COMM 210 Course Outline 2021 Summer Moodle PDF

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Summary

This is a Concordia Class (COMM 210) with the latest course outline for the year 2021/2022. It explains what is required in the course if you decide to take it...

Description

John Molson School of Business – Department of Management COMM 210 Contemporary Business Thinking Summer 2021 - Section AB Class Hours: Tuesday-Thursday: 14:45 – 17:30 / Online

Instructor: Brinda Bissoonauth Office: 14.365 Telephone: 514-848-2424 ext. Email: [email protected] Office Hours: By appointment (Zoom Meeting)

1. Course Description This course presents a broad survey of the world of business and helps students develop a critical perspective on the contemporary business discourse. Students explore influential business texts, both contemporary and classic, and evaluate the validity and usefulness of the authors’ central ideas. The course also fosters students’ inclination to keep well informed about contemporary issues in organizations and business.

2. Learning Objectives COMM 210 is an introductory course that will expose you to fundamental business theories and develop your ability to apply them to current organizational and business events. Through an in-depth reading of various texts reporting on current business activities and trends, you will learn to think critically about the quality of the arguments presented, uncovering the assumptions underlying them and comparing them with classic and contemporary texts that highlight foundational business concepts. By the end of this course, students should be able to:  Recognize examples and counter-examples of fundamental management theories in reports of current business activities  Improve thinking skills and perform critical analyses of business texts  Construct persuasive arguments using the language of business  Write an effective persuasive essay  Demonstrate awareness of and interest in current business events  Demonstrate ability to work effectively in groups

3. Course Delivery This course will be delivered in an online setting using a blend of synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (self-paced) learning approaches. Some content will be pre-recorded and uploaded to the course Moodle site for you to view prior to the scheduled class time. Virtual classes will be conducted via web conferencing (i.e., Zoom). You will have the opportunity to engage with your fellow classmates via web conference breakout rooms, videoconferences, teleconferences, live chatting, and discussion forums. Details on how to access all course material and participate in virtual activities will be provided on the course Moodle site.

4. Instructional Methods A number of diverse instructional methods will be used throughout this course. Students are advised to engage in self-learning prior to class. One suggested approach is to complete assigned readings, watch pre-recorded lectures, develop concept maps (visual representations) of important ideas, and analyse assigned texts to prepare for the live class. Virtual classes will include a blend of lectures, discussions, and skill-building exercises. Taken

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together, these activities will extend your knowledge and understanding of business concepts, encourage you to develop your own ideas, and strengthen your ability to present a logical and persuasive argument.

5. Required Texts and Other Resources Assigned readings and videos are listed in the course schedule. The primary texts and resources are summarized in this section. Textbook: Dyer, L. (2019). Critical Thinking for Business Students, Third edition, Captus Press. Students can purchase the online eText from the publisher at http://www.captus.com/information/ebook.htm (select "Concordia University" and then select "Purchase" under the section for COMM210.) Alternatively, students may purchase a physical copy from the publisher at https://secure.captus.com/checkout/offer.aspx? OfferID=1338. The textbook may also be available for rent or purchase through Concordia's Book Stop, the Used Book Classifieds web page, or the Concordia Co-op Bookstore. Articles: Two types of articles will be used in this course. Some articles are from the Harvard Business Review (HBR) and can be purchased at the Harvard Business Education web site via the following coursepack URL: https://hbsp.harvard.edu/coursepack-student-view/826120. The remaining articles are available through the Concordia University Library Course Reserves at no additional cost.  

Theory articles: These articles are drawn from influential classic business theory. They are written by (in alphabetical order): Barney, Chandler, Collins & Porras, French & Raven, Greiner, Handy, Herzberg, Hill, Kaplan & Norton, Mintzberg, and Tannenbaum & Schmidt. Business articles: These articles are generally drawn from the business press. They will be posted in the Library's Course Reserves system, and will be accessible through a link in your Moodle course.

Additional Resources: Several additional resources will be used in this course. This includes the following resources developed by marketing and management librarian Dr. Olivier Charbonneau.

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Essential tutorials for COMM 210. This playlist of five videos provides basic guidance for conducting research and referencing sources. Each video has been assigned on the schedule at the end of this course outline. Business Research Portal. The Business Research Portal provides guidance (and links) for accessing industry information, market analyses, business articles, and other important business resources. This is a valuable resource for finding sources for your CMM 210 project.

Links to all additional resources will be provided in the course schedule (below), on the Moodle page for this course, and in other course documents.

6. Intellectual Property Content belonging to instructors shared in online courses, including, but not limited to, online lectures, course notes, and video recordings of classes remain the intellectual property of the faculty member. It may not be distributed, published or broadcast, in whole or in part, without the express permission of the faculty member. Students are also forbidden to use their own means of recording any elements of an online class or lecture without express permission of the instructor. Any unauthorized sharing of course content may constitute a breach of the Academic Code of Conduct and/or the Code of Rights and Responsibilities. As specified in the Policy on Intellectual Property, the University does not claim any ownership of or interest in any student IP. All university members retain copyright over their work.

7. Recordings Some lectures and other activities may be recorded. Recordings will be focused on the instructor. However, it is possible that your participation may be recorded. Students who do not want their image recorded should identify themselves to the course instructor as soon as possible. The instructor may only share class recordings for the purpose of course delivery and development. Any other sharing may be in violation of the law and applicable

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University policies, and may be subject to penalties. For example, students may not share class recordings with others.

8. Third-Party Software/Websites that Require Personal Information Students are advised that external software (e.g., Zoom) and/or websites may be used in the course and students may be asked to submit or consent to the submission of personal information (for example, name and email) to register for an online service. Students are responsible for reading and deciding whether or not to agree to any applicable terms of use. Use of this software and service is voluntary. Students who do not consent to the use the software or service should identify themselves to the course instructor as soon as possible, and in all cases before the DNE deadline, to discuss alternate modes of participation.

9. Grading Scheme 10% 10% 20% 30%

10% 20%

Engagement Quiz 1 Midterm Essay Assignment Team project  Progress report 1 (5% each)  Progress report 2 (5% each)  Final report (15%)  Presentation (5%) Quiz 2 Final Essay Assignment

Engagement: Student engagement is strongly related to performance on assessments and retention of concepts. Engagement may include: completing assigned readings before class; participating in synchronous and asynchronous discussions; providing written or oral responses to posed questions; providing responses to polls or surveys; and actively contributing to your group project. Most weeks, you will have a mini-assignment to complete after doing the readings, watching the lecture, and participating in the synchronous (live) class. Each week’s mini-assignment will be described during class and posted to Moodle after class. They will be very short, e.g. developing a concept map, making posts in a discussion forum; or writing a 1-2 paragraph reflection. For some, you will have time to complete them during the class. All must be submitted within 24-48 hours after class has completed. No late assignments will be accepted. If you have engaged with the course material and activities, these should be quite straight-forward. Half of your engagement grade (5% of the total course grade) will be based on completing the assignments (i.e., if you complete them, you will get full credit). The other half of your engagement grade (5% of the total course grade) be based on the quality of your submissions. To assess quality, two mini-assignments will be randomly selected and graded at the end of the semester. It is therefore in your best interest to put some effort and thought into completing each mini-assignment. Moodle Quizzes: There will be two 30-minute Moodle quizzes. The first quiz will cover the topics covered in the first half of the course (i.e., the topics covered in classes 1-6.) The second quiz will cover topics covered in the second half of the course (i.e., the topics covered in classes 7-11). This includes concepts related to critical thinking (Dyer textbook), business theory (theory articles), and conducting research (library resources). Quiz 1 will be administered on the day of Class #7 and will be available for 24 hours, from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM on Tuesday, June 1. Quiz 2 will be administered on the day of Class #12 and will be available for 24 hours, from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM on Thursday, June 17. During the quiz, you will be given random questions pulled from a bank of questions. Additional information about the quizzes will be provided via Moodle and in virtual class meetings (Zoom sessions). Essay Assignments: There will be two essay assignments. The Midterm Essay Assignment will cover critical thinking topics and business theories covered in classes 1-6. The Final Essay Assignment will cover critical thinking topics covered throughout the course and business theories covered in classes 7-11. In each case, you

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will be given an essay question one week before the scheduled due date. The question for Midterm Essay Assignment will be released after Class #6 (at 8:00 am on Thursday, May 27) and your essay is due before the start of Class #8 (at 2:00 pm on Thursday, June 3). The question for the Final Essay Assignment will be released after Class #13 (at 8:00 am on Tuesday, June 22) and your answer is due one week later TBD. Your completed essays should be saved as a single pdf file and uploaded to the designated Moodle assignment dropbox. Additional information about the essay assignments will be provided via Moodle and in virtual class meetings (Zoom sessions). Team Project: In the team project, you will work in a group of up to five students, applying the concepts discussed in class. Instructions for completing the project are available on the course Moodle site and will be discussed in virtual meetings (Zoom sessions). Progress reports are due at the beginning of Class #5 (at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, May 25) and #9 (at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, June 8). The final report is due Class #13 (Thursday, June 22 at 2:00 pm). Group presentations will be delivered during Class #13 (Tuesday, June 22). Peer Assessment: You will be asked to assess your team members’ contribution to the Team Project using the Concordia University peer evaluation system. The Peer Assessment provides valuable feedback to the students, professor and team members. In addition, peer assessments help JMSB in the AACSB accreditation process. Information on Peer Assessment will be posted on MOODLE. Information provided by your teammates about your participation in the team project may (positively or negatively) impact your team project or participation grade.

10. Late Submissions Essay Assignments and Project Report. For every day an essay assignment or project report is late, 10% of the maximum score will be deducted from the assignment score. No assignments will be accepted once they are five or more days late. The following table summarizes the penalties. Time Submitted Penalty 0-24 hours after deadline -10% 24-48 hours after deadline -20% 48-72 hours after deadline -30% 72-96 hours after deadline -40% 96-120 hours after deadline -50% More than 120 hours after deadline -100% Quizzes and Project Presentations. Only under exceptional circumstances will accommodations be made for missed quizzes or project presentations. If you have a legitimate, planned conflict (e.g., religious observance), you must discuss it with the instructor at least two weeks prior to the date of the quiz or project presentation. Personal travel is not a legitimate conflict. If an unexpected conflict arises (e.g., illness or injury) on the day of the quiz or project presentation, you are responsible for notifying the instructor as soon as is reasonably possible (preferably within five business days). At that time, the instructor will let you know if official documentation is required. Examples of official documentation include a medical note issued by a medical doctor, a police report, or some other official documentation indicating the reason for missing the quiz or project presentation. The ultimate decision regarding extensions or alternate arrangements is at the discretion of the instructor. However, if you do not notify the instructor within a reasonable amount of time, a score of 0 will be awarded.

11. Moodle Throughout the term, vital information will be available on the course Moodle site. For example, information about accessing pre-recorded lectures, joining web conferences, participating in discussion forums, completing assignments, and taking examinations will be provide via Moodle. It is your responsibility to log on to the course Moodle site regularly so that you are well prepared for the class meetings and other activities.

12. Extraordinary Circumstances COMM 210, Summer 2020

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In the event of extraordinary circumstances and pursuant to the Academic Regulations, the University may modify the delivery, content, structure, forum, location and/or evaluation scheme. In the event of such extraordinary circumstances, students will be informed of the changes

13. Behaviour All individuals participating in courses are expected to be professional and constructive throughout the course, including in their communications. Concordia students are subject to the Code of Rights and Responsibilities which applies both when students are physically and virtually engaged in any University activity, including classes, seminars, meetings, etc. Students engaged in University activities must respect this Code when engaging with any members of the Concordia community, including faculty, staff, and students, whether such interactions are verbal or in writing, face to face or online/virtual. Failing to comply with the Code may result in charges and sanctions, as outlined in the Code.

14. Plagiarism The most common offense under the Academic Code of Conduct is plagiarism, which the Code defines as “the presentation of the work of another person as one’s own or without proper acknowledgement.” This includes material copied word for word from books, journals, Internet sites, professor’s course notes, etc. It refers to material that is paraphrased but closely resembles the original source. It also includes for example the work of a fellow student, an answer on a quiz, data for a lab report, a paper or assignment completed by another student. It might be a paper purchased from any source. Plagiarism does not refer to words alone –it can refer to copying images, graphs, tables and ideas. “Presentation” is not limited to written work. It includes oral presentations, computer assignments and artistic works. Finally, if you translate the work of another person into any other language and do not cite the source, this is also plagiarism. In simple words, do not copy, paraphrase or translate anything from anywhere without saying where you obtained it. (Source: The Academic Integrity Website). For some of your assignments, your professor will be using the software Urkund / Ouriginal. It uses text matching technology as a method to uphold the University’s high academic integrity standards to detect any potential plagiarism. Urkund / Ouriginal is integrated into Moodle. For the assignments set up to use Urkund / Ouriginal, the software will review your paper when you upload it to Moodle. To learn more about Urkund’s privacy policy please review its Privacy Policy.

15. Student Services             

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Access Centre for Students with Disabilities Student Success Centre Academic Advising for JMSB Students JMSB Undergraduate Student Affairs Office Concordia Library Citation and Style Guides Health and Wellness Hub Financial Aid and Awards Academic Integrity Dean of Students Office International Students Office Student Hub Sexual Assault Resource Centre As a Concordia student, you are a member of the Concordia Student Union and have many resources available to you including: – HOJO (Off Campus Housing and Job Bank) – CSU Advocacy Centre Aboriginal Student Resource Centre Students with children Concordia Food Coalition

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There are an average of 200 active Student Groups on campus in a given year.

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Schedule Class 1 date

2 date

Business Theory Topic(s)

Read and Prepare for class discussions

Critical Thinking Topic

Due

Introduction to the Course

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Building Successful Organizations

 Claims

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3 date

Structure, Function and Growth of Firms

Evidence

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4 date

Strategy, Resources and Capabilities

Evidence

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5 date

Values and Vision

Underlying Assumptions

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COMM 210, Summer 2020

Course Outline Dyer, Chapter 1: What is Critical Thinking? Dyer, Chapter 2: Claims Dyer, Appendix 1: Business Terms in the Popular Discourse Chandler, A. D. (1990). The enduring logic of industrial success. Harvard Business Review, March – April, 2-11. Counter, R. (2018). How a Canadian Company Older than Confederation Has Stayed Nimble. Canadian Business, August 9, Allison, S. (2019). Concordia University Student Advocacy Office – Academic Integrity. Dyer, Chapter 3: Evidence Greiner, L. (1998). Evolution & revolution as organizations grow. Harvard Business Review, May-June, 3-11. Lev-Ram, M. (2017). How to Manage a Bunch of Clowns: Q&A with the CEO of the Cirque du Soleil. Fortune, February 24. Charbonneau, O. (2016). Essential tutorials for COMM 210 Contemporary Business Thinking - Is Google a search engine? Dyer, Chapter 3: Evidence Barney, J. B. (1995). Looking inside for competitive advantage. Academy of Management Executive, 9(4), 4961. McIntyre, C. (2017). A Place to Run. Maclean’s, September, 50–51. Charbonneau, O. (2016). Essential tutorials...