Course Syllabus

 

INDIANA UNIVERSITY NORTHWEST

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC & ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

MANAGING BEHAVIOR IN PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS

(SPEA-FALL V366: 2026)

 

Instructor: SHEILA SHINE                                        Class Times: MONDAY 6:00 TO 8:45

Office: 2120 Dunes Medical/Professional Bldg.           Class Location: 2120 Dunes Medical/Professional Bldg.  MP 2134

E-mail: sdshine@iun.edu                                             Office Hours: UPON REQUEST

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

 

This course explores both theory and practical applications of organizational behavior in public organizations. Students will learn a variety of theories and concepts about individuals, groups, and structures in organizations and their influences on employee attitude, behavior, and performance.  A strong emphasis will be placed on how managers can apply these theories and concepts toward improving decision making, job satisfaction, and performance.  Specific topic include the environment of public organizations; organizational structure; work motivation and satisfaction; decision making; leadership; work groups and teams; organizational power and politics; organizational culture, and organizational change.

 

REQUIRED COURSE TEXT MATERIALS

• Required Text: Managing Human Behavior in Public and Nonprofit Organizations, 5^th Edition Denhart, Denhart, Aristigueta & Rawlings

SAGA-Publications, Inc.

ISBN -9781506382661

• Other assigned readings including academic journals, case study and other relevant reports will be listed on Canvas, and the links will be provided for the students if they are available on the internet. Any other reading will be in pdf format and made available on canvas.

 

RECOMMENDED READING

 

Various supplemental reading will be recommended, mainly depending on the interests of the students.  If you want to learn more about particular topics, ask!

 

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

 

Upon successful completion of this course, a student should be able to:

1. Help students develop a thorough understanding of the basic issues that affect behavior in public and nonprofit organizations.
2. Value of analyzing management problems from the standpoint of the individual and how that perspective can augment action and analysis.
3. Increase the students understanding of core behavior principles on which these personal, interpersonal, and public leadership skills are based.
4. Foster competency in critical management and leadership skills- that is, the capacity to act effectively and responsibly under stress, complexity, and uncertainty of the real world.
5. Provide cases, exercises, simulation, and evaluative instruments that will enable students to learn both cognitively and experientially.

 

 

Method of Instruction:

 

• Classes will involve a combination of lectures, presentations, videos, and discussion using practical examples and case studies. All class members are expected to participate, and students are expected to have read the material assigned for the day and to be prepared to discuss it in class.

 

• Please note that the textbooks are on-reserve in the Library. You may check out the textbook for two hours for your use but it cannot be removed from the library.

 

Canvas:

• This course will be managed through the University Canvas system. On-Canvas is an internet-based information display system, and it will be a primary means of communication for this course. To enhance students’ understanding of the subject matter, any additional readings or cases will be posted on On-Canvas. I will occasionally send e-mails about course logistics to your IUN e-mail account through the On-Canvas system. Therefore, you should check both the course website and your IUN e-mail on a regular basis.

 

Evaluation and Grading:    

• Student performance will be measured through attendance, class participation, class activities

midterm and final examination. To do well in this course, you must devote a significant amount of time. Please keep in mind that the material presented in the course builds cumulatively. Do not fall behind, as it is nearly impossible to catch up once this happens.

 

• No incompletes are given without explicit medical or university certification that you are unable to complete the course. Incompletes cannot be used to avoid an unsatisfactory grade. Students who stop attending class without properly withdrawing from the class will receive a grade of F. Automatic “Withdrawal” Deadline /e-drop is October 26, 2026 this allows you to withdrawal from class without the instructor approval.  If you miss this date, your instructor must approve your withdrawal)

 

• If, after an exam or assignment is graded, you believe that additional credit is deserved, you may submit a written appeal for up to one week after the assignment is graded. Your appeal should be a typewritten page or less explaining specifically: which items deserve more credit and why. Please note that your argument must be based on the answer actually turned in. Do not give a new answer and expect more credit. Also, the argument “I meant to say……” does not work.

 

Class Expectations:

 

• All students are required to purchase the textbooks outlined for this class.
• All students are expected to come to class prepared. This includes but is not limited to bringing the required text to class, reading assignments/chapters/case studies prior to attending class, etc. Being prepared for class is integral to the learning process.  Coming to class unprepared is not conducive to classroom learning.  The reading assignments not only provide application of theory but also aid in the comprehension of the material being discussed.
• If a student misses class, it will be their responsibility to obtain lecture information from other students in the class. Therefore, it is extremely important that each student have another classmate’s contact information so they can follow up in the event they do have to miss class.  

 

• Students are expected to attend class and complete all assignments as scheduled. No late assignments will be accepted unless documentation verifying the absence is submitted to the instructor within one week of the absence.
• If a class must be missed, students are expected to email the instructor prior to the absence or within 24 hours of their absence.
• Academic and Classroom Misconduct: Students are expected to conduct themselves appropriately at all times.  Academic and classroom misconduct will not be tolerated. Students must abide by the College of Health & Human Services Code of Conduct.
• Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated and any student found cheating or plagiarizing will receive a grade of “F” for the work in question, and possibly an “F” for the course, and may be recommended for suspension from the University.
• Technology usage of any kind during class is prohibited. This includes cell phones, laptops, tablets, IPADS, IPODS, etc. Calls (incoming and outgoing), text messages, taking pictures, accessing the internet or recording.  Violation of this policy during class time is considered academic misconduct and the student will be asked to leave the class for the day.  Phones should be turned off or placed in silent mode. 

 

Plagiarism:

 

Plagiarism or cheating of any form are serious offenses and violates the Student Code of Conduct.  Committing any of these offenses may be punished by failure on an exam, failure in a course; and/or expulsion from the University as prescribed by the Indiana University Code of Conduct.  Please see the website for additional information on the Code of Conduct: 

 

www.iun.edu/chhs/docs/chhs_code_conduct.pdf

 

Plagiarism is defined as:

• stealing and passing off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own
• to use (another's production) without crediting the source
• to commit literary theft
• to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source

 

In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward. 

 

Source: http://plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/what-is-plagiarism (Merriam Webster Online Dictionary)

Students must not do any of the following:

 

• Adopt or reproduce ideas, opinions, theories, formulas, graphics, or pictures of another person without proper acknowledgement.  A student must give credit to the originality of others and acknowledge indebtedness whenever:
• Directly quoting another person actual words, whether oral or written format;
• Using another person’s idea’s, opinions or theories;
• Paraphrasing the works, ideas, opinions or theories or others, whether oral or written;
• Borrowing facts, statistics or illustrative material;
• Offering materials assembled or collected by others in projects or collections without acknowledgement.

 

Proper citation of sources of information is the key to avoiding plagiarism.  IUN offers several online resources for students to assist in their writing skills and proper citation of resources they use when completing assignments. 

 

IUN’s Writing Center is available to all students for assistance with their writing skills.  The following link has additional information regarding hours, etc. The Writing Center is located in Hawthorne Hall, room 405. The Writing Center does take walk-ins or appointments (contact 980-6502 to schedule an appointment). 

 

 

The following links are resources that students may access to assist them in their writing assignments:

 

http://www.iun.edu/english/related-information/writing-center.htm

 

Right to Accommodation for Students with Disabilities:

 

If you are a student with a documented disability who will require academic or classroom accommodations for this course, please register with the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disability in the Student Support Services (SSS) Office:

 

• Hawthorne Hall, Room 237
• Phone:  219-980-6942
• Email:  dmhaywoo@iun.edu

 

It is the student’s responsibility to inform the instructor of any special needs and to schedule with the instructor or SSS any exam/quiz to be taken according to the given accommodations.  Please review the following website for additional information regarding accommodations for students with disabilities:

 

http://www.iun.edu/bulletin/services/student-support.shtml

 

 

 

 

 

Class Schedule:

 

MANAGING BEHAVIOR IN PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS

(SPEA-Fall V366: 2026)

 

August 24	INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW
August 31      Chapter 1	Organizational Behavior as a Way of Thinking and Acting
September 7	Labor Day
September 14  Chapter 2	Knowing and Managing Yourself
September 21  Chapter 3	Fostering Creativity
September 28  Chapter 4	Managing Stress
October 5       Chapter 5	Decision Making
October 12     Chapter 6	Motivation and Management
October 19      Chapter 7	Fall Break        Leadership in Public Organizations
October 26      Chapter 8	Power and Organizational Politics
November 2    Chapter 9	Communications Effectively with Others
November 9   Chapter 10	Working in Groups and Teams
November 16 Chapter 11	Managing Conflict
November 23 Chapter 12	Organizational Change
November 30 Chapter 13	Representing the Organization “On the Outside”
December 7   Chapter 14	Managing Behavior in the Public Interest
December 14	Final Presentation

 

 

 

 

Please be advised that the instructor reserves the right to modify the class schedule on an “as needed” basis. Additional readings may be assigned and students will be informed of these requirements in class.

 

Grading System:

 

The grading system used for this course will be a standard point based grading scale.  The total points for the class will be 500 points which is based on the following assignments and tests for the class.

 

14 Quizzes or Assignments:   10 points each total 140 pts.

14 Attendance points:             10 per class total 140 pts.

Projects:                                  50 points

Midterm:                                50 points

Final:                                      120 points.

Total                                       500 points

 

Points and Letter Grade

 

      451 TO 500     A          100%

      426 TO 450     A-        90%

      401 TO 425     B          85%

      376 TO 400     B-         80%

      351 TO 375     C          75%

      326 TO 350     C-         70%

      301 TO 325     D           65%

      286 TO 300     D-          60%

                   285      F

 

All assignments are assigned and due based on schedule.  If you are absent from class the day an assignment is completed, then you will need to provide documentation to the instructor within one week of the missed class.  If no documentation is provided regardless of the reason for the missed class, no make up for the assignment will be made.  It is the responsibility of the student to provide documentation to the instructor within the time frame allotted. 

 

      October 25, 2026 is the last date for Automatic Withdraw for the FALL 2026 semester.

. 

 

Additional Information

• Last date to withdraw from the class with automatic grade is October 25, 2026.  Please be advised that failure to officially withdraw from the class could result in a grade of F.  Do not simply stop attending class.  You must follow University procedures for withdrawing from class.  

 

• Please advise me on any issues that you are having with the course or the material.  Do not be afraid to ask questions.  In my experience, there is always someone else in the class that may have the same issues or concerns.  I cannot help if I am not aware of the issue.  I have an open door policy in my classroom.  Please feel free to talk to me about any course issues that you may be having. 

 

• This course has been approved to enforce the IUN Attendance and Course Commitment Policy.  As a student in this course, you are expected to attend all scheduled classes and actively participate in all class activities.  Students who miss the first week of the semester or who do not attend 50% of the scheduled class meetings before the end of the fourth week of the semester may be subject to an administrative withdrawal.  Regardless of attendance, students who do not actively participate in this class by not submitting the majority of their assignments by the posted due date are subject to administrative withdrawal.  Students who are administratively withdrawn from this class after the fourth week will not be eligible for a tuition refund.  Administrative withdrawals may an impact on the student’s financial aid awards and visa status.

 

• All students are issued an IUN email address that will be used for communications regarding campus and course related matters.  Please ensure that you utilize the IUN email as this is the only email source that will be utilized for this class.  This instructor will not send emails to personal accounts.  A student may, however, forward messages automatically to a preferred personal email address from an IUN email address or the Canvas class portal.

 

• Please utilize the Canvas portal for this class and ensure that you check for any announcements that are posted.