Group-based Assignment
This assignment is worth 30% of the final mark for BUS101e Management. The cut-off date for this assignment is 10 April, 2355hrs.
This is a group-based assignment. You should form a group of 3 members from your seminar group. Each group is required to upload a single report to Canvas via your respective seminar group. Please elect a group leader. The responsibility of the group leader is to upload the report on behalf of the group.
It is important for each group member to contribute substantially to the final submitted work. All group members are equally responsible for the entire submitted assignment. If you feel that the work distribution is inequitable to either yourself or your group mates, please highlight this to your instructor as soon as possible. Your instructor will then investigate and decide on any action that needs to be taken. It is not necessary for all group members to be awarded the same mark.
Important Note: Grading of TMA/GBA/ECA Submissions
Marks awarded to your assignment are based on the following guidelines:
1. 80% of the marks are allocated to the content of your answers:
- The marks awarded to what your answers cover depend on the extent to which they cover the key points that correctly and comprehensively address each question.
- The key points should be supported by evidence drawn from course materials and, wherever relevant, from other credible sources.
2. 20% of the marks are allocated to the presentation of your answers:
Wherever applicable, the marks awarded to how your answers are presented depend on the extent to which your answers:
- form a sound reasoning by developing those key points in a clear, logical and succinct manner;
- provide proper and adequate in-text citations and referencing to content drawn from course materials and other credible sources;
- strictly follow APA formatting and style guidelines1 , in particular for:
• in-text citations and end-of-report references;
• the identification of figures and tables;
- use, wherever relevant, the specialised vocabulary and terminology commonly used in discussions about the topic(s) covered by each question;
- provide a reference or bibliography at the end of the main report;
- include the less relevant details in an Appendix;
- use sentence constructions that are grammatically and syntactically correct;
- are free from spelling mistakes; present the workings, numerical formulations and results in a logical manner that follows the APA formatting and style guidelines;
- design and present graphs, diagrams and plots that follow the APA formatting and style guidelines;
- are highly original;
- have proper formatting, which may:
• include a properly formatted cover page;
• respect the answer length/word count set out in the assignment guidelines, if any is prescribed;
• present answers in paragraphs with proper spacing and page margins;
• include page numbers and appendices, if necessary.
Question 1
(a) What is meant by an external environment of an organisation? Describe its various components. (Word limit: 200-250 words; 8 marks)
(b) Analyse all the components of the external environment of Spanpac Singapore (SPS).
(Word limit: 400-450 words; 18 marks)
(c) Briefly explain the concept of environmental uncertainty. From your analysis in Q1 (b), state the key components or drivers [any two (2)] that your group thinks are creating uncertainty for SPS. Give reasons supporting your answers. (Word limit: 200-250 words; 9 marks)
Question 2
(a) Identify and outline the type of organisational structure adopted by Spanpac Singapore
(SPS). (Word limit: 300-350 words; 12 marks)
(b) In the light of the challenges faced by SpanPac, briefly describe and recommend any one of the following, after a thorough discussion with your group members. (Word limit: 300-350 words; 12marks)
(i) Any two (2) key structural changes to the existing structure with convincing reasons.
OR
(ii) An altogether new organisation structure with convincing reasons.
(c) The purchasing manager, Kelvin, was asked to source for environmentally-friendly suppliers for SpanPac. Briefly explain different types of decisions and identify the type of decision involved in sourcing for a supplier in this case. (Word limit: 300-350 words; 11 marks)
Question 3
‘Alvin concluded the meeting by asking his management to formalise the planning document’. Assume your GBA group is the management team of SpanPac Singapore (SPS) who is now tasked to formalise the planning document to increase organisational productivity. From this course, your group has learnt that studies of actual Management of Objectives (MBO) programs confirm that MBO can increase employee performance and organisational productivity.
(a) Contrast the traditional goal-setting approach and the management by objectives (MBO) approach to planning. (Word limit: 200-250 words, 7 marks)
(b) As a group, develop an MBO programme for SPS following the eight MBO steps outlined in Exhibit 8-3, p.252 of your course textbook.
Important Note:
(i) Focus more on the first five (5) steps (step 1 to step 5) of the MBO process; your answer can be limited to any two (2) or three (3) goals in each step.
(ii) Rewrite the company’s vision, mission statements and other goals.
(iii) Following the textbook MBO steps, you are expected to do research (refer to relevant secondary sources of information) on goal setting and redesigning goals. (Word limit: 650 -750 words, 23 marks)
