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Time: 66 hours
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Free Certificate
There is no more important function in business than managing its people. All the business units depend on the people that work within that department. The productivity of the firm and its ability to compete in today's dynamic business environment hinges entirely on the ability of the people within it to achieve the firm's strategic goals. In this graduate-level course, we will examine managing people from multiple perspectives. Workers come to the firm with individual attributes and become part of the group dynamic. This course draws from management theory, sociology and psychology, communication theory, leadership theory, and systems theory to provide a comprehensive view of all the factors that affect the management of people. We then apply those theoretical perspectives to practical applications in the business world. Finally, we consider the effect of destructive practices and offer insights into positive practices to manage people.
Course Syllabus
First, read the course syllabus. Then, enroll in the course by clicking "Enroll me". Click Unit 1 to read its introduction and learning outcomes. You will then see the learning materials and instructions on how to use them.
Unit 1: Individual Behavior
This unit concentrates on the individual in the organization. It explores individuals' attributes and characteristics, including personality, values, and perspectives. People bring different perspectives to the organization, and managers need to know how they fit into the organization and job. We will also explore how people make decisions and examine new paradigms for decision-making.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 6 hours.
Unit 2: Motivation
Employee motivation is an intrinsic and internal drive to put forth the necessary effort and action toward work-related activities. Managers need to understand how employees are motivated and how to motivate them. Thus, this unit examines theories of motivation and how to use regular performance appraisals and incentives to improve the performance of employees and execute company strategy. Engaged and motivated employees have higher levels of job satisfaction and are more productive.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 8 hours.
Unit 3: Business Communication
Effective communication is necessary to relate the firm's goals and strategy to employees to ensure it can execute the strategy. The better the communication, the better people perform and produce. Communication affects relationships and teamwork. It also helps to facilitate innovation. When managers communicate effectively, they can provide constructive feedback and build good relationships. This unit explores how effective business communication benefits a company's growth.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 10 hours.
Unit 4: Managing Human Capital
This unit reviews the purpose and process of management and then extends into the function of managing people. Modern stakeholder theory is addressed as the manager considers the ethical responsibilities of managing people.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 7 hours.
Unit 5: Leadership
A business' success hinges on how its leaders can inspire all stakeholders – especially employees – to commit to success. Numerous theories of leadership explain some aspects of leadership. Employees need assurance that their efforts will be acknowledged and rewarded. This unit explores leadership theories, the behaviors and characteristics of good leaders, and how good leaders establish trust. We also examine dysfunctional leadership.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 10 hours.
Unit 6: Managing Groups and Teams
We have looked at leadership, communication, and decision-making in this course. This unit will explore how those topics come together in managing groups and teams. Some teams are functional and incorporated into the structural design of the firm. Other teams are task-oriented. However, all teams are critical to the business' success and need to be managed in accordance with the makeup and function or task of the team. Any time a group of diverse individuals comes together, there may be friction, so managers need to know how to handle conflicts within teams. This unit examines how groups of people interact to form a corporate culture and a collective identity and how to avoid dysfunctional conflict and discrimination.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 11 hours.
Unit 7: Creating a Winning Organizational Culture
This unit will focus on organizational culture, organization design, and how they affect how groups function within the firm. The idea that "form follows function" applies to human capital strategy and organizational design principles. The unit also examines the need for formal processes to ensure that employees can progress in their careers in a way that executes the firm's strategy.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 8 hours.
Unit 8: Power, Politics, and Change
This unit explores the concepts of power in organizations and the political environment within the organization. Power is related to leadership and authority; however, politics consists of the coalitions that form among groups and people. Companies can positively or negatively use power and politics as both individual actions and group processes. When managers use legitimate authority, it is fine, but they must take the use of unauthorized power into account.
As all organizations now operate in a volatile, uncertain, and complex world, the firm must be prepared to change in response to external forces and trends. The internal environment of the business and the leadership will determine how well the company is positioned to make that change. People are naturally resistant to change, and thus it helps if the organization's leaders are resilient and visionary to help move the company forward.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 6 hours.
Study Guide
This study guide will help you get ready for the final exam. It discusses the key topics in each unit, walks through the learning outcomes, and lists important vocabulary. It is not meant to replace the course materials!
Course Feedback Survey
Please take a few minutes to give us feedback about this course. We appreciate your feedback, whether you completed the whole course or even just a few resources. Your feedback will help us make our courses better, and we use your feedback each time we make updates to our courses. If you come across any urgent problems, email contact@saylor.org.
Certificate Final Exam
Take this exam if you want to earn a free Course Completion Certificate.
To receive a free Course Completion Certificate, you will need to earn a grade of 70% or higher on this final exam. Your grade for the exam will be calculated as soon as you complete it. If you do not pass the exam on your first try, you can take it again as many times as you want, with a 7-day waiting period between each attempt.
Once you pass this final exam, you will be awarded a free Course Completion Certificate.
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