...ESSAY MANAGEMENT QUESTION 4 Introduction 200 Main body 1100 Paragraph 1 (366 words) Motivation has usually been defined as a force that encourages certain behaviours, gives direction to certain behaviours and provides ongoing persistence to attain the set goals (Linder, 1998; Islam & Ismail, 2008). Based on this definition, motivation consists of several factors: individuals must be encouraged, they must have a clear aim and they are willing to commit to achieve the objectives. The application of employee motivation in a workplace has been well established by management. However, what forces can influence motivation and how they can be employed to be utilised to encourage certain behaviours in the workplace are not so well understood by many corporations. Hence, it is necessary to analyse some common forces which can be used to influence motivation. According to Fishbach et al. (2010), various forces can lead to different consequences. Positive forces can reinforce certain behaviours as those behaviours usually receive a rewarded consequence. On the contrary, negative forces can also develop certain behaviours which can bring a punishable consequence to prevent these behaviours from reoccurring. So in a workplace, positive forces such as verbal encouragement from management to employees’ performance as well as promotion will increase employees’ goal commitment, whereas negative forces for instance, demotion of employees’ job status and reduction on employees’ remuneration...
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...Daniel York May 5 2012 Business Management Management Exam 4 1. Why do you think that today’s manager’s would want to use the “Balanced Scorecard” method to measure and control organizational performance? Manager’s use the Balanced Scorecard method to measure and control organizational performance because it gives you 4 areas of your performance instead of just looking at the financial numbers of the organization. Just because financially your company is succeeding it does not mean improvements can not be made. If customer service is low, employee are trained improperly or processes are out of date this could cost you present and future business. Addressing these now can lead to increase profit margins from increased business and cut costs by eliminating the seven deadly wastes. 2. What is the “grapevine”? Should it be eliminated from a company? Why or Why not? The Grapevine is an internal communication source based of rumors and gossip in a given organization. “80% of the topics are business related, and 70%-90% of the details are typically accurate.”(Daft 13) You should not try to eliminate it the grapevine because it will always exist, so merely ignoring it or pretending like it is not there will not be beneficial. Keeping your employees well informed of what is going on with the company will eliminate possible hazards from misinformation that comes from the grapevine. You can also use the Grapevine as an information source to find out concerns your...
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...Question 1 Describe the evolution of ‘Personnel Management’ into ‘Human Resource Management’. How does the transformation help organisations achieve their strategic objectives? * Briefly explain the meaning of HRM – 2.5 marks * Briefly explain the meaning of Personal Management – 2.5 marks * Identify and describe 4 factors contributed to the transformation of PM into HRM 2.5 marks x 4 factors– 8 marks * How does HRM help organisation achieve strategic objectives of organisations – 3 marks X 4 points - 12 marks (The answers should reflect originality and not extracts from the text book. If the student has reproduced what is in the text book full marks should not be awarded for theoretical areas. They must reflect critical thinking and practical application of theory) Human Resource Management (HRM) could be defined as the process of managing human talent to achieve an organization’s objectives. HRM has to help blend many aspects of management in order to overcome “competitive challenges” and address “employee concerns”. By balancing these competing demands HRM plays an important role in getting the most from employees and providing a work environment that meets their short-term and long-term needs. Traditionally the term Personnel Management (PM) was used to refer to the set of activities concerning the workforce which included staffing, payroll, contractual obligations and other administrative tasks. In this respect, personnel management encompasses...
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...Robel Teffera MG 210 Chp.13 Discussion Questions 1. Describe the different types of groups and the five stages of group development. A group is two or more interacting and interdependent individuals who come together to achieve specific goals. Formal groups are work groups that are defined by the organization’s structure and have designated work assignments and specific tasks directed at accomplishing organizational goals. Informal groups are social groups. The forming stage consists of two phases: joining the group and defining the group’s purpose, structure, and leadership. The storming stage is one of intragroup conflict over who will control the group and what the group will be doing. The norming stage is when close relationships and cohesiveness develop as norms are determined. The performing stage is when group members began to work on the group’s task. The adjourning stage is when the group prepares to disband. 2. Explain how external conditions and group member resources affect group performance and satisfaction. External conditions, such as availability of resources, organizational goals, and other factors, affect work groups. Group member resources (knowledge, skills, abilities, personality traits) can influence what members can do and how effectively they will perform in a group. 3. Discuss how group structure, group processes, and group tasks influence group performance and satisfaction. Group roles generally involve getting the work done or keeping...
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...Module 1 Questions 1. Define the terms project, project objective and give some examples. Project; it is a temporary activity that takes place to generate a unique product, a service or a result. This activity has a definite beginning and end. Project objective; these are the objectives pursuit through the project. One will have and expected output that needs to be developed in a certain level of time and with specific resource. 2. What role does a customer have during the project life cycle? Why is it important to satisfy the customer? One of the primary stakeholders in the project are customers. Usually, depending on the scope of the project, a product or service oriented towards the customer will be developed. During the project life cycle there will be research, as well as testing phases, in which certain criteria’s will need to be met in order to satisfy the customers’ needs and have a successful project. 3. Define scope, schedule, cost, and customer satisfaction. Why are these considered to be constraints? Scope is part of the project planning. Scope help to determine and analysis the project goals, deliverables, tasks costs and deadlines. During project planning, list milestones, activates and deliverables all those are the job that belong to schedule. Cost will be keep the budget as planed before. Customer satisfaction, do the full analysis of the customer satisfaction with what they like, what they want. To understand the customers. They reason why these...
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...MGMT E 2720 Mergers and Acquisitions Supplemental Case Questions 1. The New York Times a. Why is there so much family control in the newspaper business? b. How did the Sulzberger family manage to retain control on the NYT after it went public? c. How does the NYT dual class structure differ from the one used by Dow Jones, prior to its takeover by Rupert Murdoch? d. What explains the behavior of the NYT institutional shareholders – not just Morgan Stanley but also Private Capital Management, T Rowe Price and Vanguard? e. How should Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. respond to Morgan Stanley’s proposal? 2. Valuing AOL Merger a. The Merger was completed on January 11, 2001. Was it a good idea? Did AOL stockholders receive value? Did Time Warner shareholders receive value? b. Do you believe the new company will succeed? If so, how will value be created short and long term? c. What could go wrong with this “mega merger”? What are the most significant threats on the horizon for AOL Time Warner? d. Do you believe the company will achieve its aggressive goals for 2001? e. Any advice for AOL Time Warner execs in summer of 2001? 3. Upjohn Case a. Evaluate the strategic reasoning behind the merger. Will the merger effectively address the strategic alliances faced by Upjohn? b. How do you interpret the stock market reaction to the announced deal? What is the magnitude of performance improvement the...
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...organization’s Crisis Management team at both a small company and a large organization and explain their individual roles on the team. The following individuals should be part of the Crisis Management team: Chief Executive Officer: he or she should be part of the team specially in smaller organizations. The CEO could be the team lead of the CMT. As a team Lead, he or she should assemble and lead the CMT, call CMT meetings, assign and delegate tasks, and take strategic decisions in order to manage the crisis successfully and mitigate its impact on the organization. Also, he or she should be responsible for activating the CMT, declaring that a crisis is over, and conducting evaluations after a crisis is over. Human Resources Representative: he or she should serve as a liaison with employees, especially in larger organizations. Also, he or she should arrange for assistance to crisis victims and provide necessary and up to date information regarding employees and represent their interests during a crisis. Financial Representative: he or she should provide necessary financial information, especially in larger organizations. This person should also be responsible for expenditure of the organization’s funds, secure funds for relief operations, and maintain adequate insurance coverage. Head of Operations: he or she should provide logistical support to the CMT. Manage operations during a crisis. Ensure that necessary supplies are available. Distribute the Crisis Management Plan to CMT...
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...Student Assignment Covering Form |Course/Unit Information | |Course |Pearson (Edexcel) BTEC Level 7 – Diploma / Extended Diploma in Strategic Management & | | |Leadership | |Unit No. |Unit 14 | |Unit Name |Strategic Supply Chain Management and Logistics | |Unit code |D/602/2357 | |Batch |I 1501 – SSCML - Sredharran | |Instructor Information | |Name |Sredharran Sampath | |Phone |0529059903 | |Skype | ...
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...ETM 502 – Project Management in Engineering and Technology – Assignment 1 REVIEW QUESTIONS P18, RQ1 - Define a project. What are five characteristics that help differentiate projects from other functions carried out in the daily operations of the organization? As PMI have defined, a project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. The characteristics of a project help differentiate it from other endeavors of the organization. The major characteristics of a project are as follows: 1. An established objective. 2. A defined life span with a beginning and an end. 3. Usually, the involvement of several departments and professionals. 4. Typically, doing something that has never been done before. 5. Specific time, cost, and performance requirements. P18, RQ3 - Why is the implementation of projects important to strategic planning and the project manager? Today, projects are the modus operandi for implementing strategy, meaning that strategy plans of a company is delivered through the products of project results. Since projects are the modus operandi, strategic alignment of projects is of major importance to conserving and effective use of organization resources. Selection criteria need to ensure each project is prioritized and contributes to strategic goals . Anything less is a waste of scarce organizational resources—people, capital, and equipment . Projects and project management play the key role in supporting strategic...
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...Chapter 5 – Summary Review Questions 1. Explain why the concept of competitive advantage is central to the study of strategic management The concept of competitive advantage is central to the study of strategic management, since a company (or an organization) must follow an aligned strategy to outperform their rivals in the industry. Michael Porter introduces three generic strategies that a firm may apply in order to do so. (Overall cost leadership, Differentiation and Focus). In order to create and sustain competitive advantage, companies such as KFC (case in beginning of CH5) should analyze the value chains of their customers and suppliers to see where they can add value. Furthermore studies have shown that businesses combining multiple forms of competitive advantage outperform those that used only a single form. “Stuck in the middle” firms are those who do not apply any of the forms. These are the ones that perform the worst. 2. Briefly describe the three generic strategies – overall cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. Overall cost Leadership: “Generic strategy based on appeal to the industry wide market using competitive advantage based on low cost.” Requires a tight set of interrelated tactics that include: * Aggressive construction of efficient scale facilities. * Vigorous pursuit of cost reductions from experience * Tight cost and overhead control * Avoidance of marginal customer accounts * Cost minimization...
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...MICROECONOMICS FALL2014 PRACTICE TEST QUESTIONS (Set 01.01) 1. What do economists mean when they say that the economy faces scarcity? A. There are fewer resources available than there were in the 1960s. B. It is quite evident that the world is running out of resources. C. The economy is producing far below its capacity to produce. D. The resources available are not sufficient to produce all that everyone wants. 2. Which of the following terms describes the next best alternative that must be sacrificed as a result of making a particular choice? A. Microeconomics. B. Macroeconomics. C. Scarcity. D. Opportunity costs. E. The law of increasing costs. 3. (p. 12-13) All of the following except one are considered to be among the three fundamental questions in economics? Which one is the exception? A. What to produce? B. How much competition? C. How to produce? D. For whom? 4. (p. 7) All of the following except one are factors of production. Which is the exception? A. Land. B. Labour. C. Capital. D. Money. E. Enterprise. 5. (p. 8) What are the payments made to the owners of land, labour, capital and enterprise respectively? A. Rent, wages, dividends and profits. B. Rent, wages, dividends and interest. C. Rent, profits, wages and interest. D. Rent, wages, interest and profits. E. Rent, wages, profits and interest 6. (p. 7) All of the following except one are microeconomic statements. Which is the exception? A. The price of wheat declined...
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...Chapter 1 Discussion Questions 1.) Many people and organizations today have a new or renewed interest in project management. In the past, project management primarily focused on providing schedule and resource data to top management in just a few industries, such as the military and construction industries. Today’s project management involves much more, and people in every industry and every country manage projects. New technologies have become a significant factor in many businesses, and the use of interdisciplinary and global work teams has radically changed the work environment. 2.) A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. a. The attributes of a project are unique purpose, temporary, developed using progressive elaboration or in an iterative fashion, requires resources, often from various areas, should have a primary customer or sponsor, involves uncertainty. b. A project is different from what most people do day to day in that a project has a beginning and an end. c. The triple constraints are scope, time and cost. d. Other factors might include quality, risk and resources. 3.) Project management is “the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements. a. Framework is to help you understand project management. Key elements of this framework include the project stakeholders, project management process groups, knowledge...
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...Reirene C. Bonto 13-0039 BA 190 Final Exam ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS: 1.) There are four strategic lenses which could aid managers in approaching strategic problems faced by the organization. These strategic lenses are strategy as a design, strategy as experience, strategy as ideas, and strategy as discourse. In viewing strategy as a design, it sees strategy as a logical process which weighs the pros and cons of the decisions to be made. Strategic design takes into account the capabilities and restraints of the company and analyzes it to come up with the best decision. One organization whose strategy lens is design is Apple. Apple, as a highly-innovative company, needs to weight and analyze the current standing of the company and the current market conditions before making decisions on their products. Another strategy lens is strategy as experience. In this view, strategic decisions are based on past strategy outcomes. Since the approach relies on past experiences, there is little to change in the way to manage the organization. Ready-made solutions are implemented to solve problems. Innovation only occurs if the problem the organization is facing was not included in the past. One common example of this lens are restaurants. In restaurants, managers were trained to follow a certain protocol when addressing customer complaints. These protocols were based on past experiences by the previous managers of the restaurant. 2.) The culture of organization consists...
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...1. Name and describe the basic management functions. a. Planning: deciding what objectives to pursue during a future period and what to do to achieve those objectives. b. Organizing: grouping activities, assigning activities, and providing the authority necessary to carry out the activities. c. Staffing: determining human resource needs and recruiting, selecting, training, and developing human resources. d. Leading: directing and channeling human behavior toward the accomplishment of objectives. e. Controlling: measuring performance against objectives, determining causes of deviations, and taking corrective action where necessary. 2. What is scientific management? Discuss the four main principles of scientific management. a. Scientific management is a philosophy about the use of human effort. It seeks to maximize output with minimum effort through the elimination of waste and inefficiency at the operative level. Frederick Taylor was the major figure responsible for popularizing this philosophy through his writings and consulting. The four main principles are: 1.The development of a scientific method of designing jobs to replace the old rule-of-thumb methods. This involved gathering, classifying, and tabulating data to arrive at the “one best way” to perform a task or a series of tasks. 2.The scientific selection and progressive teaching and development of employees. Taylor saw the value of matching the job to the worker. He also emphasized...
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...Page 18 1. Why study operations management? The study of operations management allows management to understand the design, managing, controlling, and improvement of business activities that provide details to the overall performance of products and services that are produced. Operations management is one of the three primary functions of a business. The other primary functions, noted by the text, are marketing and finance. 2. What is the difference between the terms “production management” and “operations management”? The production management has a focus on the physical goods produced. For example, a manager over production would be concerned if orders were not meeting customer’s quotas. Operations management has a focus on how goods and services are produced and delivered to customers. Operation managers will be concerned of adding customer value while decreasing waste or increasing costs. 3. What is the difference between operations management and supply chain management? Operations management is primary focused on the inputs and processes required to produce a service or product for a customer. On the other hand, managers over supply chains are tasked with the responsibility of getting the goods or materials to the place of production. A high emphasis on the supply chain managers is getting those raw materials to the operation at the precise time that the materials will be converted by the operation. If the delivery timing is off, an operation...
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