Week 5:Functions of Management (P): Planning & Decision Making

MonashBusiness & Economics

1. Any word limit on SAQs? 2. APA, for 3-5 authors, first time cited, list all authors, thereafter, type only the first author name, then et al., e.g.,(Clegg, Hardy, & Nord, 1996), next time, just (Clegg et al., 1996).

Six or more authors, use only the first name of the first author, followed by et al. the first and the subsequent times.

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1. Draw a mind map of week 4’s topic– Hawthorne Studies, legacy and contribution to the discipline of management– Contingency Approach– Explore current trends and issues relating to management – OB and Contingency Approach’s applicability to contemporary management

practices 2. Grade Week 4’s self-reflections 3. Any Qs?

Block 1. Mind map, self-reflections and inquiries

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Reflecting on your weekly reflection!

(1). Your final grade is not necessarily the average of the two student examiners’ marked grades. (2). Provide an overall Grade, be aware critical reasoning takes up 60% of the total grade.(3). Within the word limit 300 (10% above or below).(4). 1 page. Otherwise, printed-out copy is missing words.(5). READ SUBMISSION GUIDELINES CAREFULLY.

– Title of Topic and Week Number at the top of the page– Your student ID (do not include your name)– Times New Roman, 12 size font, and 1.5 spacing.– The reflection cannot be more than a single A4 page.

(6). A waste of time?

OB Approach Hawthorne Studies (motivation) Human Relations (employee satisfaction) Behavioural science

Contingency ApproachUnderstand the historical and cultural context of these

theories and their applicability to contemporary management practices

Examine the legacy and contribution of the Hawthorne Studies to the discipline of management

Explore current trends and issues relating to management

Last week: Classical Theories

• Define planning and the purpose of planning • Explore the role of goals and plans in planning • Discuss criticisms related to planning • Explore the decision making process • Understand the manager’s role as a decision maker • Explore factors that managers need to be aware of

when making decisions in the 21st century

This week: Functions of Management (P)

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“Icelandic volcano” case on pages 297-298

In groups of 3-4, develop & justify your answers for: 1. Could a company even plan for this type of situation? What types of plans could

companies use in this type of situation? Why would these plans be useful? 2. Would goals be useful in this type of situation? What types of goals might a

manufacturing company like BMW have in such a situation? What about a global airline such as Qantas or a small flower grower in Kenya?

3. What lessons about planning can managers learn from this crisis?4. How would rationality, bounded rationality and/or intuition influence the decision-making

process undertaken by managers faced with the type of crises described in the case? 5. Is the crisis described in the case an example of a structured or unstructured problem?

Would a programmed procedure, rule, policy and/or non-programmed decision be better suited for a company to successfully cope with such crises?

6. What other low-probability but severe-consequence events could there be? Is global warming and climate change one event that many businesses have not contemplated?

Block 2. Illustrative case study

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Stranded in the Desert Exercise Purpose: pros and cons associated with individual vs. group decision-making

Class discussions: 1. Did decision-making differ when the task was completed individually compared to

within a group, how? 2. Which was easier—individual or group decision-making? Why? 3. Were you able to reach a consensus on decision-making pertaining to each item? If

not, why? 4. What challenges did you experience when attempting to reach a consensus for the

items listed in the task? How did or could you overcome them?5. How does this exercise compare with other experiences you’ve had with group

decision-making?

Block 3. Class activity

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Short Answer Question (5 marks each)

1. List and briefly explain four characteristics of well-designed goals;

2. List and briefly discuss three contingency factors that affect planning.

Block 4: Exam preparation

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List and briefly explain four characteristics of well-designed goals; (p. 284)

Written in terms of outcomes rather than actions; the desired end result is the most important element of any goal and therefore, the goal should be written to reflect this.Measurable and quantifiable. It's much easier to determine if a goal has been met if it’s measurable, This means that even in areas in which it may be difficult to quantify the intent, it is necessary to try and find some specific way to measure whether that goal is accomplished. There is little use in goals that cannot be measured to determine whether a particular goal has been met or not. Clear as to a time frame Goals without a time frame make an organisation less flexible. This happens because one will not be sure when the goal has been met or when one should call it quits because the goal will never be met regardless of how long a person works at it.Challenging yet attainable Goals that are too easy to accomplish are not motivating and neither are goals that are not attainable even with exceptional effort.Written down Although actually writing down goals may seem too time consuming, the process of writing the goals forces people to think them through. In addition, the written goals become visible and tangible evidence of the importance of working toward something.Communicated to all necessary organisational members. Well designed goals are communicated to organisational members who need to know the goals., Making people aware of the goals ensures that they are all on the same page and working in ways to ensure the accomplishment of the organisational goals.

Marking template for Q1

Listing four characteristics of well-designed goals

Briefly explaining four characteristics of well-designed goals

Overall quality

0.5 mark (0.125 marks per characteristics)

4 marks 0.5 mark

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List and briefly discuss three contingency factors that affect planning.

Three contingency factors affect planning: level in the organisation, degree of environmental uncertainty

and length of future commitments. As managers move up the hierarchy, their planning role becomes

more strategy-oriented, and they are more likely to use long-term, directional and single-use plans.

Supervisors’ planning is usually operational, short-term, specific and they are more likely to use standing

plans. The greater the environmental uncertainty, the more that plans need to be directional and

emphasis placed on the short term. The commitment concept means that plans should extend far

enough to meet those commitments made today. Planning for too long or too short a time period is

inefficient.

Marking template for Q2

Listing three contingency factors

Briefly explaining how these contingency factors affect planning

Overall quality

0.75 marks (0.25 *3) Up to 4 marks 0.25 mark

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1. Complete MCQ for week 6;2. Complete the weekly self-reflection for topic 5: Functions of

management (P): planning and decision making. 3. Read the “Self-governance at LRN” case on pages 438-439 in the

textbook. This case will be used in the Block 2 of next week’s tutorial.

4. Individual essay—Part 1 due next week

Assignment reminder for NEXT WEEK