I will post the exam at 4:30 Melbourne time and i will need to get it back in 2 hours so at 6:30
Microsoft Word - MMM240 Organisational Behaviour_Sample Exam_Answer guide_Students.docx MMM240 Organisational Behaviour Trimester 1, 2020 MMM240 Organisational Behaviour Examination Trimester 1, 2020 Special Instructions This examination is OPEN BOOK, you can access all relevant and applicable information in order to answer the questions. You will have: • Two (2) hours writing time. • One (1) hour preparation time for reading, downloading and uploading the exam paper. • This examination comprises 4 questions. Question 1 is compulsory. All students must answer this question (20 marks). You should then answer another TWO (2) of the remaining three (3) questions. Each question is worth 15 marks (2 x 15 marks). • This examination constitutes 50% (50 marks) of your assessment in this unit. • Save the exam file on your computer using the file name: your student ID_MMM240_Organisational Behaviour and submit your responses as a docx file. Other formats (e.g. pdf) will not be marked. • Remember to save your work regularly. • You must upload your responses to the Exam Submission DropBox on the MMM240 CloudDeakin site. • Late submissions will not be marked. • All submissions will be checked by Turnitin. Your writing must be your own. If you refer to others’ work, you must cite them, using the Harvard referencing style. • If you encounter any technical issues with CloudDeakin, please contact the IT Service Desk online or via phone (1800 463 888; +61 5227 8888 if calling from outside Australia) and record your ticket number as evidence of technical issues during the examination period. All candidates MUST complete this section Type your student ID number here: _________________________________ MMM240 Organisational Behaviour Trimester 1, 2020 QUESTIONS In total, answer three (3) of the following questions. Do not write more than three answers. Compulsory Question: All students must answer. Question 1 This question links with some parts of Assessment 1 – Assignment (Topic reflection – Part 1 and Part 2A, not Part 2B). You will be asked to reflect on an aspect or a theory of each of the five topics (selected from the first 8 topics). Note: the focus in this question is on reflection and application. (20 marks, 1000 words). This is not an actual question 1. Suggestions • Question 1 - Note: You are suggested to write no more than 200 words for a concept or a theory in each topic as specified in this question (4 marks for each topic x 5 topics = 20 marks - maximum 1000 words). • You are suggested not focusing too much on defining many concepts in a topic but the focus is on reflection and applications of those concepts. Only answer what is asked in the question and stay within the word limit. • This question is longer than other three questions but it is not a complex question. • The feedback of Assignment Parts 1 and 2A might be useful for you to answer this question. • Note that question 1 is NOT the same with your assignment so you cannot just ‘copy and paste’ your assignment here. Answer two (2) of the following three questions. Your answer must link with the scenario set out in the question. Question 2 You have just been hired as a brand manager of toothpaste for a large consumer products company. Your job mainly involves encouraging the advertising and production groups to promote and manufacture your product more effectively. These departments aren’t under your direct authority, although company procedures indicate that they must complete certain tasks requested by brand managers. Drawing on Topic 7, describe and justify the 3 sources of power and 4 influencing tactics you can use to ensure that the advertising and production departments will help you make and sell toothpaste more effectively. (15 marks, 500 words) ANSWER HERE Please note this is answer guide only, NOT full answers to the sample exam questions. You are expected to use paragraph writing or note-form answers, but in some cases, you might use bullet points answers and use headings if that helps your answers clearer. MMM240 Organisational Behaviour Trimester 1, 2020 Consider some suggested steps below: 1. Define key concepts or key theories in the question (for example: power and influence). • Define power • Define influence 2. Explain these concepts in your own words • Explain the 3 sources of power among: legitimate, reward, coercive, expert and referent power in an organisation, and the 4 influence tactics among: silent authority, assertiveness, information control, coalition formation, upward appeal, persuasion, impression management and exchange briefly and then see step 3. Please note that you can earn only a few of marks for defining the concepts. The justifications or reasoning why you choose these sources of power and influencing tactics would get higher marks. 3. Apply these concepts to the given scenario and evaluate the applicability of selected sources of power and influence tactics to describe how the brand manager can get support from advertising and production departments. When describing the selected sources of power and influence tactics, try to critically evaluate these options to justify your answer. • In describing and justifying your answer, you need to select the 3 sources of power that are suitable for the given scenario. As a brand manager, you might be able to use most sources of power, depending on the circumstances. Here are some possible explanations. For example, o Legitimate power— as the brand manager, although you do not have direct authority, you do have some legitimate power through the rules and procedures saying that the advertising and production departments must work with brand manager to sell the product more effectively. If they refuse to cooperate, you have the legitimate right to seek redress from higher authorities. • When selecting the 4 influence tactics that are suitable to the given scenario, you need to consider about different contingencies such as influencers power base, organisational positions (i.e., whether the person being influenced in higher, lower or at the same level in the organisation), and cultural values and expectations. As the brand manager, you could use different influence tactics. Here are two examples of possible explanations. For example, o Silent authority- as the brand manager, you have legitimate power. Therefore, you could influence the behaviour of the advertising and production team members through legitimate power. o Persuasion- as the brand manager, you could present logical arguments, and facts to explain the important role of production and advertising team members in effectively selling toothpaste. 4. Provide a short conclusion by revisiting the key ideas. MMM240 Organisational Behaviour Trimester 1, 2020 Question 3 ‘Organisations are more likely to succeed when they have an adaptive culture.’ Imagine that you are a manager of a car company and you are responsible for fostering an adaptive culture in your organisation. What actions and what leadership style(s) or leadership theories will you take to foster an adaptive culture in your organisation and why? In your answers, refer to two leadership theories (Topic 8) and relevant parts of Topic 9 (organisational culture). (15 marks, 500 words) ANSWER HERE Consider some suggested steps below: 1. Define the specific concept in the question • What is adaptive culture? 2. Explain the concepts in your own words • Explain the key characteristics of adaptive culture briefly 3. Describe leadership style(s) or leadership theories will you take to foster an adaptive culture • You need to select/refer to two leadership theories. For example, you might select ‘transformational leadership’ or (another leadership theory). Then explain key elements of transformational leadership (i.e., inspiring the followers to adapt to goals and values, vision, clear communication etc) and how these elements might influence followers to respond to the environmental uncertainty through creativity and innovativeness. • You might also consider other factors that assist in fostering an adaptive culture. For example, o creating a sense of ownership o supporting learning orientation culture o paying attention to organisational processes • Relate to the given scenario by providing examples o Always evaluate the utility of the theories/concept/ideas as they apply to a manager of a car company 4. Provide a short conclusion by revisiting the key ideas. MMM240 Organisational Behaviour Trimester 1, 2020 Question 4 Employee resistance is a symptom, not a problem, in the change process. Drawing from your understanding of Topic 9 and Topic 3, examine some of the main factors that may lead to employee resistance and strategies you will use to reduce employee resistance to change and manage their stress during the organisational change process. Provide three (3) examples on what actions you will take to manage these issues. (15 marks, 500 words) ANSWER HERE Consider some suggested steps below: 1. Define the specific concepts and theories in the question • Employee resistance (resistance to change) is an important factor in the change process and include the forces or factors that prevent the change process (or to maintain the current status quo). 2. Explain the main factors that employees resist or concerned about the change process. Provide brief definitions of the meaning of the following concepts. As the question did not specify how many factors you need to explain so you will need to explain at least 4 main factors (of 6) below. • Negative valence of change • Fear of the unknown • Not-invented-here-syndrome • Breaking routines • Incongruent team dynamics • Incongruent organisational systems 3. Describe strategies you will use to reduce employee resistance to change and manage their stress during the organisational change process. You will need to use relevant parts of both Topic 10 and Topic 3 to identify strategies to manage employee resistance to change and to reduce employees’ stress levels during the organisational change process. Some aspects could be (please provide more details): • Communication, learning and employee involvement