The content, assignments, and assessments for Principles of Management are aligned to the following learning outcomes.
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Module 1: Introduction to Management
Describe the primary functions of management and the roles of managers.
- Describe what management is.
- Explain the primary functions of management.
- Describe the primary types of managers and the roles they play.
- Explain the advantages that arise from managing people well.
Module 2: History of Management
Describe the work of major contributors to the field of management.
- Describe the contributions of Frederick W. Taylor, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, and Henry Gantt to the field of scientific management.
- Describe the contributions of Max Weber and Henri Fayol to the field of bureaucratic management.
- Describe the contributions of Mary Parker Follett and Elton Mayo (Hawthorne studies) to the field of humanistic management.
- Describe current developments in management practices.
Module 3: Planning and Mission
Explain how managers align the planning process with company mission, vision, and values.
- Distinguish between mission, vision, and values.
- Explain the pros and cons of planning.
- Explain the stages of the planning cycle.
- List and describe the types of plans and common planning tools.
Module 4: Environments and Strategic Management
Explain the components and considerations of strategic management.
- Explain the role of strategy in management.
- Describe common frameworks used to evaluate the business environment.
- Describe common frameworks used for situational analysis.
- Explain the stages of strategy, and describe the common types of business strategies.
- Explain the key aspects of the environment that can affect strategy.
Module 5: Decision Making
Explain the process and techniques of individual and group decision-making.
- Describe the barriers to individual decision-making and common styles of decision-making.
- Explain the concept of “rational decision making” and contrast it with prospect theory, bounded rationality, heuristics, and robust decisions.
- Explain evidence-based decision making and its tools.
- Describe the components and use of a decision tree.
- Explain common techniques used to manage group decision making.
Module 6: Organizational Structures
Identify common organizational structures and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
- Explain the purpose of organization.
- Describe common organizational structures and their advantages and disadvantages.
- Identify important factors for consideration in organizational design.
- Describe current trends in organization and job design.
Module 7: Human Resource Management
Discuss the purpose of HR management and its legal constraints.
- Explain the purpose of human resource management for both the organization and individuals.
- Summarize the key laws affecting human resource practices.
- Describe effective strategies for recruiting and selecting qualified job applicants.
- Describe employee orientation and training approaches.
- Describe employee development and performance evaluations.
- Describe common employee compensation, incentive, and benefits strategies.
- Describe the options for employee separation/termination.
- Describe current trends and challenges in HR management.
Module 8: Groups, Teams, and Teamwork
Explain group and team dynamics within organizations.
- Describe common group behaviors that can help or hurt organization goals.
- Describe the types of teams found in business organizations.
- Describe common techniques used to build effective teams.
- Describe the five stages of team development.
- Describe common types and causes of conflict that arise within teams.
Module 9: Culture and Diversity
Discuss organizational culture and the benefits of diversity.
- Describe organizational culture, and explain how culture can be a competitive advantage.
- Identify key dimensions of organizational culture.
- Identify the main influences on organizational culture, and explain how culture is maintained.
- Describe the key techniques for initiating and fostering cultural change.
- Identify the advantages and challenges of employee diversity within organizations.
Module 10: Leadership
Recognize good and poor leadership and the varieties of leadership.
- Differentiate between leadership and management.
- Identify the traits, dimensions, and styles of effective leaders.
- Compare examples of effective and poor leadership.
- Summarize the situational theories of leadership.
- Summarize transformational and transactional theories of leadership.
Module 11: Motivation
Recognize the importance of employee motivation and how to promote it.
- Explain the importance of employee motivation in an organization.
- Explain needs-based theories of motivation.
- Explain process-based theories of motivation.
- Describe the job characteristics that affect motivation.
- Explain goal-setting theory.
- Explain reinforcement theory.
- Explain the manager’s role in promoting motivation.
Module 12: The Individual and the Organization
Recognize how employee personality and attitude affect organizational fit.
- Recognize the role of personal values and personality at work.
- Explain common biases that can affect a manager’s perception of employees.
- Explain the major attitudes that affect job performance.
- List and explain common factors that influence job fitness and performance.
Module 13: Ethics in Business
Describe the methods of encouraging ethical behavior and the laws encouraging good corporate practices.
- Explain the need for ethics in the workplace.
- Explain the US Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations and how the compliance steps encourage ethical behavior.
- Describe the influences on an employee’s ethical choices.
- Describe practical steps that managers should take to model ethical behavior and encourage ethical choices.
- Explain corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its relationship to economic performance.
Module 14: Communication
Describe typical business communication, and explain barriers to effective communication.
- Recognize the role of communication in the management function.
- Differentiate between typical communication flows within an organization.
- Explain barriers to effective communication.
- Differentiate between typical channels of business communication.
Module 15: Control
Explain the methods and need for control within an organization.
- Explain what control means in a business setting and why it is needed.
- Explain the basic control process and monitoring points.
- Describe the different levels and types of control.
- Explain the need for a balanced scorecard.
- Explain the use of financial and nonfinancial controls in business.
Module 16: Globalization and Business
Describe current trends and challenges in global business management.
- Describe current trends in global business.
- Explain the risk tradeoffs in typical forms of global business.
- Explain the dimensions of cultural difference and their effect on global business.
- Explain the strategies managers can use to respond to cultural differences.
- Explain how managers can effectively train employees for international assignments.