BMA505: Organizational Behavior

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BMA505 Organizational Behavior

• Winter, 2006
• Instructor Lee Bolman

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Tonights agenda

• Introductions
• What we know about organizations
• Reframing organizations
• Syllabus and Contracting

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What we know about organizations

• Draw your workplace create a visual image that
  captures some of its most important
  characteristics
• Rate it in terms of its quality and effectiveness
  (1 Very poor.10 Excellent), and briefly
  explain your rating
• Share in small groups each group select one
  person to share with class

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Are Managers Clueless?
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Why clueless?

• ?
• ?(nu) woman
• ? (zi) child
• ?(hao) good

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More cluelessness ahead? Predictions for 2010

• Intense competition for individuals capable of
  leading business organizations (growing
  leadership gap?)
• Environment of extreme cognitive complexity
  requiring extraordinary strategic thinking skills
  and ability to make high-quality decisions
  quickly in face of competitive pressure and
  uncertainty
• Emphasis on leadership as opposed to technical
  skills
• Communication and talent development skills key
  elements of leadership
• An increased priority on executive teambuilding
  only teams of executives will be capable of
  creating and implementing winning strategies
  given the level of complexity
• Source Barrett, A. and Beeson, J., Developing
  Business Leaders for 2010. The Conference Board,
  New York, 2002.

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Break
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Conceptual perspective Bolman Deal, Reframing
Organizations

• Structural organization as machine
• Human resource organization as family
• Political organization as jungle
• Symbolic organization as theater or temple

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Contracting Syllabus

• Syllabus is contract between instructor and
  students
• Contracting process is your opportunity to shape
  the agreement
• Web site http//bloch.umkc.edu/classes/bolman/ma-
  505.htm

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Contracting Process

• Read syllabus
• Meet in groups. Discuss
• What makes sense or looks good?
• Whats not clear?
• What would you like to change?
• Have a rationale how will the change promote
  learning?

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Next Week

• Team Formation
• In-class process designed to balance skills and
  interests