B121Managing In The WorkplaceDay School 1

Tutor: Phillippa Seaward

Learning Objectives

• To learn from fellow students and tutor face to face

• To understand how the components of B121 fit together

• Introduce the course file and learning resources• Tackle some of the course ‘activities’.• Practical advice for the next few weeks..

What’s this B121 course about?• reflecting on the theoretical underpinning of what’s

happening where you work• Remember your workplace is your ‘case study’ in this

module!• Developing your thinking skills in analysing what you

find at work, in relation to management theory• To evaluate what you realise about all of this, and what

this means

What resources do we have?• Books & study skills brochures• Assessment process• Online resources eg e-TMA system, e-books, library• Tutorials• Tutor group forum. How do you want to use this?• Tutor• Yourself and your workplace experience

Introductions

Introduce the Person next to you• Their name• Why they are taking B121• Why this course might be relevant to their job?• What do they want to get out of it?• What they want to avoid!

• 10 minutes

Group Activity• Using the learning cycle, discuss your experience of a

course you have done prior to this:

• What went well? … and how do you know?• What went less well? … and how do you know?• What do you need to change?• So what will you try to do now as a result?• Be prepared to feedback some of this to the class• 20 minutes

Break

Developing an Organisational Vision

• Six ‘f’ test• Fantastic – attention grabbing? Stretching everyone?• Feasible – can it be done?• Focused – is it specific enough, or too general?• Flexible – is there room for manoeuvre in a changing

environment?• Faxable – succinct?• Fun – positive and playful? Or dull?

Group Activity• Review the mission statements in the handout and

organise them according to the ‘6F’ checklist• So what do you know think makes a ‘good’ mission

statement?• How does this compare with the mission statement

where you work?

Chapter 10 – Strategy concepts/ theories/ models p198• Bronfenbrenner 1979 - Systems Perspective• Six f ‘test’ of organisational vision• The external environment – STEEP/ PEST / PESTLE• Porters Five Forces (1980)• The Value Chain (Porter, 1980)• SWOT analysis• Approaches to strategy• Porters generic choices (1985)• Ansoff Matrix (1988)• New Product Development (Scheung & Johnson 1989)

.. More..• Organisation structures• Organisational culture• Force field analysis of change (Lewin 1951)• Six step model of change • Meeting stakeholder needs

Group Activity• Using the Course file p26 and chapter 10 of the MGSG, • Turn to activity 3.3• Choose one concept/ model or theory from chapter 10

of the MGSG• Apply it to the organisation where one of the group

works.• Now what do you conclude?• Be prepared to share your findings with the class• 20 minutes

Group Activity• Using the Course file p27 and p223 of the MGSG, • Turn to activity 3.4• Draw a diagram showing the ‘exchange relationship’ for

the organisation where each person works.• Then repeat the exercise for each persons own work

area• How do they compare and relate?• Be prepared to feedback to the class• 20 minutes

And finally…• Questions• Timetable – TMA, tutorials• What would you like to cover next time?