Portfolio

Portfolio Question One Critique the term ‘Personality clash’. Why might an assumption of personality clash cause problems in a workplace relationship? Discuss this statement with reference to the reading and the seminar work and briefly explain why it is important for a manager in an organisation. What is a ‘breaching experiment’? After you have read and understood how these experiments work consider how an understanding of them might be helpful to a manager. You should also discuss the difficulties in breaking out of patterns of behaviour and conversation once they have become a historical part of a relationship and what alternatives are open to anyone wishing to shift perceptions that others might have of them. Present a simple diagram and explanation of Lewin’s Force Field Analysis. Then present a brief explanation of Weick and Quinn’s model and discuss them both in relation to an organisational change that you are familiar with. How are they different? Briefly define a ‘complacent’, ‘resigned’ and ‘cynical’ conversation. Present examples that you have been part of or have overheard or have viewed in a film or television programme. Use the prompts in Table 10.1 (Jabri) to outline the behavioural tendencies that you can clearly identify from your cases (you can put these into table form if you wish); some examples of utterances and then extend the table to include what might have been said. Briefly outline a story from the perspective of a victim in an organisation setting i.e. someone who has been overlooked for promotion or who has a boss that repeatedly gives them unpleasant tasks (fictional characters from books, films or televisions are acceptable if they are plausible and appropriate). a) List the personal characteristics and competencies of change agents that enhance the prospects of change taking root. B) Outline your own style of influencing change and provide an illustrative example. Corporate Social Responsibility as a Marketing Tool Watch this video from the late Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k44WifxDSX4 a) State whether you agree or disagree with her main arguments and why. b) Select one organisation (not the Body Shop) to illustrate how organisations use language, imagery and other types of media to promote their products/services as socially responsible. Managing Business Responsibly – reflecting back on the module as a whole, select any business organisation of your choice and explain why you believe that your chosen organisation is either “a responsible business” or “not a responsible business”