19.
 

Wheelan, S.A. (2004). Elements of group culture and structure. In Wheelan, S.A. Group processes: A
developmental perspective. New York: Allyn and Bacon (pp. 24-43).
 

Wheelan,  S.A.  (2004).  Models  of  group  development.  In  Wheelan,  S.A.  Group  processes:  A
developmental perspective. New York: Allyn and Bacon (pp. 7-23).