Individual Assignment Instructions & FAQs PDF

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MGMT 1135 SEM-2 2018 INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT – CASE STUDY Instructions & Frequently Asked Questions 1. PURPOSE & INSTRUCTIONS The purpose of this individual assignment is to give you the opportunity to apply relevant OB theories and concepts to analyse specific organisational issues. As such, in your report you need to demonstrate that you have 1) applied critical thinking skills in identifying the correct problem, 2) used appropriate theories and concepts learned in evaluating the situation and in generating alternatives, 3) formulated a clear and feasible action plan, and 4) written this in a persuasive and professional manner. This assignment contributes 20% towards your final grade. There is a limit of 2000 words (excluding the reference list) for this assessment. You must submit your analysis by 5pm, 21 September through the designated LMS link. Please note: Penalties apply for going over the word limit and for late submissions. The case study will be available in the folder “Assessment 4: Individual Written Assignment – Case Study: on LMS. Here are a few suggestions on how to approach this assignment: a) b) c) d) e) f) g)

Quickly skim through the case to get an overview of the situation. Read the questions listed at the end of the case to identify your major tasks. Thoroughly read the case again to write out the facts and digest the circumstances. List the key persons as well as their roles and relationships to each other in this case. Apply the OB concepts and theories you have studied to identify the real problems. Go through the theories/tools learned to see if something else seems applicable. Ask yourself if there is a more systematic issue you need to address. In other words, whether the problem you have identified represents a symptom or a trigger for a larger issue in the situation described. h) Before you start writing, prepare a clear draft outline.

2. DOCUMENT FORMATTING Please submit your assignment in doc (MS Word) or pdf. NO other formats will be accepted. All assignments must be in Times New Roman 12 point font, with double line spacing. 3. SUGGESTED STRUCTURE FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT 1) Synopsis / Problem statement. Begin your analysis with a brief synopsis of the situation (IN YOUR OWN WORDS!). Make sure to describe the situation clearly but keep this section short. Furthermore, provide a general overview of the whole case analysis. 2) Critical Analysis. In this section you should analyse the main issues from the case study. Use any relevant OB theories and concepts. When you cite a particular OB model or theory, make sure to explain it clearly (with an appropriate citation) and discuss how it can be applied in the situation described in the case. In completing this section you must 1

MGMT 1135 SEM-2 2018 draw on relevant literature to support your conclusions: it is important that your arguments are supported by evidence obtained through your research. You should avoid armchair speculations or unsubstantiated claims. A mix of practitioner and scholarly journals may be helpful in providing evidence to support your analysis and subsequent recommendations. 3) Solutions. Generate ideas and solutions about what might be done, possible strategies to address the root cause of the problem. Several possible options should be suggested and evaluated. This section should be clearly embedded in sound theory as well as considering practical implementation issues that might arise. 4) Implementation. This section is strongly linked with your suggested solutions/recommendations. Identify the specific steps that should be taken to implement your recommendations. 5) Conclusion. A brief summary or conclusion that brings together the major points of case analysis and is consistent with what was stated in the problem statement. The conclusion should not introduce new ideas or lines of thought that have not previously been discussed. 6) Reference List. The in-text references and list should be in accordance with Harvard Style or APA 6th and include only those references referred to in the body of the essay. References that you have read during the course of your research but do not cite in your essay should not be included. 4. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS) AND RESPONSES QUESTIONS 1) Word Limit: What is the word limit? 2) Word limit: Is there a 10% leeway? 3) Word Limit: Is there a minimum number of words? 4) How do I avoid plagiarism? 5) Is an executive summary required? 6) Are figures/charts/tables/illustrations/diagrams allowed? 7) Can I reference the lectures? 8) Is it an essay or a report? What form of assignment is required? 9) Do I use the sections from the marking guide as headings? 10) How do I write an essay? 11) How many references do I need? 12) Can I use dot points? 13) Can I change my essay in the system once it is uploaded? 14) What format can I submit my essay in? 15) Can you check my essay for me before it is due? RESPONSES 1) Word Limit: What is the word limit? The word limit is 2000 words. 2) Word limit: Is there a 10% leeway? There is no 10% extra on the word limit in this unit. The word limit is as stated, not 10% more than the figure stated. Some units do give a 10% leeway, which is stated in their 2

MGMT 1135 SEM-2 2018 unit outlines. The effect is simply that the word limit is actually 10% higher than the figure stated as the word limit. That is misleading to students, in that students who abide by the stated word limit are unnecessarily doing themselves out of an extra 10% of potential words. It would be more sensible to state the higher figure as an absolute word limit, because that is the actual word limit in those units. That is why the word limit for the assignment in this unit is stated in absolute terms with no additional 10%. 3) Word Limit: Is there a minimum number of words? In principle there is no minimum, but it is unlikely that an assignment would satisfy all of the marking criteria in say, 1000 words. Consider writing at least 1500, but there is no specific penalty associated with having fewer than 2000 words. There is no specific penalty associated with having more than 2000 words either, it is just that any words beyond 2000 will not be read or marked. Markers are surprisingly good at detecting longer essays, and it is easy to check the number of words on the electronic copy, so do not risk going over. 4) How do I avoid plagiarism? Look at the Student Services plagiarism portal page (http://www.student.uwa.edu.au/learning/studysmarter/getsmartnow/referencing/plagiarism) for the details. While it is often necessary to use some key words from a source text, you must use your own phrasing and sentence construction. It is acceptable to use key words and technical terms, as well as specific numbers in results if needed, but you have to write your own sentences to convey the meaning. 5) Is an executive summary required? No executive summary or abstract is required. The essay starts with the title and proceeds to the last full stop. All of this is included in the word count, except for the reference list. There is no separate executive summary required. 6) Are figures/charts/tables/illustrations/diagrams allowed? Figures/charts/tables/illustrations/diagrams are not allowed, you should use words to describe what you are talking about. 7) Can I reference the lectures? The lectures should not be referenced. Try to find a source such as the text book that covers the same material and use that as the reference. Often citations will also be provided on the lecture slides and this can also help you source the original material. 8) Is it an essay or a report? What form of assignment is required? There are many different structures and styles for writing about scholarly work. Some students will be familiar with the structure for scientific research reports, or business reports. This assignment is not a report it is an essay. Essays can be structured in a variety of ways. For this specific assignment, we have included a suggested structure in the instructions. 9) Do I use the sections from the marking guide as headings? The essay should have sub-headings within it to mark conceptual transitions between sections and help the reader to anticipate what is coming next. In terms of actual words in the headings, the only specific heading that is required is the word “References”, which should appear at the start of the reference list. 3

MGMT 1135 SEM-2 2018 10) How do I write an essay? If you are not sure where to start with your essay, you can get help from the staff at Study Smarter, from Student Services. Find out about the Study Smarter assistance at the following web site. http://www.student.uwa.edu.au/learning/studysmarter Check out their great on-line resources, or visit them at the drop-in centre any lunchtime. You will find them very welcoming and helpful. 11) How many references do I need? There is no magic number of references, it depends on how well you use them. You should at least cite the text, and the readings that have been assigned for the assignment. You should also do some library research to find central articles or books about the components of the topic. How many of those you cite in your essay will be determined by whether they help with your arguments. Ten articles would be too many if you have not actually read them thoroughly, and cannot really integrate them into your arguments. However, if you only cite the text and lectures that would show a lack of effort in inquiring into the literature. 12) Can I use dot points? It is best to avoid using lists of dot points in essay assignments. Very brief statements such as those that appear as dot points usually need further explanation and clarification. So a paragraph, or at least a sentence or two should be added to explain each point. Once that is done it becomes clear that the content of the dot point could be included in a normal paragraph of the essay. In writing business reports dot points are often used in executive summaries, or lists of recommendations made in a report. The reader sees the main ideas very briefly and is welcome to read the entire report to gain the explanation and clarification that is needed. In contrast, in a scholarly essay there is more of a necessity for full explanation and clarification. 13) Can I change my essay in the system once it is uploaded? The system does not allow for multiple uploads, so once you have submitted you cannot change your essay. Make sure you check your document before uploading and only upload the final version 14) What format can I submit my essay in? The system will only allow markers to view wither WORD DOCs or PDF files. If you submit in any other format the markers will not be able to grade your work. 15) Can you check my essay for me before it is due? Given that your tutor will be the one grading your work, no tutor is allowed to review draft assignments prior to submission. Make sure that you read carefully this document and the marking rubric. If there is something you do not understand, please contact your tutor and seek advice. We are here to help!

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