Graduate Studies Reports Access
Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - GEB6224
Tracking Number - 3018
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Current Status:
Approved by SCNS - 2013-07-01
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: Change
Course Change Information (for course changes only): Please change the course number from MAN 6456 to GEB 6218. MAN 6456 will then be discontinued.
Comments: to GC for 1/14/13; Pending revision to Obj. Faculty emailed 1/25/13. Cleared 1/25/13. Resend for concurrence to discont. MAN 6456. Apprd eff 4/1/13. Nmbr 6456 apprds as 6224
Detail Information
- Date & Time Submitted: 2012-11-27
- Department: Deans Office
- College: BA
- Budget Account Number: 140100 10000
- Contact Person: Irene Hurst
- Phone: 8139744517
- Email: ihurst@usf.edu
- Prefix: GEB
- Number: 6224
- Full Title: Improvisation in Business Organizations
- Credit Hours: 3
- Section Type: O -
Other
- Is the course title variable?: N
- Is a permit required for registration?: Y
- Are the credit hours variable?: Y
- Is this course repeatable?:
- If repeatable, how many times?: 0
- Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Improv in Bus Org
- Course Online?: C -
Face-to-face (0% online)
- Percentage Online: 0
- Grading Option:
-
- Prerequisites: None
- Corequisites: None
- Course Description: Facilitates learning and skill building based on organization studies research on business improvisation. Students will participate in a variety of experiential exercises and cases from organizational behavior and theatrical improvisation.
- Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course:
- What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? When it has been offered, the class usually attracted between 20 - 30 students.
- Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times?
- What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.)
- Objectives: After completing this course, students will
• Understand the basic principles of improvisation, improvisation as a paradigm for organizational analysis, and the role of improvisation in organizations
• Develop the ability to listen effectively to others and “be in the moment”
• Learn the use of improvisation skills to solve problems and resolve organizational conflicts more effectively
• Appreciate the importance of making others look good
• Understand the use and significance of non-verbal communication
• Engage in more constructive give and take responses with others
• Understand how status affects improvisation and organizations
• Learn how improvisation skills can improve teambuilding and inspire trust
• Learn how individual and team creativity and innovation can be increased with improvisation
• Develop comfort with spontaneity, risk taking and public speaking
• Develop a rapid response mentality for unexpected, complex or high stress situations in organizations
- Learning Outcomes: After completing this course, students will
• Understand the basic principles of improvisation, improvisation as a paradigm for organizational analysis, and the role of improvisation in organizations
• Develop the ability to listen effectively to others and “be in the moment”
• Learn the use of improvisation skills to solve problems and resolve organizational conflicts more effectively
• Appreciate the importance of making others look good
• Understand the use and significance of non-verbal communication
• Engage in more constructive give and take responses with others
• Understand how status affects improvisation and organizations
• Learn how improvisation skills can improve teambuilding and inspire trust
• Learn how individual and team creativity and innovation can be increased with improvisation
• Develop comfort with spontaneity, risk taking and public speaking
• Develop a rapid response mentality for unexpected, complex or high stress situations in organizations
- Major Topics: Basic concepts of improvisation
•Improvisation as a paradigm for organizational analysis
•Non-verbal communication skills and improvisation
•The role of status in organizations and improvisation
•Trust, communication and teamwork for complicated tasks
•Creativity, innovation, and improvisation
•The role of improvisation in negotiation and problem solving in organizations
•Development of spontaneity and rapid response with improvisation
- Textbooks:
- Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: Balachandra, Lakshmi, Bordone, Robert C., and Menkel-Meadow, Carrie, “Improvisation and Negotiation: Expecting the Unexpected”, Negotiation Journal, October 2005, Vol. 21, No. 4, 415-423.
Castelanetta, Dan and Schwartz, Gary. “Tools to Help Scene Work”, The Spolin Center.
Joby, John, Grove, Stephen A., Fisk,Ramond. “Improvisation in service performances: lessons from jazz”, Managing Service Quality, 2006, Vol. 16, No. 2, 247-268.
Kanter, Rosabeth Moss. “Strategy as Improvisational Theater”, Sloan Management Review, Winter 2007, Vol. 43, No. 2, 76-81.
Vera, Dusya and Crossan, Mary. “Theatrical Improvisation: Lessons for Organizations”, Organization Studies, 2004, 25, 727-749.
Weick, Karl, “Improvisation as a Mindset for Organizational Analysis” Organization Science, Vol. 9, No. 5, Special Issue: Jazz Improvisation and Organizing (Sep. - Oct., 1998), pp. 543-555.
Zack, Michael, “Jazz Improvisation and Organizing: Once More from the Top, Organization Science, March/April 2000, Vol. 11, No. 2, 227-234.
Johnstone, Keith. Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre, “Status”, pp. 36-47, Routledge/Theater Arts Books.
Spolin, Viola. Improvisation for the Theater, “Reminders and Pointers”, pp. 34-47 Northwestern University Press.
- Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: Student learning outcomes will be measured in two ways. The first is an evaluation of class participation. Not only must students attend class, they must engage in a variety of experiential exercises and case analyses during each class. Participation is measured by willingness to engage fully in the process, not by any particular outcomes of the various exercises. Each session will include an activity that will help students better understand the basic elements of improvisation and how they relate to business organizations. Some of these will relate to the assigned readings for the day and others will extend thinking in other ways. Sometimes students will be asked to submit a short written response to a question about the readings. Other times we will discuss a case. In the late afternoon, we will have a review of the activities of the day. Although we will discuss the outcomes of the exercises as we experience them, at the end of each session we will have more time to discuss them and to put them into greater perspective of how they relate to organizations.
The second measurement of student learning outcomes is a project called the “personal account”. Each student demonstrates his or her understanding of improvisation in business organizations by developing a unique project that represents their expression of what they have learned in the class. Personal accounts can take many forms including written, audio, or visual. If students work together, each students’ contribution must be made clear.
In summary, student level of accomplishment will be determined by willingness to engage fully in the learning process during each class session, understanding of improvisation concepts based on contributions to class discussion, the ability to discuss how improvisation skills fit into organization life, and completion of the individual personal account
Class participation: 60%
Personal account: 40%
The plus and minus system will not be used.
- Assignments, Exams and Tests: Course outline for the one-week MBA program format.
•CLASS SCHEDULE. TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS
•Monday, March 8
•Understanding the basics of improvisation in organizations
•Vera, Dusya and Crossan, Mary. “Theatrical Improvisation: Lessons for Organizations”, Organization Studies, 2004, 25, 727-749.
•Castellaneta, Dan and Schwartz, Gary. “Tools to Help Scene Work”, The Spolin Center.
•Spolin, Viola. Improvisation for the Theater, “Reminders and Pointers”, pp. 34-47 Northwestern University Press in your Pro-Copy Packet).
•Skill building:
•Eye contact, listening, being in the moment, yes and
•Skill building: making your partner look good
•acceptance, agreement, adding on
•Tuesday, March 9
•Understanding the jazz metaphor for organizational improvisation
•Weick, Karl, “Improvisation as a Mindset for Organizational Analysis” Organization Science, Vol. 9, No. 5, Special Issue: Jazz Improvisation and Organizing (Sep. -Oct., 1998), pp. 543-555.
•Zack, Michael, “Jazz Improvisation and Organizing: Once More From the Top, Organization Science, March/April 2000, Vol. 11, No. 2, 227-234.
•Skill building: putting basic skills to work
•non-verbal communication skills
•Status in organizations and its effect on improvisation
•Johnstone, Keith. Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre, “Status”, pp. 36-47, Routledge/Theater Arts Books in your PRO-COPY packet.
•Skill building: adding new layers
•Working with different levels of status
•Wednesday, March 10
•Understanding organization strategy in a new way
•Kanter, Rosabeth Moss. “Strategy as Improvisational Theater”,Sloan Management Review, Winter 2007, Vol. 43, No. 2, 76-81.
•Skill building: developing good teamwork
•trust, communication and complicated tasks
•Skill building: retraining our brains
•creativity and innovation
•Thursday, March 11
•Understanding the role of improvisation in negotiation and conflict resolution
•Balachandra, Lakshmi, Bordone, Robert C., and Menkel-Meadow, Carrie, “Improvisation and Negotiation: Expecting the Unexpected”, Negotiation Journal, October 2005, Vol. 21, No. 4, 415-423.
•Skill building: listening, adapting, creating new options
•Managing conflict, problem solving, and negotiating using improvisational concepts
•Skill building: more advanced improvisation
•spontaneity and rapid response
•Friday, March 12
•Putting improvisation to work in organizations
•Joby, John, Grove, Stephen A., Fisk, Raymond. “Improvisation in service performances: lessons from jazz”, Managing Service Quality, 2006, Vol. 16, No. 2, 247-268.
•Skill building: putting it all together: finding the game
•On your own
•Take some time to think about your personal account which is due April 18.
- Attendance Policy: Attendance is required at every class session, except for observance of religious holidays as required by University Policy. Students who anticipate being absent from class due to a major religious observance must provide notice of the date to the instructor in writing by the second class meeting. Students will be provided with an assignment that will count as “class participation” for the missed class.
Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,
http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)
Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)
In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.
- Policy on Make-up Work: Except for those items set forth in the Attendance policy, students will not be allowed to make-up class work. For those students meeting the attendance policy exceptions, all make-up work must comply with the USF Policy on Academic Integrity.
- Program This Course Supports: Master of Business Administration
- Course Concurrence Information: This course has been used as an elective by students in the Master of Science in Management, Master of Accountancy, Master of Information Systems, Master of Finance, and Ph.D. in Communication programs. It could also be used by students in the Ph.D. in I/O Psychology program and other doctoral programs.
- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.