Each week throughout the semester there’ll be set activities to complete- student is to write around 450 +/- words to review each week’s set activities.

Each review should consist of 2 sections & 1 online reference at the end:
1) express the key ideas you have absorbed from the prescribed activities.
2) apply those ideas to your own experience. Also think of a company (if any) that may show such aspect (briefly describe). Lastly, as an option how all these examples relate back to the business topics/ activities of the week.
3) reference

Visit the following URLs, and use ‘Questions to consider’ to inspire your thinking. Remember you can select the number of activities to use in your review (i.e., you can either focus on one activity or incorporate the ideas from several activities of the week in the review).

WEEK 1:
Activity 1- Structure and strategy
URL: BCG’s Yves Morieux view on Organisation Designx

Questions to consider: Yves Morieux claims that structure follows strategy. Is this always the case?

Activity 2: Holacracy

URL: Zappos just abolished bosses. Inside tech’s latest management craze. http://www.vox.com/2014/7/11/5876235/silicon-valleys-latest-management-craze-holacracy-explained

Questions to consider: What’s your understanding of holacracy? How would you describe it compared to bureaucracy and team-based structure? Discuss how Contingency Factors of Organisational Design are at work in the case of Zappos?
In what ways do you think innovative culture is related to (agile) organisational structure?

WEEK 2:
Activity 1: The Milgram Experiment
(1) Milgram Experiment – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcvSNg0HZwk

(2) Milgram Experiment replicated in Australia (Psychology study by La Trobe University in the 1970s) – http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3489852.htm

Questions to consider:
To what extent would you be capable of inflicting real pain (physical, mental and/or emotional) on another human being?

Activity 2: Solomon Asch and Group Conformity
(1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyDDyT1lDhA;
(2) Questions to consider:
Does your own personal decision-making always reflect an objective process?
Does the desire to be accepted as a part of a group leave one susceptible to conforming to the group’s norms?
Identify and discuss situational factors that can enable a group to exert pressure strong enough to change a member’s attitude and behaviour.

WEEK 3:
Activity 1: Linear Programming Word Problem
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ACJ9ewUC6U

Questions to consider: What insights into rational decision making approach can you draw from this video?
What would be the limitations of linear programming?
In what kinds of situation could the linear programming be useful to decision making?

WEEK 4:
Activity 1: Management by Objectives (Prof. Fredmund Malik)
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX7m8J-rGDc
Questions to consider: Do you agree with Prof Malik’s views on objectives and planning? Why or why not?

Activity 2: PERT
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdDzybQ_9vM
(Watch only the first 15:40 for Critical Path Method)
Questions to consider:
From watching the video clip, can you identify the benefits of using critical path for planning?

WEEK 5:
Activity 1: Product Life Cycle
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Edug_Z2mACc
Questions to consider:
Identify at least one product that fits into each stage of the Product Life Cycle.

Activity 2: THE ANSOFF MATRIX
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AORoMxgp428 (Watch only the first 4 minutes)
Questions to consider:
Can you think of some examples of organisations diversifying the product (service) offerings or diversifying into other markets?

WEEK 6:
Activity 1: Hertzberg’s Theory of Motivation
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ub8R5c6tkE
Questions to consider:
1. Explain the key concepts of Hertzberg theory of motivation.
2. Explain how would use the finding of the Hertzberg theory of motivation to motivate your workers in a fast food industry?

Activity 2: Employee Motivation: Expectancy Theory
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zd5m8V9No0
Questions to consider:
1. After watching the videos, how do you use this theory to motivate yourself?
2. What are the strengths and weakness of this theory?