BUMGT 5921 (Organizations: Behaviour, Structure, Processes)

Question A1

Analyze and evaluate your syndicate’s development and functioning as a group or team according to relevant theories and models you encountered in class or in your reading. Discuss your own roles in the syndicate and consider leadership issues. What would you do differently, given your experience and this analysis, to enhance the performance of the group and the satisfaction of its members?

(As a guide approximately two pages long relevant answer should be sufficient for question B1, B2, B3 and B4)

Question B1

How would you describe the work of strategic leaders? How do strategic leaders effectively manage their firm’s resource portfolio such that its core competencies are exploited, and the human capital and social capital are leveraged to achieve a competitive advantage? What must strategic leaders do to develop and sustain an effective organizational culture?

Question B2

Use the characteristics of mechanistic and organic organizational design options to describe two different organizations that you know about. Then relate the differences to technological and environmental aspects. For what type of organization you would prefer to work? Organic or mechanistic? Explain. Discuss why organizational design and communication flow are so closely related.

Question B3

In Kurt Lewin’s model of change, what brings about the proposed change? Explain why there has to be variations made, over a period of time, to the original model. Evaluate the ethical issues associated with downsizing an organization. How is appreciative inquiry a different approach to organizational change than a problem solving approach?

Question B4

Looking for something more

Lisa Lee is an office manager for Magic Print, a medium-sized printing business. She is 45, unmarried and lives by herself. She has been office manager for the last five years and earns about $54,000. She started in the binding section and has been with the company for 20 years. Lately, she has been feeling bored and that she really hasn’t done much with her life. She has asked you for a year’s leave of absence to go on an ‘around the world’ cruise. You are the CEO of the company.

How would you tackle this situation? Why? Which motivation theories best apply to this person and what would you actually do to motivate her? Explain.