MGT 701.01
BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT, & SOCIETY
Tuesdays, Thursdays 9:40-11:00 AM
Classroom: Paul G25

University of New Hampshire
Fall 2015

|Instructor: Professor Dev Dutta, Ph.D. |Admn. Assistant: Nancy Palmer |
|Office: 255 D Paul College Hall |Office: 337 Paul College |
|Phone: (603) 862-2944 |Phone: (603) 862-3371 |
|Email: Dev.Dutta@unh.edu |Email: Nancy.Palmer@unh.edu |

1. OFFICE HOURS

You are welcome to meet me at my office anytime during the term by scheduling a prior appointment. Whenever you feel a need, please email me on any aspect of the course and I will try and respond to you as quickly as I can.

2. REQUIRED READING MATERIAL

The custom e-book for the course is as follows:

Title: Business, Government, Society
Publisher: McGraw Hill
ISBN: 9781308623580

Instructions to purchase the book:

1. Go to http://create.mheducation.com/shop/
2. Search for and select book by Title/ISBN.
3. Add the book to your cart and pay using a credit card.

I expect the students to thoroughly and critically read the assigned reading material before they come to class. Students should be prepared to discuss the material as part of class participation. In addition, there will be review of Powerpoint slides and conduct of in-class experiential exercises.

Finally, we will be using the Whiteboard during class discussions. Given the impromptu and dynamic nature of this material, there will be no record of it after class.
Keeping up-to-date class notes and thoroughly understanding the assigned material will be vital for the mid-term exam, which will be “open book-open notes”.

3. RECOMMENDED READING MATERIAL

In addition to the required reading material, I strongly recommend that you skim on a regular basis a major business newspaper (such as the Wall Street Journal) and/or a business magazine (such as Business Week). These publications provide real-time strategic information about businesses, industry, competition, and changing environments, both nationally and globally. They will help you immensely in staying up-to-date on non-market issues of strategic significance for businesses. They will also help you to get ideas about your choice of firms for the group projects. From time-to-time, we will use excerpts from these publications to engage in small-group experiential learning exercises in class.

4. COURSE OBJECTIVES

Business, Government, & Society (B-G-S) is an integrative course that assesses macro environmental influences on the firm’s strategy (by focusing especially on the firm’s non-market environment). In that sense, this course forms a nice complement to the other capstone course: Strategic Management & Decision-Making (ADMN 703).

The main objective of the course is to familiarize business-major students with the concepts of business, government, and societal interrelationships, and how these relationships can be viewed systematically and holistically.

The goal of the course is for you to develop an analytic tool-kit for understanding and analyzing non-market strategic issues and to enrich your appreciation of the decision processes essential to strategic management. More importantly, the expectation is that you can think critically about the tools, understand their strengths and limitations, and evaluate the consequences of their use.

Because macro-environmental strategic issues are most often characterized by ambiguity, complexity, and uncertainty, this course is as much about asking the “right questions” as it is about securing the “right answers”. Through our discussion of the cases and examples, we will reach consensus on some issues; yet many among you will have differing interpretations on the most appropriate course of action. Those of you with the need to reach the “right answer” every time may find yourself frustrated by the lack of definitive answers as well as the several alternate possible courses of action that seem to make sense.

To reiterate, as opposed to the right answer, throughout this course we will be more interested in developing a logical thought process that leads to an appropriate answer, given the context.

5. CLASS FORMAT

Through a combination of text book readings, class discussions, in-class case presentations, and a term-long applied research project, you will be exposed to several areas of knowledge, including stakeholders, and their impact on decision-making; differences in how market and non-market factors affect businesses; and a broad range of other forces influencing business-government-society relations.

This course requires that students be prepared to devote a minimum of 8 hours “outside of class time” to readings, group-based case work, and the applied research project. I have found that students who do not devote a substantial amount of time and effort to this class learn very little, become very frustrated, and tend to keep other students from achieving their learning goals.

All students are expected to attend every class, to regularly contribute to class discussion, and submit work in finished form on the due date. All papers handed in after the due date will be downgraded a full letter grade for each day it is late. Class participation grade is based on the frequency and quality of class discussion. A contribution to class discussion may include answering a question, elaborating a point being discussed/debated, or by assuming any other leadership role that enhances self and peer learning.

There will be no make-ups or alternative assignments for in-class experiential exercises, unannounced quizzes and assignments missed because of a student’s absence in class on a specific day.

1. Class Preparation

To get the most from this course, you must actively engage the learning process. This means devoting time and energy to preparation before class (individually and in your learning groups) and arriving in class on time. Then, during class you are required to actively listen to others and be willing to put forward and explain your point of view.

The textbook, cases, and readings assigned are your responsibility. They will not be covered in detail during the class but will be utilized throughout the class discussions as they apply to the issues at hand.

One or more active learning exercises (individual, pair-wise, and small-group) will be interspersed through the classes to stimulate your learning and assess your understanding of the class materials. These will be evaluated for class contribution, apart from your contribution to the class discussion of the study material assigned for a particular day. Mini-lectures may be used as and when appropriate, to supplement the case discussions.

2. Class Contribution

You are expected to attend all classes, unless prevented by illness or other unforeseen and emergency situations. If you miss apart or all of a class, you are responsible to obtain lecture notes, handouts, or other materials from a classmate. Assignments will be made that requires you to prepare for class discussions. The following criteria will be used to gauge your class contribution, based on instructor’s perception:

• Taking the initiative to participate thoughtfully in class; • Being prepared to provide quality answers to questions; • Paying attention – respectfully – to the instructor, and the contribution of classmates; • Cooperative involvement in team projects.

Given the pace of the course, a student missing classes is liable to fall behind quite substantially. If really needed, you can stay away from class for a maximum number of two class sessions, without penalty. Any absence beyond this will lead to negative points being added to your in-class participation score.

Needless to add, frequent absences that are not communicated to me in writing either before or after they occur will be treated as a breach of discipline as far as this course is concerned and will invite appropriate penalties on the overall performance, including a failing grade in the course.

To ensure that all students complete the background chapter readings and cases assigned for a specific day before they come to class, I may randomly “cold call” students while the class is in session, and ask them to summarize one or more key themes in the readings and/or the background material and decision problem(s) outlined in the case. Not being able to respond to these queries will indicate that the student is not prepared for the day’s class, and this will have an adverse impact upon her/his the participation grade for the day.

3. Balance of Individual vs. Group Work

This course attempts to have a judicious balance between individually driven versus group (learning team) driven tasks. Learning teams will be formed on the first day of class and will last till the end of the course. I expect that students will meet in their learning teams outside of the class on a regular week-by-week basis to work on their group assignments and presentations.

Please note that a system of peer-group evaluations will be enforced to ensure that everyone contributes effectively to the teamwork and the case of “free riders” is minimized. It will be mandatory for every student to submit the peer-evaluations by the due date.

Any issues of group conflict must be resolved early by the teams concerned so that group work in the projects can go on unhampered. If teams fail to resolve such issues despite their best attention, they can bring them to my notice so that the matter can be resolved. Any and all group work on the project must be submitted as a group output. Substitutes such as individually composed alternate written work cannot be accepted in lieu of group projects for the purpose of course grade.

6. COURSE EVALUATION

The final course grade will be determined based on the student’s relative performance on the following components:

|Item |Requirement |Type |Deadline |Grade |
|1 |Class contribution and quizzes |Individual |Ongoing |20% |
|2. |Mid-term, in-class concepts and case exam |Individual |TBA |20% |
|3. |Case facilitation and report |Group |TBA |10% |
|4. |Company Assessment Project (CAP) interim reports |Group |TBA |10% + 10% |
| |(two) | | | |
|5. |CAP presentation and final report |Group |TBA |15% |
|6. |Course Learning Journal |Individual |First submission in October. |15% |
| | | |Final submission at end of | |
| | | |course | |
|7. |Participation in UNH Social Business Innovation |Individual |TBA |Bonus credit up to 5%|
| |Challenge Competition | | | |
| |(Requirement to be specified) | | | |

Important: In order to receive a passing grade in the course, every student will have to perform to the minimum satisfactory level (as assessed by the instructor) in every component of the course delineated above. Not completing one or more components of the course to the minimum satisfactory level will result in a failing grade in the overall course even if the student has completed the other components satisfactorily.
The total course grade points that you earn will be converted to a course letter grade as follows:

|94 – 100 A |80 – 83.9 B- |67 – 69.9 D+ |
|90 – 93.9 A- |77 – 79.9 C+ |64 – 66.9 D |
|87 – 89.9 B+ |74 – 76.9 C |60 – 63.9 D- |
|84 – 86.9 B |70 – 73.9 C- |0 – 59.9 F |

You will receive numerical grades on each of the above elements and they will be weighted as specified above and summed to calculate your final letter grade. Total course grade scores are not curved and not “rounded up”. For example, a score of 79.9 earns a course grade of C+, not B-. There are no extra credit assignments, “do-overs”, or other options for improving a course grade. Do not ask for “special consideration” on your final grade for any reason. Universally adhering to these grading procedures is the only way to be fair to all class members.

As already mentioned, most class sessions will include one or more short active learning, experiential exercises that assess the students’ understanding of the day’s reading material and/or the ensuing discussions in class. These may be conducted at the beginning of a class session, during the class in between discussions, or towards the end of a class. While a particular exercise will relate to the readings assigned for the day, it may require students to reflect on the day’s class discussion. Some of these exercises will require students to think and work individually while others will require them to work in pairs or small groups. If a hand-in (individual/pair/group) is required, it will almost always be very short (half to one page).

Given the active and impromptu nature of these active learning exercises, no make-up opportunities will be given to students who are absent, late and/or fail to participate in these exercises during class.
6.1 Mid-term Open-book Concepts-and-Case Exam

The mid-term exam will be in two parts:

i) A concepts exam, which will be held in class on a date to be announced. It will be an individually answered “open-book open-notes” exam utilizing multiple choice and/or short-answer questions, covering all reading material up to the previous class. ii) A case exam, to be taken off-class and answered individually. The case report providing answers to the exam questions will be submitted within a 24-hour deadline.

Because the mid-term exam will be held at regular class time with prior notice, no make-up opportunities will be given to students who are absent, late and/or fail to participate in the exam.

2. Case Reports and In-class Case Discussion Facilitation

Over the term, each student team will be leading the discussion on one full length case. This will require the team to engage the class with the assigned case questions, ensure a lively case discussion, making notes, and providing further explanations and answers to the case questions, wherever necessary. Thereafter, the team will submit a case report at the start of the next class.

While a team will facilitate the case discussion, every student is expected to participate and contribute to the ensuing discussion.

3. Company Assessment Project (CAP)

This will be a term-long major group project for this course. It will require students to work in your learning teams (to be appointed on a random basis at start of course) and prepare a comprehensive report covering the chosen company’s (i) Stakeholder Management, (ii) Corporate Social Responsibility, and (iii) Societal, Political, and Legal Strategies:

• In discussion with me, student learning teams will choose a leading firm within an industry that is anecdotally known to be socially responsive and proactive in terms of stakeholder management and corporate social responsibility initiatives. This firm can be a US-based domestic company or a multinational.

• Through the term, teams will outside of class on a regular basis to conduct a comprehensive strategic analysis of the chosen company and preparation of the final report. The team’s performance will be assessed on the following parameters: (i) quality of your research on the company (based on available published sources), (ii) incorporation of relevant information into the analysis, (iii) use of relevant B-G-S concepts, tools and frameworks, and (iv) clarity of the written report.

Detailed checklists will be provided to teams on executing each phase of the project.

The following are the deliverables of the CA project: • Interim Report 1: Company Stakeholder Management & Corporate Social Responsibility • Interim Report 2: Assessment of Company Societal, Political, and Legal Strategies • In-class Powerpoint presentation

4. Course Learning Journal

As part of their learning experience for the course, each student will maintain an individual learning journal. This will be a free-flowing journal, recording the student’s thoughts about (i) business-government-society (B-G-S), its stakeholders and inter-relationships, (ii) possible inter-linkages that the student finds among concepts thought in this course with concepts taught in other courses, (iii) any insights about B-G-S that come to the student while reading the day’s business news in a business newspaper or magazine, as well as questions. There is no assigned format for this journal and the content and reflections are solely dependent on the student’s learning and creativity. The formal deadline for submitting the final journal is on the last day of class. Before that, an interim journal will be submitted by the student in October (deadline to be specified).

7. CLASS POLICIES

1. Classroom Etiquette

Appropriate classroom etiquette is a part of your participation grade. This means being respectful of others, constructive in our comments, making arguments that critique rather than criticize, and being open to alternative views. It also means providing your undivided attention to the class:

1. Cell phones must be in vibration mode for the duration of the class. Only urgent/emergency phone calls may be responded to by going outside the classroom. (Please note that even you are receiving a “wrong number”, the ringing of your cellophane is still considered as a violation of the policy).

2. It is imperative for students to bring the textbook to class, for every class. We will be referring to the textbook for examples, mini-cases, experiential learning exercises, etc., frequently during class.

3. This course permits use of electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, iPads, but ONLY for the purpose of referring to the course e-book and for keeping class notes. Using the device for any other task is expressly prohibited during class time.

4. Unless there is an exigency, students will not walk in and out of the classroom while the class is in session. Such movements can be highly disruptive to the smooth conduct of a class lecture/discussion and are to be avoided.

5. It is very important that students give their undivided attention to the class discussion and material being covered while the class is in session, student teams are making presentations, and when in-class experiential exercises and quizzes are being held. In-class small talk is to be absolutely avoided. Any issue of concern or opinion is to be brought up for class discussion or separately communicated to the instructor outside of the class.

Not adhering to the above rules will be considered as a serious violation of the MGT 701 Course Learning Contract (as expressed through this syllabus) and will invite severe penalties, including award of a failing grade in the overall course.

7.2 Conflict Redressing Policy

Because a substantial part of the student’s work for this class will be done within respective student learning teams, a conflict redressing policy is necessary to ensure you have a productive and effective team. Any team that has a non-productive member should advise that member immediately and work to help the member’s inclusion and productivity. If a team continues to have problems with a member, notify the instructor by e-mail, copying the offending party and all group members. If a majority of the team agrees that remedial measures have been unsuccessful, that member may be suspended from that part of the course requirement or fired from the group.

I expect team members to resolve those conflicts on their own, just as you will have to do in the corporate world. As in real organizations individuals may not perform satisfactory or may not fit with the “culture” or values of the other team members. In such cases individuals may be fired from the team. This action is drastic but often necessary. I will, upon written-petition of all other team members, authorize teams to “fire” an individual from the team. In that case, the score of the individual in the concerned group-based project(s) will be zero and the individual will fail the course!

3. Peer Evaluations

A system of peer evaluations will be in place for the group components of the course. In case of adverse peer-evaluations, a student’s final grade point for all the group-based components of the course will be downgraded by one letter grade.

4. Late Submissions

Any student that either fails to collect the mid-term exam or any other scheduled milestone-based assignment questions at the appointed date and time and/or fails to submit it within the specified deadline will receive a penalty of 33% on her/his score for that exam/assignment.

5. Session-wise Class Plan

This course will follow a detailed day-wise class plan that will indicate the background readings to be covered by every student as prior preparation for the class, case questions to be considered, team case facilitation schedule, as well as mid-term exam information. This detailed plan will be provided to students by the second week of the course.

6. Academic Honesty

Scholastic dishonesty, including cheating in exams or plagiarism, will be treated as a violation of university’s regulations. As commonly defined, plagiarism consists of passing off as one’s own the ideas, words, writings, etc., which belong to another. In accordance with this definition, you are committing plagiarism if you copy the work of another person and turn it in as your own, even if you should have the permission of that person. Plagiarism is one of the severest of academic dishonesty and can be expected to result in similar sever consequences.

You must complete quizzes and exams alone. You may use only the materials we specify to help you complete your work. If, due to a disability or extraordinary circumstances, you need special accommodations or help in completing course requirements, you must see me BEFORE the exam or assignment due date.

7. ADA Policy

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you are a student with a documented disability who will require accommodations in this course, please register with the Access Office in the Memorial Union Building, Room 118 (862-2607) for assistance in developing a plan to address your academic needs.

7.8 Others

Stay Informed About Class Schedules & Policies

It is the student’s responsibility to stay informed about class schedules and policies. The information you need is included on both the paper copy of the syllabus, and the online blackboard pages. In addition, announcements will be made regularly in class, on blackboard or through emails, and it is your reasonability to keep up with that information. You are strongly suggested to check the course web and your registered email daily. If you are unclear about any policies or other information, please ask promptly. Don’t wait and get an unpleasant surprise later.

Syllabus Change

The course syllabus may be amended or changed as the semester progresses at the instructor’s discretion.

Last, But Not the Least

Do not wait until the end of the term to see me regarding problems with the course material or your performance (it will be too late to address deficiencies at the end of the semester). If you are aware that you must achieve a particular grade in this course, please see me during the first week of the course. This will allow me to alert you to deficiencies in your performance. There is nothing that either of us can do at the end of the course.