What are some examples of specific needs suggested by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs? Which social factors likely have the most influence on (a) the purchase of a new outfit for a job interview and (b) the choice of a college to attend?

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Maslow’s hierarchy

  1. What are some examples of specific needs suggested by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
  2. Which social factors likely have the most influence on (a) the purchase of a new outfit for a job interview and (b) the choice of a college to attend?
  3. What situational factors do firms use to influence consumer purchase behavior?

 

How did his behavior change over time? In general, is Mark more task-oriented or more relationship-oriented?  What score do you think he would get on Blake and Mouton’s grid?

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Instructions

Read Case 4.1 A Drill Sergeant at First (Chapter 4, Behavioral Approach, page 97), then answer the following questions. Make sure to copy the questions and provide your answers below the questions in your post. 

  • Q1: From the behavioral perspective, how would you describe Mark’s behavior
  • Q2: How did his behavior change over time?
  • Q3: In general, is Mark more task-oriented or more relationship-oriented?
  • Q4: What score do you think he would get on Blake and Mouton’s grid?

State your responses with the question numbers Q1, Q2 Q3, and Q4.

 

“Case 4.1 A Drill Sergeant at First

Mark is the head of the painting department in a large hospital; 20 union employees report to him. Before coming on board at the hospital, he had worked as an independent contractor. At the hospital, he took a position that was newly created because the hospital believed change was needed in how painting services were provided.

Upon beginning his job, Mark did a four-month analysis of the direct and indirect costs of painting services. His findings supported the perceptions of his administrators that painting services were inefficient and costly. As a result, Mark completely reorganized the department, designed a new scheduling procedure, and redefined the expected standards of performance.

Mark says that when he started out in his new job, he was “all task,” like a drill sergeant who didn’t seek any input from his soldiers. From Mark’s point of view, the hospital environment did not leave much room for errors, so he needed to be strict about getting painters to do a good job within the constraints of the hospital environment.

As time went along, Mark relaxed his style and was less demanding. He delegated some responsibilities to two crew leaders who reported to him, but he always stayed in close touch with each of the employees. On a weekly basis, Mark was known to take small groups of workers to the local sports bar for burgers on the house. He loved to banter with the employees and could take it as well as dish it out.

Mark is very proud of his department. He says he always wanted to be a coach, and that’s how he feels about running his department. He enjoys working with people; in particular, he says he likes to see the glint in their eyes when they realize that they’ve done a good job and they have done it on their own.

Because of Mark’s leadership, the painting department has improved substantially and is now seen by workers in other departments as the most productive department in hospital maintenance. Painting services received a customer rating of 92%, which is the highest of any service in the hospital.”

 

Chapter 4 Behavioral Approach

Description

The behavioral approach emphasizes the behavior of the leader. This distinguishes it from the trait approach (Chapter 2), which emphasizes the personality characteristics of the leader, and the skills approach (Chapter 3), which emphasizes the leader’s capabilities. The behavioral approach focuses exclusively on what leaders do and how they act. In shifting the study of leadership to leader behaviors, the behavioral approach expanded the research of leadership to include the actions of leaders toward followers in various contexts.

Researchers studying the behavioral approach determined that leadership is composed of two general kinds of behaviors: task behaviors and relationship behaviors. Task behaviors facilitate goal accomplishment: They help group members to achieve their objectives. Relationship behaviors help followers feel comfortable with themselves, with each other, and with the situation in which they find themselves. The central purpose of the behavioral approach is to explain how leaders combine these two kinds of behaviors to influence followers in their efforts to reach a goal.

Many studies have been conducted to investigate the behavioral approach. Some of the first studies to be done were conducted at The Ohio State University in the late 1940s, based on the findings of Stogdill’s (1948) work, which pointed to the importance of considering more than leaders’ traits in leadership research. At about the same time, another group of researchers at the University of Michigan was conducting a series of studies that explored how leadership functioned in small groups. A third line of research was begun by Blake and Mouton in the early 1960s; it explored how managers used task and relationship behaviors in the organizational setting.

Although many research studies could be categorized under the heading of the behavioral approach, the Ohio State studies, the Michigan studies, and the studies by Blake and Mouton (1964, 1978, 1985) are strongly representative of the ideas in this approach. By looking closely at each of these groups of studies, we can draw a clearer picture of the underpinnings and implications of the behavioral approach.

Task and Relationship Behaviors

The essence of leadership behavior has two dimensions—task behaviors and relationship behaviors. There are leadership situations and challenges that call for strong task behavior, while others demand strong relationship behavior, but some degree of each is required in every situation. At the same time, because of personality and life experiences, leaders bring to every situation their own unique tendencies to be either more task oriented or more relationship oriented, or some unique blend of the two. On the surface, this may seem incidental or ho-hum, but in regard to leader effectiveness, the utilization of both of these behaviors is absolutely pivotal to success or failure.

Task Orientation

Simply put, task-oriented people are doers, and task leadership behaviors facilitate goal accomplishment. Researchers have labeled these behaviors differently, but they are always about task accomplishment. Task leadership considers the elements involved in task accomplishment from organizing work and defining roles to determining policies and procedures to facilitate production.”

“Relationship Orientation

Relationship-oriented people differ from task-oriented people in that they are not as goal directed in their leadership behavior; they are more interested in connecting with others. Relationship-oriented leadership behaviors focus on the well-being of followers, how they relate to each other, and the atmosphere in which they work. Relationship leadership explores the human aspects of leadership from building camaraderie, respect, trust, and regard between leaders and followers to valuing followers’ uniqueness and attending to their personal needs.

Task and relationship leadership behaviors are inextricably tied together, and the behavioral approach looks at how leaders engage in both of these behaviors and the extent to which situational factors affect these behaviors.”

Discuss one international (cannot be domestic) leader that has demonstrated the leadership characteristics in this model. Give specific examples.

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DISCUSSION ESSAY

INSTRUCTIONS

In a two-page paper…….

  1. Explain Kouzes and Posner’s (2002) Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership (Transformational Leadership, Chapter 8, page 199) that enable leaders to get extraordinary things accomplished and
  2. Discuss one international (cannot be domestic) leader that has demonstrated the leadership characteristics in this model. Give specific examples.

YOU SHOULD SUBMIT

  • A word document (no more than 2 pages) containing the above two items. You should format your paper according to APA 7th edition style. Use an appropriate title page, headings, in-text citations, paragraphs, references page, etc. 

 

GUIDELINES & TIPS

  1. Check anything APA at Purdue Online Writing Lab.
  2. APA is always double space, no more no less. Do not underline, use headings to separate ideas so your paper flows, and bold them.
  3. The title page must have a header and page number. The Center of the title page has information based on APA 7th edition.
  4. Don’t forget the References page. If you list a reference, it must also appear as an in-text citation and vice versa. Never use the words “Works Cited” as your heading on the References page. Use the word “References”.
  5. Refrain from using the following phrases when writing most academic papers: “I believe” “In my opinion” “I think” “I”. The reason you use references is so you can write about what has been researched, this information has validity, your opinion does not.
  6. Use headings to take the reader from one point to another. Remember the reader has no idea what each of the Powers is about.
  7. If an assignment refers to a particular theory and states the author, you must cite the author in your paper and also list it on the References page.
  8. Every paragraph should contain an in-text citation unless it is totally and originally your own words. If you do not include the in-text citation it could be considered plagiarism.

 

APA Citation for reference page: Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. In-Text Citation: (Northhouse, 2021)

In-Text Citation: (Northhouse, 2021)

From Chapter 8 Pg.199

“Kouzes and Posner

Kouzes and Posner (2002, 2017a) developed their model by interviewing leaders about leadership. They interviewed more than 1,300 middle- and senior-level managers in private and public sector organizations and asked them to describe their “personal best” experiences as leaders. Based on a content analysis of these descriptions, Kouzes and Posner constructed a model of leadership.

The Kouzes and Posner model consists of five fundamental practices that enable leaders to get extraordinary things accomplished: model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encourage the heart. For each of the five practices of exemplary leadership, Kouzes and Posner also have identified two commitments that serve as strategies for practicing exemplary leadership.

 

Model the Way.

To model the way, leaders need to be clear about their own values and philosophy. They need to find their own voice and express it to others. Exemplary leaders set a personal example for others by their own behaviors. They also follow through on their promises and commitments and affirm the common values they share with others.

Inspire a Shared Vision.

Effective leaders create compelling visions that can guide people’s behavior. They are able to visualize positive outcomes in the future and communicate them to others. Leaders also listen to the dreams of others and show them how their dreams can be realized. Through inspiring visions, leaders challenge others to transcend the status quo to do something for others.

Challenge the Process.

Challenging the process means being willing to change the status quo and step into the unknown. It includes being willing to innovate, grow, and improve. Exemplary leaders are like pioneers: They want to experiment and try new things. They are willing to take risks to make things better. When exemplary leaders take risks, they do it one step at a time, learning from their mistakes as they go.

Enable Others to Act.

Outstanding leaders are effective at working with people. They build trust with others and promote collaboration. Teamwork and cooperation are highly valued by these leaders. They listen closely to diverse points of view and treat others with dignity and respect. They also allow others to make choices, and they support the decisions that others make. In short, they create environments where people can feel good about their work and how it contributes to the greater community.

Interestingly, research indicates that women tend to display transformational leadership through more enabling behaviors whereas men tend to enact more challenging behavior (Brandt & Laiho, 2013).

 

Encourage the Heart.

Leaders encourage the heart by rewarding others for their accomplishments. It is natural for people to want support and recognition. Effective leaders are attentive to this need and are willing to give praise to workers for jobs well done. They use authentic celebrations and rituals to show appreciation and encouragement to others. The outcome of this kind of support is greater collective identity and community spirit.

A later study by Caza and Posner (2019) found that the characteristic of “grit,” or perseverance, was related to some aspects of transformational leadership. High-grit leaders engaged in more frequent role modeling and innovating behaviors, but less inspiring behavior.

Overall, the Kouzes and Posner model emphasizes behaviors and has a prescriptive quality: It recommends what people need to do to become effective leaders. Kouzes and Posner (2002, p. 13) stressed that the five practices of exemplary leadership are available to everyone and are not reserved for those with “special” ability. The model is not about personality: It is about practice.

For this reason, Kouzes and Posner (2017b) fundamentally disagree with the trait approach to leadership, described in Chapter 2, that views leadership as preordained or reserved for a special few leaders who are charismatic.

 

Leadership is not a gene. Neither is it a trait. There is just no hard evidence to suggest that leadership is imprinted in the DNA of some people and not others. One of the competencies you have is the ability to look ahead. The capacity to imagine the future is a fundamental defining characteristic of human beings, separating Homo sapiens from other species. (p. 30)

 

To help leaders identify and measure the behaviors described in their model, Kouzes and Posner developed the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI). The LPI is a 360-degree leadership assessment tool that consists of 30 questions that assess individual leadership competencies. It has been widely used in leadership training and development. A review of the measurement properties of the LPI, based on answers from 2.8 million respondents, found the measure had good reliability and consistency across samples and populations and that the underlying five-factor structure has been sustained across a variety of studies and settings. Finally, scores from the LPI are positively related to employee engagement and perceptions of leader effectiveness (Posner, 2016).”

Pick one (1) of the leaders depicted in the short video titled “Leadership Styles Through Movie Scenes” above. Explain how their style motivates their follower(s).

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Path-Goal Theory

INSTRUCTIONS

After reading Chapter 6, Path-Goal Theory, complete the following exercise.

  1. Pick one (1) of the leaders depicted in the short video titled “Leadership Styles Through Movie Scenes” above.  https://youtu.be/cYA7eMoxUBA
  2. Explain how their style motivates their follower(s). It may not be a style you agree with, but in some way, each style serves to motivate and influence.

YOU SHOULD SUBMIT

  • Submit your responses in the Write Submission box and only include the questions and answers. Make sure to copy the questions above and paste them into the submission box. Then, provide your answers below the questions, and do not forget to use in-text citations where applicable. Do not write in the assignment Comments box. 

 

APA Citation for reference page: Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. In-Text Citation: (Northhouse, 2021)

In-Text Citation: (Northhouse, 2021)

 

Chapter 6 Path-Goal Theory

“Path–goal theory discusses how leaders motivate followers to accomplish designated goals. Drawing heavily from research on what motivates followers, path–goal theory first appeared in the leadership literature in the early 1970s in the works of Evans (1970), House (1971), House and Dessler (1974), and House and Mitchell (1974). The stated goal of this theory is to enhance follower performance and follower satisfaction by focusing on follower motivation and the nature of the work tasks. At its inception, path–goal theory was incredibly innovative in the sense that it shifted attention to follower needs and motivations, and away from the predominant focus on tasks and relationships.

In contrast to the situational approach, which suggests that a leader must adapt to the development level of followers (see Chapter 5), path–goal theory emphasizes the relationship between the leader’s style and the characteristics of the followers and the organizational setting. For the leader, the imperative is to use a leadership style that best meets followers’ motivational needs. This is done by choosing behaviors that complement or supplement what is missing in the work setting. Leaders try to enhance followers’ goal attainment by providing information or rewards in the work environment (Indvik, 1986); leaders provide followers with the elements they think followers need to reach their goals. According to House (1996), the heart of path–goal theory suggests that for leaders to be effective they must “engage in behaviors that complement subordinates’ environments and abilities in a manner that compensates for deficiencies and is instrumental to subordinate satisfaction and individual and work unit performance” (p. 335). Put simply, path–goal theory puts much of the onus on leaders in terms of designing and facilitating a healthy and productive work environment to propel followers toward success.

According to House and Mitchell (1974), leadership generates motivation when it increases the number and kinds of payoffs that followers receive from their work. Leadership also motivates when it makes the path to the goal clear and easy to travel through coaching and direction, removing obstacles and roadblocks to attaining the goal, and making the work itself more personally satisfying (Figure 6.1). For example, even in professions where employees are presumed to be self-motivated such as in technical industries, leaders can greatly enhance follower motivation, engagement, satisfaction, performance, and intent to stay (Stumpf, Tymon, Ehr, & vanDam, 2016). Relatedly, research (Asamani, Naab, & Ansah Ofei, 2016) indicates that follower satisfaction and intent to leave are greatly impacted by a leader’s communicative style. In other words, employing path–goal theory in terms of leader behavior and the needs of followers and the tasks they have to do could hold substantial implications for organizations that seek to enhance follower engagement and motivation while also decreasing turnover.”

 

“Summary

Path–goal theory was developed to explain how leaders motivate followers to be productive and satisfied with their work. It is a contingency approach to leadership because effectiveness depends on the fit between the leader’s behavior and the characteristics of followers and the task.

The basic principles of path–goal theory are derived from expectancy theory, which suggests that followers will be motivated if they feel competent, if they think their efforts will be rewarded, and if they find the payoff for their work valuable. A leader can help followers by selecting a style of leadership (directive, supportive, participative, or achievement oriented) that provides what is missing for followers in a particular work setting. In simple terms, it is the leader’s responsibility to help followers reach their goals by directing, guiding, and coaching them along the way.

Path–goal theory offers a large set of predictions for how a leader’s style interacts with followers’ needs and the nature of the task. Among other things, it predicts that directive leadership is effective with ambiguous tasks, that supportive leadership is effective for repetitive tasks, that participative leadership is effective when tasks are unclear and followers are autonomous, and that achievement-oriented leadership is effective for challenging tasks.

Path–goal theory has three major strengths. First, it provides a theoretical framework that is useful for understanding how various styles of leadership affect the productivity and satisfaction of followers. Second, path–goal theory is unique in that it integrates the motivation principles of expectancy theory into a theory of leadership. Third, it provides a practical model that underscores the important ways in which leaders help followers.

On the negative side, several criticisms can be leveled at path–goal theory. First, the scope of path–goal theory encompasses so many interrelated sets of assumptions that it is hard to use this theory in a given organizational setting. Second, research findings to date do not support a full and consistent picture of the claims of the theory. Third, path–goal theory does not account for gender differences in how leadership is enacted or perceived. Fourth, path–goal theory does not show in a clear way how leader behaviors directly affect follower motivation levels. Also, the theory assumes that leaders have the skills to allow them to switch between various leadership behaviors needed by differing followers, and it assumes that leader behavior is the primary means to motivate followers. Last, path–goal theory is predominantly leader oriented and fails to recognize the interactional nature of leadership. It does not promote follower involvement in the leadership process.”

What is the skills approach? What are the three basic personal skills that Katz outlines? Define and describe each of these skills.

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Skills Approach

INSTRUCTIONS

After reading Chapter 3, Skills Approach, respond to the questions Q1 – Q3, below.

  • Q1: What is the skills approach?
  • Q2: What are the three basic personal skills that Katz outlines (page 58)? Define and describe each of these skills.
  • Q3: Which skill do you identify the most with? Do not submit your life story, this only pertains to your leadership experiences.

YOU SHOULD SUBMIT

  1. Submit your responses in the Write Submission box and only include the questions and answers. Make sure to copy the questions above and paste them into the submission box. Then, provide your answers below the questions, and do not forget to use in-text citations where applicable.

 

APA Citation for reference page: Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. In-Text Citation: (Northhouse, 2021)

In-Text Citation: (Northhouse, 2021)

From Chapter 3

3 Skills Approach Description

“Like the trait approach discussed in Chapter 2, the skills approach takes a leader-centered perspective on leadership. However, in the skills approach we shift our thinking from focusing exclusively on traits to an emphasis on skills and abilities that can be learned and developed. Although personality and behavior certainly play a role in leadership, the skills approach emphasizes the capabilities, knowledge, and skills that are needed for effective leadership.

Researchers have studied leadership skills directly or indirectly for a number of years (see Bass, 2008, pp. 97–109). However, the impetus for research on skills was a classic article published by Katz in the Harvard Business Review in 1955, titled “Skills of an Effective Administrator.” Katz’s article appeared at a time when researchers were trying to identify a definitive set of leadership traits. Katz’s approach was an attempt to transcend the trait problem by addressing leadership as a set of developable skills. More recently, a revitalized interest in the skills approach has emerged. Beginning in the early 1990s, a multitude of studies have been published that contend that a leader’s effectiveness depends on the leader’s ability to solve complex organizational problems. This research has resulted in a comprehensive skill-based model of leadership that was advanced by M. Mumford and his colleagues (M. Mumford, Zaccaro, Harding, Jacobs, & Fleishman, 2000; Yammarino, 2000).

In this chapter, our discussion of the skills approach is divided into two parts. First, we discuss the general ideas set forth by Katz regarding three basic administrative skills: technical, human, and conceptual. Second, we discuss the recent work of Mumford and colleagues that has resulted in a skills-based model of organizational leadership.”

 

“Three-Skill Approach

Based on field research in administration and his own firsthand observations of executives in the workplace, Katz (1955, p. 34) suggested that effective administration (i.e., leadership) depends on three basic personal skills: technical, human, and conceptual. Katz argued that these skills are quite different from traits or qualities of leaders. Skills are what leaders can accomplish, whereas traits are who leaders are (i.e., their innate characteristics). Leadership skills are defined in this chapter as the ability to use one’s knowledge and competencies to accomplish a set of goals or objectives. This chapter shows that these leadership skills can be acquired and leaders can be trained to develop them.

 

Technical Skills

Technical skills are knowledge about and proficiency in a specific type of work or activity. They include competencies in a specialized area, analytical ability, and the ability to use appropriate tools and techniques (Katz, 1955). For example, in a computer software company, technical skills might include knowing software language and programming, the company’s software products, and how to make these products function for clients. Similarly, in an accounting firm, technical skills might include understanding and having the ability to apply generally accepted accounting principles to a client’s audit. In both of these examples, technical skills involve a hands-on activity with a basic product or process within an organization. Technical skills play an essential role in producing the actual products a company is designed to produce.

As illustrated in Figure 3.1, technical skills are most important at lower and middle levels of management and less important in upper management. For leaders at the highest level, such as CEOs, presidents, and senior officers, technical competencies are not as essential. Individuals at the top level depend on skilled followers to handle technical issues of the physical operation.”

“Human Skills

Human skills are knowledge about and ability to work with people. They are quite different from technical skills, which have to do with working with things (Katz, 1955). Human skills are “people skills.” They are the abilities that help a leader to work effectively with followers, peers, and superiors to accomplish the organization’s goals. Human skills allow a leader to assist group members in working cooperatively as a group to achieve common goals. For Katz, it means being aware of one’s own perspective on issues and, at the same time, being aware of the perspective of others. Leaders with human skills adapt their own ideas to those of others. Furthermore, they create an atmosphere of trust where followers can feel comfortable and secure and where they can feel encouraged to become involved in the planning of things that will affect them. Being a leader with human skills means being sensitive to the needs and motivations of others and considering others’ needs in one’s decision making. In short, human skills are the capacity to get along with others as you go about your work.

Figure 3.1 shows that human skills are important in all three levels of management. Although managers at lower levels may communicate with a far greater number of followers, human skills are equally important at middle and upper levels.

Conceptual Skills

Broadly speaking, conceptual skills are the ability to work with ideas and concepts. Whereas technical skills deal with things and human skills deal with people, conceptual skills involve the ability to work with ideas. A leader with conceptual skills is comfortable talking about the ideas that shape an organization and the intricacies involved. They are good at putting the organization’s goals into words and can understand and express the economic principles that affect the organization. A leader with conceptual skills works easily with abstractions and hypothetical notions.

Conceptual skills are central to creating a vision and strategic plan for an organization. For example, it would take conceptual skills for a CEO in a struggling manufacturing company to articulate a vision for a line of new products that would steer the company into profitability. Similarly, it would take conceptual skills for the director of a nonprofit health organization to create a strategic plan to compete successfully with for-profit health organizations in a market with scarce resources. The point of these examples is that conceptual skills have to do with the mental work of shaping the meaning of organizational or policy issues—understanding what an organization stands for and where it is or should be going.

As shown in Figure 3.1, conceptual skills are most important at the top management levels. In fact, when upper-level managers do not have strong conceptual skills, they can jeopardize the whole organization. Conceptual skills are also important in middle management; as we move down to lower management levels, conceptual skills become less important.

 

 

Summary of the Three-Skill Approach

To summarize, the three-skill approach includes technical, human, and conceptual skills. It is important for leaders to have all three skills; depending on where they are in the management structure, however, some skills are more important than others.

Katz’s work in the mid-1950s set the stage for conceptualizing leadership in terms of skills, but it was not until the mid-1990s that an empirically based skills approach received recognition in leadership research. In the next section, the comprehensive skill-based model of leadership is presented.”

Did the older person mention a broad spectrum of life domains, including hobbies, interests, social participation, family, health, and personality traits?

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Secure and multifaceted self-concept

Pose the following question to a grandparent, a friend’s grandparent, or another older adult: “How would you describe yourself?” Record the answer and compare it with research presented in the text, focusing on the following questions:

(1) Did the older person mention a broad spectrum of life domains, including hobbies, interests, social participation, family, health, and personality traits?

(2) Did the response include more positive than negative evaluations?

(3) Based on the answer, does this individual appear to have a secure and multifaceted self-concept? Explain

 

Using the template, create an 8–10 slide PowerPoint presentation with slide notes that define a corporate social responsibility issue, explain how the problem affects a local or global community, and describe possible sustainable solutions that the company can support.

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Power Point Presentation

Using the template, create an 8–10 slide PowerPoint presentation with slide notes that define a corporate social responsibility issue, explain how the problem affects a local or global community, and describe possible sustainable solutions that the company can support.

1. In preparation for this assessment, review your selected company website and look for evidence of a social responsibility issue or problem that they have adopted to support in the local, national, or global community. Think about the following questions as you review the website. The interactive activity Corporate Social Responsibility can take you through these first questions and help you get a start on your assessment.

Is the company support for the issue financial or is there also a volunteer element?
How are employees engaged in the financial or volunteer activities? Are customers able to contribute financially and through volunteering?
How is the solution that the company supports sustainable?
How does the issue tie to your chosen company’s mission and vision?
Note: If you don’t find much evidence of a CSR issue on the website, you can identify one that you feel fits.

2. Select a corporate social responsibility issue to research. Possible topics include:

Workplace diversity, hiring, and equity.
Reducing the carbon footprint.
Clean energy.
Water stewardship.
Climate change.
Hunger.
Digital divide.

3. Narrow the topic down to a specific CSR problem that needs to be solved. Explain how it relates to your chosen company and offer possible solutions that the company can support.

Example:
Topic: Water stewardship.
Problem: Children’s access to clean drinking water.
Possible Solutions: Dig safe wells for local and international communities, support UNICEF clean water project, or contribute bottled water to FEMA for natural disasters.
Relates to business: Water is a key ingredient for the product, and the organization has factories in the same states where children need clean drinking water.

4. Next, research the CSR problem. Locate 3–7 reputable resources about the business problem and solutions. The resources you choose will help you to define the focus of your research and writing. Your research should also help you develop possible solutions to the problem. You can find some resources in the “First Steps” resource activity. This activity is linked in the Assessment hub page and counts toward engagement. The interactive activity QuickStart: Business Problems and CSR will also help you to review key aspects of CSR campaigns.

5. Develop a PowerPoint presentation with 8–10 slides with slide notes on the chosen corporate social responsibility topic and business problem. Organize your content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions. Remember that the Assessment 4 Template [PPTX] is available to help you with this.

PowerPoint presentation slides generally shouldn’t have sentences such as a white paper or memo would but instead should have bullet points that are organized and clearly convey the intent of the presentation.
You should still follow APA rules for attributing sources that support your analysis and conclusions in the Notes section of the slides.
Use the Notes feature of each slide to explain and expand your bullet points and reference your resources. You have the choice to submit your PowerPoint presentation with extensive notes or with notes plus narration.
Your presentation should include one or more slides covering each of the following areas, and you can use slide titles more explicitly related to your chosen topic than are shown below.
Title slide.
Introduction (optional).

The Problem.
Define corporate social responsibility issue and the related business problem.
How the Problem Affects a Community and the Organization.
Explain how the social responsibility problem affects a local, national, or global community and relates to your chosen company
Advantages and Limitations of Possible Solutions.
Include at least three possible solutions and briefly summarize them in one slide.
Explain the advantages and limitations of each proposed solution for the social problem and discuss each solution’s impact on your chosen company
Briefly describe any general aspects of costs, efficiencies, and effectiveness.

Recommended Solution.
Recommend a solution for the social problem and explain how it aligns with your chosen company’s business, including its mission and vision.
Support a recommended solution to a business problem with relevant evidence and research.

Sustainability.
Explain how your recommended solution to the CSR problem will be sustainable into the future.
How will the increased sustainability impact profit and customer and employee satisfaction?
Supporting evidence (research).

Conclusion.
As a summary, justify and support your recommended solution to the CSR problem.
Include relevant evidence and sound reasoning.
References slide.

Planning

Consider the following as rough guideposts for setting aside the time you need to do your work. You’ll want to adjust these as you learn more about your own pace and working style.

Research and Reading: 4 hrs.
Interactive activities: 30 mins.
Learning presentation technology: 8 hrs.
Writing: 8 hrs.
Revising: 3 hrs.

Requirements

Slides: 8–10 slides, not including the reference slide, with no more than 6 bullet points per slide.
Resources: Cite at least three resources, including your website, on a reference slide.
Template: You may use the Assessment 4 Template [PPTX] to help organize your presentation.

Submit for this assessment:
Option A: 8–10 PowerPoint slides with extensive notes in the Notes section of the slide.
Option B: 8–10 PowerPoint slides with narration recorded directly on each slide and notes in the Notes section of the slide.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

Competency 1: Explain the underlying principles of successful businesses.
Explain how a recommended solution to a corporate social responsibility problem will be sustainable into the future.

Competency 3: Solve business problems using critical thinking and effective decision making.
Explain how a corporate social responsibility problem affects a community and relates to a chosen company.
Explain the advantages and limitations of solutions for a social problem and its impact on a chosen company.
Recommend a solution for a social problem that aligns with a chosen company.

Competency 5: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for the field of business.
Support a recommended solution to a business problem with relevant evidence.
Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.

Review the business problem and team member profiles within the Team Planning Activity. Then fill in the charts below to select the team members for the problem-solving team, create a team communication plan, and answer the questions about delegating responsibilities and resolving conflict.

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Team Planning Worksheet

Name
 

 

 

PART 1: Review the business problem and team member profiles within the Team Planning Activity.  Then fill in the charts below to select the team members for the problem-solving team, create a team communication plan, and answer the questions about delegating responsibilities and resolving conflict.

PART 2: Select three members to be part of the team and give the rationale for each of your decisions. Don’t forget to include the 4th team member assigned by your manager.

 

Name Current department Explain the reasons for including this specific functional area in an organizational team
in terms of the advantages offered.		 What role would this individual fill on the team?
Example: Owen Davidson Example: Distribution, Truck Driver Example: It is essential to get the perspective of the Operations functional area and ensure the supply chain team is involved in the problem-solving since they will be the ones that will have to implement the solution. Example: Owen is known as a team player, and because of all his connections, he will be the team’s information gatherer.
Team Member 1:

 

      
Team Member 2:

 

      
Team Member 3:

 

      
Assigned Team Member 4:      

 

PART 3: Create a communication plan that includes recommendations for how the team will connect daily, weekly, and over the course of the project. Include innovative, reliable technology strategies where possible. Use proper spelling and grammar. Your plan should be 1–2 paragraphs.

 

 

 

PART 4: Solving the Business Problem and Delegating Tasks

Business Problem

The logistics function (warehousing, trucking, inventory, etc.) is having a problem with channels of distribution. Some customers have recently complained that their orders are delayed 2-3 weeks, while others have praised the company for delivering the orders in advance. It will require a cross-functional team to study and problem-solve the situation.

 

List the steps to solve the distribution problem and then select team members who could be responsible for the task based on their business skills and soft skills.

Step Action Team member(s) List business skills from their function Describe effective team characteristics and explain how those characteristics would support a team effort
example Identify and define the problem, gather information Owen Example: List members and their work-related strengths that will help define the problem.

Example: Owen—knowledge of inventory from the trucking perspective, understands the delivery schedule problems.

 List soft skills that will help accomplish this task.

Example: Owen—understands the problem from the customer’s perspective from delivery problems. He is a team player and can see all sides of a problem.
1        
2        
3        
4        

 

PART 5: Conflict Resolution

Describe strategies that will be used to avoid and resolve conflicts between members of the team.

§  Also consider the consequences of not addressing the conflict.

Use proper spelling and grammar. Your response should be 1–2 paragraphs.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

PART 6: Conclusion

Summarize how your plan will result in an effective team that will contribute to organizational success. Use proper spelling and grammar. Your summary should be 1–2 paragraphs.

 
 

 

Provide information about your organization. Explain the nature of the cyberattack that occurred. Provide specific details about what happened and the impact of the cyberattack.

/in /by

Cyberattack

Select a national or international organization that has suffered from a cyberattack. Then, address the following requirements:

  • Provide information about your organization (e.g., mission, vision, values, purpose, and industry).
  • Explain the nature of the cyberattack that occurred. Provide specific details about what happened and the impact of the cyberattack.
  • Do you believe the company did a good job addressing the cyberattack:
  • Before it happened?
  • When the attack occurred?
  • After the attack?
  • What might the company do to prevent future cyberattacks?

 

Why is employee engagement important, and what is its relationship to ethics? How does employee engagement relate to organizational culture? How do managers contribute to the ethical culture?

/in /by

ETHICAL PROBLEMS OF MANAGERS

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Why is employee engagement important, and what is its relationship to ethics?
  2. How does employee engagement relate to organizational culture? How do managers contribute to the ethical culture?
  3. In addition to identifying and training good managers, what else could an organization do to increase levels of employee engagement?
  4. What specific action could a manager take to help move employees up the employee engagement continuum—for example, from not engaged to actively engaged?
  1. Why should performance be measured as an ongoing process, and not just as a once-a-year event?
  1. Should high performers be allowed to work by rules that are different from those that apply to other workers? Why or why not?
  1. Imagine that you’re the manager of a facility where 200 layoffs are scheduled. Design an action plan for how the layoffs would occur. How would you handle both those being laid off and the survivors?
  1. Are there ways in which managers can avoid harassment issues among employees who report to them? What would your strategy be?
  2. Imagine that someone who reports to you is on a prescription medication that makes his breath smell like alcohol. How would you handle this situation?
  1. Imagine that one of your employees complained about being harassed by a coworker. Also imagine that you suspect the motives of the person who is complaining to you. How would you handle this situation? Is there a way you could discern motivation, or does it matter? When would you involve your company’s human resources department?
  1. As a manager, how would you respond when a worker’s performance has declined and you suspect a problem at home is the cause?
  2. List some ways you can communicate your ethical standards to your employees and to your peers.