Management and Organisations Assignment Brief
Management and Organisations Assignment Brief
LEARNING OUTCOMES (this is NOT the actual assignment task) to be examined in this assessment 1. Understand the structures and characteristics of organisations.
2. Recognise the principles of modern management.
3. Identify the relationship between strategic objectives, functional management and the business environment.
Title of Coursework: A Business Report on Golden Tone telecommunications organisation structure and its influence within the organisation and the business environment. A focus on leadership and management. Learning Outcomes 1, 2 & 3
Instructions
This coursework has two parts, part 1 and 2.There is a case study to read on Golden tone telecommunications and then proceed to answering the questions in part 1 and 2. Students are expected to provide an introduction to the coursework. The introduction of the work must take an approach to the overall assignment and not just repeat the scenario.
The introduction must state why the report is being written, what the report will concentrate on and discover and the approach that will be taken through a range of tasks. This is 5 marks and 200 words.
In part 1 the students are expected to answer all 3 questions. Each of the questions has 20 marks allocated totalling 60 marks and 400 word limit for each question.
Part 2 has 25 marks allocated and 400 word limit.
Conclusion is 5 marks with 200 word limit and the bibliography is not included in the word count and has 5 marks allocated.
Synopsis
Part 1 is as follows:
Read the case study on GT Telecommunications and answer the following questions.
Students are expected to briefly discuss five (5) characteristics of a manager detailing why Steve Wright should become more of a leader than opposed to being just a manger.
Markers will be expecting students to provide explanations and considerations which include the need to motivate and inspire workers, make decisions more quickly, formulate a vision and have good people skills.
Students should briefly describe five (5) characteristics of a leader. Students are expected to explain using examples, the points that demonstrate successful leaders/leadership. Markers will be expecting students to relate this to the first part of the case and answers should include characteristics such as charisma, good communication skills and the ability to motivate and inspire, empathy and much more.
Students are expected to discuss an alternative structure as opposed to the current one which they have. Markers would be looking for an explanation on the differences between the two and expect students to discuss and evaluate the Hierarchical structures as on which can slow decision-making within a company and can adversely affect internal communications.
Part 2 is as follows:
Students are expected to explain in their opinion five benefits and discuss their reasons why there is a need for a more responsive organisation structure. The markers would be looking for recommendations and suggesting on how GT can achieve this goal. Markers expect students to provide discussion such as; a more responsive organisation structure should result in more responsiveness to customer needs and market demands, better external and internal communications, improved customer interface and service to the customers.
Top Tips
Students, you must proof read your work before submission, making sure that the layout, presentation, style, references /citations are all in place. Your work must include wider reading. Wider reading means more marks. Make use of all the library resources to improve your coursework which in turn will increase your grades.
Students please answer the questions giving and be careful not to be too descriptive with your answers or simply reproduce what has been written above. Your voice and ideas must be heard in your coursework.
Task Layout
Front Cover –ID number, Subject and Topic. NO NAME SHOULD BE INCLUDED!
Table of Content (Not included in the total word count)
Introduction (200 words) (5 marks)
Part 1
Task 1- (400 words) (20 marks)
Task 2- (400 words) (20 marks)
Task 3-(400 words) (20 marks)
Part 2
Task 1-(400 words) (25 marks)
Conclusion (200 words) (5 marks)
Bibliography (Not included in the total word count) (5 marks)
Golden Tone Telecommunication Organisation Case Study.
Structural deficiencies
It is not easy to describe, in a positive manner, what constitutes a ‘good’ or effective organisation structure although clearly attention should be given to basic considerations and principles of design. However, the negative effects of a poorly designed structure can arguably be identified more easily.
Case study: Leadership in telecommunications
The Chairman of Golden-tone Telecommunications PLC (GT), Steve Wright, had come under increasing pressure from the shareholders because of the company’s poor performance. GT has gone from being one of the most successful telecommunications companies of the 1980s and 1990s when the company was asset rich, to a position where it has accumulated an enormous debt.
Much of the responsibility for this dreadful decline in the fortunes of GT has been attributed to Steve Wright. Business analysts of the telecommunications industry have suggested a number of reasons why the company’s performance has deteriorated.
They include:
GT did not introduce new technology quickly enough and did not adapt to the changes in the consumer telecommunications market; for example, the rapid changes that have occurred in the mobile phone industry. The competition in the telecommunications sector has dramatically increased. This reduced GT’s market share and weakened its competitive position. The competition responded faster to the changes in the market.
GT is still organised in a traditional hierarchical structure, as it has always been.
Decision making is still made by committees, which take far too long to make the necessary decisions in a rapidly changing environment.
GT’s competitors have far more responsive organisation structures, which allow decisions to be made within days.
Analysts also pointed out that Steve Wright does not have the leadership skills that a modern company requires. They said he is more of a traditional manager, who is more concerned with maintaining and controlling GT. These skills, they argue, are more suited to organisations of the past, which did not need to respond quickly to the changes in the market place.
Key readings areas for support in completing this assignment are as follows:
Boddy, D., (2011), Management – An Introduction, 5th edn., Harlow, Essex, Pearson Education Ltd.
Linstead, S., Fulop, L., Lilley, S., (2009), Management and Organisation: A Critical Text, 2nd edn., Basingstoke, Hants, Palgrave Macmillan.
Mullins L., J., Christy., G. (2013) Management & Organisational Behaviour 10th ed., prentice Hall
Naylor, J., (2004), Management, 2nd edn., Harlow, Essex, Pearson Education.
Reeves, R., (2004), Real Leaders Just Do It, Management Today, June, p29.
Robbins., S., P. & Judge., T., A. (2014) Essentials of Organizational Behaviour 12th ed., prentice Hall
Note to students:
Your work must include wider reading than the books listed. Wider reading means more marks. Make use of all the library resources toimprove your coursework which in turn will increase your grades.
Part 1
Produce a business report that would provide Steve Wright with the advice he requires on how to change GT and enable it to respond to the increased competition.
The report should address the following questions.
(1) Briefly describe five characteristics of a manager. (5 marks) Explain why with the use of examples, Steve Wright should become much more of a leader as opposed to just being a manager. (15 marks) (400 words)
Students are expected to provide explanations and considerations which include the need to motivate and inspire workers, make decisions more quickly, formulate a vision and have good people skills. (Total 20 marks)
(2) Briefly describe five characteristics of a leader. (5 marks) Explain with the use of
examples, the points that demonstrate successful leaders/leadership. (15marks) (400 words)
Students are expected to relate this to the first part of the case and answers should include characteristics such as charisma, good communication skills and the ability to motivate and inspire, empathy, etc. (Total 20 marks)
(3) This company has a hierarchical organisation structure, discuss an appropriate alternative structure. (8 marks) Explain the differences between the two. (12 marks) (400 words)
Students are expected to discuss and evaluate the Hierarchical structures as on which can slow decision-making within a company and can adversely affect internal communications. Students will discuss Organisations that are too bureaucratic can be inflexible and rigid, and so consequently not respond quickly to change. (Total 20 marks)
(Total marks for part1 is 60 marks)
(Total word count for part 1 is 1200+/- 10%)
Part 2
In your opinion explain five benefits and the need for a more responsive organisation structure and give reasons why (12 marks) you are also to provide recommendations and suggest how GT can achieve this goal. (13 marks) (400words)
Students are expected to recommend that there is need for a flatter structure, or one that can be justified, an organisation culture that is output focused and greater trust by managers of employees. A more responsive organisation structure should result in more responsiveness to customer needs and market demands, better external and internal communications, improved customer interface and service to the customers. (Total 25 marks)
Make sure your report now has the following:
A conclusion 200 words (5 marks)
A detailed bibliography of all citations used not included in the word count (5marks)
Criteria
Knowledge
Knowledge and understanding the topic in the areas of Management, Leadership and Organisational Structure and its challenges in performance management. Application of relevant theories and models. 40%
Cognitive/Analysis
Critical analysis of issues.
Logically developed argument. Organisation and communication of ideas and evidence.
35%
Skills
Report outline and presentation. Research Format. Responses made on the comments in the
email.