The Creative Classroomtestbank360.eu/sample/solution-manual-organizational-be… · Web viewRobert L. (Lenie) Holbrook, Jr. Ohio University. The Creative Classroom offers a series

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The Creative Organizational Behavior ClassroomRobert L. (Lenie) Holbrook, Jr.

Ohio University

The Creative Classroom offers a series of projects/exercises that provide an alternative to traditional (e.g., case analysis) classroom activities. These examples are provided in a “plug and play” format so that they can be used with minimal development time. Individual projects/exercises are designed to run in stand-alone fashion, but may be more effective when combined with others from the same set. The very nature of these projects/exercises is designed to enhance student interest in an organizational behavior course.

PROJECTS / EXERCISES OVERVIEW Section I. Personal Insight / Development Projects – to help students

gain insights into personality, understand the implications of personal style on careers, and engage in goal setting

o Project 1. Self Assessment / Johari Window

o Project 2. Self-Analysis Profile / Feedback

o Project 3. Career Timeline

o Project 4. Professional Development Report

o Project 5. Personal Goals Sheet / Time Capsule

Section II. Art Imitates Life Projects – to help students realize the pervasiveness of organizational behavior concepts by identifying/describing examples in popular media

o Literature

o Popular Music

o Movies (may include a movie day)

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. CC-1


o Cartoon

Section III. Experiential Exercises – to help students move from abstract concepts to practice

o Exercise 1. Liar, Liar

o Exercise 2. Who Am I?

o Exercise 3. The Cookies

o Exercise 4. Upward Appraisal

o Exercise 5. Important Days Task

o Exercise 6. The Money Auction

o Exercise 7. Tower Building

PROJECT COMPONENTS Learning Objective / Description Implementation Instructions Discussion Deliverable(s) Evaluation Criteria

EXERCISE COMPONENTS Summary Concept(s) Time Requirement Materials / Preparation Implementation Instructions Unexpected Events Journal Questions Debriefing Key Points



Section IPersonal Insight / Development Projects

Grasping the realities of organizational behavior begins with understanding one’s own personality and behavioral tendencies. The projects in this section are designed to address issues of personal understanding, planning, and professional development. They can be used in stand-alone fashion, depending on what you plan to emphasize, or as a series of projects that build upon one another. The latter is recommended, but this approach will create a heavy workload both for the student and the instructor.

While the hope is that every student leaves your class with a head full of usable knowledge and the ability to apply it properly, the set of projects offered here provides students with a tangible product from their class experience that can be used and revised throughout their careers. Most students will respond positively to these projects when they believe you are assigning them to help them (as opposed to providing work to keep them busy during the term). Ultimately, the perceived usefulness of these projects rests in how well you relate them back to course concepts and the amount of time you are willing to invest in helping students who truly have a desire to engage in solid career planning and development.



Project 1Self Assessment / Johari Window

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: To help students gain insights about their own personality/personal style by completing a set of selected self assessments. Scores can be useful for reinforcing concepts discussed throughout the term. Students can use this information as a basis for preparing career goals and development plans.

RECOMMENDED ASSESSMENTS: A full set of assessments is available in the OB Skills Workbook (back of the text). The text website contains a smaller subset that can be scored automatically by responding online. Choose assessments based on topics/concepts to be emphasized in the course. If you choose to have students complete the assessments electronically, the following assessments are recommended: 2 (Organizational Design Preference), 4 (T-T Leadership Style), 5 (Your Intuitive Ability), 6 (Time Management Profile), 7 (Cultural Attitudes Inventory), and 14 (Conflict Management Styles). If you use the paper-and-pencil versions, the following assessments are recommended: 6 (Intolerance for Ambiguity), 10 (Organizational Design Preference), 14 (T-T Leadership Style), 17 (Personal Power Profile), 18 (Your Intuitive Ability), 20 (Conflict Management Styles), and 22 (Time Management Profile).

IMPLEMENTATION: Provide students with a self-assessment score sheet (see APPENDIX A) to record their scores and notes interpreting their results. Introduce the project by stating, “self assessments provide unique insights into various aspects of your interpersonal style.” Have students complete a set of pre-selected self-assessment instruments. Online self assessment can facilitate scoring. However, the in-class paper-and-pencil version can be a good way to ensure students take the exercise seriously



and provide an opportunity for clarification if students are unsure about assessments. Have students complete the assessments by/during a designated class meeting. You may wish to have a session describing the assessments/scores while/after students complete them, particularly if you plan to have them develop a self-analysis profile (see PROJECT 2). Form small groups and have students discuss their assessment scores and reactions to the results. This can be a useful exercise if you plan to incorporate a discussion of the Johari Window later. Be sure to remind students to think about their scores/meanings as you reintroduce the topics throughout the term.

DISCUSSION ITEMS: Students will often raise questions about items in the assessment, whether the assessments measure what they purport to measure, and whether their own scores are accurate. This is an excellent opportunity to talk about research and the scientific method covered in the text Module. Explain how theories are developed and tested, describe the development of measurement scales, and conclude by addressing issues related to validity and generalizability. Be sure to note that the assessments included with the text are widely recognized/accepted and generally valid.

DELIVERABLE(S): A completed self-assessment score sheet.

EVALUATION: This component can be evaluated on a “did-did not” basis. If so, assign enough points to make sure students take the exercise seriously. However, you may wish to evaluate it based on the quality of the interpretation and the amount of effort students appear to have invested in trying understand what the assessment results indicate. High-quality interpretations may involve investigating assessment meanings in the text.



CITATION: J. R. Schermerhorn, J. G. Hunt & R. N. Osborn (2008). Organizational Behavior (10th ed., pp. 24-31 and W-103 through W-123). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.



Project 2Self-Analysis Profile / Feedback

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: To help students understand how knowledge about interpersonal style is acquired. They also use this project to explore the meanings/implications of their assessment results.

IMPLEMENTATION: This project should be used in conjunction with Project 1. However, the two projects can easily be incorporated into one larger project involving some or all of the components. For example, you could require individual assessment and a written profile, but exclude the feedback component if the logistics are too cumbersome. Tell students to select a subset of scores that are particularly meaningful to them (or simply assign a subset of your choosing). Using scores for selected assessments, have students develop a 2- to 5-page profile of their personality characteristics describing their assessment results, what they indicate, and the implications for their relationships/career. If you plan to have students seek feedback on their profile, be sure to emphasize that the essay should be written it in a way that someone not taking the class would understand the description (e.g., do not use terms that only people taking the class would understand). For the feedback component, have students provide a copy of their self-analysis profile to three (or more) individuals from different areas of their lives (i.e., family, friend, professional) and ask them to comment on the accuracy of their profile. This exercise works best when the feedback can be provided anonymously to the student. Consider having feedback providers e-mail their comments to you. When you receive the feedback, strip off the provider’s identity and forward it to the student. You may wish to prepare simple instructions for the feedback providers (see APPENDIX B) explaining the purpose of the exercise, asking them to be



(brutally) honest, and provide insights they have about the student’s personality.

DISCUSSION ITEMS: Many times students think they know themselves well. Sometimes they disagree with the results of their own self assessments. Describe the Johari Window and emphasize that we may not be aware of everything that there is to know about ourselves. Others may know things about us that we just cannot see or are unwilling to admit. One way to improve our personal relationships is to increase what we know about ourselves and what others know about us. Two behaviors are key: 1) openness to feedback – we have to recognize that others see things in us that we may not be aware of and accept information they provide; and 2) willingness to disclose – we also have to trust others enough to share personal information with them.

DELIVERABLE(S): A 2- to 5-page essay and feedback from up to three reviewers.

EVALUATION: The following four grading elements are recommended: understanding of the assessments (do you understand what the assessment measures?), understanding your score (what does the score say about your personality/personal style?), understanding the implications of your score (what does this interpretation mean in terms of your relationships/career?), and general quality of your writing. You may wish to add a fifth evaluation element based on the acquisition of feedback from outside reviewers. Give students/reviewers some latitude in terms of the quality of the review (i.e., try to give full credit if it appears the student made a reasonable attempt to acquire feedback and the reviewer tried to provide useful feedback).



CITATION: J. Luft (1969). Of human interaction. Palo Alto, CA: National Press. See also J. Luft (1984). Group processes: An introduction to group dynamics. Palo Alto, CA: Mayfield.



Project 3Career Timeline

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: To help students understand the process of goal setting as it relates to their personal development and careers.

IMPLEMENTATION: Have students develop a graphical timeline for the next 10 years indicating key points of accomplishment. Explain that goal setting beyond 3-5 years is not practical because of the rapid pace of change in our lives. However, remind students that, if done properly, the timeline can serve as a template throughout their careers and be revised on a regular basis. Accomplishments can be professional and/or personal. Have students prepare a narrative explanation of these accomplishments detailing when they will occur, how they will occur, and why they are important. Students tend to be overly optimistic about what they can accomplish. Be sure to emphasize realism. One way to ensure this is to have students seek feedback about their timeline from a professional in their field. You may wish to prepare simple instructions for the feedback providers (see APPENDIX C) explaining the purpose of the exercise, asking them to critically evaluate the student’s goals. If you require this element, students should indicate who provided the feedback, why they were selected, and what changes were made to the timeline based on this discussion.

DISCUSSION ITEMS: In advance of the project due date, you may want to have a session to introduce the timeline and discuss goal setting. Remind students that setting goals is a form of self motivation. However, goals must have certain characteristics in order to be effective: 1) they must be specific – higher performance results when goals are stated in quantifiable, rather than, vague terms; 2) they must be challenging – goals should



encourage the individual to “stretch,” that is, to do more than has been done in the past; 3) they must clarify priorities – it is important to understand why and in what order goals should be accomplished; 4) they must contain a feedback component – it is important to have some way of measuring progress toward the goal; and 5) they must be followed by a reward – this is often the most overlooked aspect of goal setting – individuals should celebrate every time a major goal is accomplished.

DELIVERABLE(S): A 2- to 3-page essay with an extra graphical representation (see APPENDIX D).

EVALUATION: The following five grading elements are recommended: level of detail in the timeline, goal effectiveness (are these goals specific, measurable, timeframe?), realistic-"ness" (are these goals attainable in this timeframe?), evidence of feedback/revision, and general quality of writing. Give students some latitude in terms of goal realism, particularly if the presence of feedback indicates that the reviewer did not have a problem with what was stated.

CITATION: J. R. Schermerhorn (2008). Management (9th ed., p. 354-355). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.



Project 4Professional Development Report

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: To help students develop an action plan to accomplish their professional and personal goals. This project is not recommended unless students first complete the self-analysis profile and career timeline.

IMPLEMENTATION: Instruct students to develop a career action plan (no more than 5 pages) for the next ten years. Remind them there are no right or wrong answers. This is a chance to demonstrate that they have given serious thought to material presented in the course. The project should consist of the following components: 1) career objective – prepare a statement of immediate post-graduation employment plans (i.e., what the student will be doing) and objectives (i.e., what the student wants to achieve) for ten years in the future; 2) work setting description – describe the type of organization in which the student expects to be employed, its geographic location, job title/description, and the number of subordinates managed. Attention should be given to any characteristics of this work setting that may create special challenges to the student’s skills; 3) personal strengths/weaknesses – use insights gained from the self assessments and friendly feedback to prepare a statement of personal assessment regarding strengths and weaknesses in dealing with the work setting identified above. Have the student focus on individual, group, and organizational levels and be objective. References to frameworks/models/theories discussed in class may add depth to this analysis; and 4) development plan – a statement of what the student intends to do in the next 10 years in order to build upon strengths and overcome weaknesses. Very specific activities should be included (e.g., continuing education, training, special job assignments, and personal activities). In



general, this section should answer the question, "What should I do to build strengths and overcome weaknesses so that my career objectives will be achieved?" Remind students that simply saying that they plan to graduate or further their education is not sufficient to deal with this component.

DISCUSSION ITEMS: This project can be introduced when material on job satisfaction or job design is discussed or timed to coincide with an end-of-term wrap-up session. The important point to emphasize is career planning. Remind students that, while good organizations assist their employees with career planning and development, ultimately career success rests with the individual. Introduce the five steps in formal career planning and suggest that students use this as a guide for preparing their professional development report. Note: this should be relatively easy to accomplish if the preceding projects have been used. Finally, emphasize that career planning is useful throughout one’s career and is not just something that is carried out during initial entry.

DELIVERABLE(S): A 5-page essay. You may want to require resubmission of the self-analysis profile, feedback (if applicable), and the career timeline to support this project.

EVALUATION: If the project is a synthesis of previous projects, grading should focus on how well students are able to integrate and see relationships between the components. The following five grading elements are recommended: thoroughness (have you covered all the bases?), usefulness (is it action-oriented, doable?), insight/understanding (is there evidence of things learned about yourself?), integration (have you drawn effectively from the previous projects?), and incorporation (are relevant course concepts introduced/addressed?).



CITATION: J. R. Schermerhorn, J. G. Hunt & R. N. Osborn (2003). Organizational Behavior (8th ed., pp. 133-135). New York: Wiley.



Project 5Personal Goals Sheet / Time Capsule

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: To help students become aware that they have a present focus (e.g., that they think current relationships/experiences will continue throughout their lives) and to illustrate that all areas of life are subject to change. The impact will not be immediate and the lesson may not be fully realized for five years. This exercise is best for the end of the course and may be more effective for younger student groups.

IMPLEMENTATION: Begin by preparing a simple goals sheet for students to complete (see APPENDIX E). Begin with the phrase “When I think about the next five years. . .” then include open-ended statements such as “I hope to accomplish the following in my personal and professional life,” “I hope to get involved/continue to be involved in the following activities,” “I hope to be close to the following individuals.” Conclude with general questions such as “When you open your time capsule five years from now, what do you think your reaction will be?” and “Who do you think will be the President five years from now?” Have students complete this sheet in advance (you might consider requiring this to coincide with a discussion of goal setting). When they turn in goals sheet, have them also bring a 6x9 manila envelope, addressed to themselves using an address they think will be valid in five years (note: they may want to send it to themselves in care of a parent/relative) with a dollar’s worth of postage on it. Hold these items until later in the term when you plan to complete the time capsule. It is a good idea to gather the goals sheet and envelope well in advance to make sure everyone can complete the project.

For the final time capsule, prepare a brief statement describing major events that occurred during the term, describe your wishes in terms of outcomes you hope the students gain from the class, and provide a list of



student names from the class. Give one to each student, but ask them not to read it. Instruct students to enclose their goals sheet, your summary statement, and any other meaningful items (e.g., a CD containing current music, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia) in the envelope. Have students securely seal the envelope then collect, bundle, and store them for safe keeping labeled with a collection date. Mail the envelopes in five years.

DISCUSSION ITEMS: When you first introduce the project (generally, before the actual time capsule is completed), ask students if they know what a time capsule is. Most students will not recognize the term. Explain that it used to be common practice when big buildings were constructed to place a time capsule in the bottom corner. A time capsule contains items from a specific time period (e.g., when the building is constructed). The idea is to provide individuals in future with an idea – a “snapshot” – of what life was like during that earlier time period. When the time capsule is completed, tell students that it is common to take for granted that our lives will always be the way the currently are. That is, friends we have today will always remain our friends; the career field we have chosen will be what we always do. This is not necessarily true. You may want to reinforce this point with a brief discussion about how our perspectives differed from before and after the September 11, 2001 events took place. We experience considerable change in all facets of our lives. The time capsule project is designed to reinforce this fact.

DELIVERABLE(S): A completed personal goals sheet and addressed manila envelope. Other items are optional.

EVALUATION: This component is evaluated on a “did-did not” basis. Assign enough points to make sure students take the exercise seriously. It is possible, with proper introduction, to get students to do this exercise



without a point value. The idea of receiving a package from a former instructor in five years is intriguing and carries substantial intrinsic value.



Section IIArt Imitates Life Projects

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: To help students grasp abstract concepts and theories by reinforcing them through encounters with various entertainment media. These projects can be just as challenging, but more fun than, a standard case study.

VARIATIONS: Literature, popular music, cartoon/comic strips, and movies

IMPLEMENTATION: These projects can be assigned on an individual or group basis. Keep in mind that students have been exposed to less material and, therefore, will display a narrower range of concepts if the work must be completed early in the term. Allow students to make their own selections (strongly recommended for the music and cartoon variations) or make the choice for them (suggested for the literature and movie versions). There are numerous lists cataloging popular movies for use in organizational behavior courses (see CITATION). If you select a movie, consider hosting a movie day in class. These tend to be a hit as the term wears on, particularly if the instructor springs for doughnuts or popcorn. There is also considerable value in assigning multiple variations of the project in a single term. For example, you might consider selecting a specific movie or book and assigning focused questions for an early term project and then allowing students to choose their own submission, using music or cartoon variations, for an end-of-the-term project.

Narrow the focus for students. Have students select an artistic expression representing a single concept. It is usually best to have them do it in that order (i.e., start with the artistic example, try to identify the major theme conveyed, and then relate it to a concept). You may want to establish content parameters. If the media will be used in class, students should be



cautioned against submitting material that might be considered offensive by others (e.g., many rap music songs). For the pre-selected media projects, consider dividing students into groups and providing a list of questions to answer. Be sure to revise these each term to keep the exercise fresh and avoid getting previously submitted work. You may wish to limit the length of a movie clip or song (e.g., no more than five minutes) if students make the selection and present it in class.

Literature. Two options exist – you can pre-select a text for every student to read or have them choose their own (subject to your approval). The idea is to have students read the book and identify situations that illustrate a specific course concept. Any book can be used, but the project can be a little less stressful if the book is easy and fun to read. Books like Winnie-the-Pooh on Management (1994, Dutton) or The Dilbert Principle (1997, HarperBusiness) can provide many opportunities to explore a wide range of concepts. Children’s books, such as The Sneetches and Other Stories (1961, Random House) or Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories (1958, Random House) by Dr. Seuss, work particularly well. An added benefit of assigning a children’s book is that you can have students donate them to children at a local school. The project then takes on an additional service learning or social responsibility component.

Popular Music. Let students choose if this variation is used. Students will often complain that this version is difficult. Remind them that songs are just short stories set to music. Tell them to sit down with their favorite CD, read through the lyrics as the song plays, and try to figure out what the singer is describing. Most songs deal with relationships and that is what organizational behavior is all about. For example, No Doubt’s Just a Girl is loaded with stereotypes commonly associated with females. Take This Job and Shove It (various artists) can be used to illustrate motivation/satisfaction, conflict, and job design. When You Say Nothing at All (from the Notting Hill Soundtrack) contains many references to nonverbal communication. In addition to the paper, have students provide a



copy of the song (i.e., CD or .mp3 – be sure to indicate whether you will return this) and the song lyrics.

Cartoon/Comic Strips. Cartoon/comic media has developed to the point where nearly every strip can be found on the world-wide web and many electronic versions exist that do not appear in print. You can add a technology component to the project by requiring students to search the Web for their submission. Because it is so explicit in the way it deals with management and behavioral issues, you may want to make Dilbert off limits. For this variation, have students provide either a clean photocopy or graphical image and a full citation for the source of their submission.

Movies. Be prepared to deal with the inevitable question, “Can we use a television show rather than a movie?” This is a difficult choice. Keep in mind, that sitcoms typically have a flow that develops over a series of shows. This may make it difficult to interpret/understand what happens in the context of a single episode, particularly for students that are not familiar with the show. If you select the movie and host a showing in class, you may want to provide an incentive for attendance. Students will often indicate they already saw/are familiar with the movie you select. Tell them that they still must attend because you are going to provide items that require focused viewing (i.e., attention to specific aspects of the movie). For example, if you assign Remember the Titans, you might use the following items for focus: 1) identify/describe behaviors that brought the Titans together as a team; 2) identify/describe how any one character in the movie dealt with conflict; and 3) select any character that had a leadership role and describe what made them effective/ineffective. Movies such as Twelve Angry Men, Hoosiers, and Dead Poets Society are effective, but tend to be overused. Try to keep movies fresh and do not be afraid to select titles that zero in on a specific theme (e.g., social responsibility in Pay It Forward or situational ethics in Cider House Rules).



DELIVERABLE(S): A 3- to 5-page essay. Remind students that they have two choices (i.e., the concept addressed and the artistic medium that expresses it). The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate that the student has adequate understanding of the concept they select and then to sell the reader on the merits of the selection as a representation of that concept. Where possible, multiple examples should be drawn from the artistic selection. Students should submit a copy of the artistic media. This may not be necessary (or feasible) for the literature or movie versions, but require a full citation and detailed description of the passage/clip if students choose the media. If the assignment is a group project (works best with the movie and music variations), you may wish to include an in-class presentation. Keep these brief – no more than 30 minutes including display of the artistic media – to accommodate all groups.

Excellent examples can be saved and used in future classes. If you use one or more of these project variations on a regular basis, you may wish to consider developing an “ineligible titles list” to exclude material that has been thoroughly examined in class and prevent students from reusing previously-submitted material.

EVALUATION: Give students considerable latitude to allow for creative expression. For this project, you may want to consider assigning grades based on a relative ranking and placing each essay in a category (e.g., excellent, good, fair). If you provide questions/discussion items, grade each individually based on the quality of the response and example(s) provided. If a concept paper is required, grading should be based on demonstrated understanding of the concept selected and the quality of examples/illustrations from the artistic medium.

CITATION: J. E. Champoux (2001). Organizational Behavior: Using film to visualize principles and practices. Cincinnati: South-Western. and R. L.



Holbrook (2006). Art Imitates Life: Using Movies and Music in Organizational Behavior. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.



Section IIIExperiential Exercises

If you plan to incorporate experiential exercises regularly into sessions, you may want to consider a journal component to accompany them. Experiential journals can be used to help students clarify their thoughts or gain additional insights. In some cases, you may want to have students complete their journals prior to a full debriefing. Alternate between out-of-class and in-class journaling for variety. Encourage students to be concise – no more than a single page per journal – and to focus mainly on reactions and learning rather than restating the obvious (e.g., how the exercise was conducted).

The following general questions can be used for any exercise: 1) what was the purpose of the exercise; 2) how did you react during the exercise and why did you react this way; 3) how did others react during the exercise and why do you think they reacted this way; and 4) what did you learn from the exercise that you can apply to your own experiences. Exercise-specific questions can be used to focus student attention to key learning objectives. Samples are provided with each exercise.

As a graded component, experiential journals should constitute about ten percent of the overall grade. Try to award full points for individual journals if students provide evidence that they have been thinking about the exercise. Decide ahead of time how you will handle absences. You may want to allow students that miss an exercise to write a journal, after discussing what happened with other students, for partial credit to reinforce the importance of the experiential component.



The primary key concept demonstrated by each exercise is indicated in UPPERCASE. Secondary concepts, listed in lowercase, are also indicated.

Exercise Text Chapter Key Concept(s)

Liar, Liar None ICEBREAKER

If your course will have an experiential component, it is important to expose students to this format as soon as possible. This exercise can be combined with “Who Am I?” in the first session to give students a sense of what to expect. Using a simple game (to determine a slightly misleading statement), students discover key facts about the course facilitator.

Who Am I? None ICEBREAKER, Change, Perception, Communication

If your course will have an experiential component, it is important to expose students to this format as soon as possible. This exercise can be combined with “Liar, Liar” in the first session to give students a sense of what to expect. Students interact with one another to discover their assigned identity and find a corresponding partner using a structured “question and answer” exchange.

The Cookies 4, 15 PERCEPTION, Conflict

This simple case provides incredible insight into the world of perception (i.e., how we see things). Carefully-crafted questions and follow-up discussion illustrate the factors influencing judgments.



Upward Appraisal 6, 7, 14 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, Perception, Communication

This real-time exercise allows students to evaluate the instructor and the course. With minimal direction, students decide the format and content of the evaluation session (while the instructor is absent). The exercise quickly illustrates the difficulties associated with communicating performance feedback. The course facilitator receives valuable information for designing future sessions. This exercise is not for the uninitiated; use it carefully.

Important Days Task 8, 9, 13 GROUPS/TEAMS, Decision Making

This exercise is designed to help students see the value of working in groups, as opposed to working individually, on cognitive tasks. The specific concept is synergy. Students quickly learn that they do not have all the answers, but groups allow them to pool their knowledge and eliminate invalid solutions. Other issues related to group dynamics (e.g., proper mix of skills/knowledge, minority domination) are also evident.

The Money Auction 13, 16 DECISION MAKING, Culture

This exercise illustrates a specific aspect of decision making, namely, escalation of commitment. Students are amazed how easy it is to become trapped by irrelevant aspects of the decision environment. The debriefing focuses on a variety of factors that contribute to escalating commitments. Students learn the importance of identifying “sunk costs” and eliminating them from the decision-making process.



Tower Building Various VARIOUS

This capstone exercise is designed to illustrate many of the concepts discussed during an entire course. Student groups compete to build the tallest tower they can under time and resource constraints. Offering an incentive will add a motivation component and provide students with an opportunity to “catch up” on points at the end of the term.



Exercise 1Liar, Liar

SUMMARY: If your course will have an experiential component, it is important to expose students to this format as soon as possible. This exercise can be combined with “Who Am I?” in the first session to give students a sense of what to expect. Using a simple game (to determine a slightly misleading statement), students discover key facts about the course facilitator.

CONCEPTS: Icebreaker. Best used for first session.

TIME REQUIREMENT: 15-30 minutes (depending on the amount of elaboration and follow-up questions)

MATERIALS/PREPARATION: Overhead transparencies or a PowerPoint presentation with basic “facts” about the course facilitator.

IMPLEMENTATION: Before the first session begins, prepare a presentation to introduce yourself to the group. Focus on statements that reflect personal and professional interests, specifically things that might be relevant to the course. Develop a list of 4-5 “fact” statements that can be arranged on one overhead. However, distort one “fact” so that it is not completely true. For example, I usually have a statement that says, “Last term, I failed x students taking this class.” I make the number wrong, cover this statement last, and use it as a springboard for talking about my “Keys to Success.” You may wish to include supporting overheads that emphasize things about yourself (I usually provide pictures or stories to reinforce the truth of my statements).



When the starting time arrives – and you should always start the first session on time to create appropriate expectations for attendance – make sure everyone is in the right place by giving the course title/number. Tell students that you have an exercise called “Liar, Liar” designed to introduce yourself to the group. As you begin this exercise, you may wish to announce that the course will contain a number of experiential modules and explain the two basic rules for every exercise (see KEY POINT(S) below).

Display the first overhead containing the descriptive list. Explain that the exercise is called “Liar, Liar” because, while the statements describe you, one is not entirely accurate. Tell students their job is to determine which statement is the “lie.” Explain that you will read and elaborate upon each statement and that after you finish they should indicate whether they think the statement is false by raising their hand. Read through each statement, without hinting at its accuracy, asking students to vote each time. Most students will be reluctant to vote after you read the first statement. I jokingly say, “Remember follow directions. Everyone must vote – and only once.”

After you cover each statement and students indicate their preference, work back through the list in a systematic fashion. It is not necessary to have the inaccurate statement as the final point in the list, but you should cover it last. I find that it is best to move the inaccurate statement regularly as students from different sessions tend to share their experiences with one another. You may want to use this first experiential exercise to suggest that better learning occurs when students do not have advance knowledge about the exercise. Encourage them to ignore anything they may have heard from previous students and ask them not to share information with future students. Wrap up the exercise by providing any additional background information you feel is relevant and by fielding questions from students about yourself.



ANTICIPATING THE UNEXPECTED: Keep in mind that this exercise occurs during the first few minutes of what will be a long relationship with students. This is a great opportunity to establish rapport. Joke with students and make fun of yourself. Overlook problems (e.g., late arrivals) that you can correct during the break or at the end of the session in order to put everyone at ease.

SPECIFIC JOURNAL QUESTIONS: None.

DEBRIEF: None. Students should easily be able to recognize the exercise is a way to introduce themselves to the group. You may wish to reinforce the two basic rules for experiential exercises (see KEY POINT(S) below).

KEY POINTS: In order for experiential exercises to be effective, it is important to observe two basic rules: 1) follow all directions – even the simplest directions may have important consequences for the exercise; and 2) take the exercise seriously – no matter how silly/unrelated the exercise may seem, there is a purpose/important learning objectives (promise to reveal these every time).

CITATION: None.



Exercise 2Who Am I?

SUMMARY: If your course will have an experiential component, it is important to expose students to this format as soon as possible. This exercise can be combined with “Liar, Liar” in the first session to give students a sense of what to expect. Students interact with one another to discover their assigned identity and find a corresponding partner using a structured “question and answer” exchange.

CONCEPTS: Icebreaker (also can be used to introduce change, perception, or communication). Best used for first session.

TIME REQUIREMENT: 30-45 minutes

MATERIALS/PREPARATION: Prepare 3 x 5 index cards with names of recognizable pairs. These can be historical figures (e.g., George and Martha Washington), contemporary people (e.g., Bill and Hillary Clinton), literary characters (e.g., Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), television personalities (e.g., Dharma and Greg), or even cartoon characters (e.g., Charlie Brown and Lucy). Pairs do not have to be human (e.g., Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, bat and ball). Be sure to have more than enough cards for your audience. You may also want to have a threesome (e.g., the Three Stooges) in case there is an odd number in the group. Bring a roll of cellophane tape to attach cards.

IMPLEMENTATION: I have students fill out a biographical sheet when they arrive for the first session. Most will have these completed by the time you are ready to begin the exercise. If you use this module in conjunction with the “Liar, Liar” exercise (strongly recommended), you can tell students



you are going to put them to work when they stop probing you for information. Make a quick, but accurate, count of students and pull exactly the same number of index cards (see UNEXPECTED below). Shuffle them to mix up the pairs. Ask everyone to stand with their completed bio – tell those who have not completed the bio to keep it and turn it in later – and begin making their way to the front of the room. Have everyone place their bio sheet in a designated location and then stand with their back to you. It is helpful to instruct individuals with long hair to gather it and pull it off to one side. Explain that you will be placing a card on their backs and that they are not to look at it or ask anyone else what it says. Invariably, I fumble the card placement process, so I usually jokingly say, “If it takes me more than a split second to get your card in place, this is not sexual harassment. It just means I’m not coordinated enough.” This is usually good for a few laughs to break the initial tension. Have students move toward and gather in the back of the room until everyone receives a card.

When everyone has an index card, tell the group that the exercise is called “Who Am I?” and that the purpose is to discover the identity they assume by way of the index card attached to their back. The method for doing this is to circulate around the room and ask questions. The twist is each question must be phrased so that the other person can provide either a “yes” or “no” answer. Emphasize that individuals should not ask others to tell them who they are. No more than three questions may be directed to any particular individual. You may wish to help out by providing a few sample questions (e.g., am I a real person, am I female or male, am I living or dead, am I known from literature). Explain that once students determine their identity, they should circulate the room to locate their partner. You may wish to tell individuals who identify themselves quickly to wait a few minutes so their partners have some time to interact with others. If you have an odd number of students, be sure to tell the group that a threesome exists. It is important to stress that everyone has a partner, so that no one feels apprehension about being isolated. You should encourage the group



periodically by telling them to move around and talk to as many people as possible.

After the exercise runs a few minutes – generally the amount of time it takes to sort through the bio sheets and put them in alphabetical order – you may want to facilitate the process. Ask partners who find one another to move to a different part of the room and encourage individuals who think they know their identity to get their partner. Finally, assist individuals who are struggling to discover their identity by helping clarify what they know and asking them to consider if they encountered another individual that might be a match. Once everyone has a partner, ask the group to conduct brief interviews with the intent of introducing their partner to the rest of the class. To minimize the amount of time introductions take, limit the introductions to some pre-determined basic information (e.g., name, hometown, and major). You may want to facilitate introductions by interacting with individuals, asking follow-up questions, and/or making comments periodically.

ANTICIPATING THE UNEXPECTED: It is easy to make a mistake setting up this exercise (either counting the number of students or counting the number of cards). If you make a mistake and someone is left without a card (or you have an extra card remaining), do not panic. Just tell the remaining individual that they will be your partner (or take the remaining card and play the game yourself).

International students, introverts, or individuals with a low tolerance for ambiguity will find this exercise extremely challenging. If you notice someone standing on the fringe of the group or having trouble interacting, facilitate. Help them get started by probing for what they know and suggesting questions to ask. Encourage them to interact by explaining that the more questions they ask, the better the chances of discovering their identity.



SPECIFIC JOURNAL QUESTIONS: None.

DEBRIEF: It is important to explain that every exercise will include a time for debriefing so students can understand the purpose of the exercise. Begin by asking students to indicate whether they felt uncomfortable. Say, “Did anyone feel weird, goofy, unsure of themselves during the exercise?” To reinforce the participatory nature of the course, ask for a show of hands. Encourage students to respond by commenting, “It is okay to admit this.” Follow up by asking why they felt this way. Usually someone will say, “Because I was not really sure what we were doing.” Affirm this sentiment. Ask students to indicate what they think the purpose of the exercise is. Most will quickly recognize it is an icebreaker.

KEY POINTS: Perception is how we make sense out of the world around us. Three broad factors influence the way we perceive things: 1) characteristics of the perceiver – our own past experiences, needs, motives, personality, and values/attitudes affect the way we “see” things; 2) characteristics of the perceived – things that draw our attention to an object – size, motion, intensity, contrast, novelty – influence what we “see”; and 3) characteristics of the setting – the physical, social, and organizational context also matter when we make judgments.

CITATION: None.



Exercise 3The Cookies

SUMMARY: This simple case provides incredible insight into the world of perception (i.e., how we see things). Carefully-crafted questions and follow-up discussion illustrate the factors influencing judgments.

CONCEPTS: Perception. Best used to introduce the topic.

TIME REQUIREMENT: 30 minutes

MATERIALS/PREPARATION: Enough copies of “The Cookies” story (see APPENDIX F) for each student. Appropriately space the story on a page so the second part can be concealed. Fold up the bottom of the page to cover the second half of the story. Include a message in the middle of the page instructing students not to fold down the flap until they are instructed to do so. You also need to have available photos (either copied on overhead transparencies or incorporated into a PowerPoint presentation) of a homeless man, an older woman, a small child, an attractive female, and an attractive male for the second part of the exercise.

IMPLEMENTATION: Distribute copies of the story to each student. Tell them that they will notice the bottom of page has been folded up to conceal some information. Ask them not to fold down the flap or attempt to read the concealed information until directed to do so. Once everyone has a sheet, ask them to take a few minutes to read the first part of the story. Conduct the first debriefing. Finally, have students fold down the flap and read the rest of the story. Conduct the second debriefing.



ANTICIPATING THE UNEXPECTED: Some students may already be familiar with the story. As best they can, have them try to remember their reaction the first time they encountered the story. The “initial reaction” portion of the journal may be difficult for them to complete, but they should have no trouble participating in follow-up discussion or thinking about other journal components.

SPECIFIC JOURNAL QUESTIONS: Journaling for this exercise is best done while the exercise is in progress. After students read the first part of the story, have them write a brief statement indicating how they think they might respond to the situation. After students read the second part of the story, ask them to write a brief explanation why they belief most people are inclined to assume the other party is at fault.

DEBRIEF #1: (After the first journal component, if used) Begin by asking students how they would respond if they were the woman in the story. Wait for a full range of responses. Ask students to indicate things that might influence the way they would respond to this situation. Record the responses in one of three categories – characteristics of the perceiver, the perceived, or the setting – without labeling the categories. When students exhaust all possible factors, you may want to add others to the list. Explain that there are three factors that influence the way we “see” things and label the categories (see KEY POINT(S) below). Ask students if there are circumstances that might change the way they would respond. Show them a series of photos and ask “If this were the other individual in the story, would your response be different?” Explore the range of responses. Use the answers to highlight that two people can view the same situation and “see” different things. One good way to reinforce this point is by asking the rhetorical question “Who won the Presidential Election in 2000?”



DEBRIEF #2: Ask, “Now what do you think?” (After the second journal component, if used) Explore why people are generally inclined to think the other person is always at fault. The ensuing discussion should yield some interesting points for thinking about the nature of perception.

KEY POINTS: Perception is how we make sense out of the world around us. Three broad factors influence the way we perceive things: 1) characteristics of the perceiver – our own past experiences, needs, motives, personality, and values/attitudes affect the way we “see” things; 2) characteristics of the perceived – things that draw our attention to an object – size, motion, intensity, contrast, novelty – influence what we “see”; and 3) characteristics of the setting – the physical, social, and organizational context also matter when we make judgments.

CITATION: A version of this story originally appeared in D. N. Adams (1984). So long, and thanks for all the fish. New York: Pocket Books.



Exercise 4Upward Appraisal

SUMMARY: This real-time exercise allows students to evaluate the instructor and the course. With minimal direction, students decide the format and content of the evaluation session (while the instructor is absent). The exercise quickly illustrates the difficulties associated with communicating performance feedback. The course facilitator receives valuable information for designing future sessions. This exercise is not for the uninitiated; use it carefully.

CONCEPTS: Performance Management (also can be used for perception or communication).

TIME REQUIREMENT: 1-2 hours

MATERIALS/PREPARATION: No advance preparation required for the instructor. However, you may wish to announce this exercise in one or two sessions prior to the day it will be conducted to give students adequate time to think about issues to be discussed.

IMPLEMENTATION: Get administrative matters out of the way before starting. If the exercise is effective, it almost always extends beyond allotted time. It is best to let students determine when the exercise is over. A premature ending can leave them with the feeling that you are not interested in what they have to say. Announce to the group that upward appraisal is an opportunity to provide feedback about the course and your methods. Tell students that they are in charge and must determine what will be said, how it will be said, and the structural arrangements for the



evaluation session. Indicate that you will be leaving the room, tell them where you will be, and have someone notify you when it is time to return.

When you return to the room, do not be surprised by what happens initially. Previous experiences include everything from total inertia (where students are confused/apprehensive and unwilling to get started) to practical jokes (e.g., students directing the course facilitator to have a seat in a chair that was placed on top of a table in the middle of the room) designed to ease the tension of the moment. Students often work in overused phrases or often-repeated segments to show that they have been paying attention. You may want to facilitate the transition from private to public discussion by asking someone to record all comments and suggestions. Ensure the group that you will make no attempt to determine ownership of comments (i.e., you do not assume a comment necessarily originated with the speaker). From this point, let the group dictate format.

It is critically important not to appear reactive. This can be a problem when you conduct the exercise more than once in a short period of time. Be prepared for everything. Use your reactions to show the group that you genuinely want to know what they think and are seriously considering their comments. You may want to seek permission to ask follow-up questions so that you can understand precisely what the issue may be. Where possible, try to suggest ways to address concerns or new methods to alleviate problems. When the group indicates they are finished, thank them for helping you think about the course. Ask students if they have any concluding comments they want to make. Occasionally, a few individuals offer thanks for allowing them to provide feedback and for appearing to care about what they have to say. If there are a number of complaints (or undeserved complaints), some individuals will usually take the opportunity to express how much they enjoy the course and/or that they did not agree with some of the negative feedback. In some cases, a full debriefing may not be necessary because students see the value of the exercise and incorporate thoughts into closing comments.



ANTICIPATING THE UNEXPECTED: This can be an emotionally-charged exercise, but it is important not to get caught up in any emotion. In the end, most students will be professional. Nevertheless, there may be quite a difference in opinion/reaction to various things that occur throughout the course. Do not attempt to validate/invalidate any response. This is a wonderful opportunity to remind students about perception.

SPECIFIC JOURNAL QUESTIONS: For this exercise, you may want to consider a global statement or question to give students an opportunity to express themselves more fully. For example, you might consider asking them to prepare a journal describing their reactions to the session. Students typically provide specific comments and suggestions, so you may want to keep this journal (or have them submit an extra copy).

DEBRIEF: Begin by asking for reactions to the exercise. Responses here may provide an additional opportunity to reinforce how serious you are about improvement. Students will often be amazed that you are willing to subject yourself to an evaluation exercise over which you have no control. Next, explore the effectiveness of the feedback exercise – was it successful? Why or why not? Be sure to talk about the structuring of feedback. Many times students begin by talking about positive aspects of the course and then, as if they are uncomfortable, ease into negative comments. Discuss the essential, yet difficult, nature of providing negative feedback. This is a good place to reintroduce the topic of perception. Quite often, students will have sharply differing views about aspects of the course. In the best-case scenario, other students will correct wrong views. In the worse case, you may want to provide clarification, but be careful not to sound defensive. These instances can spark useful insights. First, no supervisor has perfect information. It is important to give the individual being evaluated an opportunity to respond or provide information that may not have been



considered. Also, the perceptual process operates on the side of the individual being evaluated. Studies show that the majority of people feel their performance is above average. It is important to provide concrete examples of performance behaviors to support negative feedback. Close the debriefing with a discussion about the difficulty of evaluating someone who is responsible for evaluating feedback providers. Is there reluctance to communicate negative information?

KEY POINTS: Success is achieved when students complain about the difficulty of (or unfairness of having to complete) the exercise. It is important to help them realize conducting face-to-face evaluation is never easy, but it is essential in order to: 1) provide performance feedback – information that can be used to determine how well goals/objectives have been met; 2) clarify expectations – includes clearing up confusion about past objectives and determining what will be accomplished in the future; and 3) establish areas for improvement/development – recommendations to bring underachievers up to acceptable level of performance and provide new challenges for high-level performers.

CITATION: J. R. Schermerhorn, J. G. Hunt & R. N. Osborn (2008). Organizational Behavior (10th ed., p. W-91). New York: Wiley.



Exercise 5Important Days Task

SUMMARY: This exercise is designed to help students see the value of working in groups, as opposed to working individually, on cognitive tasks. The specific concept is synergy. Students quickly learn that they do not have all the answers, but groups allow them to pool their knowledge and eliminate invalid solutions. Other issues related to group dynamics (e.g., proper mix of skills/knowledge, minority domination) are also evident. Note: there are many variations of group problem-solving exercises available (e.g., survival exercises). This version is superior to all others because it contains less subjectivity in terms of the “correct” answers. It is hard to make an argument against Christmas falling on December 25 (or being ranked last in a chronological list of dates).

CONCEPTS: Groups/teams (also can be used for decision making).

TIME REQUIREMENT: 1 hour

MATERIALS/PREPARATION: Make enough copies of the task sheet (see APPENDIX G) so that each student has one. You may wish to develop your own customized list of days to fit characteristics of your audience. For example, I like to remove a couple of the more ambiguous or multiple time frame items (i.e., brides, lilies, outgo) and replace them with items that might be more meaningful to international students (e.g., cinco for Cinco de Mayo). Prepare an overhead transparency (see APPENDIX H) that can be used to record/display performance information.

IMPLEMENTATION: Ask students to clear their workspace of everything except a writing instrument. Distribute the task sheet. When everyone has



a sheet, call attention to the first column. Explain that the list of words represents important or notable days that occur every calendar year. Tell students it is their job, working individually and without the aid of anything other than their own knowledge, to determine what days are represented and then rank the items (using the third column) in chronological order beginning with January 1 and ending with December 31. Give everyone 10-15 minutes to complete the task (note: you may wish to provide additional time, but 10 minutes is generally sufficient). Regularly remind students to rank every item, using each number once and only once. If you notice someone getting frustrated with the exercise, provide encouragement and remind everyone to guess if they are not sure. The critical factor is to make sure all items are ranked by each student. Failure to do so will distort individual averages when groups are formed.

When time elapses, make sure everyone completed the ranking then instruct them not to change anything. Form groups of 4-6 individuals and ask them to complete the task again as a group. If you have not discussed group decision making, you may want to talk briefly about using consensus (see APPENDIX I). Otherwise, tell your groups that they should utilize consensus decision making to arrive at their rankings. Tell them that because group work takes slightly longer, you will be giving them 20-25 minutes (allot 100 minutes beyond what individuals were given) to complete the task. Tell group members to enter their ranking in the sixth (next-to-last) column. As groups finish, have one member of the group read the ranking to everyone else in order to make sure all members have the same group ranking. When this is done, have students retrieve calculators if they are available.

After all groups finish, read the correct ranking (see APPENDIX J) by systematically working through the original list of items (note: do not read the correct answers in ranking order because it takes too long for students to find the item and enter the correct ranking). Have students record the correct ranking in the column (fifth) labeled “Key.” When this is done have



students calculate both their individual and group error score for each item; this is done by comparing the individual/group ranking for each item to its actual ranking. Error points will be the difference between the two rankings. Note: an item ranked 10 by an individual/group that should actually be 15 will receive the same error points as an item ranked 8 by an individual/group that should actually be ranked 3 (i.e., use absolute values when recording error points). Add up the error points for each item and record this number as the total. The lower the number the more accurate an individual or group will be. When group members disagree on the group error total, have them double check the calculations. There will be quite a buzz when scores are determined. As you run this exercise multiple times, you may want to share low/high scores or anecdotes from past sessions.

Before recording scores on the overhead transparency, have one member of each group calculate the average individual accuracy by adding all the individual total error scores and then dividing by the number of group members. The real impact from this exercise comes as you record scores for everyone to see. Successively, ask each group to report their average individual error score, the group’s error score, the error score for the most accurate (lowest) individual in the group, and the number of group members that individually scored better (lower) than the group.

ANTICIPATING THE UNEXPECTED: Two common problems are likely to occur. First, some students will invariably become frustrated during the individual portion of the exercise. No matter how many reminders you provide, someone may not complete the ranking. If, during the group portion, you notice someone with an incomplete individual ranking or observe someone still working on that portion of the task, ask them to leave it incomplete. When it comes times to calculate the average individual accuracy, instruct the group to exclude this individual (because it will distort the average).



In addition to a high incidence of the problem noted above, international students may opt out of the exercise because they are not familiar with American holidays. This is one good reason to include a few international dates (i.e., to give international students something they might recognize). Without overtly influencing the group process, try to encourage the individual/group to stay engaged. Groups will often exclude someone that does not appear interested in participating. This is an excellent opportunity to discuss group maintenance. Stress the importance of keeping everyone involved. No matter how little someone contributes, any contribution (e.g., knowing Bastille) helps the group perform better.

SPECIFIC JOURNAL QUESTIONS: What are some of the key issues in teamwork that you noticed from this exercise? What factors helped most teams outperform their individual members? Why are some teams not able to outperform individual members?

DEBRIEF: Begin by asking students if they know what the exercise illustrated. Some will recognize that it is synergy. A useful way to help students understand the concept of synergy is to tell them that it is essentially “one plus one equals three.” That is, groups tend to accomplish more together than their individual collective efforts. This is easily illustrated on the summary score sheet. Typically, group error scores will be substantially lower than the average individual error scores. In many cases, the group error score will be lower than the most accurate individual in the group (amazing!).

In a few cases, individual students will score lower than their group. Explore why this happens (e.g., the individual is not allowed to contribute, groups do not view the individual as an expert, the individual does not have confidence in their expertise). Ask students to think of reasons why they performed better in groups than they did individually. If someone comments that groups had more time, you can point out that more time



would not help them to perform better individually. Note that most individuals finish well before the allotted time expires. Reiterate that groups got more time because group discussion takes longer and you wanted to make sure everyone had a chance to participate.

If students do not begin to realize synergistic effects, prompt them with questions. I like to ask how many individuals came into the group not having any idea what an item was. You may want to ask what happened when one group member shared an interpretation of an item that others incorrectly identified. Most students remember their reaction. Tell them this is known as the Eureka (or A-ha) Effect because once the correct answer is revealed everyone immediately recognizes it (i.e., says “Ah, that’s what it is!”). This is an important point. No one knows everything and working in groups allows individuals to pool their knowledge so that group knowledge represents the sum of their individual knowledge. What is more, in the process of pooling knowledge, groups will often discover an answer that no individual possessed. Next, ask if any individuals interpreted an item incorrectly (e.g., graveyard for Halloween). Get them to tell you what happened in the group when they shared this. Someone will usually indicate that other group members corrected their thinking. This is another benefit to working in groups. Individually, when we choose a wrong solution, there is no way to correct our thinking so we proceed thinking we are on the right track.

KEY POINTS: Group solutions generally superior to the average individual performance and, in some cases, even the “best” individual member. A number of unique conditions exist in group problem solving: 1) consensus decision making seeks everyone’s input; 2) group members are able to build on each others’ ideas; 3) erroneous ideas can be eliminated (difficult when working individually); and 4) pooling of knowledge and analytical reasoning produces synergy.



CITATION: A. B. Shani & J. B. Lau (1996). Behavior in Organizations: An experiential approach (6th ed., pp. M9-1 through M9-24). Chicago: Irwin.



Exercise 6The Money Auction

SUMMARY: This exercise illustrates a specific aspect of decision making, namely, escalation of commitment. Students are amazed how easy it is to become trapped by irrelevant aspects of the decision environment. The debriefing focuses on a variety of factors that contribute to escalating commitments. Students learn the importance of identifying “sunk costs” and eliminating them from the decision-making process.

CONCEPTS: Decision making (also can be used for culture).


MATERIALS/PREPARATION: A single bill in the amount you plan to auction (i.e., $5, $10, or $20). Prepare an overhead transparency (see Appendix K) containing a concise list of the basic rules for the auction.

IMPLEMENTATION: Decide beforehand whether you plan to make the students pay their bids. If you plan to “work” the students hard (helps illustrate some of the social factors associated with escalation behavior) during the auction, you may want to let them off the hook toward the end of the debriefing. The risk in doing this is that word gets around and students might not take the exercise seriously. Keith Murnighan claims you should always make students pay in order for them to truly learn from the experience. If you do, consider donating all money collected and allowing the group to determine an appropriate charity.

Begin by explaining that the exercise is called “The Money Auction” because that is what you plan to do – auction off real money. Produce the bill then ask one of the students to inspect it and tell the rest of the group



what it is. Place the rules on the overhead and systematically read each one. Tell students they should not talk during the exercise unless they are participating; casual conversation might be mistaken for participation. The next two rules can be covered together. State the opening bid (.50 for a $5 bill, $1 for the $10/$20 bill) and the bidding increments (.50 for $5, $1 for $10/$20). Tell students there will be no skipping of increments (e.g., a $7 bid immediately following a $3 bid). Explain that the auction will end when no one is willing to make a new bid. The final two rules pertain to closing the auction – the highest bidder pays their bid and receives the money, the second highest bidder must also pay their bid. After you clearly indicate this final rule, begin the auction without giving students a chance to ask questions.

There may be some initial hesitation, but usually a student will quickly seize the opportunity. If not, prompt them by asking, “Who would like to bid $1 for a $10/$20 bill (or 50 cents for a $5 bill)?” Work the audience, trying to acknowledge everyone that wants to participate. Interest in bidding will begin to wane right about the time someone bids more than half the value of the bill (e.g., $6 for the $10 bill) and again at the value of the bill. Know in advance how hard you want to work the audience at these times. When things slow, you may simply want to ask for additional bidding. Alternatively, you may want to remind bidders, particularly the second place bidder, about the final rule (i.e., the second highest bidder must also pay). Additionally, you can take it a step farther by walking back and forth between the final two bidders, reminding them about Rule 6, showing them the money, and standing next to each as they consider whether to continue. Sometimes non-students will encourage bidders to continue. You can increase the tendency to bid by always questioning bidders (e.g., “Are you sure?”) when they say they want to quit.

Escalation of commitment seems to be stronger when the final two students are both male. You can “selectively acknowledge” bidders to ensure this happens. At some point, one bidder will refuse to continue.



More often, you may have to stop the bidding so there is adequate time to conduct the debriefing. When the auction ends, do not immediately tell students if you are not going to make them pay. Their comments tend to show a little more insight when they are still simmering over what happened. At some point, approach the final two bidders and ask them for permission to call the whole thing off (i.e., not to make them pay). Ask the “winner” first and then turn to the second-place bidder.

ANTICIPATING THE UNEXPECTED: There is always the risk that the bidding will stop before the value of the auction item is reached. This is EXTREMELY rare. Nevertheless, the auctioneer recovers the initial investment once a bid passes the halfway mark. In theory, you could discuss whether it makes sense to bid past that point. Do not let the possibility that the auction will not work keep you from using this exercise. You may want to consider working the audience a bit harder (and focus on getting two male final bidders) the first few times through until you develop confidence that the exercise will work. Once you use it a few times, you have plenty of stories to use in the event bidding ends prematurely.

SPECIFIC JOURNAL QUESTIONS: Journaling for this exercise is best done after the auction but while the exercise is still in progress. (Before the debriefing) What did the exercise illustrate and why did it happen? (Before the final discussion of escalation factors) What contributes to individuals feeling “trapped” into continuing with a previously decided course of action?

DEBRIEF: Begin by asking what the exercise illustrated. Many observers will comment that what occurred was poor decision making. While paying more than something is worth may not make sense, point out that many students were trying to engage in the bidding, that final two bidders could easily have been others in the class, and that the final two bidders are not



stupid people. Ask them to think about a specific concept related to decision making that the exercise illustrated. At that point, someone usually picks up on escalation. Explain how it happens: 1) early on, bidders just think about getting the money for less than its value (and winning); 2) at some point, the trap becomes apparent (usually when the bidding settles down to two people; and 3) once this occurs, three issues surface – how much can I afford to lose, how can I look tough enough to scare the other bidder, and how can I get out of my predicament without looking foolish. At this point, stress that it is very easy to get caught in the trap of escalating commitments and cite well-known examples (e.g., the Bay of Pigs fiasco, the Vietnam War, Boston’s “Big Dig”) or simply ask them if they watched Black Hawk Down (an excellent example of escalation after the helicopter crashed). Remind other bidders that they easily could have been one of the final two bidders. Next, launch into a discussion of factors that enhanced the escalation effect. These may include: reminding bidders of the rules, standing by the bidders as they decided thus drawing everyone’s attention to them (it works well to illustrate this again during the debriefing), and repeatedly questioning the wisdom of “backing out” of the auction.

KEY POINTS: Why does escalation of commitment happen? People feel trapped in their decisions due to: 1) psychological factors – negative framing (losses instead of gains), self-justification (“I have to make myself look good or not look bad”); 2) social factors – publicness (others know what I have done), identity (“This is my project”); 3) project factors – potential payoff (“I have so much invested, maybe a little more invested will allow recovery”); and 4) organizational factors – inertia (large organizations are slow to act/change), politics (individuals/groups do not want to give up their domains).

CITATION: J. K. Murnighan (2002). A very extreme case of the dollar auction. Journal of Management Education, 26, 56-69.





Exercise 7Tower Building

SUMMARY: This capstone exercise is designed to illustrate many of the concepts discussed during an entire course. Student groups compete to build the tallest tower they can under time and resource constraints. Offering a bonus point incentive will add a motivation component and provide students with an opportunity to “catch up” on points at the end of the term.

CONCEPTS: Various. Best used for a final session.


MATERIALS/PREPARATION: Tape measure and materials to record group member names and tower measurements. You may also want to bring a camera to permanently record the exercise and class students. Materials provided to groups will depend on the variation chosen. If a room with high ceilings (e.g., a gymnasium) is available, the best results will be achieved using newspapers. In either case, it is important to provide each group with precisely the same resources. For the newspaper variation, count out 100 double-page newspaper sheets and 50 single-page newspaper sheets. Each group receives a bag of newspaper sheets and one roll of masking tape. If space is at premium (i.e., you are forced to conduct the exercise in a classroom), a scaled-down variation can be used with index cards. In this variation, provide each group with 100-150 index cards and a box containing 50 large paper clips. In the latter case, you may wish to tell student groups that they will be penalized (one-inch deduction per violation) if they damage the cards/clips.



IMPLEMENTATION: Have students form into equal-sized groups. If the exercise offers bonus points, allow students to self-select their groups. Keep group sizes small (i.e., 5-7 members), so that everyone can participate. Once the groups are formed, announce that the objective of this exercise is to build the tallest tower possible using only the materials you provide. Distribute materials. Tell students to work together to build the tallest freestanding tower possible using only the materials you provide. Announce the amount of time available (20-30 minutes is sufficient) and tell students they must stop working and release the tower when time is called. Provide periodic reminders of time remaining.

Towers must be built from the ground up and attached only to the floor surface. Furniture (e.g., chairs, tables), other equipment (e.g., light fixtures), walls, ceilings, and students may not be included as part of the tower’s construction. In order to maximize the competitive nature of the exercise, consider awarding bonus points to each member of the top three groups on a sliding scale (e.g., 5-3-1 points). At the conclusion of the exercise, begin measuring each tower. You may wish to explain beforehand that towers must be constructed to stand until they are measured. Have a member of an opposing team certify your measurement. After all measurements are taken, announce the winners and ask students to help you collect materials.

ANTICIPATING THE UNEXPECTED: The biggest issue arising from the exercise comes when groups finish early and want a measurement taken (only to subsequently have their tower fall) or when groups work until last minute and an unstable tower topples before a measurement is taken. It is important to stress up front that measurements will be taken only after the exercise concludes and that all towers must remain standing until a measurement is taken.



SPECIFIC JOURNAL QUESTIONS: This is a great exercise for concept review. Ask students a general question such as “What concepts were illustrated (and how) in this exercise?” You may want to give them a minimum/maximum of concepts to force them to think about the exercise.

DEBRIEF: Begin by stating that tower building is designed to be a capstone exercise, one that encompasses many concepts. Ask students what concepts they saw illustrated. Many course concepts (in addition to the impact points) may emerge during the exercise. Discuss these when/if they are evident. Groups quite often begin with very different tower building strategies. In the end, most towers look alike. This is due to scanning (learning). Students often complain when other group members watch them and then “steal” their ideas. Ignore these comments during the exercise, but make a point to discuss them during the debriefing. Such behavior is a perfect example of the marketplace. Competitors will always seek to copy a good idea. Invariably, groups will ask if they can have more materials to construct their towers. Groups sometimes complain that they did not receive the same amount of materials as other groups. Use this as a springboard to talk about perceptions and environmental constraints (resource scarcity, effective utilization of resources). You may wish to make mention of group-related concepts such as the stages of group development, social loafing, conflict (both intragroup and intergroup varieties), leadership, and power/influence. If social loafing is an issue, explore the reason(s) why it occurs. In rare cases, it relates to a perceived lack of value of the reward. More often, it occurs when students do not accept the group’s strategy or when their ideas have been ignored/rejected by the group. Finally, you may wish to remind groups about escalation of commitment if one or more towers crash at the last minute. Some groups fail because they get locked in to a poor design strategy or they decide, at the last moment, to add one more layer to their tower.



KEY POINTS: Success requires several things: 1) good decision making leading to an appropriate strategy and implementation. Groups must engage in problem solving, demonstrate creativity, and utilize basic skills/abilities; 2) motivation on the part of some/all group members. This is a function of needs, the reward, effort, and performance; and 3) everybody working together effectively through division of labor (coordination, no redundancy), teamwork (synergy, distributed leadership, role clarity, everyone valued), strong performance norms and cohesiveness, no dysfunctional conflict, and good communication.

CITATION: None.



Appendix ASelf-Assessment Score sheet

Complete each of the following self assessments. As you do, record your score in the appropriate blank(s). Read the scoring narrative and provide a brief interpretation of what your score means.

Assessment #2 (Organizational Design Preference): _____

Interpretation:

Assessment #4 (T-T Leadership Style Assessment):Transformational Score: _____ Transactional Score:_____

Interpretation:

Assessment #5 (Your Intuitive Ability): _____

Interpretation:

Assessment #6 (Time Management Profile): _____



Interpretation:

Assessment #7 (Cultural Attitudes Inventory):Masculinity-Femininity Score: _____ Individualism-

Collectivism Score: _____Uncertainty Avoidance Score: _____ Power Distance Score:

_____

Interpretation:

Assessment #14 (Conflict Management Styles): Competing Score: _____

Collaborating Score: _____ Compromising Score: _____Avoiding Score: _____ Accommodating Score: _____

Interpretation:



Appendix BSelf-Analysis Profile Feedback Guidelines

Thank you for agreeing to provide feedback for one of my students. Your time is valuable and I appreciate your willingness to assist in this project.

My students are required to complete ten on-line self-assessment instruments. Afterward, they write a self-analysis profile describing five assessments, an interpretation of their scores, and career implications.

Sometimes students complain that the assessments are not accurate. This is where you can help. Generally, we like to believe we know ourselves fairly well. However, we all have blind spots that others see and we do not recognize. As you read the self-analysis profile, look for statements that accurately portray this individual. Make a note of these in your feedback. Look for statements that are not consistent with the person you know, particularly statements that may be overly inflated or ego-based. Make a note of these as well. Finally, note any strong personality characteristics that the student may have overlooked.

Please e-mail your comments directly to me. If your comments will be lengthy, you may find it helpful to type them into a word processor first, to take advantage editing/spell check capabilities. “Cut and paste” them into your e-mail message when you are finished. Do not give the student a copy of the information you provide. When I receive your comments, I will forward the feedback portion to the student WITHOUT any information identifying the contributor. You will receive a short e-mail confirmation that your submission was received.

It is important that you not identify yourself in the feedback. As best you can, try to avoid identifying factors (e.g., situations, experiences, knowledge of the student) that would be associated with you only. I realize the student contacted you and may be able to pinpoint who provided the feedback, but I want to avoid



this as much as possible. Again, I want to emphasize that I will not reveal your identity to the student. I want you to feel comfortable providing honest and direct feedback to the student. Anything less would be a waste of time.

Thanks again for your time.



Appendix CCareer Timeline Feedback Guidelines

To Whom It May Concern:

Thank you for agreeing to provide feedback for one of my students. I know your time is valuable and I appreciate your willingness to assist in this project.

I ask my students to complete an education/career timeline for the next ten years. I realize ten years is a long time to plan (and that these plans most likely will change), but I want my students to begin to develop some perspective with respect to their careers/future. I also want students to engage in setting goals. Research consistently demonstrates the motivating potential of effective goals (students have been directed to guidelines for establishing effective goals).

Now this student needs feedback from someone knowledgeable in the field. That is where you come in. I realize no one wants to squelch the dreams of bright, young minds. I am not asking you to do that. However, it is important that the student’s goals be specific and attainable. Many times I see career goals that are unrealistic (e.g., students say they are going to become the president of a company, a partner in a law firm, athletic director at a college) for the first ten years out from college. I realize some of these students are dreaming. However, a good number believe these goals are realistic. My fear is that students will set these goals and become totally frustrated when they are not achieved.



Please look over the career timeline and suggest areas where the student may need to revise her/his thinking. I am asking the student to revise the timeline based on your feedback before turning it in (indicate deadline).

Thanks again for your time.

Sincerely,



Appendix DCareer Timeline (Graphical Representation)

0 - - - 1 - - - 2 - - - 3 - - - 4 - - - 5 - - - 6 - - - 7 - - - 8 - - - 9 - - - 10 a b c d e

a First job out of college

b First promotion

c Return to school (MBA)

d Change jobs

e Second promotion



Appendix EPersonal Goals Sheet

Please give thought to and answer the following questions. If you need more room, use the back of this form. Turn in your completed sheet at the beginning of class as indicated on the schedule.

In addition, do not forget to submit your 6 x 9 manila envelope with $1 postage. The envelope should be addressed to yourself at an address where you can be reached in five years. If you have no idea where you will be, send it to yourself in care of a family member (e.g., parent, sibling). I will mail this to you in five years no matter where I am, no matter what I am doing – this is a promise!

Finally, be thinking about other meaningful objects you would like to include in your time capsule. We will complete these during our last week of lecture (just before finals). You should be thinking about objects related to activities/relationships that you are currently involved in. Students in the past have included objects like tapes/CDs with current songs, copies of fraternity/sorority items, school newspaper clippings, etc.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE NEXT FIVE YEARS . . .

MY GOALS ARE:

I WANT TO STILL BE CLOSE TO THESE FRIENDS:



I WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THESE ACTIVITIES:

WHAT I HOPE WILL HAPPEN WHEN I GET THIS PACKAGE:

WHO WILL BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES FIVE YEARS FROM NOW?



Appendix FThe Cookies

(Author Unknown)*

A woman was waiting at an airport one night, with several long hours before her flight. She hunted for a book in the airport shops, bought a bag of cookies, and found a place to drop.

She was engrossed in her book but happened to see that the man sitting beside her, as bold as could be, grabbed a cookie or two from the bag. In between, she tried to ignore him to avoid a scene. So she munched the cookies and watched the clock, as the gutsy cookie thief diminished her stock. She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by, thinking, “If I wasn’t so nice, I would blacken his eye.”

With each cookie she took, he took one too. When only one was left, she wondered what he would do. With a smile on his face, and a nervous laugh, he took the last cookie and broke it in half.

He offered her half, as he ate the other. She snatched it from him and thought, “Oooh, brother. This guy has some nerve and he’s also rude. Why he didn’t even show any gratitude!”

She had never been so galled, and sighed with relief when her flight was called. She gathered her belongings and headed to the gate, refusing to look back at the thieving ingrate.

THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD REACT TO THIS SITUATIONDO NOT UNFOLD THE PAPER UNTIL DIRECTED TO DO SO



She boarded the plane and sank in her seat. Then she sought her book, which was almost complete. As she reached in her baggage, she gasped with surprise. There was her bag of cookies – in front of her eyes.

If mine are here, she moaned in despair, the others were his and he tried to share. Too late to apologize, she realized with grief that she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief.

How many times in our lives, have we absolutely known that something was a certain way, only to be wrong?



*A version of this story originally appeared in D. N. Adams (1984). So long, and thanks for all the fish. New York: Pocket Books.



Appendix GImportant Days Task*

The words below represent important days. You are to write in the approximate date of each item and rank them from 1 to 20, according to the sequence in which they occur during the year. Do this from memory. If a particular item representing a range of days, rank it based on the first occurrence during the year (e.g., Easter could occur in mid-March). Guess when you do not know, but assign each a number without using the same number twice.



Item Approximate

Date

YourRanki

ng

YourErrorPoint

s

Key

TeamRanki

ng1 to 20

Team

Error

Score

BirdSOSRed SuitIdesTimeFlagElectionSt. PatrickVernal EquinoxFirecrackersGraveyardBridesWorkWashingtonCatsHeartsClownSanta MariaBastilleCinco



YourTotalError Score

Team’s TotalError Score

*Adapted from A. B. Shani & J. B. Lau (1996). Behavior in Organizations: An experiential approach (6th ed., pp. M9-1 through M9-24). Chicago: Irwin.


Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn – Organizational Behavior, 10th ed. Creative Classroom

Appendix HImportant Days Scoring Sheet

Before Group Discussion After Group Discussion

GroupAverage Error

Score of Group

Members

Error Score of

Most AccurateMember

Group ErrorScore

Gain or Loss over

Average ErrorScore

Individuals in Group

Superior to GroupScore

Gain or Loss over

Most AccurateIndividual

1

2

3

4

5



6



Appendix IImportant Days Task

Guidelines for Group Decision Making*

Consensus is a decision process for making full use of available resources for resolving conflicts creatively. Consensus is difficult to reach, so not every ranking will meet with everyone’s complete approval. Complete unanimity is not the goal – it is rarely achieved. However, each individual should be able to accept the group rankings on the basis of logic and feasibility. When all group members feel this way, you have reached consensus and the judgment may be entered as a group decision. This means, in effect, that a single person can block the group if he or she thinks it necessary; at the same time; individuals should use this option in the best sense of reciprocity. Here are some guidelines to use in achieving consensus:

1. Avoid arguing for your own rankings. Present your position as clearly and logically as possible, but listen to the other members’ reactions and consider them carefully before you press your point.

2. Do not assume that someone must win and someone must lose when discussion reaches a stalemate. Instead, look for the next most acceptable alternative for all parties.

3. Do not change your mind simply to avoid conflict. When agreement seems to come too quickly and easily, be suspicious. Explore the reasons and be sure everyone accepts the solution for similar complementary reasons. Agree only to positions that have objective or logically sound foundations.

4. Avoid conflict-reducing techniques such as majority vote, splitting the difference, or coin tosses. When a dissenting member finally agrees, don’t feel that that person must be rewarded by having his or her own way on a later point.



5. Differences of opinion are natural and expected. Seek them out and try to involve everyone in the decision process. Disagreements can help the group’s decision because with a wide range of information and opinions, there is a greater chance that the group will hit upon more adequate solutions.

*A. B. Shani & J. B. Lau (1996). Behavior in organizations: An experiential approach (6th ed., pp. M9-1 through M9-24). Chicago: Irwin.

Appendix JImportant Days Task

Scoring Keys*

List Order

Bird 19 Thanksgiving Fourth Thursday of NovemberSOS 8 May Day May 1 / First Monday of MayRed Suit 20 Christmas December 25Ides 4 Ides of March March 15Time 1 New Year’s Day January 1Flag 12 Flag Day June 14Election 18 Election Day First Tuesday of NovemberSt. Patrick 5 St. Patrick’s Day March 17Vernal Equinox 6 First Day of Spring March 20Firecrackers 13 Independence Day July 4Graveyard 10 Memorial Day Last Monday of MayBrides 11 Marrying Month JuneWork 15 Labor Day First Monday of September



Washington 3 President’s Day Third Monday of FebruaryCats 17 Halloween October 31Hearts 2 Valentine’s Day February 14Clown 7 April Fools’ Day April 1Santa Maria 16 Columbus Day Second Monday of OctoberBastille 14 Bastille Day (France) July 14Cinco 9 Cinco de Mayo May 5



Chronological Order

1. Time New Year’s Day January 1 2. Hearts Valentine’s Day February 14 3. Washington President’s Day Third Monday of February 4. Ides Ides of March March 15 5. St. Patrick St. Patrick’s Day March 17 6. Vernal Equinox First Day of Spring March 20 7. Clown April Fools’ Day April 1 8. SOS May Day May 1 / First Monday of May 9. Cinco Cinco de Mayo May 510. Graveyard Memorial Day Last Monday of May11. Brides Marrying Month June12. Flag Flag Day June 1413. Firecrackers Independence Day July 414. Bastille Bastille Day (France) July 1415. Work Labor Day First Monday of September16. Santa Maria Columbus Day Second Monday of October17. Cats Halloween October 3118. Election Election Day First Tuesday of November19. Bird Thanksgiving Fourth Thursday of November20. Red Suit Christmas December 25



*Adapted from A. B. Shani & J. B. Lau (1996). Behavior in organizations: An experiential approach (6th ed., pp. M9-1 through M9-24). Chicago: Irwin.



Appendix KThe Money Auction

Rules:

1. No talking during the auction (except for bidding)

2. Opening bid is $1 ($.50 if auction is $5)

3. Bidding continues in $1 ($.50) increments – no skipping of increments

4. Auction is over when no new bid is made

5. Highest bidder pays bid and receives money

6. Second highest bidder must also pay


Documents

The Creative Classroomtestbank360.eu/sample/solution-manual-organizational-be… · Web viewRobert L. (Lenie) Holbrook, Jr. Ohio University. The Creative Classroom offers a series