OB Assignment Brief - SEP 2015

Nelson College London

1 Assignment brief- Personal and Professional Development

Assignment Brief

Unit Details:

Unit Code: (H/601/0551) (Unit 3)

Unit Name: Organisations and Behaviour

Programme Name: BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business

Awarding body: Pearson

Unit Level (QCF): QCF-5

Academic term: September 2015

Assignment Brief

Distribution date: W/C 21/09/2015

Submission deadline: 10/12/2015

Result and feedback date: 4 weeks from the deadline


COURSE DETAILS

COURSE NAME BTEC Higher Diploma in Business Management (L5)

UNIT NUMBER 3

UNIT NAME Organisations and Behaviour

CREDIT VALUE 15

LECTURERS Alfred Mbeteh

HAND OUT DATE W/C 21/09/2015

SUBMISSION DATE 10/12/2015

INTRODUCTION

Organisations behaviour (often abbreviated as OB) is a field of study that investigates how

individuals, groups, and structure affect and is affected by behaviour within organisations.

Behaviour refers to what people do in the organisation, how they perform, and what their attitudes

are. Organisations behaviour is frequently applied to address workplace issues such as absenteeism,

turnover, productivity, motivation, working in groups, and job satisfaction. Managers often apply

the knowledge gained from OB research to help them manage their organisations more effectively.

Case Study on Royal Dutch Shell

In March 1995 the multinational Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Royal Dutch Shell, announced its intention

to radically change its long-admired matrix organisation. For historical reasons, Shell had developed

a structure based on geographically defined operating companies. These operating companies had

executives representing national or regional units, business sectors (or divisions) and functions such

as finance. Within this three-dimensional matrix, powerful individuals were able to influence the

organisation’s policies at regional level and a considerable bureaucracy was required to ‘police’ the

matrix and to co-ordinate decisions between the different elements of the structure.

Faced with growing global competition and shareholder pressure for improved performance, Shell

decided to restructure the organisation by attacking problems of overstaffing and bureaucracy and by

eliminating many of the regional fiefdoms through which the company had come to run its

worldwide empire. Its plan involved shaping the group around five business organisations covering

its main activities (e.g. exploration and production, refining and marketing, etc.), with each operating

company reporting to and receiving its strategic targets from whichever of the five organisations 2 Assignment brief- Personal and Professional Development

Nelson College Londonwere relevant to its activities. A new system of business committees was given responsibility for

strategic and investment decisions within the different organisations, although executive authority

rested with the operating companies. Through this arrangement Shell hoped to retain the sensitivity

to local market needs that had traditionally been part of its organisational creed.

In a further effort to improve the company’s performance, Shell indicated that more restructuring

needed to take place. Part of its blueprint for reshaping itself for the twenty-first century included

additional streamlining of its management structure, away from committee – based decision making

and towards a system based on American –style chief executives.

Subsequently in October 2004 the company announced the merger of its two elements – Royal Dutch

and Shell Transport and Trading – into a single company, to be known as Royal Dutch Shell plc. The

new entity comprises an Executive Board, a Supervisory Board, a Board of Management and a Board

of Directors for Shell Transport. Members of the Executive Committee are also members of the latter

two boards.

Sources: Based on information contained in BTEC (2011), BTEC Level 4 HNC and Level 5 HND in

Business, The mini case on Royal Dutch Shell, pp.375-376, Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd

(Students can either use the case study above, or do an independent research and analysis of any organisation of their choice to provide answers to all the assessment criteria below).

REQUIRED

To achieve a pass in this unit you must successfully address the following tasks (P1-

P12)

Task

NoTasks AC

PART 1

Write short essay on P1 to P9 using the case study or any other

organisation of your choice.

1

Compare and contrast different organisational structures and cultures.

For comparison purpose, you may use the above scenario and compare

it with an organisation of your choice.

P1

2 In your own view explain how the relationship between structure and P2


Nelson College Londonculture impact on the performance of a business. You may use examples

from the case scenario or any other organisation of your choice

3 Discuss the factors which influence individual behaviour at work. P3

4

Compare the effectiveness of leadership styles between two (2)

organisations of your choice. You may use the above scenario and

compare with any other organisation

P4

5

Choose two (2) organisational theories (e.g. scientific management and

human relations theory) and explain their influence upon the practice of

management.

P5

6Evaluate the different approaches to management used in different

organisations you are familiar with.P6

7

Discuss the impact that different leadership styles may have on

motivation within period of change. P7

8

Compare the application of two motivational theories (e.g. Maslow’s &

Herzberg theories) using an organisation of your choice. P8

9 Evaluate the usefulness of a motivation theory for managers P9

PART 2

As the supervisor in Shell or an organisation of your choice, you are

expected to do a MS Power Point presentation to your junior staff on the

topics below: (P10 –P12).

10Explain the nature of groups and group behaviour within organisations

P10

11

Discuss factors that may promote or inhibit the development of effective

teamwork in organisation using Shell or any other organisation of your

choice.P11

12Evaluate the impact of technology on team functioning within

organisations.P12



Evidence checklist Summary of evidence required by student Evidence

presented

Task 1 Essay on Understand the relationship between organisational structure and culture

Task 2Essay on Understand different approaches to management andLeadership businesses operate

Task 3 Essay on Understand ways of using motivational theories inorganisations

Task 4 MS power Point on mechanisms for developing effective teamwork in organisations



Grade Descriptor Indicative characteristic/s Contextualisation

M1 Identify and apply strategies to find

appropriate solutionsEffective judgements have been made.

An effective approach to study and research has been

applied.

To achieve M1, you will make effective judgement in your discussion

on the factors which influence individual behaviour at work. (P3)

M2 Select / design and apply appropriate

methods / techniques Appropriate learning methods/techniques have been

applied.

To achieve M2, you will apply appropriate methods/techniques in

discussing the impact that different leadership styles may have on

motivation within period of change. (P7)

M3 Present and communicate

appropriate findings

Communication is appropriate for familiar and

unfamiliar audiences and appropriate media have

been used.

To achieve M3, you will appropriately presents and communicate

your answer in MS Power Point for P10 –P12.

D1 Use critical reflection to evaluate own

work and justify valid conclusions

Conclusions have been arrived at through synthesis

of ideas and have been justified.

Realistic improvements have been proposed against

defined characteristics for success.

To achieve D1 you will have to use critical reflection to evaluate the

different approaches to management used in different organisations

you are familiar with. (P6)

D2 Take responsibility for managing and

organising activities

Activities have been managed. New ideas have been

generated

Good referencing and arrangement (Harvard style)

To achieve D2 you will have demonstrated an effective approach to

independent research as evidenced from the citations and reference

list and study and will have met the deadline to submit the tasks and

achieve the unit assessment criteria. (P1-P12)

D3 Demonstrate convergent /lateral /

creative thinkingEffective thinking has taken place in unfamiliar

contexts.

To achieve D3, you will have to show creative thinking in comparing the application of different motivational theories within the work place. (P 9)


Nelson College LondonCritical reflection

Write approximately 200 – 300 words stating how you think you performed in the assignment.

Ask yourself if you think your research was good, did you allow enough time.

Try to be critical and also state what improvements you could make on your next assignment.

You can also talk about time management.

Submission Instructions:

This assignment must be completed by all the candidates undertaking Edexcel HNC/HND

Diploma in Business.

Reasonable consideration will be given in the case of failure to submit the assignments on time

due to any medical reasons. ( Provided the sufficient medical proof is made available at the time

of exemption)

Late submissions are not allowed and will be penalised.

There is no word limit for this assignment; however, we would expect to you complete the

assignment within approximately 3000 words excluding references.

Referencing should be provided in Harvard Style referencing.

The assignments should be completed in Font Type: Time New Roman/Arial with Size 12 and

1.5 spacing between lines.

Appendix A: Plagiarism and Collusion

Any act of plagiarism and collusion will be seriously dealt with according to the regulations. In this

context the definition and scope of plagiarism are presented below:

“Using the work of others without acknowledging source of information or inspiration. Even if the

words are changed or sentences are put in different order, the result is still plagiarism”. (Cortell

2003)

Collusion describes as the submission of work produced in collaboration for an assignment based

on the assessment of individual work. When one person shares his/her work with others who submit

part or all of it as their own work.

7 Assignment brief- Operations Management in Business

Nelson College LondonAppendix B: Harvard Referencing System

Any information that is not yours needs to be referenced or else turns to be plagiarism. Copying

from someone’s work can be unintentionally if you are unaware of the rules of acknowledging and

referencing direct quotations.

The Harvard systems of citation require you to acknowledge certain information which is mainly

the surname and year of publication within the text.

For example

According to Bell (1999), as you write up your research you will use a citation to indicate in your

text the source of piece of information,.

The authors and publication information cited within the main body of your work must be listed in

the reference list. For example:

Bell, J. (1999) ‘Doing your research Project’. (3rd Ed) Buckingham: Open University Press

Detailed guidance on the Harvard Referencing System (HRS) is available on the Virtual Tutor

(VT).


Nelson College LondonAppendix C: Learning Outcome for Managing Financial Resources and Decision

Learning

Outcome

Learning

Outcome

Assessment

Criteria

In this assessment you will have the

opportunity to present evidence that

shows you are able to:

Part

no. Evidence

LO1

Understand the

relationship

between

organisational

structure and

culture

1.1 Compare and contrast different

organizational structures and culture1

1.2 Explain how the relationship between an

organisation’s structure and culture can

impact on the performance of the business

1

1.3 Discuss the factors which influence

individual behaviour at work1

LO2

Understand

different

approaches to

management

and leadership

2.1 Compare the effectiveness of different

leadership styles in different organisations

1

2.2 Explain how organisational theory underpins

the practice of management

1

2.3 Evaluate the different approaches to

management used by different organisations

1

LO3

Understand

ways of using

motivational

theories in

organisations

3.1 Discuss the impact that different leadership

styles may have on motivation in

organisations in periods of change

1

3.2 Compare the application of different

motivational theories within the workplace

1

3.3 Evaluate the usefulness of a motivation

theory for managers

1

LO4

Understand

mechanisms

for developing

effective

teamwork in

organisations

4.1 Explain the nature of groups and group

behaviour within organisations2

4.2 Discuss factors that may promote or inhibit

the development of effective teamwork in

organisations

2

4.3 Evaluate the impact of technology on team

functioning within a given organisation.2


OB Assignment Brief - SEP 2015

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