Reference no: EM133916133

Management and Organisations in a Global Environment

Specifications

This assignment aims to ensure that students have familiarised themselves with a general framework of at least one management-related topic. Students will be required to apply relevant theoretical concepts that they have been taught in this unit in a written research paper using practical examples in most cases.

Please choose one of the following topics from the list (see below).

Research on the broad topic is a group activity, and each student must contribute to that work. Each student in the group will then research an individual component drawn from the broad research topic in depth. There are two parts to the group assignment:

Appendix Writing
Research Report Writing

You should form a group of 4 students. Please use the self-enrolment tool in BB. The group size should be four only. Every member must make a significant, valid academic contribution to the team result.

What should be included in the Appendix?

All the group member details: full name, student ID numbers, contact phone numbers
The chosen topic for your group assignment
Allocation of the tasks for each member of the group. You may utilise this format for the above:

Include a Gantt chart showing the working plan towards completing the group assignment. This chart must have every allocated task, deadlines and dates clearly stated.

All the correspondence towards working on the group assignments must be submitted as part of this assessment. This would include but is not limited to emails, WhatsApp messages, USB file exchanges, group discussions, text messages, etc.
Provide the details of a minimum of five group meetings held. Each meeting must be documented in the following format.

Our group expectations are:
We experienced the following challenges during this assignment:
At the completion of the assignment, we have the following insights:

Group Tool Description
File Exchange Group members and instructors can share files in this area. All members can add and delete files, regardless of who added them.
Group Blog In the group area, all members of a group can create entries for
The same blog and build on each entry. All course members can read and comment on a group blog, but they can't make posts unless they are members of the group. Instructors can choose to grade group blogs. All group members receive the same grade.
Group Journal In the group area, all members of a group can view each other's entries. Only group members and instructors can view a group journal. Instructors can choose to grade group journals. All group
members receive the same grade.
Send Email Group members can email individual members or the entire group.

You can't create folders in file exchange. With your group, decide how you want to name files so they are easier to locate in a long list.

Add a file to the file exchange. Group Tools > File Exchange > Add File

Add a name for the file you want to upload. Browse for the file and submit.

You can also delete any file if you wish. On the File Exchange page, select Delete in the file's menu. But it would be good to keep all the files for any future reference.

Group Blog
All the group members can discuss the assignment by using the Group Blog. Once you are allocated to a group, you can see this function.

Group Research Report Guidelines and Specifications

The written group research paper report - worth 40% of your final grade- must be submitted on Thursday of Week 9 before 11:59 pm. The written report should begin with the broad research topic, followed by each component identified by the student who prepared it. (2500
± 10% words)

Your report is to be written as a business report. It must include:
Executive summary
Table of contents
Section headings
Paragraphing
Page numbers
In-text referencing, including page and paragraph
'Who did what' section (use the below table as a template)
The reference list at the end of the report, including urls
Assessment Requirements
In today's global business environment, understanding human behaviour in organisations across different cultural, structural, and contextual settings is essential for effective management. In this group assessment, students will explore key theoretical models in organisational behaviour and apply them to real-world cases of organisations operating in a global context.
The aim is to analyse how these theories help us understand human behaviour in organisational settings and to critically evaluate their relevance and limitations when applied across diverse cultural and structural environments. Each group will select one of the three core topics introduced during the course and apply it to an organisation of their choice.

Each group will:
Choose one topic from the three options below.
Select a relevant case study organisation that illustrates key aspects of the chosen theory.
Draw on lecture content, readings, and external research to inform your analysis.
Divide the report into individual components aligned with theoretical subtopics. Get top-rated assignment help now.
Conclude with a group-based critical reflection linking theory to practical implications for global organisations.
Complete the Appendix

List of Topics (Choose one topic per group):
Please choose one of the following topics from the list below.

Topic one: Individual Characteristics and Cultural Differences

Lecture Focus: Week 3
Theoretical Lens: Chris Argyris' Basic Incongruity Theory

Apply Argyris' theory to analyse a real-world organisational case where a fundamental mismatch exists between individual needs and organisational demands. Your analysis should show how this mismatch leads to dysfunction or reduced effectiveness in the workplace. Consider the theory's key dimensions such as maturity, autonomy, communication, and role clarity.
Case Study Requirement: Select an organisation where there are visible tensions between individual motivation and the structure or culture of the organisation.

Individual components
Each student focuses on a specific key concept or element of Argyris' Basic Incongruity Theory applied
to the case.
Immaturity vs. Maturity- Explore how employee behaviour is shaped by the organisation's treatment of maturity (independence, responsibility, self-control) and how this impacts motivation and engagement.
Autonomy vs. Control - Analyse how organisational structures either support or limit autonomy and how this affects employee initiative and accountability.
Communication and Participation - Assess communication patterns, inclusion in decision-making, and transparency, particularly in relation to organisational hierarchy and control.
Role Conflict and Ambiguity - Investigate areas of role confusion, overlapping responsibilities, or unclear expectations, and their psychological and practical impacts on individuals.

Group Component - Critical Reflection
Critically reflects on the application of Argyris' Basic Incongruity Theory to your selected case.
Discusses its usefulness and limitations.
Compares briefly with another organizational behaviour theory
Considers implications for managing contemporary organizations in global environments.

TOPIC 2 Motivation: Process Theories

Theoretical Lens: Vroom's Expectancy Theory

Apply Expectancy Theory to a real-world organisation to understand how motivation is shaped by employees' expectations, the perceived value of outcomes, and the link between performance and rewards.
Case Study Requirement: Choose an organisation where employee motivation was a known challenge or success, and where policy or design influenced performance outcomes.

Individual Components
Each student selects one of the following components:
Expectancy -Analyse whether employees believe that effort leads to performance. Consider training, confidence, resources, and support systems
Instrumentality -Evaluate whether employees perceive that performance leads to rewards. Look at the clarity, fairness, and consistency of performance-reward systems.
Valence -Explore what rewards are offered and how desirable they are to employees. Examine the balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, including cultural dimensions.
Organisational Context & Application -Provide an overview of the organisation's structure and culture. Analyse how leadership, HR policy, and reward systems influence the interaction between expectancy, instrumentality, and valence.

Group Component - Critical Reflection
Discuss the applicability and limits of Expectancy Theory.
Reflect on how motivation varies across cultural or role-based differences in the workplace.
Compare with other motivational theories.
Suggest practical recommendations for improving motivation systems in global environments improvements for management based on the theory.

Topic 3: Groups and Teams

Theoretical Lens: Tuckman's Model of Group Development

Apply Tuckman's model (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing) to analyse the development and

performance of Amazon logistics teams during the COVID-19 pandemic. Use real-world data and supporting theory to explore how the teams evolved during this critical period.

Case Study Requirement: Use Amazon's logistics operation as the case study. Supplement with internal reports, media sources, or academic literature on team functioning during the crisis.