Assignment: Organizational Behavior

Step one: watch one of the following four movies from the perspective of organizational behavior: "Disclosure" with Michael Douglas and Demi Moore; "Office Space" with Ron Livingston; "The Firm" with Tom Cruise; or "Michael Clayton" with George Clooney. Or select another movie with an organization being the primary backdrop - please approve the movie with me in advance. These movies can usually be checked-out for free from your local public library.

Step two: write a 3-4 page paper or prepare a PowerPoint presentation (minimum of 15 slides) analyzing the movie you selected. Your analysis should explore and evaluate topics such as motivation, communication, groups, power, and other topics that we have covered in the course. You can discuss all of the concepts or focus on one or two. I will be looking for in-depth explorations into the concepts regardless of how many you choose to cover. I will also be looking for specific references and application of course terms and concepts.

ALTERNATE UNIT 8 PAPER

This is an alternative to the Movie Analysis Paper. Research the tragic explosion of the space shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986. Synthesizing what you have learned throughout the course, write a 3-4 page paper or prepare a PowerPoint presentation (using a minimum of 15 slides) analyzing the communication and organizational behavior components that may have played a significant role. The following questions can serve as a starting point for your analysis:

• Where did the communication breakdowns occur in this tragedy? Offer specific examples. What could have been done to prevent them?

• How did formal roles and reliance on the chain of command influence the events?

• Are the communication problems that led up to the launch decisions inevitable in complex, hierarchical organizations? What changes could be made to prevent recurrence? Are these changes feasible in this kind of organization?

• Overall, what role did structural design play in this event?

Write a standard paper that incorporates course concepts; do not just answer the questions listed above. I will be looking for in-depth explorations into the concepts regardless of how many you choose to cover. I will also be looking for specific references and application of course terms and concepts.