Assignment 1 Role of the Manager and the Impact of Organizational Theories on Managers (Week 3)
Purpose:
In the first assignment, students are given a scenario in which the shipping manager who has worked for Galaxy Toys, Inc. since 1969. The scenario serves to set the stage for students to demonstrate how management theories have changed over time. For example, management 30 years ago is different from management in the 21st century.
Outcome Met by Completing This Assignment:
integrate management theories and principles into management practices
Instructions:
In Part One of this analysis, students are to use the facts from the case scenario to determine the two different organizational theories that are demonstrated. For Part Two, students will discuss using the course readings the implications of change in being a 21st century manager.
In selecting a School of Thought and an organizational theory that best describes the current shipping manager, students will use the timeline, the information provided in the course schedule, the course readings. Students will use the course readings to respond to most of the assignment requirements but will also need to research the theorist(s) and theories to complete the assignment. Students are expected to be thorough and demonstrate accuracy in responding to the assignment, analyzing the case scenario and in supporting all reasoning.
Not all questions have right and wrong answers. Some have best answers. This means you have to look at the course material and conclude your answers through the reading as a whole. You have to explain how you arrived at your conclusions and supported the conclusions with the source material and facts of the case scenario.
A best answer is one that has shown critical thinking and has arrived at a conclusion that best answers the assignment questions given the material and facts. Another answer may be concluded from the material and may be supported, but its logic is not as sound given the material; therefore, not the best answer. You can receive points for the less than the best answer, as it is not wrong. You will not receive all the points; however, because you have not given the best answer. An example would be John researches automobiles to purchase the best-used car for under $20,000. He uses Consumer Reports, JD Power, the Internet websites of local dealers and Car Faxes to help make a decision. John knows he wants an SUV that seats seven, gets the best gas mileage, has the best warranty, and has the least amount of mileage. John would also like the vehicle to be red but it is not a necessity. If your answer were to suggest a car that had all John except you gave up better gas mileage for the red color, your answer would not be the best answer. You would receive most of the points but not all. A car that had everything except it was black would be the best answer. Note, that if the question had a right or wrong answer the material would contain information that directly led to the conclusion about a car that had everything John wanted including the color red!
NOTE: All submitted work is to be your original work. You may not use any work from another student, the Internet or an online clearinghouse. You are expected to understand the Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism Policy, and know that it is your responsibility to learn about instructor and general academic expectations with regard to proper citation of sources as specified in the APA Publication Manual, 6th Ed. (Students are held accountable for in-text citations and an associated reference list only).
Step 1: Preparation for the Assignment
Before you begin writing the report, you will read the following requirements that will help you meet the writing and APA requirements. Not reading this information will lead to a lower grade:
Review “How to Analyze a Case Study” under Week 4 Content. You are expected to use the facts from the case scenario focusing on using this information to determine opportunities and solve problems.
Read the grading rubric for the assignment. Use the grading rubric while writing the report to ensure all requirements are met that will lead to the highest possible grade.
In writing this assignment, you will read and following these tasks:
Third person writing is required. Third person means that there are no words such as “I, me, my, we, or us” (first person writing), nor is there use of “you or your” (second person writing). If uncertain how to write in the third person, view this link: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/first-second-and-third-person.
Contractions are not used in business writing, so you are expected NOT to use contractions in writing this assignment.
You are expected to paraphrase and NOT use direct quotes. You are expected to paraphrase, which can be learned by reviewing this link: https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_paraphrase2.html.
You are responsible for APA only for in-text citations and a reference list.
You are expected to use the facts from the case scenario paired with the weekly courses readings to develop the analysis and support the reasoning. No more than three (3) external resources can be used in completing the assignment. Books cannot be used as resources for this assignment. The expectation is that you provide a robust use of the course readings. If any material is used from a source document, it must be cited and referenced and the page or paragraph number must be provided. A reference within a reference list cannot exist without an associated in-text citation and vice versa. View the sample APA paper to gain a better understanding of how to use APA within the paper and the How to Cite and Reference file located under Week 4 content.
In completing the assignment, students are expected to use the facts from the case study and company profile paired with the weekly courses readings to develop the analysis. View the company profile here: Galaxy Toys, Inc. Company Profile.
Step 2: How to Set Up the Paper
Create a Word or Rich Text Format (RTF) document that is double-spaced, 12-point font. The final product will be between 5-7 pages in length excluding the title page and reference page and appendix. Write clearly and concisely.
In addition to providing an introduction, students will use headings following this format:
Title page with title, your name, the course, date, the instructor’s name;
Introduction (no abstract)
Background on the Galaxy Inc. scenario – one to two paragraph that is paraphrased (approximately 150 words);
Part One;
Part Two
Step 3: Create the introductory paragraph. Within this paragraph, provide a brief overview of the scenario. Then, provide a thesis statement and tell the reader the main topics covered in the paper. The introductory paragraph is the first paragraph of the paper but is typically written after writing the body of the paper (Questions students responded to above). View this website to learn how to write an introductory paragraph: http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/intro.html
Step 4: Part One: Read critically and analyze the following scenario:
The shipping manager for Galaxy Toys Toledo, Ohio branch, Bart Aldrin, has been in his job since 1969. Prior to coming to Galaxy, Bart worked as shipping clerk for International Shipping, a large container company. Bart quickly rose to supervisor at International Shipping because of his ability to plan daily work, provide detailed instructions to workers that helped optimize the way tasks were performed and his knack of implementing processes so workers could be trained to perform their specialized sequence of motion in the most efficient way. He brought this management style to Galaxy, which helped to improve the methodology of toy assembly as well as the shipping processes.
Employees often criticized Bart, who was heard to say (on many occasions), “It’s my way or the highway” or “Just do your individual task the way you were trained and don’t worry about what others are doing.” In fact, it was clear that Bart was focused on efficiency and to that end, he had a keen understanding of all of the tasks that needed to be completed and was focused on hiring and training workers that could perform their individual task in the most efficient way possible. In his early days, one could find Bart on the shipping floor taking copious notes as to each individual task completed and figuring out ways to turn the employees into robots…programming them to perform their one task in the single-most efficient way possible (at least from his perspective).
A major shift in management occurred in the late 1980’s and early 90’s that caused Bart (and other managers) to reconsider their management approach. For example, heightened competition, advances in technology, the workers threat to unionize, a greater demand for employee management participation, work-life balance and a general shift in employee workplace values caused management to change the culture of Galaxy. A greater focus on employees led to a new approach to management at Galaxy: people focus within a learning environment. The owners of Galaxy embraced diversity and were willing to hear the ideas of employees and this change in attitude and culture was evident in Bart, who embraced these changes wholeheartedly. These internal changes enabled the company to adapt to uncertainty and to respond to its competitors more quickly.
Step 5: Identify and discuss the School of Thought that best describes Bart’s management style when he first joined Galaxy. Remember to explain the facts that you have relied upon in your selection. Note that there is one best answer so not doing a thorough analysis will yield partial credit for this element.
Step 6: Discuss the theorist (only one) under the identified School of Thought that best depicts Bart’s management style when he joined Galaxy. What contribution did this theorist make to management and why was his or her contribution important to the field of management? Remember to explain the facts that you have relied upon in the selection. Note that there is one best answer so not doing a thorough analysis will yield partial credit.
Step 7: Identify and discuss the School of Thought that best describes the management style Bart used once the shift took place. Why is this School of Thought the best choice? Remember to demonstrate that the facts given in the scenario align with your choice. Note that there is one best answer, so not doing a thorough analysis will yield partial credit for this element.
Step 8: Identify and discuss the theorist who best supports this School of Thought. Address the theory’s principles. Explain how they principles affected the new approach to management as exhibited by Bart and his fellow managers. How does what the theorist propose support the facts in the case study? Remember to demonstrate that the facts given in the scenario align with your choice. Note that there is one best answer, which is not related to the P-O-L-C, so not doing a thorough analysis will yield partial credit for this element.
Step 9: Part Two: Read critically and analyze the following scenario:
Recently, Bart announced his plans to retire. His replacement is Joyce Barnhart. Joyce is confident as a 21st century manager that she is capable of handling the new position as manager.
Step 10: As a 21st century manager, how will Joyce’s understanding of the role of a manager be different from Bart’s after the shift? Suggest a school of thought and theorist that would work best for Joyce and explain how the choice is best for the role of a 21st century manager. Remember that in responding to this question, students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the 21st century management concepts discussed early in this course.
Step 11: In what way will Joyce’s vision of the role of manager manifest itself in the running of the shipping department at Galaxy headquarters? Remember to be concrete about the suggestions. For example, how might Joyce’s vision affect the way she tasks people jobs?
Step 12: Proofread the paper for spelling and grammatical issues and third person writing as this assignment requires college-level writing.
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