This document provides an overview and instructions for Module 1 of a course on managing individual behavior. Students are asked to complete a case assignment analyzing a personal experience of feeling extremely motivated using Kolb's model of experiential learning. The assignment involves writing a 4-6 page paper with sections on concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. Students are provided grading criteria and expectations for completing the assignment, which is due at the end of the module. Additionally, students are asked to complete a self-assessment personality test and develop a personal management profile and action plan for a student learning project.

1. MODULE 1 CASE ASSIGNMENT
Managing Individual Behavior
Assignment Overview
The cases in this class follow an experiential approach. This
means you will reflect on your own experience in an
organization and then apply the concepts from the module
materials to
think critically
about these experiences and understand them better. The
structure of the course and the assignments follow Kolb’s model
of the adult learning process, which is discussed on the
Module 1 Home page
. [If you skipped the Module 1--Home page, you should read it
now before you attempt to go any further.]
Case Assignment
Think about an experience you have had where you felt
extremely motivated. Then, in a 4- to 6-page paper, analyze this
experience according to the Kolb format below. Each subtitle
represents a different section of the paper. You can use the
subtitles as headings.
Introduction:
Discuss the topic of the paper and how you will approach it. It
is best to write this section after you have written the rest of the
paper.
Concrete Experience:
Begin with a specific situation/event. Describe the experience
where you felt extremely motivated. Be objective and focus on
just the facts: who, what, where, when, and how – similar to
how a newspaper article is written -- as if you were composing
a newspaper article.
Reflective Observation:
Reflect upon that experience from the multiple perspectives of
other people involved or affected in the experience. Step back
from the situation, look at the experience from your own
viewpoint,

2. and
the viewpoints of all other parties involved or affected. You
want to look at the circumstances surrounding the experience
from every relevant perspective. Why was the experience
motivating to you? What did others do that increased your
motivation? Was the situation (or would the situation) also be
motivating to others? (Note: Your discussion of theories and
models from your module materials belongs in the following
section.)
Abstract Conceptualization:
Use critical thinking skills in order to understand and interpret
the experience at a deeper, more generalizable level. Interpret
and understand the events you have described by drawing on the
concepts, theories, and models in the background material from
this module. What behavior patterns can you identify in
yourself and others that are similar to the ones described in the
material on motivation, values, and/or goals? How do these
concepts and principles explain
why
you were motivated? What general principles of motivation can
you derive from this analysis? Be sure to cite all references to
concepts, ideas, and quotes you use that come from any outside
source. Be sure to apply
at least
three concepts, theories, and/or models and cite all references
to concepts, ideas, and/or quotes that you use from any outside
source.
[This Abstract Conceptualization section is the “heart” of your
paper. Using critical thinking skills, provide a clear, specific
discussion on the logic, theories, and models and how they
apply to your experience.]
Active Experimentation:
Identify ways to respond to the next occurrence of a similar
experience. How are you going to put what you have learned to
use? How will you use this knowledge to motivate yourself and
others? What actions will you take to create a work

3. environment that is motivating?
Conclusion:
Sum up the main points of your analysis and the key learnings
you are taking from it.
Reference List:
List all references that you have cited in the paper using APA
formatting. References include materials from the required
background readings as well as any outside Internet or library
sources you used in researching and writing your paper. If you
have APA questions, refer to the optional listings on the
Background page.
Assignment Expectations
Your paper will be evaluated using the criteria as stated in the
Case rubric. The following is a review of the rubric criteria:
·
Assignment-Driven:
Does the paper fully address all aspects of the assignment? Is
the assignment addressed accurately and precisely using sound
logic? Does the paper meet minimum length requirements?
·
Critical Thinking:
Does the paper demonstrate graduate-level analysis, in which
information derived from multiple sources, expert opinions, and
assumptions has been critically evaluated and synthesized in the
formulation of a logical set of conclusions? Does the paper
address the topic with sufficient depth of discussion and
analysis?
·
Business Writing:
Is the essay logical, well organized and well written? Are the
grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-
level work? Are section headings included? Are paraphrasing
and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding, or

4. is justification/support instead conveyed through excessive use
of direct quotations?
·
Effective Use of Information
: Does the submission demonstrate that the student has read,
understood and can apply the background materials for the
module? If required, has the student demonstrated effective
research, as evidenced by student’s use of relevant and quality
(library?) sources? Do additional sources used provide strong
support for conclusions drawn, and do they help in shaping the
overall paper?
·
Citing Sources:
Does the student demonstrate understanding of APA Style of
referencing, by inclusion of proper citations (for paraphrased
text and direct quotations) as appropriate? Have all sources
(e.g., references used from the Background page, the assignment
readings, and outside research) been included, and are these
properly cited? Have all sources cited in the paper been
included on the References page?
·
Timeliness:
Has the assignment been submitted to TLC (Trident’s learning
management system) on or before the module’s due date?

5. Module Overview
The MBA, the MSHRM, and the MSL are advanced degrees in
which students learn how to apply theory and models to solve
organizational problems. In each program, students are exposed
to business functions in isolation (such as accounting, finance,
and marketing in the MBA; staffing, compensation, and
employment law in the MSHRM; and organizational change,
team building, and mentoring in the MSL). In practice, these
functions do not exist in isolation. However, it is necessary to
study them separately in order to fully grasp the principles of a
discipline. It will not be until your final capstone class that you
will be asked to fully synthesize this knowledge. In the MBA
capstone strategy class, for example, you will be asked to
analyze how the characteristics of a company's market shapes
its strategic choices, and how organizational structure must be
designed to support those choices. You will use financial and
product information to make choices about strategy, production,
and operations. But one cannot run before learning to walk, so
first we will be focusing on building a strong foundation, one
course at a time.
This course focuses on the field of management and human

6. behavior in organizations. It is designed to increase our
understanding of management and human behavior in complex
organizations. Over the next eight weeks, we will study multiple
topics involving individual behavior in organizations;
interpersonal interactions, including teams; different leadership
styles; and how to design organizations for maximum
effectiveness.
Bunn, R. (2013) Intro to Organizational Behavior. Retrieved
from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2Xv9Am7PWQ
Experiential Approach
I hear and I forget
I see and I remember
I do and I understand
- Confucious
We will be taking an experiential approach to learning this
material. What this means is that you will be asked to reflect on
your own experiences in organizations and use the concepts
from the course to think critically about these experiences and

7. understand them better. The structure of the course and the
assignments follow Kolb’s model of the adult learning process.
According to Kolb’s model, adults do not learn by simply
reading or watching videos. Adult learning begins with a
specific situation/event or
Concrete Experience.
The learner then
Reflects
on that experience from multiple perspectives. Once the
experience is fully understood, the learner applies logic, known
theories, and models in order to understand and interpret the
experience at a deeper, more generalizable level (
Abstract Conceptualization
). Thus, the learner can now see ways to respond to the next
occurrence of a similar experience (
Active Experimentation
).
By using an experiential learning approach, the emphasis is on
improving skills
in management, interpersonal relations, decision-making, and
managing change. By relating management competencies to
personal experience, we will
be learning how to learn and adapt
our knowledge to changing environments.
Advantages of Experiential Learning
·
Develop leadership capabilities to a significant level
·
Easy to transfer knowledge and skills
·
People and consequences are real
·

8. Provides a memorable activity and increases retention of
concepts learned
·
Increases motivation to learn
Watch David Kolb explain why experiential learning is so
powerful:
Hay Group (2012). What is Experiential Learning? Retrieved
from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZeAdN4FB5A

9. Here is how it has to be done !!!
Module 1 - Background
Managing Individual Behavior
MANAGING INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR
Note: All Background and Module Home materials are required
unless designated as optional or general reference.
Module 1 focuses on the principles of individual behavior so
that you can learn to manage people effectively. We are
concerned here not only with managing subordinates, but also
managing relationships with peers and developing effective
relationships with superiors. It is best if you approach this
module in three distinct sections. Start with values, attitudes,
and perception. The second section will cover motivation and
the third section will cover goal setting and job design as tools
to maintain motivation.
Values, Attitudes, and Perceptions
Often we assume that the way we perceive and experience the
world is the same way other people do. This assumption is false
and can lead to ineffective leader and manager behaviors.
Understanding how attitudes and perceptions influence
individual behavior and performance at work is important to
organizational study. Read how
personality, values, perceptions, and attitudes
affect work behaviors.
Bauer, T., Erdogan, B., Short, J., and Carpenter, M. MGT501
Principles of Management, Ch. 3: Personality, Attitudes, and

10. Work Behaviors Retrieved from
http://scholar.flatworldknowledge.com/books/29741/fwk-
127512-ch02/read
Many people believe that a happy worker is a productive
worker, but research tells us that people can be highly satisfied
with their jobs and still not get much done! Nevertheless,
organizations have reasons to care about employees' satisfaction
with their jobs. The following reading is an excellent
explanation of the job satisfaction model and why it is
important to maintaining a highly productive workforce.
Redmond, B.F. & Bower, C.P. (2015). Job satisfaction. In
Work Attitudes and Job Motivation
. Retrieved from
https://wikispaces.psu.edu/display/PSYCH484/11.+Job+Satisfac
tion
Motivation and Job Design
With a variety of values, perceptions, and attitudes, people are
not motivated by the same things. The following reading
summarizes key theories to help you understand what motivates
you and those around you. Be sure to watch the 4-minute video
at the start of the article.
Motivation and motivation theory (2015). In
Reference for Business: Encyclopedia of Business
(2
nd
ed.) Retrieved from
http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Mar-
No/Motivation-and-Motivation-Theory.html
Learn about the importance of job design in creating and
maintaining a work environment that employees will find
motivating. See the following talk on the Job Characteristics
Model of Motivation:
Theories of Motivation: The Job Characteristics Model (2015).
Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUWsFHQsbh0

11. Goal Setting
Since the 1960s, management scholars have touted the
effectiveness of setting high, but achievable, goals in attaining
high levels of performance from employees. The following
article reviews goal-setting theory and how to put it into
practice.
Locke’s goal-setting theory: Setting meaningful, challenging
goals. (2015). MindTools: Essential Skills for an Excellent
Career. Retrieved from
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_87.htm
Once we understand the power and potential of goal-setting, it
is easy to overdo it. Here is a cautionary tale from the
Harvard Business Review
:
High goals often improve performance, but they also exacerbate
unethical behavior: In one research exercise, the participants
given the hardest math problems were 84% likelier to cheat than
other participants, on average. The researchers—David T.
Welsh, of the University of Washington, and Lisa D. Ordóñez,
of the University of Arizona—say that demanding tasks deplete
people's self-regulatory resources over time, and that managers
should be aware of the negative organizational consequences of
consecutive rigorous goals.
Source: Stat Watch (2014).
Harvard Business Review
, 92(6), 28
Optional Reading
Early Management Theorists
To gain an understanding of the evolution of management
thinking from an historical perspective, see this excellent
article:
Wertheim, E.G. (2012) Historical Background of Organizational
Behavior. Scribd. Retrieved from

12. http://www.scribd.com/doc/6926402/Historical-Background-of-
Organizational-Behavior
The following paper is an overview of four important areas of
management theory: Frederick Taylor's Scientific Management,
Elton Mayo's Hawthorne Works experiments and the human
relations movement, Max Weber's idealized bureaucracy, and
Henri Fayol's views on administration. It will provide a general
description of each of these management theories together with
observations on the environment in which these theories were
applied and the successes that they achieved.
Kerns, D. (n.d.). An overview of management theory.
http://www.kernsanalysis.com/sjsu/ise250/history.htm
Management by Objectives (MBO)
1000ventures.com’s e-coach site has a thorough discussion on
MBO including hotlinks throughout the discussion for further
information. Also on this site are links to case studies, venture
financing, and managing.
Management by Objectives (MBO). (n.d.) Retrieved from
http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/mgmt_mbo_main.
html
Ethical Values in Business
The Society for Business Ethics’ homepage includes the
organization’s mission statement, newsletter, annual meeting,
ethics links, and access to its journal
,
Business Ethics Quarterly
.
Society for Business Ethics (2015) Retrieved from
http://sbeonline.org/
Governing Corporations
Corporate Governance serves as a discussion forum and network
for shareholders and stakeholders who believe active
participation by concerned shareholders in governing

13. corporations will enhance their ability to create wealth. The site
provides news, Internet links, and a small reference library
supported by purchases through Amazon.com.
Corporate Governance (2015) Retrieved from
http://www.corpgov.net/
General References
The following site is full of useful articles and information on
675 different topics, including leadership, motivation,
interpersonal skills supervision, and many more. Be sure to
bookmark this site as it will be useful to you throughout the
course and many others in the MBA, MSHRM, and MSL
curriculum.
Free Management Library (n.d.) Retrieved from
http://managementhelp.org/
Berry's online glossary of business terms (retrieved
from www.bplans.com) is a useful reference.
Berry, T. (n.d.) Business terms glossary. BPlans. Retrieved
from
http://managementhelp.org/
APA Formatting
APA guide
– In-text citations and end referencing. (2015).
Trident University International.
If you need additional guidance on the use of APA Style in the
proper formatting of papers, visit the Purdue OWL
w
ebsite:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/20090212013008_560.
pdf.
You also may find the following YouTube video helpful:
APA Formatting: The Basics. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdAfIqRt60c&list=PL8F43A
67F38DE3D5D

14. .
Module 1 - SLP
Managing Individual Behavior
The SLP for this course involves making a personal assessment
of a relevant set of skills, focusing on your strengths and
identifying any weaknesses that may have been revealed. You
will then be asked to create a plan by which you can "grow"
your strengths and shore up your weaknesses. By the end of the
project, you will have a personal management profile and action
plan.
As we have discussed, your values and attitudes interact with
your personality to create a strong effect on your work life. The
fit between an individual's personality and a company's "style"
is essential to job satisfaction. Someone who is risk-averse, for
example, would probably be unhappy at 3M, a company with a

15. reputation for innovation and risk-taking. Understanding the
impact of your own personality on others helps you build
productive work relationships with peers, subordinates, and
bosses, alike.
Refer to the required and optional readings for this module, and
any other readings which will help you in understanding
personality styles and how they affect organizational
effectiveness. Remember to follow Trident’s guidelines for
masters-level writing. (See
The Student Guide to Writing a High-Quality Academic Paper
.)
Assignment
Click on this link to access and complete the
Jung Typology
personality test. After you complete the test, you will want to
read the description, but in order to fully understand what this
test measures, you should also review “Personality Type
explained”. Then review the pages on career choices, learning
style and communication skills. Incorporate this information in
formulating your responses to the questions below.
You will need to include the actual results in an appendix at the
end of your paper. (Note: This appendix requirement will likely
increase your paper’s Turnitin similarity score; your professor
is aware of this.)
Prepare a 2- to 3-page essay that addresses the following:
How does my personality type affect my career and
effectiveness at my job?
Refer to the required and optional readings for this module, and
any other materials which will help you in understanding
personality styles and how they affect organizational
effectiveness. Bring in
at least
two sources from your module to add depth to your discussion
(citing the materials and including them in your Reference

16. section). Remember to follow Trident’s guidelines for masters-
level writing. (See
The Student Guide to Writing a High-Quality Academic Paper
.)
·
Complete the assessment according to the guidelines and
include the actual results in an Appendix at the end of your
paper.
·
Be sure to clearly discuss the following in your essay:
o
What did the test reveal about you?
o
What can you infer from this test about your strengths and
weaknesses?
o
How does what you have learned from your module background
materials about your personality type affect your motivation? Is
this limited to a specific type of situation?
o
What
specific steps
can you take to increase your strengths and build up
weaknesses?
SLP Assignment Expectations
Your paper will be evaluated using the criteria as stated in the
SLP rubric. The following is a review of the rubric criteria:
Assignment-Driven
: Does the paper fully address all aspects of the assignment? Is

17. the assignment addressed accurately and precisely using sound
logic? Does the paper meet minimum length requirements?
Critical Thinking
: Does the paper demonstrate graduate-level analysis, in which
information derived from multiple sources, expert opinions, and
assumptions has been critically evaluated and synthesized in the
formulation of a logical set of conclusions? Does the paper
address the topic with sufficient depth of discussion and
analysis?
Business Writing
: Is the essay logical, well organized and well written? Are the
grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate for graduate-
level work? Are section headings included? Are paraphrasing
and synthesis of concepts the primary means of responding, or
is justification/support instead conveyed through excessive use
of direct quotations?
Effective Use of Information
: Does the submission demonstrate that the student has read,
understood and can apply the background materials for the
module? If required, has the student demonstrated effective
research, as evidenced by student’s use of relevant and quality
(library?) sources? Do additional sources used provide strong
support for conclusions drawn, and do they help in shaping the
overall paper?
Citing Sources
: Does the student demonstrate understanding of APA Style of
referencing, by inclusion of proper citations (for paraphrased
text and direct quotations) as appropriate? Have all sources
(e.g., references used from the Background page, the assignment
readings, and outside research) been included, and are these
properly cited? Have all sources cited in the paper been
included on the References page?
Timeliness
: Has the assignment been submitted to TLC (Trident’s learning
management system) on or before the module’s due date?