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Fayol and Mintzberg

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Newcastle University Business School
BUS1001 Introduction to Management & Organisations

Essay for Semester 1, 2014/15

This essay counts as 20% of the overall assessment of this module.

Write an essay of approximately 2000 words on the following:

Critically discuss the extent to which Fayol’s classic analysis of the management function has largely been made redundant by the more recent empirical studies of what managers actually do, such as that favoured by Mintzberg.

When writing your essay, you may wish to consider the following:

* The different perspectives on management taken by Fayol and Mintzberg; * The different approaches to the study of management taken by Fayol and Mintzberg; * Your essay should be analytical and discursive, not simply a description and comparison of Fayol’s and Mintzberg’s work; * Be wary of internet sources – anyone can put anything on the internet so it doesn’t mean it is right; such sources, especially student essays, often have serious flaws!

Essays should be word-processed, draw upon established literature on the subject area, and be referenced appropriately

One copy should be posted in the assignment boxes on the 2nd Floor of the Armstrong Building by 4pm on Monday 17th November.

Please note that assessed work is not returned and feedback is provided via the Module Feedback Sheet. You are therefore advised to keep a copy of the assignment for your own use. Marks and feedback on your essay will be provided at the start of the second term in January.

Essays will be assessed on the following basis:

* The argument you make and its coherence and validity; * The appreciation you demonstrate of your understanding of different views and perspectives and the strengths and limitations of their arguments; * The material presented to support your argument and evidence of understanding this material; *

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