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Sunderland Business SchoolThe Faculty of Business and Law

Postgraduate Business and Management ProgrammesAcademic Year 2012/13

Module Guide: PGBM02 Managing and Leading People

Module Leader:Dr Lesley Mearns

Email: [email protected]

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Module Description

TITLE: MANAGING AND LEADING PEOPLE CODE: PGBM02CREDITS: 15LEVELS: MASTERSSCHOOL: BUSINESSMODULE BOARD: POSTGRADUATE BUSINESSPRE-REQUISITES: NONECO- REQUISITES: NONELEARNING HOURS: 150 hours, the exact nature of which is specified in the module guide.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to:

Knowledge - based outcomes1. Understand, explain and critically evaluate knowledge of the attitudes and beliefs, players

and influences that exist and the extent to which these help or hinder people and their organisations as they strive to achieve success.

2. Understand, explain and critically evaluate a basic knowledge of the systems, processes and routines that underpin people leadership and management and the basics of people resourcing, learning/development and performance management.

3. Understand, explain and critically evaluate knowledge of the characteristics of successful organisations and of high performance people.

Skills - based outcomesOn completion of this module students will be able to:4. Understand, explain and critically evaluate how an employee's performance is measured

and the impact of organisational behaviour on business performance.5. Develop a critical awareness of line managers' roles and responsibilities especially with

regard to the management and leadership of employees.6. Analyse the extent to which line managers' roles and responsibilities, the corporate strategy

and Human Resource plans and processes integrate in furtherance of the organisation's interests.

7. Critically evaluate the strategic and business-related benefits to be gained from a psychologically-engaged workforce, including, where appropriate, the employees of outsourcing suppliers and subcontractor organisations contractually committed to the client's values.

8. Demonstrate the ability to assemble and apply analytical tools to identify and expediteremedial action, performance improvement and transformational change to promote corporate excellence.

CONTENT SYNOPSIS: • Individual performance - constituent elements• Organisational cultures - meaning and significance• Recruitment and retention - process, impact upon performance• Performance management - leadership• Motivation and reward - theory and application• Employee involvement - deployment of appropriate and defensible

methodologies• Learning and development - enhancing corporate capabilities• Flexibility and change - impact upon employee performance

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TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS:The learning strategy will comprise ten 1 hour lectures and ten 2-hour workshops to introduce core concepts, carry out group exercises and respond to case study materials to test ideas and develop relevant individual and line-manager skills. Responsibility is placed on students to undertake the necessary reading. Preparation for the workshops is directed in the module guide. Lectures 10 x1 hour 10 hoursWorkshops: 10 x 2 hours 20 hoursDirected Study (pre-reading and exercises): 120 hoursTotal time: 150 hours

ASSESSMENT METHODS:There will be one piece of assessed work. This will comprise a 3 hour time examination which will test all learning outcomes. This will be worth 100% of the overall mark for the module.

The examination will require the student to analyse the impact of employee behaviour on an organisation's operation, the contribution made by the management in this respect. All learning outcomes will be assessed.

AMPLIFIED CONTENT:• The relationship between individual performance and organisational policies and practices.• Organisational cultures, definition, relation to organisational behaviour, roles and

responsibilities of line managers in supporting and promoting appropriate organisational cultures.

• Recruitment and retention - how to find and recruit the best candidates, the recruitment interview, preparation and procedure, line manager contribution.

• Performance management - implementing and maintaining a performance management system - models of performance management. Identifying and retaining high performers.

• Motivation and reward of individual employees - relation to performance. Definition of motivation, generic model, content and process theories, extrinsic and intrinsic factors.

• Involvement - organisational strategies to promote involvement: team work, empowerment, job design - line manager roles and responsibilities.

• Leadership - levels of operation. Definition, leadership and management contrasted, theories, leadership's cultural contribution. Transformational leadership.

• Learning and development: definition, learning and development distinguished, contribution of L&D to overall organisational success, line manager roles and responsibilities. Knowledge workers and knowledge management.

• Flexibility and change - change model. The organisation's internal and external environments, types of flexibility, emerging work patterns, managing change, the role of the line manager.

INDICATIVE READING LIST:

Primary text:Rees, G., French, R., (2011) Leading, Managing and Developing People CIPD

Secondary texts:Beardwell, J., Clayton, T., (2010) Human Resource Management: A Contemporary Approach 6th

Ed, Prentice HallFarnham, D., (2011) Human Resource Management in Context: Strategy, Insights and Solutions CIPDFrench, R., Rayner, C., Rees, G., Rumbles, S. (2011) Organisational Behaviour (2nd Ed.), New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Leatherbarrow, C., Fletcher, J., Currie, D., (2010) Introduction to Human Resource Management: A Guide to HR in Practice CIPDLinstead, S., Fulop, L., Lilley, S., (2009) Management and Organisation 2nd Ed Palgrave Macmillan

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Torrington, D., Hall, L., Taylor, S., Atkinson, C., (2011) Human Resource Management 8th Ed, Prentice HallPettinger, R. (2010) Organisational Behaviour: Performance Management in Practice, Abingdon, Oxon: RoutledgeWilson, F. M. (2010) Organisational Behaviour and Work: A Critical Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press

Additional reading:Armstrong,M & Stephens, T ( 2005) A Handbook of Management and Leadership - a R. To managing for results Kogan Page Rollinson, D., Broadfield, A., and Edwards, D., ( 2005) Organisational Behaviour and Analysis: an integrated approach, third edition , Addison-Wesley, Pearson Education LimitedWatson,G & Gallagher,K ( 2005) Managing for Results CIPD publishing

PROGRAMMES USING THIS MODULE AS CORE/OPTION: (a) MBA (core)

MBA (Finance) (core)MBA (Marketing) (core)MBA (HRM) (core)MBA (Supply Chain Management) (core)Master of Business Management (core)MSc HRM (core)

Is the programme delivered On Campus or Off campus (please delete, as appropriate):

On campus / Off campus

College(s): SEGi

Work based learning: No

Professional Accreditation: Yes - Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Assessment needs to be a 3 hour unseen, time constrained exercise (If yes, by whom and what conditions if any are specific to the module?)

MODULE LEADERDr Lesley Mearns

LEAD DELIVERER

Dr Lesley Mearns

JACS Code: N600

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Introduction

The purpose of this module is to introduce students to the concepts, processes, and practices of managing and leading people with particular reference to human resource activities and organisational behaviour. The following themes will be covered within the module.

Teaching Week Title of Session

1 The Aims, Objectives and Contribution of HRM to the Leadership and Management of People

2 The Impact of Organisational Culture on the Management and Leadership of Employees

3 Management of Organisational Change

4 Motivation and Empowerment

5 Learning and Development

6 Recruitment and Retention

7 Performance

8 Leadership

9 Managing and Leading a Flexible Workforce

10 Employee Wellbeing

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Learning and Teaching Approaches

Within this module there is a variety of learning and teaching approaches adopted to ensure each student can fully engage with the module material. The learning journey within the module is divided into four stages:

Stage 1: Knowledge Input through the Lectures

Each week the lecture will introduce the models, frameworks and issues associated with the topic for that week. The lectures will also include a variety of activities to develop understanding of the subject material

Stage 2: Understanding and application of Knowledge through the Workshops

Each week the workshops will develop on the understanding of the topic from the lecture through a series of activities based on working in learning sets. Within each workshop there will be four learning sets, where you will work on activities in the workshop together and also lead one of the workshops during the module.

Stage 3: Enhancing Learning through the VLE

As an ongoing support to the learning journey a number of VLE activities will be available through Sunspace.

Stage 4: Supporting your learning through Self-Directed Study

For each topic there will be a selection of readings to enhance and develop your understanding. The readings will be a selection of articles and where appropriate text books.

Stage 5: Reviewing the Module

Feedback from students is obtained at the end of Module delivery and any suggestions for improvement is used to continue developing the module.

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Relevant Documentation

1. Student Handbook and the Faculty Information page is available on https://docushare.sunderland.ac.uk/docushare/dsweb/View/Collection-2779

2. The University’s Academic Regulations is available on https://docushare.sunderland.ac.uk/docushare/dsweb/View/Collection-2780

Learning ResourcesFor this module there are numerous textbooks, periodicals and on-line sources. As the area of HRM is broad and there are different perspectives on the subject material there will be a primary textbook, supported with a series of directed readings included in the module guide and a reading list per topic for self-directed study.

Relevant Text-books

Primary text:Rees, G., French, R., (2011) Leading, Managing and Developing People CIPD

Secondary texts:Beardwell, J., Clayton, T., (2010) Human Resource Management: A Contemporary Approach 6th

Ed, Prentice HallFarnham, D., (2011) Human Resource Management in Context: Strategy, Insights and Solutions CIPDFrench, R., Rayner, C., Rees, G., Rumbles, S. (2011) Organisational Behaviour (2nd Ed.), New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Leatherbarrow, C., Fletcher, J., Currie, D., (2010) Introduction to Human Resource Management: A Guide to HR in Practice CIPDLinstead, S., Fulop, L., Lilley, S., (2009) Management and Organisation 2nd Ed Palgrave MacmillanTorrington, D., Hall, L., Taylor, S., Atkinson, C., (2011) Human Resource Management 8th Ed, Prentice Hall

Relevant Periodicals

Journal of Human Resource ManagementJournal of International Human Resource ManagementPersonnel ReviewJournal of Management DevelopmentPeople ManagementIDS HR StudiesIDS Employment Law BriefGender, Work and OrganizationOrganization StudiesOrganizationWork, Employment and SocietyJournal of Management Studies

On-line Resources

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development = http://www.cipd.co.uk

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http://www.cipd.co.uk/

Expectations of Students

The professional expectations necessary for an excellent student experience.

The Postgraduate Programme Studies Board of the Business School is responsible for the proper conduct of Degree Programmes within their area of responsibility. Having considered all the issues relating to a successful student experience, the Board of Study have determined that the following principles should be adhered to by all students following a programme of study with the Business School.

1. Students are responsible for correctly complying with the requirements of their academic timetable. They are responsible for noting correctly the dates, times and venue of lectures, workshops and other activities and should check regularly Notice Boards and Sunspace sites for any timetable changes.

2. Students should arrive at the lecture theatre or classroom prior to the published start time. If students arrive more than 10 minutes late they will not be permitted to participate in that particular session and should not expect any additional support from their Lecturer for that particular session unless they can establish good cause for their late arrival to the satisfaction of their Lecturer.

3. Students are required to complete the specified self-directed learning relating to their module and programme. In preparation for workshops and seminars they are expected to complete the prescribed reading and prior study. In the event of not completing the necessary preparation a Lecturer may request a student to leave a workshop/seminar so as not to hinder the learning of other students.

4. Students are expected to conduct themselves in a responsible and courteous manner which does not cause risk, distress or fear to others, or hinder the Business School's proper operation or damage its reputation. Examples of misconduct include: a) Disruption of academic, administrative, or other activities of the Business School; b) Sexual, racial, physical or other harassment, or behaviour which causes fear or distress to others; threatening, abusive, disorderly or unreasonable behaviour; behaviour which contravenes the University's principles of dignity and respect or is a form of harassment or bullying.

5. Students will be expected to complete all required forms of assessment relating to their programme of study. In this regard they are expected to strictly comply with all University and Business School Rules and Regulations as set out in Programme and Module Student Handbooks available on the University website and Sunspace VLE. It is a student's responsibility to ensure that they are familiar with the contents of their Programme and Module Handbooks.

6. In the event of the above requirements not being adequately complied with then the relevant University Rules and Regulations may be invoked in order to ensure an excellent student experience by other students.

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Session 1: The Aims, Objectives and Contribution of HRM to the Leadership and Management of People

Stage 1: Knowledge Input through the Lecture

Managing and leading people effectively is an essential part of organisational life. It is dynamic and requires theoretical as well as personal skills. Rees and French (2011) introduce their book by stating that leading and managing employees is far from dull, they highlight for example, that following an eruption of a volcano in Iceland in April 2010, the sky over northern Europe was full of volcanic ash. This caused the closure of large amounts of European airspace it grounded all commercial flights to and from the UK. How does this have anything to do with the management and leadership of people, I hear you ask. Well human resource practitioners, leaders and managers were directly affected in their day to day working lives. For example 15,000 British workers were stranded abroad due to the travel chaos and could not return to work at the agreed time. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) published guidelines on how to deal with the disruption. Volcanic ash had suddenly become a people management problem.

The reason that this is highlighted here is that it illustrates that people like nature are vulnerable not only to internal changes but to the external environment. It draws our attention to the fact that organisations do not operate in a vacuum they must be able to act and react as situations change. It further demonstrates that those chosen to lead and manage a company’s most valuable assets need to be able to respond to developments and changes quickly and effectively.

Modern 21st Century managers and leaders need to understand both the theoretical underpinnings as well as practical skills required to effectively maximise the talents of their workforces.

Stage 2: Understanding and application of Knowledge through the Workshop

Activity One

Ice breaker and getting students to introduce themselves. Discuss their expectations of themselves, each other, academic tutors. Establish the psychological contract of working together.

Activity Two

In your PALS groups you will discuss and debate the following questions:

Questions:

Why is there a need to manage and lead people within organisations? What contribution do managers and/or leaders make to the creation of an organisation which is

an excellent place to work? Consider the claim that it was be ‘bad’ management of employees within the banking sector

which led to the financial crisis in 2008.

Activity Three

Case Study: Blue Skies

Franz Bugler was a man with a mission. He had worked successfully as a senior manager at Disneyworld for 10 years and now at the age of 35, he wanted to branch out on his own. Together with his wife Claudia and with financial backing from a group of European banks, they had purchased a poorly performing holiday complex on the south coast of Malta.

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Claudia had been an international skier who also worked for a number of French skiing companies, setting up self-catering ski resorts in the French Alps. Franz’s big idea was to use the popularity of football following the success of the 2002 World Cup and create a family holiday with a sports theme. The sports would be provided at differing levels of ability, ranging from the keen amateur to the complete novice. Not all sports would be offered; only rugby, football, swimming, water skiing and tennis. Franz decided to call his venture ‘Blue Skies’ to reflect his vision of sport being enjoyed under a beautiful Mediterranean sky. Franz believed that by offering sports coaching for all ages and abilities, together with access to a large beach area, there would be something for all members of the family to do.

Franz and Claudia together planned their venture in the finest detail. They recruited coaching and managerial staff from their native Austria and France, where they chose people who Claudia had worked with in the ski resorts. Local Maltese staff were recruited to provide catering and domestic support, although the chefs in charge were either Austrian or French. Franz was the kind of manager who gave orders and expected them to be carried out to the letter, while Claudia’s experience in France meant she had a more mellow approach.

After extensive refurbishment Blue Skies opened to holidaymakers, and during its first year things went relatively smoothly. The majority of guests were drawn from Austria and France.

As part of their meticulous approach Franz and Claudia put in place strict procedures for managers to follow. They then left the managers to carry out the day-to-day work of running the complex while they attended to their other business interests in the USA, Austria and France.

Staff were organised into groups based around the sports instruction they were delivering or the duties they were performing. The sports instructors saw themselves as the most important group. Groups often consisted of just one nationality – Austrian, French or Maltese – although there was some mixing of the various nationalities. However, when this happened, subgroups seemed to form within the main group. Group membership tended to be of a transient nature because workers were often young people who would work for a few weeks and then move on, leaving behind a nucleus of workers who knew each other well. Despite having some considerable experience, group members were not encouraged to voice their opinions; they were told that their targets were all important and that that is what they should concentrate on and follow their written procedures.

This led staff to become bored and have low motivation, and caused conflict to arise among group members who had different views of what was expected of them.

It was in year two, during a period when Franz and Claudia were absent in Austria that problems began to arise. Two groups of holidaymakers clashed over the availability of some of the sports facilities, caused by a series of staff misunderstandings. Both groups claimed they had booked the facilities, staff were unable to deal with the situation and a scuffle broke out. The situation wasn’t helped by the fact that the staff themselves began to argue about whose fault it was. The situation escalated, people were injured, property was damaged and the police were called. They restored order and threatened the complex with closure if the situation reoccurred.

Some staff felt the situation had been inevitable and said they had been surprised that something as serious as this hadn’t happened before. They got together in their various national groupings and agreed that they weren’t prepared to risk physical injury because of what they saw as management failings. Many agreed to go on strike and, despite the pleading of their managers, they refused to work until Franz and Claudia returned to sort things out. Franz and Claudia were notified and returned to a hastily convened meeting of their senior managers to try to determine what had gone wrong

Task

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In a group of two or three people, examine this case and suggest why you think this situation might have occurred and what can be done to prevent its recurrence.

(source: Porter, K., Smith, P., Fagg, R., (2006) Leadership and Management for HR Professionals Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford: p243)


During this week engage with each other on sunspace and get to know your fellow students. Experiment with using sunspace as a means of sharing your learning with each other.


For this session, the following readings will support the student’s learning:

Rees, G., French, R., (2011) Leading, Managing and Developing People CIPD – chapters 1 and 2Kim, W. Chan, Mauborgne, R., (2003) “Fair Process: Managing in the Knowledge Economy” Harvard Business ReviewWillging, P., (2005) “It’s all about leading and managing people” Nursing Homes: Lon Term Care management

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Session 2: The Impact of Organisational Culture on the Management and Leadership of Employees


Organisational culture is a collective programming of the mind to which everyone in the organisation contributes. Organisational cultures also reflect the basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by the members of the organisation and is demonstrated by the taken-for-granted views that the organisation has of itself and its environment. Culture is seen as a socially constructed phenomenon generated through the values, artefacts, structures and behaviours of the organisation. Culture permeates and influences the behaviours within an organisation.


Activity One

In your groups select an organisation of your choice and identify and discuss the following:

What are the rites and rituals you observe that visibly express aspects of the organisation's culture?

What are the values and ideologies which determine the culture of the organisation? What goals can you observe which transmit the cultural meaning? How does the organisational culture influence the behaviours and practices of the

organisation? What do you think best describes the culture of this organisation.

Activity Two

In your groups discuss and answer the questions related to the case study.


Additional reading material and activities will be provided on sunspace.



Farnham, D., (2011) Human Resource Management in Context: Strategy, Insights and solutions CIPD Chapter 2French, R., Rayner, C., Rees, G., Rumbles, S. A2011) Organisational Behaviour (2nd Ed.), New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., Chapter 7, pp 337 – 368Leatherbarrow, C., Fletcher, J., Currie, D., (2010) Introduction to Human Resource Management: A Guide to HR in Practice CIPD Chapter15

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Session 3: Organisational Change


Although change is not a recent phenomenon certain aspects of change, such as technology, have contributed to the acceleration of change within organisations. Such change has led to different forms of organisations. The process of change will be discussed and how to address resistance to change. One of the perennial problems faced by management is how to bring about change.


Activity One

Stop and Think: What emotions do you think might be associated with the change process? How significant are people's emotions in the process of change? How should management respond to such emotions?

Activity Two

In your groups identify an organisation that has recently experienced significant change and ask the following questions:

What made the organisation change - internal or external pressure or both? Who started the change agenda? Why was the change agenda initiated? How would you determine the success or not of the change process?


To be determined



Leatherbarrow, C., Fletcher, J., Currie, D., (2010) Introduction to Human Resource Management: A Guide to HR in Practice CIPD Chapter16 Rees, G., French, R., (2011) Leading, Managing and Developing People CIPD – chapter 6French, R., Rayner, C., Rees, G., Rumbles, S. A2011) Organisational Behaviour (2nd Ed.), New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., Chapter 12, pp 571 - 601

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Session 4: Motivation and Empowerment


This session will discuss the complexities of motivating and empowering today's workforce. The session will explore different types of motivation theories and in particular outline the major contributors to the theories of motivation. The session will also help students to understand individual motivation and how both extrinsic and intrinsic rewards can be used in a motivation of employees. The discussions will also include the nature of empowerment and its role in motivation.


Activity One

In your groups discuss the following:

Is it possible for the organisation to motivate staff? If so, identify the different ways of motivating staff What may be the advantages and disadvantages of these different ways of motivation? Are they motivated by pay alone?

Activity Two

In your groups discuss the mini case study and answer the questions.

Activity Three

In your groups discuss the following supported by the mini case study:

How would you identify or define empowerment? Give examples. Is empowerment merely a different word for organisational control? Having read the mini case study does this sound like Taylorism or empowerment? Would you feel empowered in this situation?


Making Things Happen: A Model of Proactive Motivation in French, R., Rayner, C., Rees, G., Rumbles, S. (2011) Organisational Behaviour (2nd Ed.), New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., pp 205



Rees, G., French, R., (2011) Leading, Managing and Developing People CIPD – chapter 12Armstrong, M., and Baron, A., (2004) Managing Performance: performance Management in Action CIPDBuytendijk, F., (2008) Performance leadership: The Next Practrices to Motivate your People, align Stawkeholders and Lead your Industry McGraw-HillFrench, R., Rayner, C., Rees, G., Rumbles, S. (2011) Organisational Behaviour (2nd Ed.), New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., Chapter 4, pp 156 - 205

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Session 5: : Learning and Development


The purpose of this session is to introduce students to the concepts and in general approaches to learning and development and their importance to the efficiency of a modern organisation. As Tymon and Mackay (2011) argue the business case for an organisation investing in the learning and development of their employees is founded on the need to support organisational performance and adjust to a “dynamic [business] environment”. The growth of the knowledge economy and the pressure for a talented and skilled workforce highlights importance of creating and maintaining a learning environment. It has been suggested that organisational leadership and management need to be proactive in order to support organisational growth and foster superior employee performance.


Activity One

In your PALS groups discuss the following to obtain a better understanding of how you learn:

What motivates you to learn? How do others affect you learning? What is the difference between group and individual learning? Give examples to support your answers to the above

Activity Two

Complete the learning styles questionnaire, starting on the next page. Discuss the following in relation to your learning style with your partner:

Are you surprised with the definition of your learning style? If so why? Think of examples that reflect your learning style? How will your learning style influence the type of employee you will be?


To be determined


For this session the following readings will support the student’s learning:

Leatherbarrow, C., Fletcher, J., Currie, D., (2010) Introduction to Human Resource Management: A Guide to HR in Practice CIPD Chapters 8 and 9Rees, G., French, R., (2011) Leading, Managing and Developing People CIPD – chapters 10French, R., Rayner, C., Rees, G., Rumbles, S. (2011) Organisational Behaviour (2nd Ed.), New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., Chapter 3, pp 123 – 148Southern, N. L., (2007) Mentoring for Transformative Learning: the Importance of Relationships in Creating Learning Communities of Care, Journal of Transformative Education, Vol. 5:329-338Wilson, F. M. (2010) Organisational Behaviour and Work: A Critical Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 16, pp 202 - 217

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Honey and Mumford: Learning Styles Questionnaire

There is no time limit to this questionnaire. It will probably take you 10-15 minutes. The accuracy of the results depends on how honest you can be. There are no right or wrong answers. If you agree more than you disagree with a statement put a tick. If you disagree more than you agree put a cross by it. Be sure to mark each item with either a tick or cross. When you have completed the questionnaire, continue this task by responding to the points that follow.

1. I have strong beliefs about what is right and wrong, good and bad.

2. I often act without considering the possible consequences.

3. I tend to solve problems using a step-by-step approach.

4. I believe that formal procedures and policies restrict people.

5. I have a reputation for saying what I think, simply and directly.

6. I often find that actions based on feelings are as sound as those based on careful thought and analysis.

7. I like the sort of work where I have time for thorough preparation and implementation.

8. I regularly question people about their basic assumptions.

9. What matters most is whether something works in practice.

10. I actively seek out new experiences.

11. When I hear about a new idea or approach I immediately start working out how to apply it in practice.

12. I am keen on self-discipline such as watching my diet, taking regular exercise, sticking to a fixed routine etc.

13. I take pride in doing a thorough job.

14. I get on best with logical, analytical people and less well with spontaneous, "irrational" people.

15. I take care over the interpretation of data available to me and avoid jumping to conclusions.

16. I like to reach a decision carefully after weighing up many alternatives.

17. I'm attracted more to novel, unusual ideas than to practical ones.

18. I don't like disorganised things and prefer to fit things into a coherent pattern.

19. I accept and stick to laid down procedures and policies so long as I regard them as an efficient way of getting the job done.

20. I like to relate my actions to a general principle.

21. In discussions I like to get straight to the point.

22. I tend to have distant, rather formal relationships with people at work.

23. I thrive on the challenge of tackling something new and different.

24. I enjoy fun-loving, spontaneous people.

25. I pay meticulous attention to detail before coming to a conclusion.

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26. I find it difficult to produce ideas on impulse.

27. I believe in coming to the point immediately.

28. I am careful not to jump to conclusions too quickly.

29. I prefer to have as many sources of information as possible -the more data to mull over the better.

30. Flippant people who don't take things seriously enough usually irritate me.

31. I listen to other people's point of view before putting my own forward.

32. I tend to be open about how I'm feeling.

33. In discussions I enjoy watching the manoeuvrings of the other participants.

34. I prefer to respond to events on a spontaneous, flexible basis rather than plan things out in advance.

35. I tend to be attracted to techniques such as network analysis, flow charts, branching programmes, contingency planning, etc.

36. It worries me if I have to rush out a piece of work to meet a tight deadline.

37. I tend to judge people's ideas on their practical merits.

38. Quiet, thoughtful people tend to make me feel uneasy.

39. I often get irritated by people who want to rush things.

40. It is more important to enjoy the present moment than to think about the past or future.

41. I think that decisions based on a thorough analysis of all the information are sounder than those based on intuition.

42. I tend to be a perfectionist.

43. In discussions I usually produce lots of spontaneous ideas.

44. In meetings I put forward practical realistic ideas.

45. More often than not, rules are there to be broken.

46. I prefer to stand back from a situation and consider all the perspectives.

47. I can often see inconsistencies and weaknesses in other people's arguments.

48. On balance I talk more than I listen.

49. I can often see better, more practical ways to get things done.

50. I think written reports should be short and to the point.

51. I believe that rational, logical thinking should win the day.

52. I tend to discuss specific things with people rather than engaging in social discussion.

53. I like people who approach things realistically rather than theoretically.

54. In discussions I get impatient with irrelevancies and digressions.

55. If I have a report to write I tend to produce lots of drafts before settling on the final version.

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56. I am keen to try things out to see if they work in practice.

57. I am keen to reach answers via a logical approach.

58. I enjoy being the one that talks a lot.

59. In discussions I often find I am the realist, keeping people to the point and avoiding wild speculations.

60. I like to ponder many alternatives before making up my mind.

61. In discussions with people I often find I am the most dispassionate and objective.

62. In discussions I'm more likely to adopt a "low profile" than to take the lead and do most of the talking.

63. I like to be able to relate current actions to a longer-term bigger picture.

64. When things go wrong I am happy to shrug it off and "put it down to experience".

65. I tend to reject wild, spontaneous ideas as being impractical.

66. It's best to think carefully before taking action.

67. On balance I do the listening rather than the talking.

68. I tend to be tough on people who find it difficult to adopt a logical approach.

69. Most times I believe the end justifies the means.

70. I don't mind hurting people's feelings so long as the job gets done.

71. I find the formality of having specific objectives and plans stifling.

72. I'm usually one of the people who puts life into a party.

73. I do whatever is expedient to get the job done.

74. I quickly get bored with methodical, detailed work.

75. I am keen on exploring the basic assumptions, principles and theories underpinning things and events.

76. I'm always interested to find out what people think.

77. I like meetings to be run on methodical lines, sticking to laid down agenda, etc.

78. I steer clear of subjective or ambiguous topics.

79. I enjoy the drama and excitement of a crisis situation.

80. People often find me insensitive to their feelings.

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Scoring

You score one point for each item you ticked. There are no points for crossed items. Circle the

questions you ticked on the list below:

2 7 1 5

4 13 3 9

6 15 8 11

10 16 12 19

17 25 14 21

23 28 18 27

24 29 20 35

32 31 22 37

34 33 26 44

38 36 30 49

40 39 42 50

43 41 47 53

19

45 46 51 54

48 52 57 56

58 55 61 59

64 60 63 65

71 62 68 69

72 66 75 70

74 67 77 73

79 76 78 80

Totals

Activist Reflector Theorist Pragmatist

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Plot the scores on the arms of the cross below:

Your result may show that you have a particular learning style. It may be useful to

bear this in mind as you approach tasks. Was the approach you adopted the best one in

the circumstances? Would adopting another learning style have improved you

performance?

Characteristics of each to be discussed during the workshop.

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Activist

Pragmatist

Reflector

Theorist

Session 6: Recruitment and Retention

Stage 1: Knowledge Input through the LectureIn order to ensure that organisations operate effectively it is important to make sure that the right people, with the appropriate skills are brought into and retained by the business. The role of the manager or leader is to ensure that key skills within the job are identified. From there the manager should be part of the process which selects and recruits appropriate workers. French and Rumbles (2011:169) argue that they act as a “crucial gatekeeper” and conclude that recruitment and selection underpins the management of people. Once these employees are identified it is important to retain them. Not to do so has costly financial implications as well as the potential loss of an organisations competitive advantage through the ineffective use of valuable skills and competencies.


Activity One

Why Work at IKEA?

The following extracts are taken from the IKEA Group corporate website ‘Why work at IKEA?’ section.

Because of our values, our culture and the endless opportunities, we believed that it’s important to attract, develop and inspire our people. We are continuously investing in our co-workers and give them sufficient opportunities and responsibility to develop.

What would it be like to work at IKEA?

You’d be working for a growing global company that shares a well-defined and well-communicated vision and business idea.

You’d be able to develop your skills in many different ways, becoming an expert at your daily work, by taking new directions in other parts of the company, or by taking on greater responsibility, perhaps even in another country.

Human values and team spirit are part of the work environment. You’d not only have fun at work, you’d be able to contribute to the development of others.

At IKEA you’d be rewarded for making positive contributions.

You’d have the chance to grow and develop together with the company.

Values at the heart of our culture

The people and the values of IKEA create a culture of informality, respect, diversity and real opportunities for growth. These values include:

Togetherness and enthusiasm

This means we respect our colleagues and help each other in difficult times. We look for people who are supportive, work well in teams and are open with

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each other in the way they talk, interact and connect. IKEA supports this attitude with open-plan offices and by laying out clear goals that co-workers can stand behind.

Humbleness

More than anything this means respect. We are humble towards our competitors, respecting their proficiency, and realising that we constantly have to be better than they are to keep our market share. It also means that we respect our co-workers and their views, and have respect for the taks we have set ourselves.

Willpower

Willpower means first agreeing on mutual objectives and then not letting anything actually stand in the way of actually achieving them. In other words, it means we know exactly what we want, and our desire to get it should be irrepressible.

Simplicity

Behind this value are ideas like efficiency, common-sense and avoiding complicated solutions. Simple habits, simple actions and a healthy aversion to status symbols are part of IKEA.

(Source: www.ikea.com)

In groups consider these questions and be prepared to feed your conclusions back to the class.

1. In what ways could an employer seek to assess qualities of togetherness, humbleness, willpower and simplicity among candidates in the course of a recruitment and selection process? How accurate do you think judgements made along these lines are likely to be?

2. What selection methods could IKEA employ to assess whether potential workers can ‘develop skills’ and ‘take on new directions and responsibilities’?

3. To what extent should an organisation like IKEA attempt to recruit and select workers who embody their organisational culture? Give reasons for your answer. Identify some possible negative outcomes of aligning selection with organisational culture.

Activity Two

http://podcasts.cipd.co.uk/resources/podcasts/CIPD-Talent-Strategies-Podcast-Episode-24.mp3

Stage 3: Enhancing Learning through the VLEStudents should access and read the CIPD’s factsheet on employee turnover and retention.

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http://www.ikea.com/



Leatherbarrow, C., Fletcher, J., Currie, D., (2010) Introduction to Human Resource Management: A Guide to HR in Practice CIPD Chapters 5, 6 and 7Rees, G., French, R., (2011) Leading, Managing and Developing People CIPD – chapter 9

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Session 7: Performance Management


Managing the performance of an organisation’s most valuable assets is essential within a dynamic, competitive working environment. This week we will be looking at the way that leaders and managers should be ensuring that the performance of their employees in managed effectively in order to improve the quality of the goods or service provided.


Activity One

In your groups to discuss the following:

How can employee performance be defined? Whose responsibility is it to define want effective employee performance is? Is it possible to measure performance? If so what methods should be used? What is the link between motivation and performance?

Activity Two

Consider the strategies which the University uses to measure your performance during your degree programme.

Do you think that these measures are appropriate? Do you think that they are effective in improving your performance? Can you think of any other ways which could be used to improve your

performance?


CIPD performance appraisal fact sheet - http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/performance-appraisal.aspx



Rees, G., French, R., (2011) Leading, Managing and Developing People CIPD – chapter 12French, R., Rayner, C., Rees, G., Rumbles, S. (2011) Organisational Behaviour (2nd Ed.), New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., Chapter 8, pp 389 – 433Leatherbarrow, C., Fletcher, J., Currie, D., (2010) Introduction to Human Resource Management: A Guide to HR in Practice CIPD Chapter 10

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http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/performance-appraisal.aspx

Session 8: Leadership


The purpose of this session is to introduce students to the concepts and debates on leadership with particular reference to transformational versus transactional leadership styles. The debates on leading and leadership are vast and this session will give an overview of the main contemporary debates on leading and how leading and leadership can influence employee behaviour and performance.


Activity One

In groups identify a leader think about and discuss this individual in line with the following:

What are/were their leadership style The strengths and weaknesses of their approach Why was their style appropriate at the time Is their leadership style still relevant today and if not, why not

Activity Two

In your groups discussed what you consider the difference to be between leadership and management. Provide examples.

Activity Three

Having read the mini case study on leadership following the BP oil disaster, discuss and answer the related questions.


Listen to the CIPD’s Podcasts on Leadership



Rees, G., French, R., (2011) Leading, Managing and Developing People CIPD – chapter 5French, R., Rayner, C., Rees, G., Rumbles, S. A2011) Organisational Behaviour (2nd Ed.), New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., Chapter 9, pp 442 - 473

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Session 9: Managing and Leading a Flexible Workforce


This week we will explore the concept of the flexible worker and how leaders and managers respond to and manage organisational performance within this situation. Flexibility is increasingly being driven by the need for continuous organisational improvement. The traditional environment in which leadership and management took place have changed and as a result the skills and capabilities of organisational leaders and managers need to adjust.


Activity One

Surrey County Council has taken steps to ensure that its workers can complete their daily tasks from spaces other than their desk at the office. There have been investments in technology which allow workers to log in at any PC or any telephone on a certain network, and all social workers have a tablet PC to carry when out of the office. Anything the social worker records on the tablet is instantly added to a database back at the office and is therefore accessible to other staff. Staff are able to check their work emails from home, allowing the option of working from home, and also reducing the dependence on physical office space ..... working from different offices or at home, working while travelling and hot-desking in an office environment can all add flexibility to the working day.

The importance of giving the employees choice in how, when and where they work has led to an improvement in Surrey Council in terms of productivity, reduced sickness levels and financial gains. There has been a 4% reduction in staff turnover, and there are now 700 fewer full-time posts, leading to a decrease in staff costs. The Council has been able to rationalise the property portfolio and standardise IT systems. It has also seen an increase in morale amongst employees as they are given more freedom to choose their working hours, and it show trust in the employees that they will manage to strike a successful work-life balance.

Taking a broader view, the issue of flexible working has become an increasingly important topic as the Government re-evaluates the employment laws in the UK. All employees, regardless of circumstances, have a right to request a flexible working pattern from an employer. The employer has to weigh up the effect the application would have on the business as a whole. The employer has the right to reject an employee’s flexible working request if it would be of detriment to the business.(source: Wight, G., 2007 cited in Turner, S., (2011:132) “Flexibility and the Psychological Contract”)

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1. In groups discuss your own experiences of flexible working patterns and the impact that they had on:

You Your family and friends Your employing organisation

2. Were your feelings towards flexible working positive or negative? Explain your answer

3. How can organisations balance greater employee freedom within flexible working with customer requirements?

4. What problems does flexibility have from the perspective of management and leadership?

Activity Two

In groups consider:

What skills would be needed to manage a virtual team? How would managing employees in a traditional manner differ if the

employing organisation was to adopt flexible working patters? Do you think that introducing flexible working patterns will have an impact on

the psychological contract?


Read the CIPD’s comments on the benefits of a flexible workforce


Guest, D., (2004) “Flexible employment contracts, the psychological contract and employee outcomes: An analysis and review of the evidence” International journal of Management Reviews 5/6 (1)Rees, G., French, R., (2011) Leading, Managing and Developing People CIPD – chapter 7Pilbean, S., Corbridge, M., (2010) People Resourcing and Talent Planning: HRM in Practice Harlow, FT Prentice

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Session 10: Employee Wellbeing


The purpose of this session is to introduce the drivers for health and wellbeing and toassess and evaluate the use of health and wellbeing practices and processes within a strategic context. The session will introduce the five domains of wellbeing and illustrate how they can be embedded into the routines of the organization to ensure it is healthy.


Activity One

Stop and Think: do you think that technology increases stress? If so, give examples. Think of other sources of stress in the workplace. How can leaders and/or management within organisations work towards eliminating such stressors?

Activity Two

In your groups read the case study on organisational stress and answer the questions.


To be determined



Leatherbarrow, C., Fletcher, J., Currie, D., (2010) Introduction to Human Resource Management: A Guide to HR in Practice CIPD Chapters 12 and 17Quick, J C, Macik-Frey, M and Cooper, C L (2007) ‘Managerial dimensions of organizational health: The healthy leader at work’, Journal of Management Studies, 44 (2), pp. 189-205Tehrani, N, Humpage, S, Willmott, B and Haslam, I (2007), What’s happening with wellbeing at work? London: CIPD

Assessment

The assessment for this module is a 3 hour unseen examination.

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Sunderland Business School › cdn › uploadassignments › 2… · Web viewSunderland Business School. The Faculty of Business and Law. Postgraduate Business and Management Programmes.

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