Questions and Answers of Management And Organisational Behaviour

In this zone, we critically evaluate the concept of the learning organisation and examine whether the phenomenon has been relegated to the vaults of history or whether it is alive and a vision to
In this zone, we critically evaluate the shadow side of organisations and examine whether the covert, informal aspects of organisational behaviour enable or hinder the completion of day-to-day
In this zone, we critically discuss cultural differences and examine how organisations can manage and utilise cultural nuances and idiosyncrasies for competitive advantage.The advent and subsequent
If someone is communicating with you in an unacceptable way, be it face to face, over the phone or in written form, there are steps you can take to try and de-escalate the situation. The following
In this zone, we critically evaluate the concept of the ‘knowledge worker’ and examine the ways in which they can be motivated to create, share and apply their specialist knowledge and expertise,
(a) Given the importance of social interactions and interpersonal relationships for morale, job satisfaction and work performance the main focus of your studies should be on the operations and
You are required to design and present an ‘icebreaker’exercise as a fun way to help groups of new students (or other new members or delegates) to get to know and interact with each other. The
In this zone, we critically discuss the phenomenon of virtual teams and explore the challenges of managing a team in the absence of co-location.The utilisation of virtual teams as a medium to
Joanne Mooney, customer journey and online experience manager, British Gas, based in Stockport, and her boss, Lucy Shadholt, head of channel development for British Gas New Energy, based in
In this zone, we critically discuss the concepts of leadership and management and evaluate whether there is a clear dichotomy between them or whether definitional and practical overlaps exist.For
High quality leadership is now widely accepted as critical to the success of an organisation. The context in which ‘leadership’ takes place is important because the culture of individual teams
Drawing on your own beliefs, observations and experience debate the extent to which you would challenge the following cynical view of management. Where possible give support examples.Managers do not
In this zone, we critically examine the concept of performance management and evaluate whether it still has a role in the changing twenty-first century workplace.For over three decades, researchers
Henry Stewart of the training company Happy draws attention to the positive correlation between staff engagement and profitability. Employee contentment is an underlying key to maximising growth and
In this zone, we critically examine Fayol’s Five Elements of Management and consider whether they are still pertinent to organisations over a century after they were first proposed.Jules Henri
In this zone, we critically discuss the concept of the Peter Principle and determine whether factors, other than espoused incompetence, are the root cause of poor performance and organisational
Divide into two groups: one representing managers and the others representing employees. Separately, each group should come up with a number of arguments about the degree to which employees have a
(a) To what extent do organisations have any responsibility to manage technical change in a way that preserves numbers of jobs?(b) Whatever your answer to the above question, to what extent do firms
Think of the innovation of the driverless vehicle, which is currently being pioneered by a number of major companies.(a) What does the group think are the economic and social implications of this?
In this zone, we critically examine remote and officebased working and explore whether the social aspects of working with technology have been overlooked, ignored or appropriately addressed by
The use of vehicle tracking technology by managers of those who drive company vehicles as part of their job is controversial. For instance, parcel delivery firms routinely use such technology so that
In this zone, we critically discuss the construct of employee empowerment and evaluate whether it is managerial rhetoric or organisational reality.According to Cunningham et al.,45 the 1980s and 90s
In this zone, we critically evaluate resistance to change and examine whether it positively or negatively influences the implementation and outcomes of organisational change programmes.Resistance to
In this zone, we critically discuss the concept of the mission statement and examine whether it is espoused rhetoric or reflects organisational practice.As a management concept, the mission statement
It always strikes me as surprising, when talking to my peers at other companies, how many of them talk about the substantial time they have to spend lobbying their colleagues to take CSR seriously.
In this zone, we critically discuss the concept of the psychological contract and evaluate the extent to which it is key to understanding the dynamics of the people–organisation relationship.The
An increasingly significant sector of the hospitality and leisure industry is that of the cruise sector. In an evergrowing and continuallyevolving cruise industry, the delivery of a memorable
In this zone, we critically discuss the concept of work–life balance and evaluate whether it is still an important feature of organisational life in the twenty-first century workplace.The concept
It might be any training restaurant, smart, modern with a fourcourse menu. The meals are well cooked and served, typical of any College or University training restaurant. However, the security
In this zone, we critically examine the concept of health and well-being and evaluate whether organisations are doing enough to promote the welfare of their most valuable assets.Work is an innate and
If you’re still not sure where you fall on the introvert–extrovert spectrum, you can assess yourself here. Answer each question ‘true’ or ‘false’, choosing the answer that applies to you
Think carefully and honestly about:(a) How you are perceived by other people generally and in particular your colleagues.(b) How confident are you in your own abilities?(c) To what extent do you
Asian members of staff can sometimes be considered ‘over-subservient’ towards guests and appear to accept frivolous requests or complaints too readily. Guests used to this approach then seem
In this zone, we critically evaluate the dark side of emotional intelligence and explore its impact on organisational behaviour in the workplace Over the past two decades, emotional intelligence
Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust promotes equality with due regard to the protected characteristics of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity,
In this zone, we critically discuss the concept of knowledge management and evaluate whether an organisation, in reality, can manage the knowledge of its workforce.Over the past two decades,
The University of Leicester is ranked in the top one per cent of universities in the world by the Times Higher Education. Its Medical School celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2016 and has recently
Working in small, self-selected groups, individually record honestly the extent to which you agree with the following ten questions. If necessary, think how you would be likely to behave in a given
Demographic changes and an ageing population mean an individual's perceived underlying work ethic is likely to be influenced at least in part by their generation and age group. The rise of the
(a) Securing the engagement and commitment of staff is easy. Apply Herzberg’s two factor theory of motivation with attention first to the hygiene factors and then the motivating factors.(b) Given a
You have recently been appointed to a trainee managerial position and selected for interview for an intensive management development training programme. You are pleased to have been invited for
You are required to rate the following items according to the scale:5 (extremely important for me);4 (very important for me);3 (average importance for me);2 (not important for me);1 (I would oppose
21 years ago, Samantha Skyring, CEO and founder of Oryx Desert Salt, decided to walk 120 km through the Namib Desert for seven days to the Skeleton Coast. This adventure would lead her to the
Through the process of socialisation new people into an organisation tend to inculcate themselves and adopt cultural norms. Socialisation into the culture of the organisation is an important aspect
Remind yourself of key features in the text of this chapter relating to:* Technical, managerial and community levels* Task and element functions* Centralisation and decentralisation;* Project teams
Given below are a number of real-life situations. You are required to:a. Think through each one and explain how you as the manager might best handle the discussion with your member of staff. (b)
Self-knowledge about who you are and what you are thinking and feeling is crucial if you are to become an effective and inspiring leader. Work together in small groups.To gain maximum benefit from
For this exercise, work in pairs with another team member – if possible from a different ethnicity, culture, gender or age group. You should both agree to honour confidentiality and to conduct the
Work in conjunction with a partner with whom you feel comfortable FIRST write down your most likely preferred career choice. If you are not sure about a specific job at this stage, explain the type
Objectives Completing this exercise should help you to enhance the following skills:✱ Reflect on your understanding of, and behaviour towards, other people.✱ Review your personal experiences of
Role play: manager/supervisor You are a manager in a large Accounts Department. A junior member of staff, Chris, one of the most energetic people has asked for some of your time and is coming to see
Do YOU believe there should be a specific programme of diversity training for students? What is your opinion of the quality of diversity management in your university?
Can YOU provide examples of people within your university guilty (even innocently) of stereotyping? What specific action would you recommend to help overcome stereotyping?
What exactly do YOU understand by ‘diversity’? How well does your university attempt to provide a fully inclusive organisation? Give specific examples of how you have benefitted by studying in a
Have YOU ever undertaken a personality ‘test’ or assessment? What was your reaction? If not, would you be happy to undergo such a ‘test’? What about your colleagues?
What value do YOU place on ‘The Big Five’ model of personality for an understanding work performance and the practice of human resource management?
How clearly do YOU see yourself as a Type A or Type B personality? Do your colleagues tend to agree? To what extent do you think your ‘type’ will help or hinder your future career?
Which of the above nomothetic approaches do YOU think has the greatest value in helping your understanding of personality and why? What do your colleagues think?
How comfortable would YOU feel in attempting to justify the relevance of Freud’s work for the study of OB to a sceptical colleague studying a different subject area?
How would YOU distinguish between nomothetic and idiographic approaches? To what extent does discussion of the two approaches help your study and understanding of personality?
What do YOU believe is the single most distinguishing feature of an individual’s personality? What one word would you use to describe your personality?
Consider as an individual firstly whether the answers to questions 1 to 12 can be attributed more to certain occupations over others. Compare your answers to the rest of your group. Then consider
Before commencing to read this chapter, what do YOU see as the importance of an understanding of personality and diversity to your study of organisational behaviour?
PART 1Look back at the organisational behaviour in action case study in this chapter. To what extent can you relate the situation in this case to potential sources of conflict discussed in the text
During the onset of COVID 19 in March 2020, the United Kingdom had to brace itself for a deadly pandemic that at the time had no known antidote available. The BBC reported that 'more than 39 000 care
Form into small groups, preferably including any colleagues whom you have not yet got to know very well and/or from a different ethnicity. Discuss openly and honestly how you each feel regarding your
An increasingly significant sector of the hospitality and leisure industry is that of the cruise sector. In an ever-growing and continually-evolving cruise industry, the delivery of a memorable
It is often said that people are every organisation’s most important asset. This is perfectly true, but people are not like other assets. As well as being valuable in their own right – in terms
As a forced-choice exercise rate in order the importance three-fold classification of economic rewards, intrinsic satisfaction and social relationships plus one (only) classification of your own
(a) Motivation at work is very subjective and influenced by a range of variables includ- ing personality, age, cultural influences and unknown circumstances outside of work. Generalised theories of
How would YOU attempt to justify potential benefits of expectancy theory in modern work organisations to a sceptical manager or supervisor?
(a) Self-interest and opportunism are natural features of human behaviour and will always take preference over demands and best interest of teamwork.(b) Discussion on building successful teams sounds
(a) Explain fully a situation from university and/or any work experience where you have been inspired by a person through their charisma and natural leadership influence.(b) Identify clearly the
List in rank order all the different approaches to leadership mentioned in this chapter on the basis of what you believe their practical relevance for today’s workplace is.Where possible provide
(a) To what extent do you believe the term 'leadership' is misused and/or overused?(b) Provide specific examples from the work situation of:(i) people with a leadership title but who have little if
(a) Describe what you see as the most appropriate style of management for each of the different generations and age groups discussed in Chapter 2.(b) What other factors are likely to play a
Recall Foppen’s emphasis on the importance of management performance but questioning the relationship between management practice and education.(a) Debate critically the extent to which you
A friend has unexpectedly inherited ownership of a 50-room family seaside hotel with restaurant and is concerned about the generally poor level of work performance, low motivation and morale, and
(a) Some writers argue that people do not lack inherent motivation, only the right triggers to evoke their efforts. Others claim motivation can only truly come from within and attempts from other
How good are YOU at the organisation and arrangement of stimuli and in particular distinguishing the significant aspects (the figure) from the ground?
Most people feel uncomfortable or even intimidated if the territory of their personal space is invaded. Not only are their differences in specific values of 'comfort zones' among cultures but there
Impression management gives rise to the question of ethical issues. Many organisations undertake induction and training courses in an effort to ‘coach’ staff how to display an impression in the
If someone is communicating with you in an unacceptable way, be it face to face, over the phone or in written form, there are steps you can take to try and de-escalate the situation. The following
(a) Have you every avoided telling anyone that you are a student for fear of being stereotyped?(b) To what extent do you think judgements are made about other people on the basis of:* height* other
(a) University courses should be designed less around knowledge of academic disciplines and more to take account of the skills and abilities necessary in the workplace and for career advancement.(b)
(a) For the following types of organisation suggest what features of each of the different approaches to organisational theory discussed in this chapter are most likely to predominate. Explain your
A different, more recent approach to thinking about organisation and structure applied to the service industry is that of the ‘Vanguard Method’ which is based on the pioneering work of among
Place in rank order the four main experiments of the Hawthorne studies in terms of:(i) Their relevance to the study of organisational theory; (ii) Practical applications today for the structuring
Geoplan, a consultancy organisation in Yorkshire and Humberside was in meltdown. As well as a growing number of market and technological challenges, the company was grappling with a structure that
To cope with the changing nature of the workplace many writers are calling for more creative forms of organisation structure. (a) Explain how you believe the structure of your university, or other
How much would YOU prefer a job with opportunities for self-established roles? To what extent is this likely to influence your choice of career?
To what extent do you agree:(a) The changing nature of the workplace with flatter structures, a diminishing hierarchy, empowerment, remote working, demands for flexibility and working from home have
The Police Service has statutory responsibility for the treatment of persons detained by them (and other agencies such as HMRC which brings people into a police station). These people must be treated
On a scale from 1 (least) to 5 (highest) rate yourself in terms of the degree of influence you believe you exercise over your other colleagues for each of the following three headings:* Expertise
(a) Stewart points out managers who think about what can be done only in terms of what they can do cannot be effective.(b) Managers are encouraged to empower staff with greater authority and
(a) Which one approach to organisations, their structure and management and/or one writer on the subject has greatest influence on you?(b) How would you defend criticisms of the study of social
(a) Create a visual representation of a role set for university students in general. (b) How might this role set vary for students on different course or at different levels of their study? (c) Now
The culture of an organisation is often likened to the personality of an individual. One of the most effective ways to explore the personality of your organisation is by describing it as if it were a
Harriet Green told the Commission about her personal ‘transformation toolkit’, which she has used to overhaul a number of organisations on different continents, including Thomas Cook.‘Driving
(a) How important was perception of the organisational culture in the decision of your chosen university?(b) Referring back to Figure 14.5 discuss with specific examples the extent to which your

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