Managing Organisations (MNG10247)
Assignment 1
Title: Assignment 1 – Reflective Essay (Rational Goal)
Marks: 25 (which is 25% of the unit grade)
Due: Asmt 1a: Worksheet (5 marks) - Prior to 11pm (QLD time) on Wednesday 23rd November
Asmt 1b: Reflective Essay (20 marks) - Prior to 11pm (QLD time) on Friday 2nd December

Purpose:
This assignment aims to develop students’ understanding of the Rational Goal management model through the integration of theory and practice. It also highlights to students the value of periodically reflecting on their work and career experiences.
Task
Students are to write a reflective essay (max 750 words ) which details how one of the Rational Goal Management Competencies (MCs) has been ‘experienced’ in the workplace. As part of this task students should clearly and accurately identify how their experience of the chosen MC is consistent with the characteristics of the Rational Goal model.
Note: students need not have direct involvement with the management competency but simply observed its development, implementation or outcome in an organisational setting.
Students with no workplace experience on which to base their essay will need to identify and interview someone who can provide the required first-hand insight. A friend or family member would be suitable for this purpose.
The Assignment is divided into the following two stages.
Asmt 1a
In stage 1, students complete and submit the Asmt 1a worksheet (located in the Asmt 1a folder on BB) by the due date. Answering the questions will help students identify the key components of their essay.
Asmt 1b
The single document submitted for this stage of the assignment is to contain the following components and formatting features:
a) Assignment ‘Coversheet’ (document is available in the Assignment file on Blackboard).
b) Assignment ‘Coverpage’ identifying the unit name & code, assignment title, student name & ID, and the essay word count (note: Reference List content does not contribute to the word count).
c) Content; i.e. your Reflective Essay.
i. Both in-text and reference list skills must be demonstrated (students should follow the SCU Library’s Harvard Referencing style Guide. The use of any other referencing style guide may result in the loss of marks).
ii. The essay is to include at least two distinct references from academic journal articles. It is each student’s responsibility to ensure that their articles are from a ‘peer reviewed’ academic journal; i.e. not a trade journal or magazine. Referencing newspapers, web pages or ‘non- peer reviewed’ content appearing in such sources is not permitted. You may cite your textbook and sources identified in it but they do not contribute to the reference count. Quoting is also not permitted. Paraphrase the information obtained from the various sources.
d) Reference List
Adopt the following formatting features for the paper:
o Apply page numbers. Page 1 comes after your coverpage.
o Font style: Times New Roman, 12pt, justified, 1½ line spacing.
o Margins - top and bottom to be 2.54cm. Left and right to be 2.54cm. No page boarders.
o Spelling - specify Australian English language/grammar when running your spell-check.
o Writing and grammar should conform to the standards of a professional report.
Structure and style of the Essay
The document ‘Reflective Writing – Quick Guide’ (available in the Assignment 1 folder on BlackBoard) highlights two different ways to structure the essay. Either approach is acceptable.
Develop a catchy title which highlights (surreptitiously) the focus of your Essay.
The aim is to write an interesting story which clearly illustrates how a particular Management Competency of the Rational Goal model has been experienced in an organisational context. Effective essays will provide a valuable learning opportunity for the reader. The experience can be either positive or negative.
It is important that the key concepts are presented in a logical manner so that the essay has good ‘flow’.
The essay should effectively blend your personal observation with support from academic publications (i.e. ideas or research findings). Focus on objectivity rather than subjectivity.
It is important that you use pseudonyms to protect the identity of the organisation and the individuals concerned.
This is not a Creative Writing exercise. The objective is not to write a dramatic script so avoid using emotional language and tone.
Submit Process
All assignments are to be submitted through ‘Turn-it-in,’ which can be accessed from the respective Asmt folders on Blackboard. The link will be activated in week 1 and you can submit the assignment at any time leading up to the due date.
The file you submit should be labelled in the following manner:
Surname, initial, student code, MNG10247, asmt 1a (or 1b)
For example – Gillett, P, 012345, MNG10247, asmt 1a
Feedback
Both assignment parts will be marked as quickly as possible so that feedback is promptly returned to students. Feedback will include a marking rubric and a copy of the assignment document with electronic comments from the marker.
Marking Criteria for asmt 1b:
A. Quality of writing
(weight 35%)
1) Unsatisfactory. The writing is ineffective due to numerous spelling and/or grammatical errors.
2) Pass. Proof-read the final document to identify and correct minor errors in spelling and grammar. Plan for and undertake additional drafts to improve the quality of your written work.
3) Credit. A good standard of writing is provided (no spelling errors) however there is room for improvement in terms of higher-order writing skills (e.g. vocabulary and sentence structure).
4) Distinction. Higher-order writing skills are evident in parts. Greater consistency will improve the overall quality of your work.
5) HD. The quality of writing is exceptional. Well done.
B. Essay Content
(weight 35%)
1) Unsatisfactory. Details of the Management Competency and your personal account of its application to an organisational context are largely inaccurate or ambiguous.
2) Pass. The essay content demonstrates a basic understanding of the Management Competency however it is predominantly descriptive. Further personal insight is required to show how the competency has been experienced in an organisational context.
3) Credit. The essay provides a good example of how the Management Competency is applied in an organisational context. Expand on the analysis (depth or breadth) of your personal experience to show a stronger level of understanding.
4) Distinction. Your personal experience of the Management Competency is thorough and informative. Management theory is partially integrated into the discussion.
5) HD. The essay provides a very effective and distinct example of the Management Competency and its practical application to an organisation context. Personal observation is substantially and effectively integrated with Management theory. Well done.
C. Formatting & Referencing
(weight 30%.)
1) Unsatisfactory. The assignment document is unprofessionally presented and/or the required number of references is not provided.
2) Pass. The assignment paper is generally well presented but a number of formatting features have not been adopted.
3) Credit. All the required formatting features are provided. There are several errors with the referencing style.
4) Distinction. All required formatting features are provided. There is one minor error with the referencing style.
5) HD. All required formatting features are provided and the reference sources are appropriately cited.
U P C D HD
A. 2 4 5 6 7
B. 2 4 5 6 7
C. 2 3 4 5 6