TASK

Part 1

For this discussion, select and respond to two (2) of the questions below:

1. Select a manager from your life and define how that person affected the organization you worked for, or how they affected you personally.
2. Define what success means to you as a worker. What was your experience?
3. Identify why managers are important to organizations.
4. Respond to this prompt: “An effective manager is…”

Part 2

Unit 2 DB: Organizational Culture

For this discussion, research an organizational culture for a company like Google, or use your personal experiences working at an organization.

1. First, concisely describe three (3) aspects of your organization’s culture making the connections between this week’s reading materials and the company you’ve chosen.
2. Next, is it innovative, team-oriented, collaborative, ethical, or something else? Explain which aspect is most important in guiding employee’s behavior and which aspect is most important for managers leading a team and making decisions.
3. Finally, you MUST post the link for the company you’ve chosen that shows where you have researched their organizational culture.

Part 3

Research a team that you consider successful. It could be a sports or project team that you were a part of, a professional sports team, or a business team. You MUST cite the team you’ve researched in your post.

1. First, describe what made the team effective making connections to this week’s reading materials.
2. Did your team have some, or all of the key characteristics of effective teams covered in your reading? Provide examples of those shown, and reasons you believe for those not shown.
3. Describe the processes in how the team set goals and choose its members.
4. Do you think the team’s success depended on these processes?
5. Why or why not?

Part 4

This discussion is based on a TED Talk by Dan Pink. Pink, a former speech writer, career analyst, and author of the book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, reveals some remarkable facts about motivation that have been confirmed in many social science experiments but aren’t widely recognized. Pink argues that the way we’re motivating people is all wrong, and he proposes a new model to replace traditional incentives.

Watch Pink’s TED Talk in the Reading and Resources section, then respond to all of the following questions in your post:

1. Did you find Pink’s talk surprising? Why or why not?

Pink concludes:

“There is a mismatch between what science knows and what business does. Here is what science knows. One: Those 20th century rewards, those motivators we think are a natural part of business, do work, but only in a surprisingly narrow band of circumstances. Two: Those if-then rewards often destroy creativity. Three: The secret to high performance isn’t rewards and punishments, but that unseen intrinsic drive–the drive to do things for their own sake. The drive to do things cause they matter.”

2. How do you think managers can use this knowledge to motivate their employees? How will you use this knowledge in your own pursuits?

Part 5

instructions: Take this free online quiz to discover your Big Five factors. Then answer the following questions: • In which factors did you score highest? Do you agree with the results? Why or why not? • Identify at least two jobs that you think would be a good fit for you based on your results, and explain how your traits would help you excel in those jobs.

Part 6

Are you biased? I am | Kristen Pressner | TEDxBasel – YouTube

Why I, as a black man, attend KKK rallies. | Daryl Davis | TEDxNaperville – YouTube

In this discussion, we will respectfully tackle a sensitive topic. As a manager, or employee you may have to handle or even experience bias, discrimination, and stereotyping. Please watch the following two videos and then post your response to the questions below.

1. First, making a connection to this week’s reading materials as well as the videos, explain why workplace diversity is important.
2. Second, what are two (2) specific challenges managers may face in managing diversity and inclusion? How would you go about solving each of these two?

Part 7

1. First explain what social responsibility means in a business setting.
2. Then, describe what social responsibility means to you personally. Please make a connection to this week’s materials citing examples from the readings, or researching beyond the readings. Include a citation to your source(s).
3. Do you think business organizations should be socially responsible. Why or why not?
4. Finally, make a connection between corporate social responsibility and ethics. What do you think is the best way for managers to ensure and/or encourage their employees to act ethically?

Part 8

In this assignment, we will explore Managerial Functions, Theories and Principles. As the final piece of this assignment, you will reflect on your skills.

Step 1:

• Read this week’s materials in the Reading and Resources folder and review the four functions of management. and the management theories and/or principles found in this week’s reading within the Reading and Resources Folder.

Step 2: Create a PowerPoint presentation to address the following:

• Create a title page with the name of the assignment, your name, and date
• Discuss how each of the four functions of management are important for effective leaders
• Pick one Management theory and/or Principle (see the list below) and describe its importance to the four functions of management
• Provide references where you retrieved your information using APA Format: References

Step 3:

• Save your presentation to your computer and upload your assignment to Blackboard.

Part 9

First, think of an incident of business fraud or scandal in the news, or choose one that has been mentioned in your reading. Research the scandal, paying close attention to how it was possible for whatever went wrong to happen.

In your post, specify the scandal you chose, and you MUST include in your post citations to the sources where you have conducted your research.

Then respond to ALL of the following questions in your initial post:

1. Were there controls in place that should have prevented the scandal or fraud from happening? Cite from this week’s reading materials those used as well as those not.
2. Explain what types of controls existed using the terminology in your reading (feedback, proactive, concurrent, strategic, operational, tactical, top-down, objective, normative, financial, nonfinancial), and how they were used.
3. Why do you think the controls you selected as ineffective, were ineffective?
4. Why do you think the business didn’t have sufficient controls in place?
5. What was management’s role in the failure of the controls?