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 Core Management Concepts

SECTION A

Answer any FIVE of the following questions. Each answer should be 200 words or fewer.

All questions in this section carry equal marks. When asked to give examples, you should give examples which differ from those used in the course materials.

1.         Provide three reasons why entrepreneurs are motivated to create firms. (5marks)

2.         What is collection action? Give one example. What is connective action? Give one example.    (5marks)

3.         Using the Competing Values Framework (Quinn and Rohrbraugh, 1983),

differentiate, with examples, between the organization cultures of “Adhocracy” and “Hierarchy” .      (5marks)

4          Differentiate between “Intended Strategy” and “Emergent Strategy”.  Provide one

example for each type of strategy.                 (5marks)

5          Contrast perspective on what managers do in terms of leading managerial and economic theories.    (5marks)

6          What is benchmarking in performance measurement?  Provide three advantages

of benchmarking.                                           (5marks)

7          Differentiate between heuristics and biases giving one example for each. (5marks)

8          What is the concept of “Lean Production”?  Give three ways by which lean

production can improve operational efficiency of a business organization. (5marks)

Total: 25 marks

SECTION B

Read the case study and answer ALL of the following questions. Your answers for all parts of Section B COMBINED should NOT exceed 800 words.

Airport

You work in an airport in one of the neighbouring countries in senior management position.

This airport is besieged with several problems and the government wants the senior

management to fix the problems as the perception of the passengers travelling through the airport is unacceptable.

Firstly, the circling time for landing is much higher than other airports.  In fact, it is 30% higher.  This means the pilots must use more fuel which is unnecessary costs.

After the planes have arrived at the ramp and linked to the aerobridge, it takes some time for the baggage to be placed at the conveyor belt to be collected by the passengers after   their immigration clearance.   The same problem exists when passengers check-in.  The   immigration officers are taking too long to check the passports, especially those from

blacklisted developing countries. Also, long queues are an unsightly sight at the

checking-in counters. There are too much administrative procedures which can easily be automated. The amenities at the airport do not cater for the needs of passengers,

especially those in transit.  Passengers do not know how to spend their waiting time prior to their departures.

Secondly, to make matters worse, the labour turnover at the airport is 15% while the

national average is 10%.  The turnover is higher for workers from Generation Z (born

between 1997-2012, following millennials) than other age groups.  During exit interviews the main feedback is that they find their superiors are unaccommodating and also, they do not see much career progression.  Nepotism, discrimination, and favouritism are to be

blamed for workers leaving. The workers generally find their work routine, uninteresting,

mundane and unchallenging.  Union membership is on the rise reflecting workers’ discontent.

Unlike other airports, there seems to be a lack of strategy in achieving sustainable

competitive advantage.  Neighbouring airports have managed to develop a clear strategic direction and competitive strategy.  The present senior management tends to concentrate  in managing a tumultuous VUCA environment (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and

Ambiguous) as well as external factors that affect the airport industry.  This strategy is

not working as the sustainable competitive advantage is only momentary.  Other airports can develop similar strategies to minimize the impact of changes in the external

environment.  What is really needed is some kind of competitive advantage which should be sustainable.  The airport needs to develop intangible assets which should give the

airport some permanency in generating profit growth as well as profitability.  In other words, it should have resources and capabilities that are impregnable and inimitable.  It will take some time to develop these rare but unique features but if you don’t attempt to start you will be wiped out by strong neighbouring airports which seem to be improving their competitive advantage, continuously.

Senior management has asked you to submit a report on how the above issues can be corrected.

Answer all the following questions:

1.         Using tools and techniques of management science suggest how can the airport improve its operational efficiency.        (9marks)

2.         Provide a comprehensive plan, using leadership and motivational theories, on how the labour turnover at the airport can be reduced.          (7marks)

3.         You are required to use the resource-based theory to suggest ways how the airport

can ensure that its competitive advantage is sustainable over other airports.  (9marks)

Total: 25 marks

SECTION C

Answer any TWO of the following essay questions. All questions in this section carry  equal marks. Each of your answers should not exceed 600 words. Each question carries 25 marks.

1       Discuss how Maslow’s theory relates to the ideas of (i) Frederick Taylor, and  (ii) Elton Mayo and the human relations movement. Support your answer with examples.

2.      Discuss four factors that might force change on an organisation.  Adapting to new    technology requires an organisation to change.  Discuss why they may be resistance to this change and the methods management may use to deal with it.

3       Explain how and why organisational risk is subjective and subject to change.

Discuss strategies for engaging with risk, using one real-life example, and provide recommendations to manage the risk.