Instructor: Jeffrey C. Sun Course Numbers: Y66.1500/Y68.1060
Telephone: (212) 678-4048 [fax] Class Meetings: M, 6:10 p.m. - 8:40 p.m., 09/13 through 12/20
E-mail: jcs81@columbia.edu  Class Location: TBD Office Hours: By appointment

Course Description: Course Description: This course presents a systematic approach to management issue recognition, research, and analysis. Specifically, the students will undergo the management research process of specifying the managerial problem, translating the problem into specific research questions, designing the data collection methodology, performing the actual data collection, analyzing and interpreting data, and reporting the research results. In doing so, students will analyze contemporary issues and practices, as well as the trends that will transform the way people are managed and systems function.

Course Objectives Summarized:
At the completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. understand the basic concepts in research design.
2. identify and to describe the possible data collection methods available to managerial research problems.
3. integrate the findings of prior research to their setting.
4. compare the advantages and disadvantages of several research methodologies.
5. read, assimilate, and apply research published in academic journals as well as trade journals.
6. cite and to footnote utilizing the APA style.
7. write memoranda and reports with greater comfort.
8. identify, with noticeable improvement, grammar rules and syntax errors.
9. construct a senior thesis project.
10. develop a strong comradeship with their classmates.

Required Course Materials:
TEXTS:
(a) Babbie, E. (1998). The practice of social research (8th ed.). New York: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
(b) Wagenaar, T. C., & Babbie, E. (1998). Practicing social research. New York: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
CASE STUDIES:
(c) Meyer, K., Pochop, L, & Bollier, D. (1996, December 30). Donna Klein and Marriott International, Inc. [Case study]. Harvard Business Review, pp. XX-XX.
(d) Rosenzweig, P. M., & Raillard, B. (1992, September 8). Accor [Case study]. Harvard Business Review, pp. XX-XX.
(e) Schlesinger, L. A., & Pelofsky, M. (1992, March 13). Oakland A's: Baseball's great transformation. Harvard Business Review, pp. XX-XX.
OTHER:
(f) Additional materials may be on-reserve at the library with advance notice (at least 2 class meetings) [Bobst Library].
(g) E-mail account.
(h) Internet Access and Ability to Run InfoTrac: an in-class explanation will be provided on the first day of class.
(i) APA Style: http://www.bk.psu.edu/academic/library/APAStyle.html; A Guide for Writing Research Papers: http://webster.commnet.edu/apa/apa_index.htm
(j) Elements of Style: http://www.columbia.edu/acis/bartleby/strunk/
OPTIONAL:
(k) Guide to Grammar and Writing: http://webster.commnet.edu/HP/pages/darling/grammar.htm
(l) Psychology with Style: http://www.uwsp.edu/acad/psych/apa4b.htm
(m) APA-Style: A Brief Summary: http://www.cariboo.bc.ca/ae/PSYCH/apastyle.htm

Course Assessments:
30% Research Paper         15% Presentation
20% Memoranda (2)         20% Examinations #1 and 2; Quizzes
15% Class Participation, Preparedness, & Attendance

Assignments: Any submissions whether assignments, extra credit, papers, or alike must be typed in a standard professional format unless the assignment is introduced and due within the same class meeting. Citations and footnoting must adhere to the APA format.

Extra Credit: Extra Credit is available for students who have an absence from class. One extra credit assignment may compensate for an absence. Similarly, three tardies or fewer which do not accumulate to more than 45 minutes may also be compensated through an extra credit assignment. Unfortunately, a maximum of one extra credit assignment may be allocated to a student's performance evaluation. Therefore, punctuality and attendance is critical to maximize one's performance evaluation. Each absence reduction is valued at 10 points with a total possible of 150 points for Class Participation, Preparedness, & Attendance.
An extra credit assignment requires the student to locate a journal article that is related to the subject matter for the date missed. The student will write a 2-3 page, double-spaced, typed memo summarizing the facts, indicating its significance to the industry, and the implications to managerial research. Please attach the article to the memo. Extra credit assignments will be considered if submitted within two class sessions from the date missed but no later than Monday, December 20, 1999.
Furthermore, qualifying extra credit must be consistent with the caliber of traditional assignments for this course and at NYU.

Pop Quizzes: The instructor reserves the right to conduct a "pop" quiz unless specifically stated otherwise. "Pop" quizzes are unannounced mini-tests. The score from "pop" quizzes will be factored into the grading component labeled "Examinations #1 and 2; Quizzes."

Grading System:
A 93-100 4.0 C+ 77-79 2.3
A- 90-92 3.7 C 73-76 2.0
B+ 87-89 3.3 C- 70-72 1.7
B 83-86 3.0 D+ 65-69 1.3
B- 80-82 2.7 D 60-64 1.0
F below 60 0.0

Professional Organizations & Periodicals:

General Expectations:

*Schedule & Assignments:
    * Subject to change. When possible, notice will be provided via e-mail.
    Chapter Readings are from The Practice of Social Research unless otherwise stated.
CHAPTER EXPERTS
    2 CHAPTER READING ASSIGNMENTS: Experts A (1st) & B (2nd)
    3 CHAPTER READING ASSIGNMENTS: Experts X (1st), Y (2nd), & Z (3rd)