Microsoft Word - MMM240 Organisational Behaviour_Sample Exam_Answer guide_Students.docx
MMM240 Organisational Behaviour Trimester 1, 2020
MMM240 Organisational Behaviour
Examination
Trimester 1, 2020
Special Instructions
This examination is OPEN BOOK, you can access all relevant and applicable information in
order to answer the questions.
You will have:
• Two (2) hours writing time.
• One (1) hour preparation time for reading, downloading and uploading the exam
paper.
• This examination comprises 4 questions. Question 1 is compulsory. All students
must answer this question (20 marks). You should then answer another TWO (2) of
the remaining three (3) questions. Each question is worth 15 marks (2 x 15 marks).
• This examination constitutes 50% (50 marks) of your assessment in this unit.
• Save the exam file on your computer using the file name: your student
ID_MMM240_Organisational Behaviour and submit your responses as a docx file.
Other formats (e.g. pdf) will not be marked.
• Remember to save your work regularly.
• You must upload your responses to the Exam Submission DropBox on the MMM240
CloudDeakin site.
• Late submissions will not be marked.
• All submissions will be checked by Turnitin. Your writing must be your own. If you
efer to others’ work, you must cite them, using the Harvard referencing style.
• If you encounter any technical issues with CloudDeakin, please contact the IT Service
Desk online or via phone XXXXXXXXXX; XXXXXXXXXXif calling from outside
Australia) and record your ticket number as evidence of technical issues during the
examination period.
All candidates MUST complete this section
Type your student ID number here: _________________________________
MMM240 Organisational Behaviour Trimester 1, 2020
QUESTIONS
In total, answer three (3) of the following questions. Do not write more than three
answers.
Compulsory Question: All students must answer.
Question 1
This question links with some parts of Assessment 1 – Assignment (Topic reflection – Part 1 and Part
2A, not Part 2B). You will be asked to reflect on an aspect or a theory of each of the five topics
(selected from the first 8 topics). Note: the focus in this question is on reflection and application. (20
marks, 1000 words). This is not an actual question 1.
Suggestions
• Question 1 - Note: You are suggested to write no more than 200 words for a concept or a
theory in each topic as specified in this question (4 marks for each topic x 5 topics = 20 marks
- maximum 1000 words).
• You are suggested not focusing too much on defining many concepts in a topic but the focus
is on reflection and applications of those concepts. Only answer what is asked in the
question and stay within the word limit.
• This question is longer than other three questions but it is not a complex question.
• The feedback of Assignment Parts 1 and 2A might be useful for you to answer this question.
• Note that question 1 is NOT the same with your assignment so you cannot just ‘copy and
paste’ your assignment here.
Answer two (2) of the following three questions. Your answer must link with
the scenario set out in the question.
Question 2
You have just been hired as a
and manager of toothpaste for a large consumer products company.
Your job mainly involves encouraging the advertising and production groups to promote and
manufacture your product more effectively. These departments aren’t under your direct authority,
although company procedures indicate that they must complete certain tasks requested by
and
managers. Drawing on Topic 7, describe and justify the 3 sources of power and 4 influencing tactics
you can use to ensure that the advertising and production departments will help you make and sell
toothpaste more effectively. (15 marks, 500 words)
ANSWER HERE
Please note this is answer guide only, NOT full answers to the sample exam questions.
You are expected to use paragraph writing or note-form answers, but in some cases, you might
use bullet points answers and use headings if that helps your answers clearer.
MMM240 Organisational Behaviour Trimester 1, 2020
Consider some suggested steps below:
1. Define key concepts or key theories in the question (for example: power and influence).
• Define power
• Define influence
2. Explain these concepts in your own words
• Explain the 3 sources of power among: legitimate, reward, coercive, expert and referent
power in an organisation, and the 4 influence tactics among: silent authority,
assertiveness, information control, coalition formation, upward appeal, persuasion,
impression management and exchange
iefly and then see step 3.
Please note that you can earn only a few of marks for defining the concepts. The
justifications or reasoning why you choose these sources of power and influencing tactics
would get higher marks.
3. Apply these concepts to the given scenario and evaluate the applicability of selected sources
of power and influence tactics to describe how the
and manager can get support from
advertising and production departments. When describing the selected sources of power
and influence tactics, try to critically evaluate these options to justify your answer.
• In describing and justifying your answer, you need to select the 3 sources of power that
are suitable for the given scenario. As a
and manager, you might be able to use most
sources of power, depending on the circumstances. Here are some possible
explanations. For example,
o Legitimate power— as the
and manager, although you do not have direct
authority, you do have some legitimate power through the rules and procedures
saying that the advertising and production departments must work with
and
manager to sell the product more effectively. If they refuse to cooperate, you
have the legitimate right to seek redress from higher authorities.
• When selecting the 4 influence tactics that are suitable to the given scenario, you need
to consider about different contingencies such as influencers power base, organisational
positions (i.e., whether the person being influenced in higher, lower or at the same level
in the organisation), and cultural values and expectations. As the
and manager, you
could use different influence tactics. Here are two examples of possible explanations.
For example,
o Silent authority- as the
and manager, you have legitimate power. Therefore,
you could influence the behaviour of the advertising and production team
members through legitimate power.
o Persuasion- as the
and manager, you could present logical arguments, and
facts to explain the important role of production and advertising team members
in effectively selling toothpaste.
4. Provide a short conclusion by revisiting the key ideas.
MMM240 Organisational Behaviour Trimester 1, 2020
Question 3
‘Organisations are more likely to succeed when they have an adaptive culture.’ Imagine that you are
a manager of a car company and you are responsible for fostering an adaptive culture in your
organisation. What actions and what leadership style(s) or leadership theories will you take to foster
an adaptive culture in your organisation and why? In your answers, refer to two leadership theories
(Topic 8) and relevant parts of Topic 9 (organisational culture). (15 marks, 500 words)
ANSWER HERE
Consider some suggested steps below:
1. Define the specific concept in the question
• What is adaptive culture?
2. Explain the concepts in your own words
• Explain the key characteristics of adaptive culture
iefly
3. Describe leadership style(s) or leadership theories will you take to foster an adaptive culture
• You need to select
efer to two leadership theories. For example, you might
select ‘transformational leadership’ or (another leadership theory). Then explain
key elements of transformational leadership (i.e., inspiring the followers to
adapt to goals and values, vision, clear communication etc) and how these
elements might influence followers to respond to the environmental uncertainty
through creativity and innovativeness.
• You might also consider other factors that assist in fostering an adaptive culture.
For example,
o creating a sense of ownership
o supporting learning orientation culture
o paying attention to organisational processes
• Relate to the given scenario by providing examples
o Always evaluate the utility of the theories/concept/ideas as they apply
to a manager of a car company
4. Provide a short conclusion by revisiting the key ideas.
MMM240 Organisational Behaviour Trimester 1, 2020
Question 4
Employee resistance is a symptom, not a problem, in the change process. Drawing from your
understanding of Topic 9 and Topic 3, examine some of the main factors that may lead to employee
esistance and strategies you will use to reduce employee resistance to change and manage their
stress during the organisational change process. Provide three (3) examples on what actions you will
take to manage these issues. (15 marks, 500 words)
ANSWER HERE
Consider some suggested steps below:
1. Define the specific concepts and theories in the question
• Employee resistance (resistance to change) is an important factor in the change
process and include the forces or factors that prevent the change process (or to
maintain the cu
ent status quo).
2. Explain the main factors that employees resist or concerned about the change process.
Provide
ief definitions of the meaning of the following concepts. As the question did not
specify how many factors you need to explain so you will need to explain at least 4 main
factors (of 6) below.
• Negative valence of change
• Fear of the unknown
• Not-invented-here-syndrome
• Breaking routines
• Incongruent team dynamics
• Incongruent organisational systems
3. Describe strategies you will use to reduce employee resistance to change and manage their
stress during the organisational change process. You will need to use relevant parts of both
Topic 10 and Topic 3 to identify strategies to manage employee resistance to change and to
educe employees’ stress levels during the organisational change process. Some aspects
could be (please provide more details):
• Communication, learning and employee involvement