BUS 301 - Seminar in Organizational Behavior

Credits: 3 credits in fall and winter, 4 in spring

Spring 2017, BUS 301-01: Seminar in Organizational Behavior: Leading Teams (4). Prerequisite: at least sophomore standing. Preference to BSADM majors during initial registration. This course is taught at Augusta Correctional Center, a medium-security prison in Craigsville, VA. Ten W&L students and ten soon-to-be-released inmates take the course together. Students learn from the professor and from one another as they explore the interpersonal processes and psychological factors that affect the way in which individuals interact and engage with one another. Students learn to understand conflict and how to effectively manage conflict in group settings. This course is mostly comprised of team activities and cases, which is intended to give students the tools, insight, and experience to better understand and manage teams. (EXP) Schatten. Spring 2017 and alternate years.

Winter 2017, BUS 301A-01: Seminar in Organizational Behavior: Leadership Through Literature (3). Prerequisite: At least junior standing. Preference to junior and senior BSADM or JMCB majors during the first round of registration. Why are some leaders more effective than others? How are power and influence leveraged to enact change? What makes a moral leader? Drawing on some of the most compelling leaders found in literature, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, Machiavelli, and Lyndon Johnson (to name a few), we endeavor to answer these difficult questions. Students also take part in personal leadership-development initiatives. This course is intended for future leaders and for those who are interested in grappling with the complexities of what it means to lead. Schatten.

Winter 2017, BUS 301B-01: Seminar in Organizational Behavior: Decision Making Under Pressure (3). Prerequisite: At least junior standing. Preference to junior and senior BSADM or JMCB majors during the first round of registration. This course is designed to give you the tools, insight, and experience to make better decisions in business and in life. Students apply decision-making frameworks to cases and simulations, and develop strategic consulting and advising skills by taking part in various decision-analysis projects that address business and societal-level challenges. These projects include: the global financial crisis of 2008; rebuilding and redefining a political party; Yik-Yak, Twitter, and the relationship between business, free speech, and college campus life; and an “under pressure” situation of your choosing. Schatten.

Fall 2016, BUS 301A-01: Seminar in Organizational Behavior: Leadership Through Literature (3). Prerequisite: At least junior standing. Preference to BSADM or JMCB majors during the first round of registration. This course draws on a broad range of short stories, novels, and works of nonfiction to ask a fundamental management question: what makes some leaders more effective than others? Students step into the shoes of a diverse set of leaders that range from Martin Luther King Jr. and Steve Jobs to Machiavelli. Among others, topics include ethical leadership, leader motivation, managing conflict, and how leaders inspire change. This course also incorporates a personal leadership development component. Schatten.

Fall 2016, BUS 301B-01: Seminar in Organizational Behavior: Decision Making Under Pressure (3). Prerequisite: At least junior standing. Preference to BSADM or JMCB majors during the first round of registration. This course explores the biases, heuristics, and mental processes that lead to suboptimal decisions in crisis situations. In a case-based format, students apply decision-making theory to a variety of contemporary contexts, including the financial crisis of 2008, the Syrian refugee crisis, the Volkswagen emissions scandal, and the Live Strong Foundation after the fall of Lance Armstrong. Students participate in simulations and utilize decision-making frameworks in a context of their choosing. Schatten.