Management

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SLP 1

For the Session Long Project (SLP) this session you will be applying what you’ve learned to an organization that you are personally familiar with. Choose an organization that you are currently working for, have worked for in the past, or are otherwise personally familiar with. The papers that you will write for each module will require a fair amount of detail about the four functions of management, so it is important to choose an organization that you know well.

 

For this assignment write a 2–3 page summary explaining how your organization uses the four functions of management—planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Make sure to have at least one paragraph devoted to each of these four functions and how your organization uses this function.

 

As a reminder:

 

Planning

 

During this process, organizations develop visions, goals, and objectives. They select strategies to reach their vision and meet goals and objectives.

 

Organizing

 

During this stage, organizations select organization design and structures that enable them to implement strategies.

 

Leading

 

This process refers to leadership, meaning the styles leaders use to fulfill their functions.

 

Controlling

 

This process monitors if strategies are on track and deadlines are met.

 

SLP Assignment Expectations

Follow the assignment instructions closely and follow all steps listed in the instructions.

Stay focused on the precise assignment questions; don't go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to general background materials.

List supporting references and cite sources in proper format.

Use appropriate writing style in essay form (organization, grammar, and spelling).

Review Trident's “Writing Style Guide” for more detail on referencing and writing expectations. This guide is found under “My Resources” in the TLC portal.

 

Module 2

Tesla Motors is a unique company that manufacturers automobiles that run 100 percent on electricity. The company has received a lot of attention in the media. In spite of loans from the federal government and various tax advantages given to alternative fuel vehicle manufacturers, the company has had huge ups and downs and has come close to bankruptcy at least once. However, it has recently had enough success to repay a large loan from the government.

 

Initially Tesla only produced expensive sports cars that only the very rich could afford, but the company is now expanding into producing more cost-effective vehicles. In spite of recent successes, Tesla does face many hurdles. It is a relatively small company compared to the world’s major auto manufacturers. It faces competition from hybrid vehicles that are much cheaper, such as the Toyota Prius. Nissan has even come out with a relatively inexpensive fully electric vehicle—the Leaf.

 

Consumers may also be unwilling to face the inconvenience of a fully electric vehicle. There are few recharging stations compared with gas stations in the United States, and it takes far longer to recharge an electric vehicle than to fill a vehicle up with gas. So while there is large public support for environmentally friendly vehicles that will lower our dependence on foreign oil, Tesla faces many obstacles and must carefully plan its future in order to compete with the large auto companies and expand its consumer base.

 

Do some research on Tesla and the market for electric vehicles and see what you can find regarding Tesla’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Here are a couple of articles to get you started:

 

Tilley, P. (2014, Feb 20). Tesla Motors offers the epitome of automobile innovation. The Dispatch[Available on ProQuest]

 

Rechtin, M. (2014). Tesla's biggest test. Automotive News, 88(6603). [ProQuest]

 

Mandel, D. (2013). The great Tesla bubble. Automotive News, 88(6590) [Available on ProQuest]

 

Case Assignment

Once you have completed your research, write a 4- to 5-page paper addressing the following items:

 

Conduct a SWOT analysis of Tesla Motors with specific discussion about what you think are the main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing Tesla.

Based on your SWOT analysis, give some recommendation for some specific steps Tesla should take in order to grow and remain competitive.

 

MODULE 2 : SLP 2

For the Module 2 SLP, you will be continuing to focus on the organization you selected for your Module 1 SLP and take a close look at strategic planning at this organization. You already gave a brief overview of planning at your organization for your Module 1 SLP, but now you will be taking a closer look at planning issues such as the mission, vision, and goals of your organization and also do some strategic planning and analysis of your organization.

 

For this assignment, first review the background materials carefully, then write a 3-page paper covering the following issues:

 

What are the main strategic goals of your organization?

Perform a strategic analysis of your organization using SWOT or PEST analysis, and make some recommendations for your organization based on your analysis.

 

MODULE 3

Zappos Shoes, led by young CEO Tony Hsieh, is well known for its non-traditional approaches to the workplace. From the Background materials you should be familiar with traditional organizational structures such as the hierarchical organization, the flat organization, or the matrix organization. But CEO Hsieh plans an even more radical approach to organizing his online shoe retailing company, called "holacracy." This is radical new approach involves eliminating hierarchies and even eliminating job titles.

 

Many of you are used to working in a hierarchical organization, so as you can see, this new form of organization (or perhaps “lack of organization”) is a huge change over what most of us are used to. But for purposes of this assignment we must decide whether or not holacracy is likely to work for Zappos Shoes. This assignment reflects the radical new ideas of a younger CEO like Tony Hsieh as compared with more traditional structures found in the older and more established structures in Fortune 500 companies.

 

Here are some readings on Zappos and holacracy to get you started:

 

Frean, A. (2014, Jan 06). How holacracy killed the hierarchy in companies going flat-out for success, The Times [ProQuest]

 

Cook, D. (2014). Ready for holacracy? Zappos says it is. Benefits Selling.Breaking News [ProQuest]

 

Shiers, L. (2010, 03). Touring Zappos. Footwear Plus, , 52 [ProQuest]

 

Case Assignment

When you have finished researching Zappos’ current business model and holacracy, write a 4- to 5-page paper that answers the following questions:

 

What risks and challenges does Zappos face in implementing holacracy?

Overall, what do you think the chances are of holacracy succeeding at Zappos?

Do you think holacracy would work with a traditional Fortune 500 company? Why or why not?

 

MODULE 3 : SLP 3

For this assignment, write a 2- to 3-page paper analyzing aspects of Organizing at your selected organization. Some of the key aspects to focus on in your paper include the following issues:

 

How would you characterize the design of your organization? Is it flat, or multilayered? Is it a rigid hierarchy, or does it use alternative structures like team-based or matrix?

Is decision making mostly centralized at the top, or is there room for decentralized decision making at lower levels?

What kind of departmentalization does your organization use? Is it divided into functional divisions, geographical divisions, other divisions?

What is the typical span of control for managers in your organization? Is it broad or narrow?

Are employees highly specialized, or do employees have a wide range of tasks and responsibilities?

SLP Assignment Expectations

Discuss all five elements of organizational design listed in the assignment instructions in the context of your organization.

Stay focused on the precise assignment questions; don't go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to general background materials.

List supporting references and cite sources in proper format.

Use appropriate writing style in essay form (organization, grammar, and spelling).

Review Trident's “Writing Style Guide” for more detail on referencing and writing expectations. This guide is found under “My Resources” in the TLC portal.

 

MODULE 4

Few CEOs have been subject to as much criticism and attacks as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Most famously, he was portrayed as the villain in the movie The Social Network. Shareholders have complained about his leadership and failure to increase the stock price of Facebook, and others have claimed he is socially inept and too young and immature to be a CEO of a multibillion-dollar corporation.

 

However, in spite of this criticism Zuckerberg is inarguably one of the most successful CEOs and entrepreneurs in corporate history. The small project that he created while he was a college student has become world dominant in the social media business and is still growing and expanding. So in spite of all of the criticism he clearly has been a successful leader.

 

For this Case Assignment, do some research in the online library and find out what you can about Zuckerberg’s leadership style. Take a look at the criticisms as well as what you think he is doing right or what lead him to his strong success.

 

Here are a few articles to get you started:

 

Facebook's leadership: Time for an update? (Jun. 13, 2010). The Washington Post. [Available on ProQuest]

 

Bailey, B., & May, P. (2014, Feb 03). Facebook at 10: Zuckerberg pushing for change. Oakland Tribune. [ProQuest]

 

Lesley, C. T. (2012, Jan 27). Job at Facebook not for sensitive types. Toronto Star. [ProQuest]

 

Case Assignment

Once you have finished your research, write a 4- to 5-page paper addressing the following questions:

 

How would you describe Mark Zuckerberg’s leadership style? Was it transformational, transactional? Both, or neither? Explain your reasoning.

Consider both the positive and negative aspects of Zuckerberg’s leadership style. What is good, and what is detrimental to Facebook? Does the good outweigh the bad?

Assignment Expectations

Answer the assignment questions directly.

Stay focused on the precise assignment questions; don't go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to general background materials.

List supporting references and cite sources in proper format.

Make sure to use reliable and credible sources as your references. Articles published in established newspapers or business journals/magazines are preferred. If you find articles on the Internet, make sure they are from a credible source.

Use appropriate writing style in essay form (organization, grammar, and spelling).

Review Trident's “Writing Style Guide” for more detail on referencing and writing expectations. This guide is found under “My Resources” in the TLC portal.

 

MODULE 4 ; SLP 4

In this section of the Session Long Project, write a 2- to 3-page paper about one of your current or former leaders.

 

Do not write about yourself, even if you are a CEO or leader.

 

Analyze, using background materials, leadership styles and the leader's way of fulfilling functions of management. Key concepts to be addressed are:

 

Did the leader empower the employees?

Was the leader authoritarian?

Was the leader transformational or transactional, or both?

What is the vision the leader created for the company or organization you selected?

How did the leader motivate the workforce?

How did the leader communicate the company's vision or directions?

SLP Assignment Expectations

Answer the assignment questions directly.

Stay focused on the precise assignment questions; don't go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to general background materials.

List supporting references and cite sources in proper format

Use appropriate writing style in essay form (organization, grammar, and spelling).

Review Trident's “Writing Style Guide” for more detail on referencing and writing expectations. This guide is found under “My Resources” in the TLC portal.

 

MODULE 5

Of course having solid control processes is essential for any successful organization. Some organizations like to seek formal recognition for their control functions through independent certifications such as ISO 9000. In order to receive ISO certification, you need to extensively follow and document a long list of published standards and then have an outside evaluator certify that you are meeting these standards.

 

ISO certification has both proponents and critics. Proponents argue that meeting ISO standards through certification will improve organizational control functions and also help signal to the outside world that you are running a solid operation with high standards. However, critics point to the huge amount of time and money spent on documentation that may be excessive. Critics also say that ISO focuses on documentation of processes rather than the actual quality/efficiency of the process.

 

For this assignment, first read up on ISO certification and examine the arguments both for and against it. Then read up on a new start-up company called Clinkle and consider whether or not ISO 9000 would be appropriate for this new company to seek. Clinkle is new online payment company that has received a lot of media attention recently but has also had its ups and downs. It has raised a lot of money from investors but is still at an early stage with no revenue yet.

 

Here are some articles on ISO certification to get you started:

 

Seddon, J. (1997). Ten arguments against ISO 9000, Managing Service Quality 7(4), pp. 162-168. [ProQuest]

 

Wahid, R., &  Corner, J.  (2009). Critical success factors and problems in ISO 9000 maintenance.

 

The International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management 26 (9), pp. 881-893.

 

Here are some articles on Clinkle to get you started:

 

Smart money follows mobile payment app Clinkle (July 4, 2013). Irish Times, Dublin [ProQuest]

 

Clinkle raises $25 million in seed financing as it prepares to change the way people transact. (June 27, 2013). Business Wire, New York [ProQuest]

 

Case Assignment

After doing research and carefully considering whether or not ISO certification is the right option for Clinkle, write a 4- to 5-page paper answering the following questions:

 

What aspects of the control function of management do you think should be the most important to Clinkle?

What would be the main benefits to Clinkle of obtaining ISO certification?

What would be the main disadvantages to Clinkle of obtaining ISO certification?

Overall, should Clinkle invest time and money in ISO certification, or are the resources better spent on other ways to maintain control systems?

Assignment Expectations

Answer the assignment questions directly.

Stay focused on the precise assignment questions; don't go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to general background materials.

List supporting references and cite sources in proper format.

Use reliable and credible sources as your references. Articles published in established newspapers or business journals/magazines are preferred. If you find articles on the Internet, make sure they are from a credible source.

Use appropriate writing style in essay form (organization, grammar, and spelling).

Review Trident's “Writing Style Guide” for more detail on referencing and writing expectations. This guide is found under “My Resources” in the TLC portal.

 

MODULE 5 ; SLP 5

For this final SLP you will be looking closely at the control function of management within your organization. All organizations have numerous methods of control, but think carefully about what control mechanisms are most vital for your organization’s success. Then write a 2- to 3-page paper answering the following question:

 

What control mechanisms at your organization are (or should be) the most useful or important for the success of your organization?

Focus in particular on the core technologies of the organization as applied to the control function of management. You can discuss control efforts and strategies already utilized by your company, and/or make recommendations that you believe would be useful for your organization to consider.

 

Begin your essay with a thesis statement in the introductory paragraph that identifies what you consider to be the key organizational control efforts that are (or would be) important to the success of your organization, and then develop a persuasive essay to support your thesis.

 

Remember to use background readings to support your key arguments and to cite and reference your sources. Your goal is to convince your professor, who will require some well-reasoned and well-supported arguments. Actual examples of control and accountability systems in action and how they work in your organization will also help to add support to your arguments, but you need to go beyond just being descriptive and provide some convincing arguments in favor of your position.

 

SLP Assignment Expectations

Answer the assignment questions directly and provide clear arguments in favor of your answer.

Stay focused on the precise assignment questions; don't go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to summarizing general background material.

List supporting references and cite sources in proper format, including in-text citations.

Use appropriate writing style in essay form (organization, grammar, and spelling).

Review Trident's “Writing Style Guide” for more detail on referencing and writing expectations. This guide is found under “My Resources” in the TLC portal.

 

 

 

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