The essay – hand in date Friday 7 December

　　· The essay questions will be given out in a lecture mid-term. Hand in for the written element will be before the Christmas vacation. Confirmation of date, time and venue of submission will be made in the lectures and seminars.

　　· There are serious implications if you do not hand in on time, as University policy dictates that work handed in late has the grade reduced by 10% per day, or part thereof. Non-submission of work means no resit is available = FAIL.

　　· Clear guidelines are given in the ‘checklist’ of how work must be presented – make sure you read and follow them.

　　· You must include a copy of your work, saved in Word, on a disk which should be securely attached to the folder and have your name, enrolment number and name of module studied clearly written on it.

　　· Disks are run through Plagiarism Software, which indicates when work has been copied in full or in part. If you do not submit a disk and/or the work is inaccessible, the work will not be marked until it is submitted, and will incur deductions of -10% per day.

　　Your essay must demonstrate:

　　· an autobiographical approach – use 1st person

　　· evidence of reading from the book list and other management literature - your primary information source should be an appropriate number of academic books (3-4 is insufficient). This should include the core texts, but you must also show that you have engaged in your own research. The books may be supplemented with some internet research, but do not rely on the internet as your main source of information.

　　· evidence of your research by including appropriate references and quotes (fully sourced in an acceptable academic format). Any texts/work used at school or college are unlikely to be appropriate –you are working at undergraduate level now and there are different standards/requirements.

　　· a recognition that management is a phenomenon arising from particular historical, social and ideological contexts – but consider nonetheless whether historical theories are appropriate for today’s organisations?

　　· an attempt to compare and contrast the views of different writers with each other and with your own experience, and consequently conveying your own informed opinions – do not simply relate information, consider what it means and apply it to the ‘real world’, bearing in mind at all times that the module relates to “management”.

　　· reference to seminar activities/discussion and group activity – your behaviour and that of others. What are the implications for the workplace? How would a manager handle such a situation? What is the potential impact of such a situation in the workplace?

　　· references to your previous experiences of managing others/being managed in employment, whether full-time, part-time or work-experience – is management theory and management practice the same or different?

　　· you have engaged in independent research, using an appropriate number of books as the primary source and have referenced work correctly

　　QUESTION

　　Consider why management should be designated a profession, with managers as “professionals” who demonstrate not only leadership skills, but emotional intelligence and knowledge of organisational behaviour and management.

　　Focus:

　　Characteristics of management

　　Management style

　　Organisational behaviour

　　Things could consider (not necessarily in this order !)

　　· Definitions of management/organisational behaviour

　　· Relationship/implications of management and OB

　　· Appropriateness in contemporary organisation?

　　· Implications

　　· Motivation

　　· Reflection/own experiences - theory-v-practice