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Analysing a Managers Behaviour

carlene.boucher@rmit.edu.au

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Assesses the following Learning Outcomes:

Broad understanding of underlying principles and conceptsin organisational, group and individual behaviour and use

of these to examine organisation management.

Cognitive skills to review critically, analyse, consolidate

and synthesise knowledge and ideas about peoplemanagement issues in organisations.

Capacity to apply knowledge and skills in diverse contexts

and act with initiative and judgement in using a range of

expert business resources and academic databases.

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Task

You will select a topic covered during the semester and

using either:

a. data from an interview that you undertake with a

manager,or

b. your knowledge of the behaviour of a manager whomyou have worked for or with,or

c. your knowledge of the behaviour of a manager you

have had the chance to observe,

And ONE THEORY from the required reading or from

your independent research on a topic covered this

semester,

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You will answer the following questions:

1. How does the manager undertakes the activitybeing studied?

2. How effectively the theory explains what the

manager is doing and why they are doing it3. How effective is the manager at this activity and

how does the theory explain this?

4. What are the major strengths and weaknesses ofthe theory?

The focus should be on the last two questions.

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Assessment Criteria:

The essay- examines the behaviour of the manager in undertaking

one aspect of the management role,

- effectively uses theory to analyse the way the manager

undertakes that role,

- appraises the effectiveness of the manager and justifiesthat appraisal using theory,

- critical evaluates the usefulness of the theory used in the

appraisal,

- is within the word limit,- is referenced correctly,

- is free of spelling and grammatical errors and uses an

essay format.

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Format

Referenced using the referencing format described

at:http://emedia.rmit.edu.au/learninglab/content/refere

ncing

(Business Harvard Referencing) and including a

correctly formatted reference list.

Essay style in the form described at:

http://emedia.rmit.edu.au/learninglab/content/essay

-writing Academic Integrity: Any breaches of academic

integrity will be actioned under RMIT policy. Please

see http://www.rmit.edu.au/academicintegrity/.

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http://emedia.rmit.edu.au/learninglab/content/essay-writinghttp://emedia.rmit.edu.au/learninglab/content/essay-writinghttp://emedia.rmit.edu.au/learninglab/content/essay-writinghttp://emedia.rmit.edu.au/learninglab/content/essay-writinghttp://emedia.rmit.edu.au/learninglab/content/essay-writing

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Form of Data

Interview Text

Your reflections on the interview

Observations Notes on:

Behaviour

Words

Action and words of others

Your reflections on the observation

OR BOTH

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Analysing your data: Preliminary steps

Are you Starting with a theory and analysing the managers

behaviour in terms of that theory?

Easier but results in less insightful findings

Examining the managers behaviour and looking for atheory that explains it?

Harder but results in richer findings

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Going from theory to data to findings

What are the key concepts in the theory? What does the data tell you about the managers

behaviour according to the theory?

What are your key findings?

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Example: Thomas Kilman

Five conflict management styles

What does the data tell you about:

Which styles the manager uses

Do they use them appropriately

Do they use them well

What are you able to conclude about the managers

behaviour using this theory?

What does this tell you about the strengths and

weaknesses of the theory

In this case?

Extrapolate using criticisms of the theory from other authors

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Going from data to theory to analysis

What are the interesting things in the data

Repetitive behaviours Something that strikes you as unusual or that you didnt expect

What theory might help explain this?

General to specific (eg Leadership to Situational Leadership

Theory)

According to the theory, does the manager do this well?

What does this tell you about the strengths and

weaknesses of the theory

In this case

Extrapolate using criticisms of the theory by other authors?

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Example

In the interview the manager talks a lot aboutleadership and how they lead

Seems to describe some different ways of leading

You do a search and decide the manager is describing

transformational and transactional leadership styles

You use transformational leadership theory to analyse

the managers behaviour

You find articles that are critical of transformational

leadership as a theory and use these to critical

examine the theory

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzWbATyLk70

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