MGT 3725 04: Fundamentals of Management

MGT 3725 - Fundamentals of Management

Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 04, CRN 42871,

Credit hours: 3

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Instructor Title: 
Distinguished Professor

Instructor Professional Qualifications:
Ph. D., Business Administration, University of Pittsburgh, Katz Graduate School of Business

Master’s, Management Information Systems, Temple University, Fox School of Business

Bachelor’s, Accounting and Finance, Rutgers University, School of Business – Camden

Instructor Office Location:
Williamson College of Business Administration, 3354

Instructor Office Phone:
330-941-3524

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3725. Fundamentals of Management. Position yourself for management and leadership opportunities in your career. This course builds the foundation for developing the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to succeed as a manager. Students learn how managers plan, organize, lead, and control to help organizations achieve their goals, while examining how organizational structure, culture, and decision-making shape effectiveness. Emphasis is placed on strengthening problem-solving, professional behavior, collaboration, and self-awareness, essential capabilities for contributing on teams today and growing into leadership roles tomorrow. Sophomore standing required. Prereq.: BUS 1500 (C) or BUS 1500H (C) and 2.5 GPA. 3 s.h.

Group	Title	Author	ISBN
Required

The course readings were selected to provide practical, workplace-relevant perspectives on management and professional development. Many are written for practitioner audiences so you can connect course concepts to real managerial decisions and build knowledge and skills you can use in internships, early-career roles, and future leadership opportunities.

All required readings are available online at no cost. For your convenience, links to each reading are provided within the corresponding module in Blackboard; you do not need to access them through the syllabus.

Module 1

1. Course Sidekick. (n.d.-a). Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from https://www.coursesidekick.com/management/study-guides/principlesmanagement/1-4-planning-organizing-leading-and-controlling
2. Course Sidekick. (n.d.-b). Who are managers? Retrieved January 3, 2026, from https://www.coursesidekick.com/management/study-guides/principlesmanagement/1-2-who-are-managers
3. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019a, March 20). 1.3 Major characteristics of the manager’s job. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/1-3-major-characteristics-of-the-managers-job
4. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019b, March 20). 1.1 What do managers do? In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/1-1-what-do-managers-do
5. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019c, March 20). 1.2 The roles managers play. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/1-2-the-roles-managers-play

Module 2

1. Hull, P. (2013, January 10). Answer 4 questions to get a great mission statement. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickhull/2013/01/10/answer-4-questions-to-get-a-great-mission-statement/
2. Indeed Editorial Team. (2025, December 16). How to write an effective mission statement (with examples). Indeed Career Guide. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-mission-statement
3. Putter, B. (2018, June 13). The do’s and don’ts of writing effective vision and mission statements. The Startup (Medium). https://medium.com/swlh/the-dos-and-don-ts-of-writing-effective-vision-and-mission-statements-63e0d89343b2
4. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019a). 17.1 Is planning important. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/17-1-is-planning-important
5. McKay, M. (n.d.). The importance of setting goals for a business. Chron. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-setting-goals-business-834.html
6. Olguin, M. A. (2013, March 21). 4 reasons you need to set business goals. Inc. https://www.inc.com/michael-olguin/4-reasons-you-need-to-set-business-goals.html
7. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019b). 17.4 Goals or outcome statements. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/17-4-goals-or-outcome-statements

Module 3

1. Birt, J. (2025, December 16). What is a problem statement: Definition, how-to and example. Indeed Career Guide. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-is-a-problem-statement
2. Miles, M. (2024, May 13). 3 problem statement examples and steps to write your own. BetterUp. https://www.betterup.com/blog/problem-statement
3. LinkedIn. (2023, April 18). How do you craft a compelling problem statement for your business case? https://www.linkedin.com/advice/3/how-do-you-craft-compelling-problem-statement-1f
4. Wedell-Wedellsborg, T. (2017, January–February). Are you solving the right problems? Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2017/01/are-you-solving-the-right-problems
5. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019a). 2.4 Barriers to effective decision-making. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/2-4-barriers-to-effective-decision-making
6. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019b). 2.5 Improving the quality of decision-making. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/2-5-improving-the-quality-of-decision-making

Module 4

1. Indeed Editorial Team. (2025, December 11). Collaboration skills: Examples and ways to improve them. Indeed Career Guide. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/collaboration-skills
2. Campbell, S. (2017, October 5). 10 simple ways to build a collaborative, successful work environment. Entrepreneur. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/302126
3. Richardson, D. (2016, August 31). Keys to collaboration: Diagnosing the symptoms of success. SHRM. https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/organizational-and-employee-development/pages/keys-to-collaboration-diagnosing-the-symptoms-of-success.aspx
4. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019a). 15.1 Teamwork in the workplace. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/15-1-teamwork-in-the-workplace
5. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019b). 15.2 Team development over time. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/15-2-team-development-over-time
6. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019c). 15.4 Opportunities and challenges to team building. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/15-4-opportunities-and-challenges-to-team-building
7. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019d). 15.3 Things to consider when managing teams. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/15-3-things-to-consider-when-managing-teams

Module 5

1. Watkins, M. D. (2013, May 15). What is organizational culture? And why should we care? Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2013/05/what-is-organizational-culture
2. Shmidt, I. (2022, December 22). How to build a strong corporate culture in five steps. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/12/22/how-to-build-a-strong-corporate-culture-in-five-steps/
3. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019a, March 20). 14.1 Motivation: Direction and intensity. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/14-1-motivation-direction-and-intensity
4. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019b, March 20). 14.4 Recent research on motivation theories. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/14-4-recent-research-on-motivation-theories
5. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019c, March 20). 14.2 Content theories of motivation. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/14-2-content-theories-of-motivation
6. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019d, March 20). 14.3 Process theories of motivation. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/14-3-process-theories-of-motivation

Module 6

1. Bright, D. S., & Cortes, A. H. (2019, March 20). 13.1 The nature of leadership. In Principles of management. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/principles-management/pages/13-1-the-nature-of-leadership
2. Bradberry, T. (2015, July 27). What makes a leader? LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-makes-leader-dr-travis-bradberry
3. Society for Human Resource Management. (2008, March 1). Leadership competencies. SHRM. https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/leadership-competencies
4. Indeed Editorial Team. (2025, December 19). 8 key leadership competencies (with tips for improvement). Indeed Career Guide. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/key-leadership-competencies
5. Spodek, J. (2017, October 7). The simple reason to learn to lead yourself first. Inc. https://www.inc.com/joshua-spodek/simple-reason-to-learn-to-lead-yourself-first.html
6. Meinert, D. (2018, February 23). Emotional intelligence is key to outstanding leadership. SHRM. https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/0318/pages/emotional-intelligence-is-key-to-outstanding-leadership.aspx
7. Moore, R. (2019, October 17). Emotional intelligence at work: Becoming the leader of the future. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/10/17/emotional-intelligence-at-work-becoming-the-leader-of-the-future/

Module 7

No readings.

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Week of	Reading(s)	Proposed Topic	Due/To Prepare for Class
8/24	1. Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling 2. Who Are Managers? 4. What Do Managers Do?	Week 01 - Module 1 - Business Foundations: Management Functions and Context	LinkedIn Learning – M1: Understanding Business LinkedIn Learning – M1: Developing Business Acumen Discussion 1A: Student Introductions
8/31	3. Major Characteristics of the Manager’s Job 5. The Roles Managers Play	Week 02 - Module 1 - Business Foundations: Managerial Roles and Realities	LinkedIn Learning – M1: Focusing on the Bottom Line as an Employee Discussion 1B: What is a Manager? Module 1: Top Takeaways Module 1: Quiz
9/7	1. Answer 4 Questions to Get a Great Mission Statement 2. How to Write an Effective Mission Statement (with Examples) 3. The Do’s and Don’ts of Writing Effective Vision and Mission Statements 4. Is Planning Important?	Week 03 - Module 2 - Mission, Planning, & Goals: Mission and Strategic Direction	LinkedIn Learning – M2: Strategic Planning Foundations Discussion 2A: Mission & Vision
9/14	5. The Importance of Setting Goals for a Business 6. 4 Reasons You Need to Set Business Goals 7. Goals or Outcome Statements	Week 04 - Module 2 - Mission, Planning, & Goals: Environmental Analysis and Goal Setting	LinkedIn Learning – M2: Setting Business Unit Goals LinkedIn Learning – M2: Setting Team and Employee Goals Using SMART Methodology Discussion 2B: Environmental Analysis Module 2: Top Takeaways Module 2: Quiz
9/21	1. What Is a Problem Statement: Definition, How-To and Example 2. 3 Problem Statement Examples and Steps to Write Your Own 3. How Do You Craft a Compelling Problem Statement for Your Business Case? 4. Are You Solving the Right Problems?	Week 05 - Module 3 - Problem Identification & Decision Making: Defining and Diagnosing Problems	LinkedIn Learning – M3: Critical Thinking LinkedIn Learning – M3: Root Cause Analysis – Getting to the Root of Business Problems Discussion 3A: Problem Analysis
9/28	5. Barriers to Effective Decision-Making 6. Improving the Quality of Decision-Making	Week 06 - Module 3 - Problem Identification & Decision Making: Improving Decision Quality	LinkedIn Learning – M3: Making Key Decisions as a Manager Discussion 3B: Decision Making Module 3: Top Takeaways Module 3: Quiz
10/5	1. Collaboration Skills: Examples and Ways to Improve Them 2. 10 Simple Ways to Build a Collaborative, Successful Work Environment 3. Keys to Collaboration: Diagnosing the Symptoms of Success	Week 07 - Module 4 - Collaboration & Teamwork: Building Collaborative Work Environments	LinkedIn Learning – M4: Teamwork Foundations LinkedIn Learning – M4: Communication within Teams Discussion 4A: Collaboration
10/12	4. Teamwork in the Workplace 5. Team Development Over Time 6. Opportunities and Challenges to Team Building 7. Things to Consider When Managing Teams	Week 08 - Module 4 - Collaboration & Teamwork: Team Development and Effectiveness	LinkedIn Learning – M4: Being an Effective Team Member Discussion 4B: Teamwork Module 4: Top Takeaways Module 4: Quiz
10/19	1. What Is Organizational Culture? And Why Should We Care? 2. How to Build a Strong Corporate Culture in Five Steps	Week 09 - Module 5 - Organizational Dynamics: Culture and the Work Environment	LinkedIn Learning – M5: Organizational Culture LinkedIn Learning – M5: Creating a Culture That Inspires Your Employees Discussion 5A: Organizational Culture
10/26	3. Motivation: Direction and Intensity 4. Recent Research on Motivation Theories 5. Content Theories of Motivation 6. Process Theories of Motivation	Week 10 - Module 5 - Organizational Dynamics: Motivation and Performance	LinkedIn Learning – M5: Motivation Discussion 5B: Motivation Module 5: Top Takeaways Module 5: Quiz
11/2	1. The Nature of Leadership 2. What Makes a Leader? 3. Leadership Competencies 4. 8 Key Leadership Competencies (with Tips for Improvement)	Week 11 - Module 6 - Leadership: Foundations, Competencies, and Influence	LinkedIn Learning – M6: Leadership Foundations LinkedIn Learning – M6: Leading without Formal Authority Discussion 6A: Leadership
11/9	5. The Simple Reason to Learn to Lead Yourself First 6. Emotional Intelligence Is Key to Outstanding Leadership 7. Emotional Intelligence at Work: Becoming the Leader of the Future	Week 12 - Module 6 - Leadership: Self-Leadership and Emotional Intelligence	LinkedIn Learning – M6: Leading Yourself Discussion 6B: You as a Leader Module 6: Top Takeaways Module 6: Quiz
11/16	No readings.	Week 13 - Module 7 - Integration - You as a Manager: Self-Assessment & Development Plan Presentation	Presentation – You as a Manager (Self-Assessment & Development Plan)
11/23	No readings.	Week 14 - Module 7 - Integration - You as a Manager: Providing Developmental Feedback	Provide Developmental Feedback
11/30	No readings.	Week 15 - Module 7 - Integration - You as a Manager: Final Exam	Final Exam