TOPIC 1: ORIGINS OF MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
1. Explain what is meant by ‘management'. In your answer discuss how the definitions or ‘management' have changed over time.
2. Explain the differences between effectiveness and efficiency. Give examples to illustrate your answer. Discuss ways that managers at each of the four levels of management can contribute to efficiency and effectiveness.
3. In today's environment, which is more important to organisations-efficiency or effectiveness? Explain your choice.
4. Fayol, Mintzberg and Katz studied and wrote about management - though each in a different way. Discuss the focus of each contribution for the management of contemporary organisations.
5. Describe the key similarities and differences between the management theories developed by Fayol, Mintzberg and Katz.
TOPIC 2: MANAGING ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
1. Describe the three ‘attitude orientations' of organisational behaviour and give an example for each. In your answer discuss why it is helpful for managers to be aware of these orientations.
2. ‘Instead of worrying about job satisfaction, companies should be trying to create environments where performance is enabled.' Discuss the implications of this statement for managers.
3. Explain the challenges facing managers in managing generational differences and negative behaviour in the workplace.
4. Describe the two approaches of perception and the categories in each approach. Discuss why it is important for individuals to be aware of these approaches and the barriers to accurate perception that can occur.
TOPIC 3: GROUPS AND TEAMS
1. Explain the impact of work teams on productivity in countries such as the United States and Australia, whose national cultures place a high value on individualism.
2. Compare how early scientific management theorists and behavioural science theorists might react to the increased use of teams in contemporary organisations.
3. Discuss ways in which norms and conformity can affect group behaviour. Inyour answer provide an explanation of what is meant by ‘norms' and ‘conformity'.
4. Discuss the challenges that managers face with managing global teams. In your answer provide a solution for overcoming each challenge.
5. Discuss the impact of group size on group behaviour, group cohesiveness, and productivity.(pg250,251)
TOPIC 5: MANAGING CSR AND ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR
1. Taking a systems view of organisations, discuss the influence of systems, culture and values on corporate social responsibility (CSR).
2. Secchi developed three theories of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Describe the differences between the three theories and give an example for each.
3. Discuss how ‘corporate social responsibility' (CSR) evolved and the early influences on the multidisciplinary interconnections evident in contemporary corporations.
4. In terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR), discuss the levels of influence that managers actually have on an organisation's success or failure.
5. You are a manager developing a CSR (corporate social responsibility) statement for key stakeholders in your organisation. Describe with examples four components that the manager should consider when communicating to stakeholders.
TOPIC 6: MANAGERIAL LEADERSHIP
1. Explain with examples what would a manager might need to know when using Fiedler's contingency model.
2. ‘All managers should be leaders, but not all leaders should be managers.' Discuss this statement and support your argument with examples. in your answer explain the circumstances that might make organisational leaders irrelevant.
3. ‘It is the leaders in organisations who make things happen'. Critically discuss this statement explaining the implications for understanding behavioural leadership theories.
4. Draw on your knowledge of the conventional leader-celebratory approaches to leadership. Describe Adair's three circles model. In your answer explain the model's core management responsibilities.
5. Bass and Avolio developed a model of Transformational Leadership. Discuss the key features of the model including what is meant by the term ‘Transformational Leadership'.
TOPIC 7: MANAGING STRATEGICALLY
1. ‘The primary means of sustaining a competitive advantage is to adjust faster to the environment than your competitors do.' Critically discuss this statement explaining the implications for the organisation and the benefits of managers understanding the six-step strategic management process.
2. You have just been appointed as a strategic manager. In your planning you are considering undertaking either a macro analysis or an organisational analysis. Discuss the key features of both approaches and in what circumstances you would apply each analytical tool.
3. You have just been appointed as a strategic manager. In your planning you are considering undertaking either an industry/sector analysis or an organisational analysis. Discuss the key features of both approaches and in what circumstances you would apply each analytical tool.
4. Discuss two tools that could be applied by managers when facing a strategic dilemma. Explain which tool would be more useful in this context.
5. Discuss how understanding and managing ‘Communities of Practice' can contribute strategic value in organisations.
TOPIC 9: CREATIVITY, INNOVATION & DESIGN
1. Define each of the following types of innovation and give an appropriate example for each from the motorcar industry: Product/Service innovation; Marketing innovation; Technology innovation
2. Explain why it is necessary, and very important, to measure innovation within organisations. In your answer discuss what would be appropriate metrics for product and technology innovation.
3. Discuss what Peter Drucker meant when he said "Culture eats strategy for breakfast." In your answer describe two counter arguments in favour of strategy.
4. Discuss what the main purposes of innovation portfolio management are. In your answer explain how creativity and innovation differ. Provide examples to illustrate your answer.
5. Describe the circumstances in which an innovative culture can make an organisation both more effective and less effective. Provide examples to illustrate your answer.
TOPIC 11: FUTURE TRENDS
1. Describe three effects of globalisation on organisations.
2. Discuss five challenges that managers face in motivating today's workforce and ways in which these challenges can be overcome.
3. ‘The workforce has changed in recent years.' Discuss four changes that have occurred since the year 2005, and their implications for managers.
4. Many job design experts who have studied the changing nature of work say that people do their best work when they're motivated by a sense of purpose rather than by the pursuit of money. Discuss what the implications of this statement are for managers.