Organizational Behavior & Culture HB 750

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Organizational Behavior & Culture

HB 750

Spring 2012

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Organizational Behavior & Culture: This course familiarizes the student with basic concepts related to organizational behavior and culture in human service organizations. The primary focus is on how human service organizations function, with particular focus the influence of internal and external factors, and methods for achieving change within these settings.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. Examine the interplay between organizations and communities.

2. Identify key characteristics and range of human service organizations. 3. Analyze how organizational culture influences how it structures its services,

staffing patterns, and rewards/punishment systems.

4. Assess how organizations strive to achieve diversity through culture-specific practices.

5. Analyze organizational assets and liabilities as it relates to the constituencies it seeks to serve.

7. Examine how institutional funding influences an organization's values and operation.

Melvin Delgado [email protected]

264 Bay State Road, Boston, MA – Rm. 123 (617) 353-7722

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By the end of this course, students will be able to do the following:

1. Demonstrate a familiarity with organizational behavior and culture theory. 2. Be able to apply key analytical concepts to previous and current

organizational experiences.

3. Develop an ability to better understand how to make organizations more responsive to urban undervalued population groups.

4. Demonstrate how to study and apply relevant frameworks to human service organizations.

Competencies

THIS COURSE SUPPORTS THE ATTAINMENT OF ADVANCED

COMPETENCY IN:

Competency 2.1.1 Professional Identity Competency 2.1.2 Ethical Practice Competency 2.1.3 Critical Thinking Competency 2.1.4 Diversity in Practice

Competency 2.1.5 Human Rights and Justice Competency 2.1.6 Research Based Practice Competency 2.1.7 Human Behavior

Competency 2.1.8 Policy Practice Competency 2.1.9 Practice Contexts

Competency 2.1.10 Engage, Assess, Intervene, Evaluate

Specific assignments in this course will assess your attainment of this competency.

Information about the specific competencies and related practice behaviors addressed in this course and your other MSW courses can be found At

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-TEXTBOOKS and READINGS Course Reader (Mugar)

Gortner, H. F., Nichols, K. L., & Ball, C. (2007). Organization theory: A public and nonprofit perspective (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Lipsky, M. (1980). Street-level bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the individual in public services. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

Schein, E. H. (2004). Organizational culture and leadership (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Readings: All required and recommended readings are available online through Mugar Library, and a hard copy will be available in the library resource room at each of the Off-Campus sites.

Go to: library.bu.edu

• Click on “Course Reserves”

• Enter ssw hb720 and click on “Search”

• Click on the title link

o To search for a reading by author, click on “Author” to alphabetize all the readings by last name

• Enter the password – ssw (in lower case) – and click on “Submit”

• If you wish to save a copy of the article, click on the small disk image (Save a Copy) on the command bar directly above the article and save it to your hard drive or to a disk/CD/flash drive. It is often helpful to create folders on your personal computer to organize your course readings, e.g., “HB720 Readings.” Creating folders will allow you to save articles in one location so that you can read or print them at a later date.

COURSE OUTLINE

SECTION 1: Classification & Function of Organizations in Human Services Session 1 (1-17-12): Overview of Course

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1. Establish a learning contract. 2. Review course content.

3. Review course assignments and grading policy.

Session 2 (1-24-12): Continuum of Organizational Types Objectives:

1. Review a variety of frameworks for classifying human service organizations. 2. Develop a better appreciation for the ideal organizational type based on

student characteristics and goals.

3. Explore student experiences in various types of organizations.

Readings:

Gortner, H. F., Nichols, K. L., & Ball, C. (2007). Organization theory: A public and nonprofit perspective, pp. 1–18.

Session 3 (1-31-12): Bureaucracies/Street-Level Bureaucracy: Part 1 Objectives:

1. Define what is bureaucracy and street-level bureaucracy.

2. Review the importance of the concept on the planning of programs and services.

3. Identify how organizational conditions influence work behavior. 4. Review various critiques and experiences with bureaucracies.

Readings:

Hummel, R. P. (2007). The bureaucratic experience: The post-modern challenge (5th ed., pp. 3–19). Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe.

Lipsky, M. (1980). Street-level bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the individual in public services, pp. xi–80.

Session 4 (2-7-11): Bureaucracies/Street-Level Bureaucracy: Part 2 Objectives:

1. Review bureaucratic relations and how they are manifested.

2. Examine various strategies and tactics organizations us to control staff. 3. Examine various efforts at reforming organizations.

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Hummel, R. P. (2007). The bureaucratic experience: The post-modern challenge (5th ed., pp. 20–54). Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe.

Lipsky, M. (1980). Street-level bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the individual in public services, pp. 81–211.

Session 5 (2-14-12): Organizational Structure, Communication, Accountability & Decision-Making

Objectives:

1. Review various organizational structure models.

2. Examine the role of communication within organizations.

3. Analyze the interrelationship between accountability and transparency. 4. Review various decision-making models and how they impact organizational

functioning.

Readings:

Session 6 (2-28-12): Human Service Organizations & Gender Objectives:

1. Review the gender influences how human service organizations address gender.

2. Examine gender influences the interrelationship between staff and the communities served.

3. Explore how staff values and characteristics determine the likelihood of a "goodness-of-fit" within this organizational type, particularly in regards to public service motivation.

Readings:

DeHart-Davis, L., Marlowe, J., & Pandey, S. (2005). Gender dimensions of public service motivation. Paper presented at the 8th Public Management Research Conference.

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Ely, R., & Padavic, I. (2007). A feminist analysis of organizational research on sex differences. Academy of Management Review,32(4), 121–1143.

Moynihan, D. P., & Pandey, S. R. (2007). The role of organizations in fostering public service motivation. Public Administration Review, 67(1), 40–53.

SECTION 2: Organizational Culture

Session 7 (3-7-12): Definition and Dimensions of Organizational Culture: Part 1

Objectives:

1. Define organizational behavior.

2. Examine the relationship between social systems, culture, and individualization.

3. Develop an understanding of student field placement organizational culture.

Readings:

Schein, E. H. (2004). The concept of organizational culture: Why bother? Organizational culture and leadership, pp. 3–24.

Schein, E. H. (2004). Cultures in organizations: Two case examples. Organizational culture and leadership, pp. 39–62.

Schein, E. H. (2004). The levels of culture. Organizational culture and leadership, pp. 25–38.

Session 8 (3-20-12): Understanding Organizational Culture: Part 2 Assumptions, Beliefs, and Evidence

Objectives:

1. Define and analyze the importance of organizational culture.

2. Explore the use of a framework for analyzing organizational culture. 3. Review the various ways that organizational leadership fosters an

organization's culture.

Readings:

Schein, E. H. (2004). Assumptions about external adaptations. Organizational culture and leadership, pp. 85–110.

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Schein, E. H. (2004). Assumptions about managing internal integration. Organizational culture and leadership, pp. 111–136.

Schein, E. H. (2004). Deeper cultural assumptions about reality and truth. Organizational culture and leadership, pp. 137–150.

Schein, E. H. (2004). How culture emerges in groups. Organizational culture and leadership, pp. 63–84.

Session 9 (3-27-12): Understanding Organizational Culture: Part 3 Leadership Style & Organizational Culture Objectives:

1. Review common ways of rewarding and punishing staff behavior.

2. Review a variety of leadership styles and how they impact organizations. 3. Define what is meant by leadership style.

Readings:

Schein, E. H. (2004). Assumptions about human nature, activity, and relationships. Organizational culture and leadership, pp. 171–188.

Schein, E. H. (2004). Assumptions about the nature of time and space. Organizational culture and leadership, pp. 151–170.

Schein, E. H. (2004). Cultural typologies. Organizational culture and leadership, pp. 189–202.

SECTION 3: Staff, Consumers & Communities

Session 10 (4-3-12): Community-Organization Relations: An Interagency Focus

Objectives:

1. Explore a variety of approaches to understanding organization-community relations.

2. Review the role and potential of interagency collaboration.

3. Review various innovative models of organizational collaboration.

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Fitch, D. (2009). A shared point of access to facilitate interagency collaboration. Administration in Social Work,33(2), 186–201.

Sowa, J. E. (2008). Implementing interagency collaborations. Administration & Society,40(3), 298–323.

Sowa, J. R. (2009). The collaboration decision in nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 38(6), 1003–1025.

Session 11 (4-10-12): Diversity and Human Service Organizations Objectives:

1. Examine how organizational values influence different dimensions of staff and consumer priorities.

2. Develop an understanding diversity and individual differences. 3. Cultural competence and organizations.

Readings:

Acquavita, S. P., Pittman, J., Gibbons, M., & Castellanos-Brown, K. (2009). Personal and organizational diversity factors' impact on social workers' job satisfaction: Results from a national internet-based survey. Administration in Social Work,33(2), 151–166.

Engstrom, D. W., Piedra, L. M., & Min, J. W. (2009). Bilingual social workers: Language and service complexities. Administration in Social Work, 33(2), 167–185.

Hyde, C. A., & Hopkins, A. (2004). Diversity climates in human service agencies: An exploratory assessment. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 13(2), 25–43.

Session 12 (4-24-12): Empowerment in Human Service Organizations Objectives:

1. Define and operationalize what empowerment means in human service organizations.

2. Explore to what extent staff must be empowered in order to empower consumers and communities.

3. Analyze to what extent interns are empowered in their respective field placements and at BUSSW.

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Bartle, E. E., Counchonnal, G., Canda, E .R., & Staker, M. D. (2002).

Empowerment as a dynamically developing concept for practice: Lessons learned from organizational ethnography. Social Work, 47(1), 32–43.

Busch, M., & Hostetter, C. (2009). Examining organizational learning for application in human service organizations. Administration in Social Work, 33(3), 297–318.

Peterson, N. A., & Zimmerman, M. A. (2004). Beyond the individual: Toward a nomological network of organizational empowerment. American Journal of Community Psychology,34(1-2), 129–145.

Session 13 (5-1-12): Changing Organizations & Organizational Culture Objectives:

1. Examine strategies and tactics for changing organizations. 2. Explore the role of staff in creating new organizational cultures. 3. Review common ethical dilemmas.

Readings:

Carmeli, A., & Freund, A. (2009). Linking perceived external prestige and

intentions to leave the organization: The mediating role of job satisfaction and affective commitment. Journal of Social Service Research, 35(3), 236–250.

Tracy, S. J., Myers, K. M., & Scott, C. W. (2006). Cracking jokes and crafting selves: Sensemaking and identity management among human service workers. Communication Monographs, 73(3), 283–308.

Session 14 (5-8-12): Review & Evaluation Objectives:

1. Review of the course.

2. Hand back assignments and review themes. 3. Formally evaluate course.

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ASSIGNMENTS

In order to work effectively in any human service organization, you will need to learn about its various components and systems. An organization's behavior and culture represents a window through which to develop a better understanding of its priorities and effectiveness in carrying out its mission. This knowledge, in turn, when combined with concepts pertaining to organizational and community

change will provide macro-practice social workers with the requisite tools to bring about social change in organizations to better meet the needs of urban

marginalized consumers.

Assignment Paper:

The purpose of this paper is to develop an in-depth understanding about an issue relevant to human service organizational behavior or culture. Examples of areas of focus include the following, but others can be considered:

1. Analysis of an organizational change effort that has occurred in your experience or in the professional literature or that you wish to effect.

2. Analysis of a social issue that transcends any particular agency (e.g., discrimination against women, people of color, older adults, people with disabilities, or gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered people) using organizational theory covered in the course.

3. Analysis of an organization's culture and how it influences staff or consumer behavior.

4. Exploration and analysis of an interagency collaborative effort and the outcome using theoretical concepts used in the course.

In arriving at a topic, students must develop it within a context that relates to understanding organizational structure, behavior, and culture. The choice of topic should be discussed with the instructor before beginning the research for the paper.

The format for the paper may differ from student to student, but regardless of format, theoretical and practice literature must be reviewed, in addition to any discussion of a practical or literature-based case example that may be chosen for analysis.

The length of the paper should be no longer than 20 pages, excluding references. It is due in the twelve week of classes (April 24th), although

extensions may be necessary if you choose to study an area covered later in the course content. All students will be expected to share with the class an overview

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of their topic and the rationale for selecting it. This will be done starting the seventh class (March 2nd).

COURSE GRADING CRITERIA

There is only one written assignment for this course. You are expected to attend classes regularly, complete all assigned readings, and participate actively in class discussions. If your composite grade for the written assignments falls between grades (e.g., A- & B+), class participation will be considered in determining your final grade.

COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS Attendance

As developing professional colleagues, students are expected to attend all class sessions. Furthermore, students are expected to inform the instructor in advance of any absences. Failure to attend class sessions may have a negative effect on your course grade.

Students should notify instructors by phone or e-mail of any impending absence, indicating how they will obtain material from the missed session. Because the framework for each class is established in the opening minutes of the session, it is important that all participants arrive on time. A persistent pattern of unapproved lateness may have a negative effect on a student’s course grade.

Class Participation

Students are expected to participate actively in class, and in a manner that is

respectful of each other's contributions, of clients and client confidentiality, and of the instructor and the shared learning process. Full participation creates an effective learning environment. We expect that each student will contribute to the in-class learning experience by actively listening, speaking, and sometimes leading class discussions. Each student is a learning resource for other students and faculty. The common foundation for discussion rests with the readings. We believe that both verbal and written skills are important to social workers. You will have the opportunity to participate in small groups as well as in larger class discussions. Class participation counts for 20% of your grade and is evaluated on the following criteria: attendance, level of preparation demonstrated in oral questions and comments in small and large group discussions, and quality of written

responses to in-class exercises.

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Pages 64–68 of the BUSSW Ways & Means Handbook (distributed to all entering students) describes forms of academic misconduct, including plagiarism, that can result in a student's referral to the School's Status Review Committee for review of the student's overall performance and readiness to continue in professional social work education. Plagiarism (p. 64) "is the act of representing someone else's creative and/or academic work as one's own, whether in full or part. It can be an act of commission, in which one intentionally appropriates the words, pictures, or ideas of another; or it can be an act of omission, in which one fails to acknowledge/document/give credit to the source, creator, and/or copyright owners of those words, pictures, or ideas. Any fabrication (i.e. making up) of material, quotes, or sources other than created in a work of fiction, is also plagiarism.

Plagiarism also includes, but is not limited to, the purchase, copying, or uncited use of another's work; use of material translated from another language as though it were original to the student; copying material word for word without quotation marks and attribution to its source; and presenting collaborative work as though it were the presenter's work alone.

Students may not submit the same material for two courses without prior written approval of both instructors involved. Making false statements regarding

academic misconduct or attributing the misconduct wholly to others is also misconduct. Pressuring a faculty member or fellow student to behave unethically is also academic misconduct and grounds for Status Review.

Writing Style and References

Students are expected to follow the editorial and reference standards set out in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2001). The

Summary ofAPA Guidelines for Citations in Writing is available via the BUSSW Office of Student

Services http://www.bu.edu/ssw/current/academic/style_guide/index.shtml and the BUSSW Off-Campus Programs web page www.bu.edu/ssw/ocp.

Academic Writing Assistance

Students in need of tutoring and/or academic writing assistance should contact their faculty advisor for available resources. Additional information on writing assistance for Off-Campus students is available via the OCP web page at:

http://www.bu.edu/ssw/academic/msw/off-campus/current/supports/index.shtml Students with disabilities

If you have a disability and want to request reasonable accommodation, the University requires that you consult with Boston University’s Office of Disability Services for information regarding this process.

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Confidentiality

Federal health regulations of 2003 mandate the protection of client confidentiality by changing the name of the client, significant others,

agency, conditions, other descriptors, and geographic locations that could lead to client identification.

ACCESING COURSE MATERIALS

Blackboard Course Management System: Each course has a Blackboard course management site where instructors post the course syllabus,

announcements, class handouts, additional recommended readings, and any other pertinent course information. Some Blackboard sites may have multiple course sections, so please be sure to select the appropriate folder for you course and campus.

Go to: blackboard.bu.edu

• Login using your BU login name and Kerberos password

• There will be three tabs at the top left: “My Courses,” “All Courses,” and “Help”

• If you click on “My Courses,” all the courses for which you are currently register will appear

• If you click on “All Courses,” the Course Catalogue will appear

o First click on the appropriate semester folder, and then click on “School of Social Work”

• Click on the appropriate course as identified by the course ID, course name, and instructor name. If you do not see your specific course, your professor may not have created a site yet.

Click on “Course Documents,” which is on the left side panel of the screen, to access the course syllabus. Required and recommended readings are available via the Mugar Library E-Reserves.

Click on “Link to File” or the document “hot link” to access the article in Adobe Acrobat PDF file format. If you wish to save a copy of the article, click on the small disk image (Save a Copy) on the command bar directly above the article and save it to your hard drive or to a disk/CD/flash drive. It is often helpful to create folders on your personal computer to organize your course readings, e.g.,

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“HB720 Readings.” Creating folders will allow you to save articles in one location so that you can read or print them at a later date.

Please Note: Due to copyright laws, articles posted on Blackboard sites are only accessible for 2 weeks.