13 Jun BRIEFLY IDENTIFY THE FOCAL (FIRM A) AND THE COMPARATIVE (FIRM B) ORGANISATIONS AND THEIR ORGANISATIONAL SETTING (BUT BEAR IN MIND THE INTENDED AUDIENCE – MANAGERS WHO ALREADY KNOW THE ORGANISATION)
Task: Students will have worked in a group and comparatively analysed two similar organizations of their choice using 3 different theories/lens presented in the lectures. They will then write a report which summarises the theories chosen and the analysis undertaken, before making recommendations for the future direction of one of the organisations, drawing upon comparisons to the second organisation. Example report titles would be: “Recommendations for the future direction of BP drawing on comparisons with Exxon-Mobil” or “Recommendations for the future direction of Coles drawing on comparisons with Woolworths”.
The purpose of this report is to show you can apply organisation theory in a real-world setting. As we have discovered throughout the semester, organisations do not exist ‘in a vacuum’, but are embedded in society – part of open systems involving social, legal and technical structures, along with other organisations. This assignment asks you to consider how applying theories to two similar organisations (i.e. in the same industry, or direct competitors) can generate fruitful comparisons that enhance your understanding of the organisation’s present state and what it needs to do in order to improve in the future.
The scenario for the assignment is that you have been asked by the managers of one of these organisations to write a report on their organisation’s performance in comparison to a similar organisation, and to recommend future directions. The report is particularly focussed on how the organisation may improve in the future (i.e. the recommendations), but to do this you will need to reflect on current and present practices using organisation theories from the first half of the semester.
Each group will be required to
1. Critically review the past and present practices of the two organizations: to do this, apply two theories/lenses from the first half of the semester to each firm and analyse the similarities and differences between the two
2. Present recommendations which address the future challenges that might be faced by the organization. Recommendations must anticipate (i.e. predict) future challenges and suggest how the organisation may implement changes to cope with these challenges. You should read ahead and use one theory from the second half of the semester to guide your recommendations (theories to be covered in the second half of the semester include ethics, practice theory, design thinking, positive organisational scholarship, heterarchy and requisite organisation theory)
For example, if you chose agency theory, and your analysis (for part one) shows that both organisations have issues with managers exploiting the organisation for personal wealth, you should develop recommendations (for part two) which discuss how this issue could be addressed in future, perhaps drawing upon ethics.
Assessment Criteria:
We will be looking for evidence of:
1. originality and critical comparative analysis based on research: this includes identification and critical analysis of 2 selected theories, and a comparative analysis of the past and present practices of the organizations based on those theories (8 marks)
2. report structure: e.g. clear and appropriate report structure, appropriate headings, report presentation (e.g. use of visuals and formatting) (4 marks)
3. clear written expression and referencing: appropriate to purpose and audience (i.e. an academically persuasive report written for a managerial audience). You should ensure that the report has accurate grammar, a professional tone that it is authoritative and concise (i.e. don’t use 1000 words where 100 will do), and appropriate paragraphing (4 marks)
4. sound recommendations well supported by reference to theory and to the particular characteristics of the organisation (4 marks)
Text formatting: Times New Roman font style with 12pt font size and 1.5 paragraph spacing justified on each page. The report should not have more than two levels of headings.
Recommended report structure
(hyperlinked text refers you to the UNSW Unilearn site; word counts are intended as a guideline only)
TITLE PAGE
• Report title
• Prepared for (name of the organisation/team/department – use pseudonym for class purposes)
• Prepared by: Group member names
• Submission date
TABLE OF CONTENTS
• List of numbered sections in report and their page numbers
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
• List the figures in the text (only include a list of illustrations when there are illustrations in the text).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• Content & purpose of the report
• Methods of data collection & analysis
• Findings
• Recommendations
INTRODUCTION (approximately 500 words)
• Aims and scope of the report (i.e. what the report does and does not do and why it was written)
• Briefly identify the focal (Firm A) and the comparative (Firm B) organisations and their organisational setting (but bear in mind the intended audience – managers who already know the organisation)
• Briefly describe the main theories chosen for the analysis
• An outline of the report’s structure
BODY (approximately 2100 words)
The body of the report needs to describe the theories, to present a summary of your analysis based on those theories, to draw out similarities and differences between the two organisations based on that analysis, and to introduce your recommendations for the future direction of the focal organisation. While the report is being written with an intended audience of the organisation’s managers, it is important demonstrate in-depth critical analysis of the theories and that you reference your sources. We suggest you use the structure below, although this is not compulsory.
Suggested Structure for Body
• Theory A (500 words)
o Description of Theory A
o Analysis of Firm A using Theory A
o Analysis of Firm B using Theory A
• Theory B (500 words)
o Description of Theory B
o Analysis of Firm A using Theory B
o Analysis of Firm B using Theory B
• Comparative Analysis of Firms A and B (300 words)
o Similarities between the two firms (drawing on theories)
o Differences between the two firms (drawing on theories)
• Recommendations for Firm A based on comparative analysis (800 words)
o Description of Theory C (from the second half of the semester)
o Recommendations for Firm A based on Theory C
CONCLUSION (Approximately 900 words)
• A critical evaluation of how the recommendations identified in the main body relate to one another (are they complementary or conflicting?) and suggest an implementation timeline (which recommendations are high priorities (and should be implemented immediately) and which are less important?). If the recommendations are conflicting, how should the managers select and implement the appropriate recommendations?
• A discussion of any limitations in the report- is there anything your report hasn’t addressed that it is important to mention?
REFERENCE LIST
• List of reference material consulted during research for report. Use the UTS Harvard referencing guide.
• This includes EVERYTHING cited in the body of the essay. It does NOT include other texts or sources you studied but did not refer to in the essay. Examples:
• Meyer, J. and Rowan, B. 1977, ‘Institutional organisations: formal structure as myth and ceremony’, American Journal of Sociology, vol. 83, pp. 340-363.
• Monash University, Language and Learning Online: Writing in Business &
Economics, viewed 17 April 2014,
APPENDIX
• Information that supports your analysis but is not essential to its explanation (e.g. Place any material that you refer to in your report that is not freely available (i.e. internal company documents etc.) in the appendix.
• You may also place any additional diagrams that you do not have space for into the appendix, but bear in mind that any material that is important must be included in the main body.
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