University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science

Strategic Management 021:260

Fall 2006

Jennifer Burek Pierce, PhD

Office Hours (tentatively): Tuesday, 1-2 p.m./by appointment

Office: 3076 Main Library

Phone: 319.335.5716

Email: jennifer-burek-pierce@uiowa.edu

Required Text

Required readings are on reserve near the SLIS faculty offices, and some are available online through other Web outlets. You will need regular access to both print and electronic library resources provided by the UI libraries to complete assignments for this course.

Course Description

Strategic Management introduces concepts associated with library and information center management. It surveys foundational organizational and managerial concepts, such as organizational culture, planning, finance, and human resources. By combining theory and applied learning situations, the course offers an overview of organizational behavior as well as specific managerial practices. Group assignments ask students to work together to resolve issues that simulate concerns library managers must address in the workplace. To this end, issues of leadership, group dynamics, and organizational communication receive emphasis.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to

1) understand significant general managerial concepts and their relationship to library and information centers;

2) analyze organizational problems and recognize the strengths and limitations of different problem-solving strategies;

3) evaluate and synthesize management literature according to its role in organizational decision-making;

4) recognize and employ appropriate communication strategies in the organizational context;

5) develop and apply an understanding of the workings of groups in the organizational context, and

6) think critically about existing challenges and developing issues in the information professions.

Expectations, Procedures, and Other Guidelines

1. It is hoped and assumed that each member of the class will be treated with respect. While there will be some lecture, this course involves significant student discussion and participation. Many graded assignments will be completed in groups. This necessitates attendance and active preparation for class.

2. For the purposes of group self-management, a "Survivor" provision is in effect. The objective is not to eliminate group members but to ensure the functioning of the group should extra-ordinary circumstances arise. A non-performing group member may be voted out of the group under three conditions: first, the group must have made an effort to encourage the participation of the member in question; second, the vote must be unanimous; and third, the basis for the decision must be documented. Documentation for this purpose may include email messages, transcriptions of online discussions, or other materials which demonstrate the failure of a member to help the group advance toward its goals. The documentation and the results of any vote must be turned in to the instructor, who will communicate the outcome to the non-performing member. If you have concerns which lead you to consider the ÑSurvivoræ provision, you are strongly encouraged to speak with your instructor to address problems before they are insurmountable. If an individual is voted out of a group, he or she may opt to remain in the class but complete group assignments individually with a 10-percent penalty.

3. If you cannot attend class, you must notify the instructor in advance. If possible, notify your group members as well. Because one cannot duplicate a discussion or certain group activities following the class meeting, it is inevitable that any make up work will not duplicate the same learning which took place during class. The instructor reserves the right to offer make-up work only in the event of documented, excused absences for which advance notice is given.

4. In your out-of-class work, please select and follow an appropriate style sheet or citation manual consistently, including conventions for citation of research, editing, and so on. Please be aware that the School of Library and Information Science, in accord with the University, deals with academic and personal misconduct such as plagiarism according to the procedures in the Code of Student Life.

5. Students are expected and encouraged to ask questions about their work in this course. Please remember that if you feel that readings or assignments are unclear, you should ask for clarification before work is due. I am more than happy to work with you in advance of assignment submission to make sure you do the best work you can.

6. Incompletes will not be awarded except under extraordinary circumstances. Any request for an extension – whether for an individual assignment or for the course – must be made in advance of the due date or the last class meeting.

7. Students requiring accommodation due to medical conditions or learning disabilities should see the instructor at the end of the first class meeting. These accommodations will be made in accordance with university policies and procedures which require that students needing accommodations because of disability work with Student Disability Services (http://www.uiowa.edu/%7Esds/index.html) to allow accommodations to be made.

8. Points are assigned and aggregated to determine the final grade. These points are converted to a letter-grade on the following 1000-point scale: A=940+, A-=900-939, B+=870-899, B=840-869, B-=800-839, and so on.

9. The instructor reserves the right to make, with notice, necessary adjustments in the calendar and content.

10. All assignments must be completed to pass this course.

Course Components and Assignments

* Participation in discussion and active involvement with course content is integral to your own learning experience and that of others in the class. For many class activities, including graded assignments, you will work with an assigned group. At the same time, this category includes short writing assignments, quizzes, and related activities.

* Group Assignments require working as a team to produce a consensus decision and explanation or rationale for the outcome of the group's processes. Assignment sheets will specify the requirements for these activities.

* Post-Team Experience Examination asks you to connect your experiences of working in a group with concepts presented in readings and lecture.

* Book Review of a management book from a list provided in class. This 5+ page paper summarizes and evaluates the book, explaining its value to managing a library or information center. More specifics are given on an assignment sheet to follow.

* Related Presentation is a brief, informal presentation (approximately 10 minutes). Identify the book and the author, and offer key description and evaluation of the book. This is an extemporaneous speaking assignment.

Assignments and Point Distribution

Participation 150

Group assignments 250

Post-team exam 250

Book review 250

Talk 100

Total Points 1000

Course Outline and Reading Assignments

8/22: Introduction to the course and theories of organizations; organizational mission statements; introduction to group members, GA#1, book review, and post-team exam

Due: select book report title (in class)

8/29: Contemporary contexts for library management; group work on mission statement

Due (Readings): ILA Reporter, System Consolidation and Youth Librarians; Hamilton, ≥Stress;≤ Neal,≤Feral Professionals;≤ Pierce, ≥Managerπs Motto;≤ Todaro, ≥Adult Behavior;≤ Townsend, ≥People;≤ Daw, ≥Road Rage, Air Rage, and Now åDesk Rageπ.≤

9/5: Group functioning and leadership; introduce GA#2

Due (Readings): Knecht, ≥Virtual Teams;≤ ≥What Leaders Really Do;≤ Townsend, ≥Excellence,≤ ≥Excuses,≤≤Leadership,≤ ≥Message,≤ ≥Mistakes,≤ and ≥Objectives.≤

Due: Group assignment #1 -- library mission statement

9/12: Ch. 14 in Evans on human resources management, including interviewing; group work on GA#2

Due (Reading): C&RL News, hiring process; Okada et al., ≥Student Employees in the Academic Library;≤ Taylor, ≥Sharp Employees;≤ Quirk, ≥Football IQ.≤

Due (Consult): Interviewing related Web sites posted to ICON

9/19: Becoming a manager; personnel evaluation; group work on GA#2

Due (Reading): Gordon, ≥Library Staff;≤ Sowards, ≥Observations;≤ Walker, ≥Rookie Managers;≤ Argyris, ≥Empowerment: The Emperorπs New Clothes≤

Due (Reading): ≥The Road to Hell;≤ Lubans, ≥Cold Hard Truth;≤ Townsend, ≥Firing People≤

9/26: Decision-making and planning; introduce GA#3.

Due (Reading): Denver Public Library, ≥Community Conversation on the Libraryπs Future;≤ Liu & Zweizig, ≥Use of National Library Statistics;≤ ≥Planning Skills≤

Due: group assignment #2 – hiring, phase 1

10/3: Group meetings related to GA#3

Due (Preparation): Complete reading applicant materials posted to ICON

10/10: Internal communication and conflict; introduce GA#4

Due (Reading): Cross & Prusak, ≥People Who Make Organizations;≤ "Participation;" Townsend, ≥Conflict≤ and ≥Thanks≤

Due: group assignment #3 -- hiring, phase 2

10/7: Marketing the library and communicating with external audiences; work time for groups

Due (Readings): Burke, ≥The Saving Grace of Library Space;≤ Lederer et al., ≥Managing the Media;≤ Lisker, "The Ties that Bind;" Pierce, ≥Sharks≤ and ≥Getting out the Vote;≤ Townsend, ≥Call Yourself;≤ University of Wisconsin, ≥The Library 2005-06;≤ University of Wisconsin, ≥Strategic Plan.≤

10/24: Library management issues: facilities, technology, and fiscal management; group meeting time for GA#4

Due (Reading): Estabrook, ≥Coping/Disappointing;≤ Lewis, ≥Innovatorπs Dilemma;≤ Snyder and Davenport, ≥Cost accounting and the library planning process: an introduction;≤ Johnson et al., ≥Turnip;≤ McClure et al., ≥Public Libraries Struggle to Meet Internet Demand;≤ Pierce, ≥Patron Privacy.≤

10/31: Group meeting time for GA#4 (groups may time shift with consent of all their members, plus notice to group and instructor of alternate time & place)

11/7: History of management theories and trends; diversity in libraries and librarianship

Due (Reading): Townsend, ≥Fads in Management≤

Due (Consult): ALA Office for Diversity, ≥Diversity Online≤ and ≥Diversity Statistics≤ links via ICON

Due: fiscal management scenario response

11/14: Post-team work exam via ICON/no class meeting

Due: Exam (submitted to electronic drop box per specified conventions)

11/21: Thanksgiving Recess/no class meeting

11/28: Presentations of management book reviews, day 1

Due: presentations by selected individuals

12/6: Presentations of management book reviews, day 2; continuing education issues and resources for library and information center managers

Due: presentations by selected individuals; book review by all