Every individual possesses some particular assumptions and viewpoints about relevant topics on organizational behavior such as whether leaders are born or made, whether people are generally motivated by money or the work itself, and whether people seek or resist change. However, it's often found that exposure to knowledge, theory, and research concerning these and other OB topics that can alter an individual's viewpoints. This exercise provides an opportunity to measure the impact of your course in organizational behavior on your students in this regard.  In conducting this activity, it is useful to: 

1. Have students complete the exercise after completing Chapter 1 and mark their responses on  

a separate sheet of paper. Collect their response sheets. Ask them to avoid writing their responses in their books, because knowing their first-round responses will bias their responses at the end of the semester. 

2. Have students again complete the questionnaire after finishing Chapter 16, writing their responses on a sheet of paper. Once they have completed the exercise, return the initial response sheet. 

3. Ask students to compare their two sets of responses by: 

A. Calculating difference scores. For each question pair, subtract the smaller number response from the larger one. A three is the largest possible difference score per item.

B. Sum the difference scores for a total score. Possible total scores range from) (the student's opinions remained unchanged on each of the survey's 20 items) to 60. Scores above 20 indicate a substantial overall change in opinion. 

4. In post-exercise discussion: 

A. First, determine via a show of hands the range of total difference scores (to determine overall the degree to which student assumptions about organizational behavior have changed). 

B. Then focus on identifying those items on which students tended to substantially change their viewpoint by the end of the semester. This can be done by quickly going through the 20 difference score of 2 or more on each item. Focus discussion on identifying and examining possible reasons for changed perspectives on particular items. 

C.  Wrap up the discussion by asking students: Over the course of the semester, did you learn anything that surprised you? Of the knowledge you've gained, what do you believe will be the most valuable in terms of its use to you in your future careers in the workplace?