Company research paper (9 pages)

In this project, individual students will conduct primary research to analyze how managers utilize key elements of organizational behavior concepts such as leadership, decision making, motivation, etc. in their organizations.

To accomplish this task, students will interview one manager from one of the three different levels in order to determine how the manager utilizes organizational behavior techniques in their organization. Interview should be from one of the following:

Top manager (conceptual with human skills)

Or

Middle level manager (conceptual, human and technical skills)

Or

Line manager (human and technical skills).

The managers do not need to be from a specific type of organization or industry.

When interviewing your managers, be sure to cover all relevant organizational behavior issues and get specific examples of how these managers implement OB in their organization. Relate your interview responses directly to organizational behavior topics.

Interview questions should be designed using the issues in the course and include (but NOT be limited to):

Personality

From your interview, what personality traits does this manager exhibit? What do you think this manager's Myers-Briggs personality assessment is? Why? What type of personality assessment do this manager's employees have?

Motivation

Which type of motivational theory does this manager use? Why? How? What motivates this manager? What motivates their employees?

Stress

What sources of stress does this manager have? How is it managed? What sources of stress do this manager's employees have? How does this manager handle their employee's stress?

Decision Making

What types of decisions does this manager usually make? What style of decision making is used? Why? Are employees involved in decision making?

Team Dynamics

What teams are in this organization? What are their characteristics, size and composition? What are the team's norms? Is the team cohesive? How does this manager deal with social loafing?

Team Building

How does the manager build trust in their teams? How does team building occur?

Communication

What type of communication commonly occurs in this organization? What is the most effective form? Why? What communication barriers commonly exist? What cross cultural and gender issues in communication exist?

Power

What sources of power are evident in this manager's organization? How does this manager influence their employees?

Conflict and Negotiation

What sources of conflict exist in this organization? How is conflict managed?

Leadership

What type of leadership style does this manager have? Is it effective? Why?

Each student is required to hand in the typed interview questions and answers per manager as well as contact information for each of the managers. Managers may be contacted to ensure that each student successfully completed the paper.

Length and Format:

Paper should be 8 - 10 pages long, double spaced, cover page, 1 inch margins and should clearly distinguish manager's name, title, level, organization and contact information. Write out the question and the manager's answer. Identify each Organizational Behavior concept and group questions according to each concept. Provide a short introduction of each manager's organization and industry.