Writing a Report Based on Your Knowledge and Experience

Write a report on one of the following topics.

1. What should a U.S. or Canadian manager know about dealing with workers from ______ [you fill in the country or culture]? What factors do and do not motivate people in this group? How do they show respect and deference? Are they used to a strong hierarchy or to an egalitarian setting? Do they normally do one thing at once or many things? How important is clock time and being on time? What factors lead them to respect someone? Age? Experience? Education? Technical knowledge? Wealth? Or what? What conflicts or miscommunications may arise between workers from this culture and other workers due to cultural differences? Are people from this culture pretty similar in these beliefs and behaviors, or are there lots of variation?

2. Describe an ethical dilemma encountered by workers in a specific organization. What is the background of the situation? What competing loyalties exist? In the past, how have workers responded? How has the organization responded? Have whistle-blowers been rewarded or punished? What could the organization do to foster ethical behavior?

3. Describe a problem or challenge encountered by an organization where youve worked. Show why it needed to be solved, tell who did what to try to solve it, and tell how successful the efforts were. Possibilities include

How the organization is implementing work teams, downsizing, or a change in organizational culture.

How the organization uses e-mail or voice mail, statistical process control, or t elecommuting.

How managers deal with stress, make ethical choices, or evaluate subordinates.

How the organization is responding to changing U.S. demographics, the Americans with Disabilities Act, international competition and opportunities, or challenges from dot.com companies.