The following ten questions require you to think critically about the content presented in your text, synthesize the materials and/or reflect upon how the concepts apply in your own experience.
1) One of the challenges in the Canadian workplace is managing diversity. Managers must address the differences among diverse groups of people. Describe what is meant by diversity in the workplace and then explain how organizations of today must manage and/or accommodate this diversity. Provide examples to support your response.
2) What is perception? Describe in detail the three factors that influence perception. Give specific examples to illustrate your answers.
3) Compare and contrast some of the values of the Asian, Aboriginal, Francophone, and Anglophone cultures. For each culture, explain at least one way in which their values may impact management practices and strategies.
4) Describe and discuss equity theory and explain how a manager might apply it in the workplace. Give specific examples to illustrate your answer.
5) Describe in detail at least five barriers to effective communication within organizations and explain how these barriers can be overcome. Give specific examples to illustrate your answers.
6) Discuss in detail the concept of organizational politics. What constitutes political behaviour, why and how does it occur in organizations, and how do people use politics for their own benefit? Give specific examples to support your answer.
7)Do men and women lead differently? Compare and contrast men’s and women’s leadership characteristics and styles, and their general effectiveness in the workplace. Give specific details to support your answer.
8) Discuss in detail the four ethical decision criteria and relate them to issues and decisions about corporate social responsibility. Give specific examples to support your answer.
9) Why do people and organizations resist change?Discuss the tactics that organizations use to overcome resistance to change. How are some of these tactics related to organizational power and politics? Support your answers with specific examples.
10) Consider a group situation in which you have worked. To what extent did this group rely on the technical skills of the group members vs. their interpersonal skills? Which skills seemed most important in helping this group function well?
Submissions that receive a grade of 80% or higher were significantly more comprehensive in the responses provided to all 10 questions in the assignment. In addition they usually include links with the textual material that formed the basis for the questions. Importantly, their answers provide substantive discussion of the questions posed and are supported by illustrations/examples. They display a significant and comprehensive understanding of the relevant theories and concepts applicable to each question and case scenarios. Variations in this range reflect the level of comprehension displayed in responses but do not indicate any significant gaps in understanding of the key theories and concepts.Responses display an appropriate level of professional writing, clarity, and formatting and are free or significantly free of any grammatical or stylistic issues
Submissions in the 70-79 range show evidence of an acceptable level of comprehensive understanding of the relevant theories and concepts applicable to each question. They tend to provide correct and/or defensible responses to all questions but the level of discussion and linkage with the course theoretical and practice content, i.e., the text, were less comprehensive than a submission in the 80+ range.. Variations in this range reflect the level of comprehension displayed in responses but do not indicate any significant gaps in understanding of the key theories and concepts and their application. They may be less than the 500 word range per question suggested in the guidelines. Note, however, that there was no penalty in terms of grades directly because of this – it is simply that often submissions that are less than 500 words merited a grade of no more than 79 because of the level of content and discussion they provided. They also may display (but not necessarily) issues with writing style, clarity and comprehension, as well as issues with grammar and spelling. Formatting issues may also be present.
