Description:

This assessment item is a formative task designed to introduce you to, and enhance, your understanding of a chosen topic in some depth, while developing your skills in information literacy, research ability, focused inquiry and critical thinking. You are required to examine, and comment on, the body of knowledge surrounding three areas you have examined in weeks 6 through 10 of your tutorials and lectures:

Information is critical to decision making. Identify three industrial cases where impure or inadequate information led to disaster. In the light of these cases discuss in detail the relationship for managers between organisation, information, decision making, command and control. Your paper should reference at least two (2) key theorists considered in this subject and four (4) key academic papers in this area.

OR

Organisation, predictability and trust are critical elements of the management subordinate relationship. Define organisation, predictability and trust. Explain the relationship between consistent and fair managerial practices and worker trust. Explain the relationship between managerial practices, worker trust and motivation. Your paper should reference at least two (2) key theorists considered in this subject and four (4) key academic papers in this area.

The review of the body of knowledge involves choosing one of the topics from the above and selecting at least eight refereed academic journal articles relevant to the chosen topic. This can be achieved through undertaking research that is relevant to the topic via searching electronic databases through the La Trobe University Library website:

- Students must draw only on academic sources (research books and scholarly journal articles) to inform their review.

- Students must identify key academic studies relevant to the chosen topic and summarise the key findings in the literature to illuminate the question.

- Note: not all studies will produce similar findings. So, you must identify and summarise the main threads in the literature by grouping studies together that have similar findings. This will demonstrate your ability to analyse and synthesise large amounts of complex information. Students must explain their findings and establish consistent definitions for key terms, as different researchers may use different terminology. You should clearly outline the reasons for your definitions in your literature review.