Questions and Answers of Management And Organisational Behaviour

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
(a) To what extent do you believe in the suggestion of the psychological dimension of future shock and that people are naturally wary of change?(b) How would YOU explain your emotional response to
(a) To what extent do you have a strong moral compass with an intuitive sense of right and wrong?(b) How far do you accept the idea of intelligent self-interest?(c) How strong is your sense of
(a) What do you believe is the extent of correlation between good corporate governance, concern for social responsibilities and ethical behaviour and successful and profitable business
(a) A National Health Service Trust chairperson was criticised heavily for maintaining that the primary loyalty of doctors was owed to their employers and that their duty to patients came third after
At Happy Training Company, people are asked who they would like as their manager.‘Given how important a manager is to getting the most out of others, we let people choose theirs.’ 45(a) Detail
This case study looks at the experience of Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service (WFRS), an organisation that faced a number of challenges in responding to considerable cultural and organisational changes.
(a) Many senior members of staff point out they have no formal management education or qualifications and emphasise the importance of experience on-the job.Many organisations waste time and money on
Before commencing to read this chapter think honestly about how YOU react when you hear the words ‘control’ and ‘power’.
To what extent do YOU accept the need for some form of control as a prerequisite for improved individual and organisational performance? Watch Ricardo Semler on ‘Radical wisdom for a company, a
Do YOU believe concertive control is a realistic way in which to monitor the behaviour and performance of self-managing teams?
Watch the video on ‘Key reasons to have a matrix structure’ at www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXEDYvMXdMc and consider the pros and cons of an organisation becoming a matrix organisation.
How effective do YOU believe the functioning of matrix organisation structures are within your university? What examples can you provide?
How practical do YOU think the idea of boundaryless organisations is? Do you think you would enjoy working in such an organisation?
How far do YOU accept the suggestion that the nature of technology is the most important determinant of organisation structure?
What practical benefits do YOU see from an organisation adopting a contingency approach to structure and what do you think the potential greatest dangers?
What do YOU believe is the most significant feature of the changing nature of the workplace, and why? What future changes do you envisage?
How far can YOU identify the effectiveness of these characteristics with control systems in your university?
To what extent do YOU accept the idea of legal-rational authority and the exercise of legitimate power from position in the formal organisation structure?
What examples can YOU give of people outside the formal hierarchical structure who have been in a position to exercise power over other people?
Be honest – do YOU see yourself as a control freak? If so, does it concern you? How do you feel about working closely with others you believe are a control freak?
How good are YOU in influencing other people? What parts of your influencing behaviour are in need of further development?
How far do YOU honestly believe you would be capable of avoiding either of these two extreme forms of behaviour?
To what extent would YOU welcome having delegated authority and responsibility or would you be concerned about the ethical considerations?
How do YOU view the importance of empowerment and delegation, and maintaining the balance between controls versus autonomy?
In what type of organisation culture are YOU more likely to be happy and satisfied at work, and is most consistent with your personality and attributes?
Before commencing to read this chapter what do YOU understand by ‘organisation culture’ and how would you define the term? Watch the following video in defining your answer – ‘Why workplace
How would YOU describe the culture of your university in terms of how things are done around here and in what ways does it impact upon your life as a student?
What examples can YOU provide of people who have exercised considerable influence over corporate culture? What about the vice-chancellor of your university?
Watch Chris White on ‘3 ways to create a work culture that brings out the best in employees’ (www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y8SA6cLUys). How easy is it to carry out these three changes in practice?
How has YOUR work ethic been influenced by the cultural environment of your university? To what extent is there an expectation of presenteeism for staff and for students?
What examples of different cultural behaviours or etiquettes have YOU observed? Have these differences resulted in misunderstandings or conflict situations?
Do YOU believe cross-cultural training and understanding of cultural categorisation should be included in classroom courses on Organisational Behaviour?
How would YOU explain the organisational climate of(i) your university;(ii) your faculty or department? What specific examples can you provide?
How successfully are YOU able to apply Lewin’s three-phase process of behaviour modification at a personal level in order to accommodate change?
What do YOU see as the most likely reasons for resistance to change at(i) the individual;(ii) the organisational level? Can you give specific examples?
How far do YOU accept the idea of the ‘Almond Effect’ which has caused you a false alarm and when you acted without thinking and got it wrong?
Before commencing to read this chapter, how strongly do YOU feel about the social and ethical responsibilities of business organisations?
How would YOU explain the relationship between:(i) strategy and structure;(ii) strategy and culture?
How far are YOU able to identify clearly with the shared values or mission statement of your university? Do you believe mission statements serve any useful purpose?
What do YOU believe are the greatest opportunities and risks from changing environmental influences that face business organisations today?
To what extent do YOU identify with the idea of SMART goals? Do you believe your goals should be exciting and shared with other people?
To what extent do YOU believe concern for broader social responsibilities should be the overriding consideration in the strategy of all business organisations?
To what extent do YOU agree the principles of the UN Global Compact are to be applauded but in reality have little real influences on organisational behaviour?
Professor Puranam discusses the design of distributed organisations (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siIGsE63n2g). What are the key conclusions that he draws regarding business sustainability and
How far can YOU explain your support for the shareholder-centred view OR the stakeholder theory on the issue of corporate social responsibility?
How would YOU answer the question whether it is possible to be ethical and unethical at the same time? How difficult is for you to answer this question?
What examples can YOU give of organisations that have achieved an effective integrated approach to ethics, integrity and compliance?
What do YOU regard as the most potential risks to the respect for, and safeguarding of, human rights by business organisations?
Before commencing to read this chapter, what do YOU believe is the most significant determinant of organisational performance and effectiveness?
What do YOU see as the need for, importance and fundamental role of managers?
To what extent can YOU identify with Stuart Rock’s (2016) twelve ways to foster amazing employee engagement? Contrast this by watching the following video by Bob Kelleher on ‘Employee engagement
How would YOU assess the effectiveness of your university as a learning organisation for members of the non-teaching staff?
How do YOU view the practical value to organisational performance and effectiveness of (i) Kaizen and (ii) the balanced scorecard?
Do YOU believe a degree in psychology is good training for managers? How relevant do you think your present course of study is for a future career?

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