With reference to theory and real-world examples, compare the benefits and drawbacks of “tall” and “flat” organisational structures from a management perspective

Assessment Brief 1

Contemporary Issues in Business, Management and Marketing

Brief Module Overview

This module will provide you with an introduction to business concepts and models including marketing and human resource management and the information sources needed to research, analyses and apply these concepts to the practice of business. It includes an overview of contemporary and emerging business themes including the changing macro environment, emergence of new economies and inter-relatedness of the global trade, the structure and organisation of different industry sectors, e.g., services, SME’s. Students will be encouraged to develop an interest and awareness of current events, examining how trends are interpreted, evaluated, and used to understand the performance of an organisation. Students will be encouraged to review a variety of business information sources, assessing their validity, reliability, and application. The module will support development of students’ study skills necessary at the University level for both their academic studies and skills in the modern workplace and assist with the transition into Higher Education. This will include IT applications and business communication tools. It will also include the opportunity to understand communication requirements in an academic and business context, for example, constructing and supporting a balanced discussion.

Module Aims:

• To prepare students for the academic study of business, management, and marketing by developing a knowledge of contemporary and emerging business issues to support students’ personal, academic, and professional development to prepare for work in the modern business environment.
• This will be achieved through addressing key questions concerning current business issues. Students will begin to put into practice the study skills that are required at university level and being to use tools of analysis to discuss important contemporary issues.
• The module further aims to help students to understand the importance of issues around work and people in organisations by looking at basic HRM functions, activities, and issues.

Description/Guidance

Appendix

Requires:

• Overview of why managers need to pay careful attention to organisational structure (support with at least one quote/reference)
• Discussion of two different structural types (with named examples)
• Discuss benefits/drawbacks of “tall” structures with example (support with at least one quote/reference)
• Discuss benefits/drawbacks of “flat” structures with example (support with at least one quote/reference)
• Short concluding paragraph, consistent with preceding arguments

* Business examples should be from industry

You are required to include at least one real life example of a tall organisation and also a flat organisation.

Remember you need to use the correct referencing convention.

You need to ensure you use reliable and reputable sources.

Assessment Marking/Grading Criteria

Referencing System:

The business students are required to use Harvard as the standard referencing convention.

Learning Materials/Resources:

Essential Resources:

Core textbook – Leatherbarrow, C., Fletcher, J. & Currie, D. (2018), Introduction to Human Resource Management (4^th ed.).

Recommended Resources:

• Buzan, T. (2011), The Buzan Study Skills Handbook. BBC Publications/Pearson: Essex.
• Cottrell, S. (2013), The Study Skills Handbook. 4^th ed., Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Gallagher, K. (2013), Skills Development for Business and Management Students. 2^nded., OUP: Oxford.
• Marsen, S. (2013), Professional Writing. Palgrave MacMillan: Basingstoke.
• Masterson, R. and Pickton, D. (2014), Marketing: An Introduction. 3^rd ed., McGraw-Hill.
• Mullins, L.J. (2016), Management and Organisational Behaviour. 11^thed., FT Prentice Hall.
• Palmer, A. and Hartley, B. (2011), The Business Environment. 7^th ed., McGraw-Hill Higher Education: London.
• Palmer, A. (2012), Introduction to Marketing, Theory and Practice. 3^rd ed., Oxford University Press.
• Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2016), Cite Them Right: The Essential Referencing Guide. Northumbria University Press: Northumbria.
• Sumner, R. (2012), Kaplan’s Guide to Core Skills and Employability. Kaplan Publishing: Wokingham.
• Weightman, J. (2004), Managing People, CIPD.
• Wetherly, P. and Otter, D. (2014), The Business Environment. 3^rd ed., Oxford: OUP.

Other Information

Journals, magazines & academic articles related and relevant to the subject:

You are expected to keep abreast of current academic theory and the events and issues that involve or affect people in organisations. This may be via published and academic journals, newspapers, trade magazines etc.

• Lexis Nexis (via the e-library)
• The Economist
• The FT
• Business Weekly
• Management Today
• Scanned readings will be used, as appropriate.

Websites:

You are expected to keep abreast of news, both specific to people in organisations and general news as well as other information published in websites. Websites you need to use and be aware of are:

Please note that the format and order of this reading list is for illustrative purposes only. Additional sources can also be found in Library services. Students are requested to submit a single alphabetical order bibliography list containing all sources used for each piece of work submitted. With reference to theory and real-world examples, compare the benefits and drawbacks of “tall” and “flat” organisational structures from a management perspective. For guidelines on the required Harvard referencing style please refer to: http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/library/docs/harvard.pdf