Professional Documents
Culture Documents
All of the projects described below have been successfully completed by many of my masters students over the years.
(n preparation for the first two workshops you will be re#uired to read a carefully selected paper or set of readings. The workshop will invite each participant to come prepared to: )a* summari+e the paper in a nutshell$ )b* identify some key insights for the knowledge management process$ and )c* to apply those insights to a case e&le. The assignment re#uires that you write up your e&perience of the workshop. This account of your e&perience should be informed by relevant theory and research on learning knowledge and knowledge management in an organi+ational conte&t )a reference list will be supplied to get you started*. ,ou will be e&pected to focus on the learning process )in an interactive social or relational sense* the issue of knowledge )what is it how can it be measured and managed* and knowledge generation-creation. .inally reflect on what you have learned from the workshop e&perience that you can use to inform your understanding and methods of knowledge management in an organi+ational setting.
Merger Management
(dentify and describe a case of organi+ational merger with which you are or could become familiar. /ritically analyse the !human" )as opposed to financial or structural* side of the merger reflecting in particular on merger strategy process and post-merger outcomes. 0arness relevant social psychological theory )one or several* to formulate the human side of organi+ational merger describe and e&plain what would constitute !successful" merger in human terms and then draw out the implications for successful merger management. Attempt to apply the analysis to the case in #uestion. 1raw on the evidence available in the literature to identify factors that can contribute to merger success or failure. 2hat in particular would you advise should have been done or done differently )if anything3*. To complete this project you may 4 in addition to the relevant literature 4 draw upon company documentation and where possible you might consult someone involved either in merger management and-or at the receiving end of the merger )that is a regular employee*.
Socialization
1esign an induction programme for organi+ational newcomers based on a coherent formulation of the sociali+ation process. 5se a case study organi+ation or company as the conte&t for the intervention. The formulation may draw upon one or several theories or constructs. 1escribe and e&plain each aspect of the induction programme.
Culture
Analyse the culture of a major retailer by consulting )a* the company-organi+ation"s website$ )b* company publications-documentation-advertisement$ )c* the retail outlet )the customer face*$ and )d* observing the behaviour of staff. 0arness relevant theory and evidence in support of your analysis.
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1@. 2hat 4 if any 4 is the difference between a leader and a manager3 0ow can theories of leadership inform our understanding of effective management3 11. /an temporary workers develop relational contracts with the host organi+aton3 Provide an informed and constructively critical social psychological justification for your answer. 1%. 2hy is culture change difficult and why3 2hat insights are afforded by your analysis that can be used to facilitate culture change3 7&plain and defend your answer. 1'. 0ow has the new technology revolution affected the social processes and structures of organi+ations3 18. According to Aousseau"s social cognition theory how are psychological contracts established3 0ow effective is her e&planation3 19. 2hat are the conse#uences of psychological contract breach for both the individual and the organi+ation3 1:. 2hat elements comprise an organi+ational culture3 0ow does this differ from our understanding of organi+ational climate3 1<. Theorists have attempted to define organi+ational cultures into specific ta&onomies. 0ow useful has this profiling work been to our understanding of cultural effectiveness3 1=. 0ow have traditional theories in social psychology contributed to our understanding of how organi+ational identity is formed3
1?. 0ow does corporate identity differ from organi+ational culture3 %@. Are workgroups and teams a help or a hindrance to the achievement of organi+ational goals3 %1. 0ow would you go about establishing a new team from scratch to ensure effective outcomes both for the organi+ation and the individual team members3 %%. 5sing theories from the organi+ational psychology literature e&plore how a leader can best ensure their team achieves its goals. %'. 2hy have theories of transformational leadership proven to be so popular in recent years3 %8. 2hat affects people"s choice of communication media within organi+ations3 %9. 0ow has the new technology revolution affected organi+ational communication3 %:. /ompare and contrast the !planned" and !emergent" approaches to effecting organi+ational change.
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