23611 - Organizational Behavior

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course students are able to: - identify relevant theories and concepts from organizational scholarship and apply them to real-life situations; - identify challenges related to work and management through an organizational perspective; - assess the ethical and societal implications of decisions and interventions concerning people in organizations; - appraise how digital transformation shapes organizational processes and behaviors; - recognize the interdependencies and relationships between individuals, groups and their organizations.

Course contents

This course provides a comprehensive overview of how individuals and organizations interact, with a focus on key behavioral theories and research related to organizational dynamics and decision-making. In the first part, students explore core topics such as motivation, judgment, attribution, and decision-making processes, with a particular emphasis on psychological theories that explain individual behaviors within organizations. The second part examines how individuals behave in groups and how organizational structures influence such behavior. Through a multidisciplinary lens, the course addresses the role of organizations in society, the challenges of managing and being managed, and the behavioral factors that shape performance. Students will gain practical insights to better understand, navigate, and contribute to today’s complex organizational environments.

Course Structure

1. Introduction to the Course
2. History of Management
3. Personality and Individual Differences
4. Attitudes and Accommodations at Work
5. Individual Perceptions, Judgement, and Attributions
6. Motivation and Performance
7. Decision-Making Theories
8. Group and Team Performance
9. Group Presentations, pt. 1
10. Leadership vs Management
11. Trait, Behavioral, and Situational Theories on Leadership
12. Charismatic Leadership (and Critiques)
13. Transformational and Authentic Leadership
14. Power and Politics in Organizations
15. Conflict Management
16. National and Organizational Culture
17. Organizational Change
18. Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations
19. Work-Life Balance
20. Group Presentations, pt. 2

Readings/Bibliography

Required Readings:

- Gardner, W. L., Karam, E. P., Alvesson, M., & Einola, K. (2021). Authentic leadership theory: The case for and against. The Leadership Quarterly, 32(6), 101495.

- Kotter, J. P. (1995). Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, 73(2), 59-67.

- Tosi, H. L., and Nero, N. P. The Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior. What Managers Need to Know. 2003. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Supplementary Readings (Optional):

- Aroles, J., Mitev, N., & de Vaujany, F. X. (2019). Mapping themes in the study of new work practices. New Technology, Work and Employment, 34(3), 285-299.

Reading Packet:

Information to access reading materials will be available on Virtuale. This arrangement ensures full compliance with current copyright regulations.

Teaching methods

The main instructional approaches used in the course are:

- Lectures

- Group Work

- Case Studies

- Guest Lectures

- Company Visits

Assessment methods

Course evaluation will be different depending on the non-compulsory participation in teamwork assignment, as detailed in the following:

Students participating in group projects:

Component Weight (%)

Group project 40

Final Exam 60

Students who do not participate in group projects:

Component Weight (%)

Group project -

Final Exam 100

- Partial/final exams structure:

Mandatory written exam: 30 points available. It consists of 15 multiple-choice questions (2 points each) to be answered within 30 minutes. This structure applies to both midterm exams and full exams.

Optional oral exam (only for those who got 29 or 30): +/- 2 points from the grade of the written exam. The oral exam consists of 2 questions on the entire program, whose answers may increase or decrease the grade by one point each.

In both written and oral exams, the evaluation depends on the correctness, completeness, and rigor of the answers.

Group projects: Students will work in groups as consultants tasked with addressing an OB-related challenge for a company or industry of their choice. They need to present an analysis of the problem's background and produce an evidence-based causal analysis of the issue, presenting at least one potential solution to address it. The evaluation of the project will focus on communication and structure, relevance, depth, creativity, and class participation.

- Exam policy:

Registration on AlmaEsami is mandatory for all written exams, including both the midterm and the full exam.

Students who enrolled in the midterm will receive a final grade based on the average of two written components: the first midterm, which focuses on OB1 and takes place shortly after the end of the first module, and the second midterm, which focuses on OB2 and is scheduled shortly after the second module. To pass the exam and have their grade registered, students must pass both the first and second midterms.

Students who enrolled in the full exam will receive a final grade based solely on their written exam score.

For those who participated in the group project, the overall exam grade will be a weighted average, consisting of 60% from the written exam and 40% from the group project. Variations in individual grades within the same group may occur and are justified by the peer reviews submitted at the end of the course.

Students who achieve a score of at least 29 on the written exam will be invited to take an optional oral exam. Final fractional grades will be rounded to the nearest whole number: scores of 0.5 or higher will be rounded up, while those below 0.5 will be rounded down. The rounded final grade can be refused, and refusals are allowed as many times as the student wishes. Students may retain the grade obtained for the group project until the September exam session.

Grading scale:

< 18: failed

18-23: sufficient

24-27: good

28-30: very good

30 e lode: outstanding

Students with disabilities and special needs (DSA) are required to disclose their condition to find the best possible accommodation.

Teaching tools

Tools, platforms, or resources used during the course:

- Learning platform: Virtuale (virtuale.unibo.it) contains the slides and the teamwork assignments

- Presentation software: PowerPoint

- Communication tools: Email; Teams; Forum on Virtuale

Office hours

See the website of Massimo Bergami

See the website of Marcello Russo