School of Business

BUS 304: Organization Theory and Design (AB1), Fall 2023

Tuesdays 2:30pm - 5:20pm
Location: A Building, Room A360

Important dates See http://www.ufv.ca/admissions/registration/imprtregdates/

Faculty Mariana Toniolo Barrios Office: C Building, C2416

Contact Mariana.TonioloBarrios@ufv.ca Phone: 604-504-7441 ext: 4310

(Use only UFV email address when communicating with your instructor)

Office hours Thursdays 1pm-2pm or by appointment; Zoom office hours preferred.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://ufv-ca.zoom.us/j/62133635026?pwd=WjkrZy9oVzlIVUV3Q0dsbXo3bTlHUT09

Meeting ID: 621 3363 5026

Passcode: 112783

Prerequisite(s) 45 university-level credits including BUS 203.

Calendar Organizations have a life cycle: they are born, mature, and die. During their
description lifespans they may evolve, conflict with, and cooperate with other organizations in
an increasingly turbulent global environment. This course will equip students with a
variety of analytical tools and perspectives to help them make sense of the
organizational world around them.

Learning Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
outcomes LO 1. Describe the internal configuration of organizations;

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 LO 2. Align an organization’s mission, goals, strategy, and structure;
LO 3. Analyze the task, general, and international environments in which an
organization operates;
LO 4. Distinguish between competitive and cooperative approaches to
interorganizational relationships;
LO 5. Identify types of organizational- and departmental-level technologies;
LO 6. Implement organizational changes in ways that address internal resistance;
LO 7. Assess how organizations make decisions;
LO 8. Manage power dynamics and conflict in organizations;
LO 9. Work effectively in teams to apply theories of organization to real-world
problems.

Required Daft, R. L. & Armstrong, A. (2021). Organization theory & design (4th Canadian
resources Ed.). Canada: Cengage.

Technology Requirements:
• Fast, stable network connection: 50-100 mpbs download, 5-10 mbps upload
• Wi-Fi 5Ghz connections are preferred over 2.4 Ghz. Please do not rely on
wireless connections in public places such as coffee shops, malls and
grocery stores
• No Dial-up: You should not rely on dial-up connections at all
• USB headset/microphone/speakers and webcam
• Desktop or laptop computer on the current versions of Windows or Mac OS
• Use Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox: with pop-up blockers off,
JavaScript & cookies enabled and cache cleared

For a full list please see:

https://www.ufv.ca/myclass/technical-requirements/

Supplemental Additional readings may be posted on the course website hosted on the learning
resources management system Blackboard or provided to students in class.

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Methods of % Due Date How to
evaluation Hand In?
Weekly Reactions 10% Ongoing Blackboard
In-Class Activities 10% Sept 19 & Oct 31 Blackboard
Team Charter 5% Sept 28 Blackboard
Individual Project 15% Oct 2 (Blackboard) & Blackboard &
Oct 3 (presentations) In-person
presentations
Test 1 15% Oct 17 Blackboard
(In-person test)
Team Assignment 20% Nov 20 (Blackboard) & Blackboard &
Nov 21 (presentations) In-person
presentations
Self-recorded 7% Nov 27 Blackboard
Video
Test 2 15% Dec 5 In person
(In-person test)
Attendance 3% Ongoing In person

Grades are a measure of the performance of a student in individual courses. To

succeed in the course, attend all classes, participate in class discussions, make
note of class lectures and discussions, presentations, review the slides and read
the book chapters. Focus on understanding the course topics in a way that lets you
apply them to real-world situations. Students are however not expected to read the
relevant book chapter before they are covered in class.

The instructor will form several teams of students who will work collectively on In-
Class Activities and Team Assignment. The instructor at her discretion may change
group members at any time during the course.

Explanation of Course Evaluation Criteria:

Performance evaluation in the course is comprised of the following components:

Weekly Reaction Papers (10%)

Before each class, you will be expected to turn in a short reaction paper in
response to the previous week’s class. You will receive a “satisfactory” or
“unsatisfactory” (0 or 1) grade on each assignment. Unless otherwise specified by

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me, to get a satisfactory grade, you should write about 2-3 paragraphs explaining
(a) what you found interesting, surprising, or confusing, (b) how what you’ve
learned relates to your own life both in terms of experiences you have already had
and in terms of experiences you could potentially have in the future, and (c) things
you would like to know more about regarding the topic.
In total, reaction papers will be worth 10% of your grade. I highly encourage you to
complete all reaction paper assignments. They are designed to help you prepare
for the tests, enhance your learning, and assist you in working on your critical
thinking and writing skills.

Reaction Papers must be posted to Blackboard prior to class (by 2:30pm Tuesday)
each week. There is NO Weekly Reaction Paper on Oct 24, Nov 28, Dec 5.

In-Class Activities (10%)

Two in-class activities will be assigned, and they will have equal weightage of 5%
each towards final course grade (making a total of 10%). The team members
should sit near each other in class on the days we will be having the In-class
activities. Students should bring the textbook on these days. Each group should
bring at least one laptop to class, if possible. The graded in-class activities may
consist of chapter questions, mini-case analyses, exercises, etc. Each activity will
entail a written output that will be evaluated and is to be submitted through
Blackboard at the end of each applicable class, unless otherwise specified by the
instructor. Marks for the in-class activities will be given only to those students who
attend the class and participate in the In-Class activity. No make-up will be given
for a missed in-class activity, and you will get a zero if you are absent. If a student
misses an in-class activity for unavoidable reasons (e.g., illness with a doctor’s
note), the instructor may reweight the in-class activities’ scores for that student.

The in-class activities will take place on Sept 19 and Oct 31.

Team Charter (5%)

Each team must create a team charter (i.e., team contract) at the beginning of the
semester. Your team charter will be your agreements and expectations that will
guide your team through the semester. The team charter will allow your team to
self-manage and will therefore be a vital tool for the successful completion of the
team assignment, thus helping you meet the course learning outcomes.

Individual Project (15%)

Students will share in detail two issues from their current job related to

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Organizational Theory and Design (OTD) that affect the organization. Some
examples of such issues are the following: fit between strategy and organizational
design, interorganizational relationships, fit between organization and international
environment, organizational culture, etc. In addition to sharing the details of the two
issues, the student will also come up with brief suggestions to improve the
process/system related to the issues. For the purposes of this project, each student
should speak to a supervisor/manager in their workplace to get a sense of the
employer’s perspective on the issues. At the start of the presentation, you should
inform the audience of 1) the name of the company with a brief overview of the
company, 2) the job role of the person you consulted in the company. Only in an
exceptional case where a student has never worked, one may share the
experience of a family member or a friend (but not a UFV classmate).

The grading rubric for the project will be provided by the instructor. Essentially you
will be graded on facets related to the relevant content of the presentation i.e., the
description of the two relevant OTD related issues which should relate to the basic
understanding that you have gained about the course topics, and your suggestions
for improving the process/system relevant to those issues. You will also be
evaluated on your presentation skills (such as structure and clarity of the
presentation, eye contact and audibility, effective use of presentation aids, etc.). As
far as the content of the presentation is concerned, be sure to provide rationale for
any statement made. You should use the textbook and call on outside sources to
help substantiate your position (such as peer-reviewed journal articles, practitioner
publications or major newspapers e.g., Business Week, Fortune). You must use in-
text citations in the slides and provide a reference list at the end.

Students must submit their PowerPoint slides by Oct 2 at 11:59pm, through

Blackboard. On Oct 3 each student should be prepared to do a 5-minute Power
Point presentation (maximum).

Those unable to present on Oct 3 due to extenuating circumstances (e.g., illness

with a doctor’s note) may present on Oct 10 with the instructor’s prior permission.
No make-up will be given, and you may get a zero if you fail to present on either of
these dates.

Team Assignment (20%)

In the team assignment you, together with your team, will analyze a problem
related to organizational theory and design, and formulate recommendations. The
assignment is due on Nov 20, by 11:59pm, on Blackboard. Presentations will take
place on Nov 21 during class.

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Assignment Objectives - As a team, you will:

1. Identify and conduct critical analysis on real-world problem(s) related to

Organizational Theory and Design (OTD).
2. Apply your knowledge from the content in this class and utilize your research
skills to deeply understand the issue(s) at hand.
3. Conduct a thorough analysis and provide recommendations for the organization
that are grounded in evidence-based research. Be sure to support your arguments
with sources.
4. Work as a team by collaborating together to manage this project.

Requirements:
1. Choose a topic: you will be provided with a range of problems to choose from.
This selection process will be facilitated in our classes.
a. Case studies will be found on Blackboard.

2. End product: Submission DUE on Nov 20, 2023, by 11:59pm, through

Blackboard.
a. PowerPoint presentation slides, including references in APA format.
References should consist of a minimum of 6 sources in addition to the
textbook. Make sure you also include in-text citations in the slides, in APA
format.
b. Team presentations on Nov 21, in class.
c. In this assignment, you should illustrate your deep understanding of the
problem and apply the theories and concepts that you are learning in the
course. You should also find credible sources outside the textbook, including
peer-reviewed journals.

Extensions will not be granted. If an assignment is not submitted on the due

date, the grade will drop by 20% per day.

3. Team Presentation Details:

Presentation dates: Nov 21, 2023, in class.
a. Each team will have 15 minutes to present.
b. Use PowerPoint slides for your presentation, which should include the
following:

i. A description of the problem and hand – Introduce the problem and what
organizational theory and design topic(s) it is related to.
ii. The problem analysis – Why is this important? Who are the stakeholders
involved and affected? Where/when is this happening? Based on the knowledge
you are gaining from this course as well as the research findings, what are the

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potential causes of the problem? What course theories/topics can be applied to the
analysis of the problem?
iii. Recommendations for practice – How can the problem(s) be solved? What
are you advising the organization to do? Have at least 1 concrete recommendation
(you can provide up to 3) with an explanation/rationale supporting your
argument(s). Who will your recommendations benefit? What is the timeline that you
propose for the implementation of the recommendations? Is there are any risks
associated with your recommendations, and how will you mitigate those risks?

Teams may be assembled during several sessions in class. All team members
should be involved in the planning and preparation phases. The team members are
to self-manage their teamwork, so that all team members put in the required effort
and avoid social loafing. Please do not email the instructor about issues related to
team management. The team members are to self-manage and resolve any issues
by themselves (hence the importance of the team charter).

All team members should participate in the presentation. Everyone in the team who
is present and participates in the presentation will receive the same grade. If a
student misses the team presentation for unavoidable reasons (e.g., illness with a
doctor’s note), the instructor may give them the same grade as the team.

Self-Recorded Video (7%)

At the end of the course, students must submit a self-recorded video consisting of a
reflection on their performance and learning outcomes achieved throughout the
course. The instructor will post specific reflection questions on Blackboard closer to
the due date. Time limit for the video: 4 minutes. Due date: Nov 27, by 11:59pm,
on Blackboard.

Attendance (3%)

The instructor will pass along an attendance list for students to sign on. Attending
lectures and contributing to in-class discussions are critical for students to be able
to learn the course material and to further engage with the course content.
Therefore, attending lectures is vital for students to be able to meet the course
learning outcomes.

Students can lose points in attendance if they decrease the value of the course for
other students. For example, students in the past have lost points because they
decreased the value of the course for other students in the following ways:
• Arrived in class late or left early. It is disruptive for students who arrive and
attend class on time.

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 • Had cell phones ring in class.
• Made inappropriate comments or behaviours that distracted from the learning
environment.

The use of any electronic device, especially for texting, emailing, social media,
or any recording or filming purposes during class is expressly prohibited. Students
may use laptop computers and other PDA devices during class for the sole purpose
of taking course notes and/or conducting course-specific research.

Test 1 and Test 2 (15% each)

Both Test 1 and Test 2 will take place in person, during class time. The tests may
contain any or all of multiple-choice questions, problems, cases, exercises, short
answer or essay questions. These tests can include questions that may require you
to analyze, understand and explain situations.

Students will be informed in class about further details about the tests, such as
duration and types of questions. No make-up will be scheduled for either test. Only
for those who have a legitimate absence (such as illness supported by a medical
certificate), the value of one test will be added to the value of the other test.

Important notes on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

Students are permitted to use generative AI as a “personal tutor” throughout the

course, that is, AI can be used for purposes of comprehension of course material
(e.g., to provide simplified explanations of course concepts), to create summaries
of the textbook chapters, and for translation of course materials to another
language.

However, as is the case with tutors, students are not permitted to use Artificial
Intelligence in any of the course assignments or tests. The only acceptable
sources of external help on assignments and tests are the professor and the UFV
Academic Success Centre. Students who involve Artificial Intelligence or other
individuals (e.g., tutors) in the creation and writing of their assignments or tests are
engaging in Academic Misconduct.

In alignment with UFV’s Student Academic Misconduct Policy 70, it “shall be an

offense knowingly to … submit academic work for assessment that was purchased
or acquired from another source”. This includes work created by generative AI
tools. Also, stated in the policy is the following, “Contract Cheating is the act of
“outsourcing of student work to third parties” (Lancaster & Clarke, 2016, p. 639)
with or without payment.” Using Generative AI tools is a form of contract cheating.

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Charges of academic dishonesty will be brought forward to the Office of Academic
Integrity.

It is the student’s responsibility to be clear on the limitations of the use of AI in the

course, and to do so appropriately. It is the student’s responsibility to ask the
instructor for clarity should the need arise.

Further information on course assignments:

Further details regarding any component of course evaluation may be posted on

Blackboard, emailed to students, or mentioned in class.

Unless otherwise specified by me in the details of each assignment above, late

submissions will not be accepted (i.e., assignment will receive a score of zero).

The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) is committed to the fundamental values
of preserving academic integrity as defined in UFV policies. Use of Turnitin
contributes to student success by enabling students to have their papers evaluated
for plagiarism by Turnitin before the work is assessed by an instructor. Students
agree that by taking this course, assignments may be required to be submitted to
Turnitin.com or that the instructor may submit questionable text on behalf of a
student. Students may be required to create an account with Turnitin and to submit
their work via that account, on the terms stipulated in the agreement between the
student and Turnitin. This agreement includes the retention of your submitted work
as part of the Turnitin database. Students should be aware that Turnitin servers
reside in the United States. Accordingly, students may use an anonymous identity
in their interactions with Turnitin. Students who have concerns about the Turnitin
tool should consult with their instructor in advance of any submission deadline.

You must retain a copy of each submitted assignment and all working files
(including, but not limited to, draft versions of your assignments, articles cited,
interview transcripts, surveys) until you have received your final grade for the whole
course.

By submitting an assignment, you are making a declaration of intellectual integrity.

You are declaring that the work submitted is your own and complies with all
regulations stated in the Academic Misconduct section in this syllabus as well as
UFV Policy 70. You are also agreeing to allow your work to be compared against
the work of others, including the use of plagiarism detection software, to detect
plagiarism.

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References Written assignments must use the current APA style of referencing. See also
guidelines from the Academic Success Centre.

English Assignments must be free of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors.

standards Assignments containing such errors will be penalized (i.e. mark deductions up to
20%).

Accommodation Students with documented disabilities requiring academic and/or exam

accommodation should contact the Centre for Accessibility Services in Abbotsford
or Chilliwack.

Referral to the UFV faculty and staff may submit a referral to the Student Support Centre to
Student Support connect you to the supports and resources that may help your academic
Centre persistence and resilience. Such assistance may include finding the right UFV
resource for you and working with you one-on-one to help problem solve and
(formerly PASS) create individualized plans for your specific situation. The referral is treated
confidentially and is sent because your instructor cares about your progress,
wellbeing, and success. Your response to a Student Support Referral is entirely
voluntary. Instructors will let you know they are making a referral. Visit
https://www.ufv.ca/studentservices/student-support-centre/ for more information. If
you would like to refer yourself, you can find the referral link on our website.

Grading scale Grades will be assigned according to the following scale.

Grade Percent equivalent Grade point value
A+ 90 – 100 4.33
A 85 – 89 4.0
A- 80 – 84 3.67
B+ 77 – 79 3.33
B 73 – 76 3.0
B- 70 – 72 2.67
C+ 67 – 69 2.33
C 63 – 66 2.0
C- 60 – 62 1.67
D 50 – 59 1.0
F < 50 (fail) 0.0
FD 0 0.0

Standard percentage equivalencies are used to determine the final letter grade.

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 The final percentage will be rounded to the nearest integer, using standard
mathematical practice (i.e. if the first digit after the decimal place is 5 or higher,
rounding is to the next higher integer) before converting to a letter grade.

An FD grade denotes a fail due to academic discipline and is included in the GPA
calculation. Rules for assigning an FD grade are found in the Procedures and
Regulations document of Policy 70: Academic Misconduct. The FD grade is
changed to an F on the transcript after a period of 12 months provided the student
successfully completes a workshop on Academic Integrity through the Academic
Success Centre, and commits no further violations during the 12-month period.
Otherwise, the FD remains. Once an FD grade is converted to an F, it is subject to
the same regulations as any other F grade a student receives.

Academic Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, giving and receiving
misconduct information during any test or exam, using unauthorized sources of information
during any test; plagiarizing; fabrication, cheating, and, misrepresenting the work of
another person as your own, facilitation of academic misconduct, and under certain
conditions, non-attendance.

Plagiarism will not be tolerated. You must reference your work and acknowledge
sources with in-text citations and a complete list of references. This includes direct
and indirect quotes, diagrams, charts, figures, pictures, and written material.

Students are not permitted to use Google templates for PowerPoint presentations;
they must create their own original slides.

The use of UFV based platforms such as Blackboard is encouraged to use to

communicate; non UFV platforms such as Snapchat is discouraged.

For group projects, the responsibility for academic integrity, which can result in
academic misconduct and its resulting penalties, rests with each person in the
group and sanctions would be borne by each member.

For more information see UFV Policy 70 on Student Academic Misconduct. Also
watch the videos at www.ufv.ca/ai/faculty-resources/promoting-academic-integrity-,
and www.ufv-aim.ca.

Student Students are required to conduct their behaviour in a mature and responsible
conduct manner, consistent with the University mission, policies, procedures and
regulations. Students will be held accountable for their actions whether acting alone

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 or in a group. Students should familiarize themselves with UFV Policy 204.

Examination Examinations must be written at the scheduled, time, date, and location. The final
policy examination period includes Saturdays.

Writing the final examination at a time other than the one in the posted examination
schedule will only be permitted when a student has a direct conflict between two
scheduled examinations. Two exams on a single day is not considered a valid
reason for moving an exam. Students must notify the affected instructors of a
conflict by the end of Week 9 of the class. Exams may be scheduled at a time or
day of the week different from the class meeting time. You must adjust your
schedule accordingly.

Only severe extenuating circumstances (such as serious documented illness) will

be accepted as a reason for not writing an exam as scheduled. In this case, the
instructor must be notified by the student at the earliest possible opportunity, and a
doctor's certificate must be provided. The instructor will establish the alternate date
and location for the make-up exam.

Any travel plans need to be made for dates after the scheduled exam period which
is published well in advance in the UFV Calendar Schedule of Events.

No electronic devices (other than calculators, if required) will be allowed. Where

calculators are allowed, the professor reserves the right to clear the calculator’s
memory. All papers, mobile phones, books, bags, and outer garments must be
placed at the front of the class or under the desk as specified by the instructor.

Assignments Refer to the section Methods of Evaluation.

Study Abroad Students are able to Study Abroad in over 80 partner institutions worldwide. Credits
can be transferred, scholarships are available, virtually all courses are taught in
English and applying early can ensure it doesn’t affect your graduation timeline.
Visit Study Abroad, email studyabroad@ufv.ca or drop by UFV International (B223)
for more information. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to be a UFV Explorer!

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 Course Schedule

Week Date Topics Readings Assignments / Activities

1 Sept 12 Building community | Course Chapter 1 - Team formation & team

Overview | Introduction to OTD building

2 Sept 19 The External Environment | Chapters 2 & 3 - Weekly Reaction #1

Strategy, Organizational
- In-class activity #1
Design, and Effectiveness (bring textbook to class)

3 Sept 26 Organizational Structure | Chapters 4 & 5 - Weekly Reaction #2

Designing Organizations for
- Each team: Prepare a
Social and Environmental team charter
Purpose
- Team charter due
Sept 28, by 11:59pm.

4 Oct 3 Individual presentations - PowerPoint slides

submitted through
Blackboard, by Oct 2, at
11:59pm.

- Weekly Reaction #3

- Each team: Review the

cases and collectively rank
them.

5 Oct 10 Interorganizational Chapters 6 & 7 - Weekly Reaction #4

Relationships | Designing
- Selection process for
Organizations for the which case each team will
International Environment work on.

6 Oct 17 TEST 1 Chapters 1 – 7 - Weekly Reaction #5

In-person test during class - Test 1 (15%)
time.

7 Oct 24 Organization Size, Life Cycle, Chapters 8 & 9 NO weekly reaction paper
and Decline | Organizational
Culture and Ethics

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8 Oct 31 Manufacturing and Service Chapters 10 & 11 - In-class activity #2
Technologies and Digitization | (bring textbook to class)
Innovation and Change
- Weekly Reaction #6

9 Nov 7 Conflict, Power, and Politics Chapter 12 - Weekly Reaction #7

10 Nov 14 Fall Reading Break No Class No Class

11 Nov 21 Team Presentations - PowerPoint slides

submitted through
Blackboard, by Nov 20, at
11:59pm.

- Weekly Reaction #8
(based on Week 9)

- Self-recorded video due

by Nov 27, at 11:59pm.

12 Nov 28 Decision-Making Processes Chapter 13 NO weekly reaction paper

13 Dec 5 TEST 2 Chapters 8 -13 - Test 2 (15%)

In-person test during class - NO weekly reaction
time. paper.

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