Introduction
-Define organizational behaviour and briefly explain its importance.
IBM Case Study
LO3- Team Building and Team Development Theories
- IBM Company Overview
Provide a very brief introduction of IMB (no more than 7 lines: what is IBM, their vision, objectives, and products)
- Effective Team vs. Ineffective Team
P3-Explain what makes an effective team as opposed (compared) to an ineffective team in an organisation.
- Team Definition
What is a team, what are its types (name it only), and then you must explain virtual team.
- Effective Team Key Features
Explain what would make it possible for teams in company like IBM to achieve their objectives. Here you need to provide at least 4 points on effectiveness and you Must draw examples from IBM to support your answers. In your discussion make sure you cover virtual team as well.
- Ineffective Team Key Features
Explain what would make it impossible for teams in company like IBM to achieve their objectives. Here you need to provide at least 4 points that makes ineffective team and you Must draw examples from IBM case study to support your answers. In your discussion make sure you cover virtual team as well.
- Team Development Theories
M3-Analyse relevant team and group development theories to support the development of dynamic cooperation.
- Briefly explain Tuckman theory and then analyze how can IBM use/apply the theory to build strong and effective teams that enables the development of dynamic cooperation.
- Briefly explain Belbin theory and then analyze how can IBM use/apply the theory to build strong and effective teams that enables the development of dynamic cooperation.
LO4- Concepts and Philosophies of Organizational Behaviour
P4/M4– Apply concepts and philosophies of organizational behaviour such as Path-goal theory, Social Capital theory, and Contingency theory to IBM to explain how or in which way they can be used to improve performance and productivity in IBM; and evaluate how it informs and influences behaviour in both a positive and negative way.
Note: here you can attempt P4 and M4 together by providing evaluation of the two chosen theories along with the application.
Choose at least 2 of concepts and philosophies of organizational behaviour
- Path goal theory
- Briefly Explain the theory
- Apply it to IBM: explain how can IBM use the theory to improve performance and productivity within IBM.
- Evaluation of how the theory inform and influence the behaviours
- Benefit:
- Limitation:
- Social Capital Theory
- Explain the theory
- Apply it to IBM: explain how can IBM use the theory to improve performance and productivity within IBM.
- Evaluation of how the theory inform and influence the behaviours
- Benefit:
- Limitation:
- Contingency Theory
- Explain the theory
- Apply it to IBM: explain how can IBM use the theory to improve performance and productivity within IBM.
- Evaluation of how the theory inform and influence the behaviours
- Benefit:
- Limitation:
Own Conclusion
The conclusion is a must as part of the application and evaluation process.
D2– Critically analyze and evaluate the relevance of team development theories in context of organizational behaviour concepts and philosophies that influence behaviour in the work place of IBM.
In LO3 you have discussed the importance of having effective team; in light of the issues that stems out of ineffective team that has negative impact on the development of the organization. Belbin and Tuckman’s theories highlighted the stages of building a team and the challenges faced during these stages. These challenges need to be tackled through the effective use of concepts and philosophies of organizational behaviour (which you covered in LO4) during these stages to influence the behaviour of the team positively during the team development stages. Therefore, to meet the assessment criteria of D2 you have to: Critically analyse and evaluate:
- The importance of Belbin and Tuckman’s team development theories in relation to influencing behaviours in IBM; in doing so explain the benefits and limitations of both Tuckman and Belbin theories; and then
- Analyze how to enhance the benefits and minimize the limitations of the theories by using the concepts and philosophies of organizational behaviour (here you need to take into account the limitations of these theories discussed in LO4).
- Distinction requirements:
- You need to provide critical analysis, and that in application to IBM.
- You must support your answer with examples from IBM and its competitors.
- Proper referencing, especially in-text citation.
Apple Inc. Case Study
LO1- The Impact of Apple’s Organizational Culture, Power and Politics.
P1/M1–Critically analyse how Apple’s culture, politics and power can influence the behaviour and performance of individuals and team such as job satisfaction, quality of work, innovation, etc.
Note: here you can attempt P1 and M1 together by providing critical analysis; however, simple analysis will lead to pass only (P1)
- Apple Company Overview
Provide a very brief introduction of Apple (No more than 7 lines: what is Apple, their vision, objectives, and products).
- Apple Organizational Culture, Politics and Power “Approach and Impact”
The focus of this LO is the impact/effect of the adopted organizational culture, power, and politics on the behaviour of individual and team. The key word here is the behaviour; which does have an impact on the employees’ motivation, development, and innovation that will in turn affect their job satisfaction, quality of work, and hence the organizational performance.
To achieve this LO, start by defining the concepts of organizational culture, power and politics, then identify the adopted approach (organizational culture, power and politics) by Apple Inc., and then discuss and critically analyse the impact of the adopted approach on individual and team where you need to consider the impact of the adopted approach on employees’ motivation, development, and innovation, which will affect the quality of work, job satisfaction, and hence organizational performance. Support your answer with examples.
Critical analysis: Make sure you provide in-depth critical analysis; where you need to support your answer with examples, and make sure you cover both individual and team. The main steps to critical analysis of the impact of the adopted approach are: the adopted approach is good because it is leading to the following positive impacts (you explain it); however, this approach can also lead the following negative impacts (you explain it); therefore, in my view, to avoid the negative impacts of the adopted approach, Apple should (here you add your suggestion and views). Also, make sure you do you citations and reference it accurately using Harvard Reference System.
LO2- Content and Process Motivational Theories
P2–Evaluate how Maslow’s or Herzberg’s Content Theories and Vroom’s process theory of motivational techniques enables effective achievement of goals in Apple.
Inset your presentation here where you need to cover the followings:
- Motivation
Briefly define motivation and highlights its role and importance.
- Content Motivational Theory “Maslow /Herzberg Motivational Theory”
Briefly discuss the concept and model of Maslow or Herzberg’s (just one of the theories) content theories and evaluate its usefulness (advantages and limitations) in achieving the goals or objectives of Apple.
- Process Motivational Theory “Vroom Expectancy Theory”
Briefly discuss the concepts and model of Vroom’s expectancy theory of process, and evaluate its usefulness (advantages and limitations) in achieving the goals or objectives of Apple.
- Own Conclusion
The own conclusion is a Must, as the valuation steps are advantages and limitation, and own conclusion/point of view based on your evaluation of both theories.
M2– Critically evaluate how to influence the behaviour of others; such as emotional intelligence and soft skills of managers; through the effective application of behavioural motivational theories and concepts and model, namely Reinforcement Theory and Equity Theory. You should support your points with practical examples from Apple Inc.
Behaviouristic approach examines how motives are learned and how internal drives and external goals interact with learning to produce behaviour; accordingly, different theories were developed; such as Reinforcement Theory and the Equity Theory; so critically evaluate the use of this theories by Apple as follows:
- Reinforcement Theory
Explain the concepts and models of Reinforcement Theory, and then
Critically evaluate how Reinforcement Theory can be used to influence the behaviour of individuals and teams within Apple. Here you need to assess in details the positive and negative impacts of the application of the theory, and MUST provide your own conclusions. Make sure you support you answer with examples from Apple and other organizations as example for improvement.
- Equity Theory
Explain the concepts and models of Equity Theory, and then
Critically evaluate how Equity theory can be used to influence the behaviour of individuals and teams within Apple. Here you need to assess in details the positive and negative impacts of the application of the theory, and MUST provide your own conclusions. Make sure you support you answer with examples from Apple and other organizations as example for improvement.
D1–Critically evaluate the relationship between culture, politics, power and motivation that enables teams and organizations to succeed, providing justified recommendations.
- Discuss the link between culture, politics, power and motivation, and then
- Critically evaluate how they (culture, politics, power and motivation) can be effectively combined to bring success to a team.
- Provide justified recommendations; support your answer with strong points and examples in relation to the given organization Apple.
Distinction requirements:
- You need to provide adequate critical evaluation in application to Apple Inc.
- You should support your answer with examples.
- Proper referencing, especially in-text citation.
Conclusion
Provide a general brief conclusion to your findings in both case studies IMB and Apple.
List of References
- You must using Harvard Referencing Style; where a list must be provided in addition to having adequate and relevant in-text references within the report.
- Make sure you use varied sources of books, journals and websites; do not use only websites.
