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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
Nelson College London
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
3 Assignment brief- Personal and Professional Development
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
4 Assignment brief- Personal and Professional Development
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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
5 Assignment brief- Personal and Professional Development
Nelson College London
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)
6 Assignment brief- Personal and Professional Development
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).
8 Assignment brief- Operations Management in Business
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
9 Assignment brief- Operations Management in Business
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