BLACK RIVER TECHNICAL COLLEGE

 

                                             Course Name:  Principles of Supervision

                                           Course Number:  MGMT 2613

Course Credit:  3 credit hours

 

Instructor:         R. Schaa

Office Hours:    As posted on my office door (AC109)             

Phone:              (870) 248-4000, ext. 4137.  You may leave a voice mail if I am not in my office.

Email:               ruths@blackrivertech.org

Website:           http://faculty.blackrivertech.org/rschaa

 

Textbook:

Supervision: Diversity and Teams in the Workplace, tenth edition, by W. Richard Plunkett. Prentice Hall.

 

Course Description:

Covers the responsibilities of the first line supervisor.  Describes the four functions of the supervisor and the requisite skills.  Includes discussions about planning and decision making, job interviewing as the applicant and as the employer, employee grievance resolution, employee training, the appraisal system, and discipline.

 

Course Objectives:  Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:

1.         Define key terms.

2.         List and define the three management skills every supervisor must possess and apply.

3.         List the three groups to whom the supervisor is responsible and what responsibilities exist toward each group.

4.         Explain the concepts of effectiveness and efficiency as they apply to a supervisor's performance.

5.         Explain how managers can avoid personal obsolescence and list the six steps involved in preparing for advancement.

6.         List the five steps involved in planning a career.

7.         Explain the importance of a personal code of ethics.

8.         List and define the four essential elements of any formal organization.

9.         List and explain the four steps involved in delegating.

10.       Identify the four major functions performed by all managers.

11.       Explain the value to supervisors of a daily planner and a time log.

12.       List and explain the five steps in the planning process.

13.       List and define the six principles of organizing.

14.       List and explain the five steps in the organizing process.

15.       List and explain the specific activities that are part of directing.

16.       List and explain the five essential steps in the control process.

17.       List and describe the three kinds of controls used by managers.

18.       List the four major goals of communication.

19.       List the basic components in the communication process.

20.       List and explain the barriers of the communication process.

21.       Explain four ways of improving your listening skills.

22.       Explain how people form their attitudes.

23.       List and explain the four basic steps you take to change a person's attitude.

24.       List and explain six techniques to change people's attitudes.

25.       List six causes of stress on the job and how to cope with stress.


26.       List five common needs that humans share.

27.       List Herzberg's motivational factors.

28.       Describe the contingency theory of motivation, the expectancy theory of motivation, the reinforcement theory of motivation, and the equity theory of motivation.

29.       Discuss the concepts of quality and productivity and how supervisor can promote improvements.

30.       List and briefly explain the six purposes of human relations and relate the human relations roles to supervisors, subordinates, peers, and upper management.

31.       List and explain the forces that shape a group's personality.

32.       Describe the duties of a meeting's chairperson and group's members before, during and after a group problem-solving session.

33.       Describe how group behavior can be affected by internal group competition.

34.       List the eleven principles of leadership.

35.       List and explain the four management styles.

36.       Describe the role of the supervisor in the employees’ selection process.

37.       Describe four selection devices.

38.       Describe what a supervisor should do to prepare for a selection interview; describe the pitfalls of the selection process and how to overcome them.

39.       List the goals of an orientation program and an induction program.

40.       List three advantages that a supervisor receives from training a subordinate and three advantages that a trainee receives from training.

41.       List the three requirements that a trainer must satisfy in order to train and the five requirements a trainee must satisfy in order to learn.

42.       List and describe the seven principles that govern training, the four parts of the training cycle, and the five pitfalls in training.

43.       List six major purposes for appraising your subordinates.

44.       List three types of appraisal methods and five pitfalls in the appraisal process.

45.       Differentiate between positive discipline and negative discipline.

46.       List and explain four principles of discipline.

47.       List and explain four pitfalls that can affect a supervisor's efforts at discipline.

48.       Explain what it means to be fair when you discipline your subordinates.

49.       List five steps for handling complaints.

50.       Outline a typical grievance procedure.

 

Course Requirements:

Attendance:  Students are expected to attend class regularly and to be punctual in order to complete satisfactorily this course.  If a student is absent, the student is responsible for contacting the instructor on the first day back to make up work missed.  Excessive absenteeism may result in loss of credit for the course.  Excessive is defined as two times the number of times the class meets per week.

To encourage class attendance, pop quizzes may be given.  Pop quizzes may not be made up.

 

Homework Assignment and Measures of Assessments: 

1.                  Students should read each chapter before the lecture and/or discussion. Each student will participate in class discussions with relevant information and by questioning the theory of supervision and management. Students will be assessed by their participation and their questions. Class participation is worth 50 points.


2.         Students will develop and maintain a well-organized notebook with the written questions and  answers to the assigned “Questions for Class Discussions”, terms, handouts, and lecture notes. This notebook will serve as an individual student assessment of personal learning in the course. Students are encouraged to think in a critical manner while answering the questions and case scenarios. The instructor will collect the notebooks for review on the last scheduled class meeting; the notebook review will serve the instructor as an assessment of the student’s learning.  A well-maintained and presented notebook will be worth at maximum 100 points.

3.         Students will orally present an out-of-class reading assignment.  Students will critically analyze the management situation and offer appropriate suggestions for improvement. Students will type a synopsis of the assigned reading using MLA format.  This is worth 100 points.

spelling errors                           -10 points

repeated spelling error              -3

grammatical error                      -3

format error                              -5

punctuation errors                     -1

not relevant to course                -10

plagiarism                                 -30

1.                  Students will research a "supervisory" topic and write report in the MLA format .  The topic must be current.  Reports must be typed and will be graded for content, completeness, grammar, spelling, and format.  The contents will include an analysis of whether this topic is being implemented in the student's place of employment and how it can be implemented.  Be specific in this analysis. This assignment is worth 100 points.

spelling errors                           -10 points

repeated spelling error              -3

grammatical error                      -3

format error                              -5

punctuation errors                     -1

not relevant to course                -10

plagiarism                                 -30

2.                  The exams may consist of true/false, multiple choice, short answer, or essay questions.  Each exam is worth 100 points each.

 

Class Participation and Behavior:  Class participation is a vital part of the learning environment.  Therefore, each student is expected to participate in classroom discussions, answer questions, and offer  input.  Students are expected to behave in a professional manner while in class.  In accordance with college policy, food and beverages are not permitted in the classroom.

 

Exams and Make-ups:  The exams may consist of true/false, multiple choice, short answer, or essay questions.  The instructor reserves the  right to deviate from the described test format.  Test results and scores will only be distributed in class after the tests have been graded; usually, this is the next scheduled class period. Students should maintain a log of their test scores and any other grades.   Do not call the college or the instructor for your grades.

Students will not be allowed to retake an exam for any reason.

If a student misses a scheduled exam, the student and instructor will schedule the make-up exam date.  Only one missed exam will be permitted per semester per subject, unless extenuating circumstances prevail.

 

Late Assignments: Any assignment turned in late will be assessed a 10% penalty if turned in by the following class.  If the assignment is not turned by the following class time, the student will be given a 0 for that assignment.  The assignment is termed “late” if the assignment is not handed in when the instructor calls for them.

 

STUDENT ASSESSMENT:

Assessment Points:

100 points        each exam

50 points          each collected and graded assignments

50 points          class participation

5 points            each pop quiz

100 points        notebook

100 points        synopsis and presentation

 

Grading Scale:            93-100             A

83-92               B

70-82               C

60-69               D

Below 60         F 


 

Academic Dishonesty Policy:  Cheating will not be tolerated.  The first offense will result in an "F" for that grade and the second offense may result in dismissal from the course.

 

Black River Technical College seeks to be in compliance with both the spirit and the letter of the law as stated in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

 

Students seeking ADA accommodations must contact Mr. Jim Ulmer, Director of Disability Support Services, P. O. Box 468, Pocahontas, AR 72455. Phone 870-248-4000 X4011 or Fax 870-248-4100 or jamessu@blackrivertech.org.  Contact must be made two weeks prior to beginning date of each enrollment period.

 

Chapter                        Topic

1                                  The Supervisor’s Special Role

2                                  You and Your Future

11                                Selection and Orientation

Unit Test

 

3                                  Management Concepts

4                                  Management Functions

15                                Complaints, Grievances, and the Union

Unit Test

 

6                                  Managing Change and Stress

12                                Training

13                                The Appraisal Process

Unit Test

 

7                                  Human Motivation

8                                  Building Relationships with Individuals

9                                  Supervising Groups

Unit Test

 

***This syllabus is tentative and is subject to change, if necessary.