Module Assessment 1- Part 1:
Assessment: Academic Essay
Word limit: 2,500 words.
The Assessment Exercise:
Students are required to write their academic essay on one of the following questions:
• Critically discuss those factors which shape the behavior of individuals within organizations
• Critically discuss the advantages and disadvantages associated with working in groups and teams within organizations
• Critically evaluate the importance of organizational culture as a determinant of the structure of contemporary organizations
Indicative Answers:
Question 1
Critically discuss those factors which shape the behaviour of individuals within organizations
An answer to this question should demonstrate the following:
• A clear understanding of the role and importance of individuals within organizations
• A clear understanding of those factors which shape and influence individual behavior. Examples with which students might engage include attitudes, emotions, values, personality, perception and motivation
• An ability to support arguments through the use of appropriate organizational examples
• A critical engagement with an appropriate body of academic literature
• An ability to present a coherent, well written and properly formatted essay in answer to the question, appropriate to the level of study
Question 2
Critically discuss the advantages and disadvantages associated with working in groups and teams within organizations
An answer to this question should demonstrate the following:
• A clear understanding of the nature and importance of group working and team working in contemporary organizations
• A clear understanding of the main advantages and disadvantages associated with group working and team working
• A clear understanding of the main differences between groups and teams, in terms of their nature, scope and operation within organizations
• An ability to support arguments through the use of appropriate organizational examples
• A critical engagement with an appropriate body of academic literature
• An ability to present a coherent, well written and properly formatted essay in answer to the question, appropriate to the level of study
Question 3
Critically evaluate the importance of organizational culture as a determinant of the structure of contemporary organizations
An answer to this question should demonstrate the following:
• A clear understanding of the nature and scope of organizational culture
• A clear understanding of the main defining elements of organizational culture
• An ability to discuss critically models and frameworks on organizational culture discussed within the academic literature. Examples with which students might engage include the Cultural Web,
• An ability to discuss critically the way in which organizational culture serves to shape organizational structure
• An ability to support arguments through the use of appropriate organizational examples
• A critical engagement with an appropriate body of academic literature
• An ability to present a coherent, well written and properly formatted essay in answer to the question, appropriate to the level of study
Module Assessment 1- Part 2:
Assessment: Group Presentation
The Assessment Exercise:
For the purposes of this assessment, students will be divided into small groups in the course of the tutorial programme. The assessment will consist of a group presentation of around 10 - 15 minutes in length on the following question:
• Outline the evolution of Organizational Behaviour as a subject of academic inquiry, and critically evaluate its importance in relation to the study of management
The presentation should be organized around the use of approximately 10 PowerPoint slides:
• One title slide, configured as follows:
• Around 7 substantive slides
• One Summary slide, which provides the main conclusions of the presentation
• One slide containing a list of references employed in the production and presentation of the work