Assessment Task 2: Interview with a manager on management styles. ‘New Manager self-test’, textbook p. 291.
The objectives of the analysis are to:
Improve your knowledge of specific concepts and theories of management
Develop your ability to apply theories and concepts to practical situations
Encourage you to consider the effectiveness of various management theories and models as they relate to organisational functioning
Develop your skills in research, critical thinking and analysis
Develop your skills in academic writing
Length: 1,200 – 1,500 words (4 questions; note Q4 is worth the most marks).
Weighting: 30 marks; 30% of the final grade.
Due: Week 10 lecture
Criteria for assessment: at the end of this Course Description.
Accessing the questionnaire: The ‘New manager self-test questionnaire’ is from the textbook, p. 291
Assignment instructions.
Complete the questionnaire on yourself and then select a person you can interview to do the questionnaire on them. Then answer the following four questions.
Q1. Draw an organisational chart showing the interviewee’s position in the hierarchy. Indicate on the chart the person who you interviewed.
Q2. Include both your answers and their answers to the questionnaire items 1-8 on p. 291. Draw a bar chart, graph or other figure to show Strategic Implementer and Strategic Formulator results for the manager you interviewed. Include your own self-score results as a comparison.
Q3. Provide a summary of the responses regarding the manager’s view of Strategic Formulator and Strategic Implementer styles in relation to his/her position.
Q4. Discuss how the manager’s formulator or implementer skills suited, or did not suit, the nature or their organisation’s environment and his/her work requirements.
Notes for the assignment
Who to interview?
You can interview anyone who has had any kind of supervisory responsibility, not just an official “manager”. People you can interview include sports coaches, casual shift supervisors, volunteer coordinators and organisers of religious events and activities; a family member who is or has been a supervisor or manager is perfectly acceptable. The main criterion for suitability for interview is that the person has coordinated and/or scheduled other people to complete an activity or objective. If you are in doubt as to who you should interview see the lecturer well in advance of the due date for the assignment.
What’s the best kind of interview?
Face-to-face, in-person interviews are preferable, but this is not always possible (for example, for international students with overseas contacts). Phone and email interviews are acceptable including international phone or email interviews.
What am I trying to achieve with the interview?
Your main purpose is to understand the person’s approach to strategy formulation and implementation. Make sure you understand these points before concluding the interview. If you run out of time during the interview note the reason(s) why on your assignment.
Additional reading
Your answers should be based on the information from the textbook – so read widely in the textbook, not just the section in which has questionnaire. But you are also expected to read beyond the textbook for this assignment. Wider reading beyond the textbook and appropriate use of relevant academic models and theories will be rewarded with higher marks for the relevant assessment criteria.
Appropriate sources: The textbook should be one of your sources; remember to cite it as the source of the questionnaire material. Wikipedia can be a good place to start but don’t stop there - look up the references provided at the end of the article. Remember that Wikipedia and company websites are not academic references because they are not peer-reviewed by academics specialising in the particular topic. Reading appropriate academic journals and books will provide more depth and allow greater analysis of the issues you uncover in the interview with the manager.
Appropriate format
Write answers in response to the questions: you do not need to do the Report Format or have an introduction, conclusion or executive summary. Remember to provide the source for the organisational chart in Q1 and the textbook questionnaire for Qs 2 & 3 and 4, if appropriate. Cite all references consistently and comprehensively in the APA style. Provide an appropriate title page and an alphabetised reference list. Remember to add the School’s Assignment Cover sheet.
Assessment Task 2: Interview with a manager (30 marks). Samson & Daft (2012) p.291

Assessment Criteria HD D C P MF F
Q1. Organisational chart (3 marks)
Clarity of the organisational chart showing manager’s position (2 marks)
Includes the source of the chart (1 mark)

Q2. Presentation of the answers to the questionnaire (4 marks)
Use of a graph or chart or to show manager’s score (3 marks)
Student’s score shown as a comparison to the manager’s score (1 mark)
Q3. Summary of the manager’s responses (8 marks)
Definition of strategic formulator and implementer provided with appropriate in-text citation(s). (2 marks).
Overview of responses at the beginning (2 marks).
Relevant discussion of revealing/insightful comments and answers from the manager (4 marks).

Q4. Discussion of suitability of manager’s formulator/implementer skills in his/her work role (10 marks)
Overview of key points at the beginning (2 marks)
Analysis and insight into formulator/implementer skills and work role (5 marks)
Inclusion of relevant quotes from the manager to illustrate points (1 mark)
Insightful, relevant conclusion (2 marks)

Academic writing and referencing (5 marks)
Clear, grammatically correct writing with no spelling mistakes (3 marks)
Correct in-text citations and reference list using the APA method (2 marks).
TOTAL MARKS OBTAINED
Grade
Comments
Aspects of the assignment which were done well.
Aspects of the assignment which could be improved.
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