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21937 Assignment 1 writing guide

This guide has been written to help you prepare for Assignment 1 (professional report) in the subject 21937 Managing, Leading and Stewardship. The guide includes some tasks which may help to actively develop your understanding about the assignment. You can find suggested answers to these tasks in the Appendix at the end of the guide.

When tackling any academic assignment, the ‘writing process’ diagram below may be useful to keep you on track. You can try to follow it step by step, although there is flexibility and you should try to reflect on the best way that you work yourself.

The writing process

Find out more by accessing the UTS Business School Writing Guide here: https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/2018-07/UTS-Business-School-Writing-Guide.pdf

STEP1: Find out what the marker wants

Step 1 involves finding out about the instructions and the assessment criteria for the assignment. First, make sure you fully understand the instructions in the box below. If you are unsure about anything, ask your tutor for clarification.

Assignment 1 (professional report) instructions

Worth: 35%

Length: 6 pages maximum

Submission: Electronic submission via TurnitIn (UTS Online).

Choose a real organisational case illustrating questionable organisational and management practices that have been critiqued in the public spaces. Examples include companies, such as BP, BHP, CommonWealth Bank, Toyota, WorldCom, VW; government agencies such as the Wheat Board, Wollongong Council; non-profits, e.g. Health Union, FIFA, Essendon Football Club.

You are welcome to choose a case from your home country as long as it represents questionable organisational/management practices and has been under public scrutiny.

TASK 1: Review the extra information in the Assignment 1 folder on UTSOnline about the content of your professional report, and then answer the following questions:

1. After I have chosen the organisational case illustrating questionable organisational and management practices, what do I need to analyse about that case?

2. How many Organisational Theory lenses do I need to use in my analysis?

3. Which Organisational Theory lenses am I planning to use in my analysis? Why?

4. After the analysis, how many recommendations do I need to include?

5. How many Organisational Theory lenses do I need to use to develop and support my recommendations?

6. Which Organisational Theory lens(es) am I planning to use to develop and support my recommendations? And why?

7. What other instructions are given about the recommendations?

It is also important to understand how you will be assessed. Look at the marking criteria table below, which includes descriptions of what an excellent and a poor assignment often include. Highlight any words that help you understand more about what to do in this assignment, and ask your tutor if anything is unclear.

Marking Criteria	Weighting	An excellent assignment	A poor assignment
Demonstration of academic and research skills Written expression, including sentence structure, paragraphing, grammar and layout.	7	Structure and format of a very high standard. Very few or no referencing errors.	Written expression needs improvement. Poor referencing and/or some basic referencing errors.
Substantive content Accuracy of information/data relevant to the topic. Awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of different reference materials as a basis for argument.	10	Excellent understanding of theory, the aims and intentions, and its development over time to make sense of events and phenomena.	Basic grasp of theory only, inability to apply in context.
Persuasive Argument Analysis of the situation + Critical analysis of competing ideas and assessment of implications.	12	Argument/analysis demonstrating insight, originality and critical reflection to a high standard. Full set of logically derived implications.	Argument/analysis is not always directly relevant or persuasive – lack of critical analysis – i.e. absence of identifying and questioning assumptions. Proper implications not drawn out.
Conclusions and recommendations Ability to construct plausible and coherent conclusion and recommendations.	6	Well argued and constructed conclusions that are clearly drawn from the analysis. The argument is logical and coherent.	Conclusions not comprehensive and do not fully flow from the analysis. Inconsistencies and/or lack of coherence.
TOTAL MARKS	35

STEP 2: Collect and read information

In Assignment 1, you need to use theories as lenses to critically analyse and to better understand a real organisation of your choice and its questionable practices. Therefore, it is crucial that you do enough reading to understand these theories before you start writing your assignment.

TASK 2: Here are some questions to help you think about the resources you will need to access and read. Discuss the questions with another MLS student and note down your answers.

1. In Assignment 1, should I refer to any of the MLS required and recommended texts (books and journal articles)? If so, how do I know which ones to use?

2. Should I refer to any resources that I’ve found myself? If so, what kind of resources and where do I find them?

3. Where can I go at UTS for help with finding resources?

4. Should I support my description of the case study issue with any references to sources? If so, what kind of sources?

5. What are the most effective ways for me to collect information together as I read? (NB – the answer depends on your personal learning style – it is important that you become aware of the effective methods for your own learning)

STEP 3: Generate your own ideas

As you read and make notes, try to think critically. Critical thinking means not just accepting what you read or hear, but instead:

· actively questioning new information in relation to your previous assumptions or knowledge

· understanding different perspectives on a topic

· trying to see the whole picture, not just certain parts

· assessing and evaluating information

· using theory to gain a better understanding of a situation (in this case, the organisation and its practices)

· comparing and contrasting theories, and testing them against your previous knowledge (and your knowledge of the organisation)

[Also see: https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/2018-07/UTS-Business-School-Writing-Guide.pdf, pp.11-15)

If you look back at the marking criteria table on p.2, you will see that some key aspects of the criteria are specifically about developing your own ideas, including:

· Awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of different reference materials as a basis for argument.

· Argument/analysis demonstrating insight, originality and critical reflection to a high standard.

Also note that a “lack of critical analysis – i.e. absence of identifying and questioning assumptions” can lead to a poor assignment.

As you read, think about the following questions:

How does this theoretical lens help me to analyse the case study issue?

Are the arguments made in this text different from what I previously knew / read / believed? How?

What is the theoretical lens used in this text?

(It might not be clear)

You might also like to record your reflections in a table or another form that suits your learning style. Here is an example:

Author, date and title of text	What is the theoretical perspective/lens?	What is the main point or argument that this text makes?	How is this point/argument different from what I previously knew/ read/ believed?
Example: Hernandez, 2008, Promoting stewardship behaviour in organizations: A leadership model	Example: Stewardship
[Continue by adding rows]

STEP 4: Create an outline or plan

Next, think about how you will structure your Assignment 1 professional report. It is a good idea to make a plan, outline or ‘skeleton’ of what your final assignment will look like to help you – this could be in a list, a table, a spider diagram or another visual form.

TASK 3: How do you think Assignment 1 should be structured, based on the information you have accessed on UTSOnline? Make a list or plan of the different sections that should be included, and a possible order for those sections.

You can use the overall report framework on the next page if you like.

Report framework

Main report sections	What sub-sections should be included?	What key points do I want to make?
Title	N/A
Executive summary	N/A
Introduction
Body
Conclusion	N/A
References	N/A

STEP 5: Draft your assignment

At this stage, you will be writing the different sections of your assignment. Looking at some examples might help you think about how to get started, so you will find samples below. The samples are from various different reports; they are NOT previous student reports from MLS.

TASK 4: As you read through the example paragraphs on the next couple of pages, look at the comments about aspects of writing, shown in the right-hand column. Then try to use some of these useful strategies or phrases in your own writing.

Section of an assignment	Example paragraphs	Comments about aspects of writing
Introduction	[Question: Contrast Elliot Jacques' theory of requisite organisation to traditional models of decision-making and organisational design, drawing on an organisational case.] In this report, I will contrast traditional organisation designs to those based on Jacques' theory of requisite organisation, drawing upon the notion of decision-making. Traditional models of organisational design (e.g. Porter 1980) hold that design is primarily contingent upon strategic factors and the external competitive environment. In section one, I will explore the implications of this premise for the control of decision-making throughout the organisational structure, drawing upon Archer (1980) and Dean and Sharfman (1993). In contrast, Elliot Jacques’ (1990) theory of requisite organisation proposes that organisational design should instead be structured around the developing capabilities of organisational members. I will explore these factors and their consequences in section two, drawing upon the exemplar of Glacier Metals, an organisation which has implemented both of these models. This exemplar shows, as I will conclude, that Jacques’ theory provides exciting, if largely untested, opportunities for developing organisational structures which work for people, rather than people that work for structures.	The words that are underlined clearly explain what the writer will do in the report The words in bold introduce the key theories that will be discussed, supported by key references The words within the box introduce the case study example that will be discussed in the report

Description of a chosen organisation

Virgin Australia Airlines (Virgin), formerly Virgin Blue Airlines, is a publicly owned company that was founded in 2000 by Richard Branson and former Virgin Blue Airlines CEO Brett Godfrey. Having started with merely two aircrafts operating on a single route Virgin now holds the position of second largest airline in Australia, behind Qantas. [details omitted] Virgin originally operated as a low-cost carrier, however, in later years altered its business model to become a (self-described) ‘New World Carrier’. This new business model offers consumers choice: whilst still offering their ‘no frills’ option, Virgin now provide their passengers the option to pay more and receive the full array of services as offered by other airlines such as Qantas. Since 2010 the organisation under John Borghetti, former Qantas Executive General Manger, has seen their new business model achieve strong growth.

The words that are underlined are verbs in past tenses, used to recount the history of the company The words in bold are verbs in present tenses, used to describe what the company is doing/does now

Definition of theories and justification for choice

Miles’ (2012) contingency theory suggests that ‘there is no one best organisational structure; rather, the appropriate organisational structure depends on the contingencies facing the organisation’ (Miles 2012, p.45). Miles goes further to challenge traditional theories that advocate … [details omitted]. Contingency theory is one that is particularly relevant to Virgin, which has adapted its business structure in an attempt to … [details omitted]…

The words that are underlined are a direct quote used to define a theory (note the reference with page number)

Section of an assignment	Example paragraphs	Comments about aspects of writing
Description of how theories reveal insights into the organisation/ its practices	The lens of contingency theory helps in understanding management and overall organisation structure, and highlights the importance of organisations thoroughly understanding both the local and global environments in which they operate. Virgin has recently had to deal with concerns regarding its number one competitor, Qantas, pushing for ….	The words that are underlined introduce the insights that the selected theoretical lens reveals

A critique of the limitation of theory

Both contingency theory and dynamic capability theory face several limitations in illuminating key organisation issues. Both theories place strong emphasis on an organisations ability to be …. One large limitation is that since these theories are contingent upon change and unforseen circumstances, there is ….

The words in bold introduce critiques of two theories together

Discussing recommend-ations or strategies

Employment downsizing may not necessarily generate the benefits sought by management. Managers must be very cautious in implementing a strategy that can impose such traumatic costs on employees, both on those who leave as well as on those who stay. Management needs to be sure about the sources of future savings and carefully weigh those against all of the costs, including the increased costs associated with subsequent employment expansions when economic conditions improve (Cascio 2005, p. 41).

The words that are underlined are modal verbs, which are used to express caution or possibility (rather than certainty) about the recommendations

Conclusion

Contingency theory helps to understand how internal and external factors drive change …. In addition, the lens of institutional theory provides a more accurate understanding of the organization and the tensions existing within and between its divisions. Theory can shed light on …. By creating effective practices to be able to scan, respond and transform organisational strategies dependent on environment and market, an organisation will be far more likely to remain competitive.

The words within the box draw conclusions about how the theories have been useful in the case study The words in bold concisely summarise the key recommendations or strategies discussed in the report

Other important things to focus on when drafting your assignment:

A. Paragraph structure

B. Referencing

A. Paragraph structure

In order to develop clear and persuasive arguments, it is important that many of your ‘body’ paragraphs (within the main part of the report):

· are supported by sources

· are structured in a logical sequential manner, starting with a topic sentence followed by supporting sentences and finishing with a concluding sentence that reinforces the writer’s argument

· have a mix of your own views and voice and a view supported by expert literature derived from multiple sources

Here is an example:

Promoting dialogue in teams induces two major benefits at the organisational level: problem solving and innovation. First, dialogue helps find a better way to reach a goal; sharing knowledge and clarifying everyone’s role within the team helps solve eventual problems (Schein 1993, Isaacs 1993, Frigotto & Rossi 2012). As employees’ engagement arises, organisations face lower turnover and a significant improvement in customers’ loyalty (Tourish & Hargie 2009, D’Aprix 2011). Second, dialogue promotes innovation by mutual learning (Johnston et al. 2007). Dialogue becomes a creative interaction where participants are open-minded and ready to deconstruct their previous ideas. By empowering their employees through dialogue (Raelin 2012), organisations face a clear enhancement in performance.

The first sentence (underlined) is a topic sentence. It introduces the paragraph topic and main argument (that promoting dialogue creates two main benefits). The second sentence (in bold) addresses the first benefit, clearly signposted by ‘first’, and supported with references. The linking word ‘Second’(sentence within a box) introduces the second benefit, which is also supported by evidence. The concluding sentence (in bold) repeats the arguments and offers a conclusion: dialogue can enhance performance.

B. Referencing

Every source you read and then refer to in the report must be referenced in Harvard-UTS style. For more information on these styles see:

· https://www.lib.uts.edu.au/help/referencing/harvard-uts-referencing-guide OR

· https://www.lib.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/attachments/page/InteractiveHarvardUTSGuide.pdf

You will need to include:

· in-text references within your report whenever you refer to an idea from a resources you have read (see examples in the paragraph above)

· a final reference list, with all of the resources you have referred to, in alphabetical order

NB - The reference list includes EVERYTHING cited in the body of the report. It does NOT include other texts or sources you studied but did not refer to in the report.

STEP 6: Revise your writing

Revising your writing means carefully checking the content and overall structure, and then making revisions as necessary. It is useful to go back to the marking criteria at this stage, to double check that you are addressing all of the criteria that relate to content.

The table below lists questions (in the right-hand column) that you can ask yourself, or ask a peer to help you answer, in relation to your draft assignment. If the answer to any question is ‘no’ then you should make revisions before submitting your assignment.

Marking Criteria	Weighting	Questions to revise your writing
Substantive content Accuracy of information/data relevant to the topic. Awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of different reference materials as a basis for argument.	10	· Have I clearly introduced and defined the different theories used in my analysis? · Have I shown my understanding of the development of theories over time? · Have I described the strengths and limitations of the theories used?
Persuasive Argument Analysis of the situation + Critical analysis of competing ideas and assessment of implications.	12	· Do I use the selected theories to clearly analyse the case study issues? · Have I analysed the issues critically, using different perspectives, questioning and evaluations? · Do my key arguments come through clearly and persuasively? · Are the implications that I discuss logical, given the analysis?
Conclusions and recommendations Ability to construct plausible and coherent conclusion and recommendations.	6	· Are the recommendations clearly connected to and resulting from the analysis? · Have I used one Organisational Theory lens to support my recommendations? · Are the recommendations realistic, high-level and not ‘quick-fix’ solutions? · Do the conclusions bring together the key arguments clearly?

STEP 7: Edit your writing

Editing your writing means carefully checking the grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, formatting and referencing.

The table below lists questions (in the right-hand column) that you can ask yourself, or ask a peer to help you answer, in relation to your draft assignment. If the answer to any question is ‘no’ then you should make edits before submitting your assignment.

Marking Criteria	Weighting	Questions to edit your writing
Demonstration of academic and research skills Written expression, including sentence structure, paragraphing, grammar and layout.	7	· Have I checked my grammar for a high level of accuracy? · Are my sentences well structured, with a range of sentence lengths? · Have I used a high level of academic and professional vocabulary? · Have I followed the guidelines for formatting and layout on UTSOnline? · Have I used Harvard UTS referencing correctly, both in-text and in my reference list?

You're almost there....

21937 Managing, Leading and Stewardship, Assignment 1 writing guide

... make sure to celebrate and reward yourself at the end!

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Developed in collaboration with Emily Edwards & Joseph Yeo,

Academic Language and Learning group, IML (and adapted from a previous version)

Appendix 1: Suggested answers to tasks 1-3

TASK 1: Review the extra information in the Assignment 1 folder on UTSOnline about the content of your professional report, and then answer the following questions:

1. After I have chosen the organisational case illustrating questionable organisational and management practices, what do I need to analyse about that case?

· the reasons for these questionable organisational and management practices, including the judgements made by leaders/managers of these organisations

2. How many Organisational Theory lenses do I need to use in my analysis?

· TWO different organisational theory lenses

3. Which Organisational Theory lenses am I planning to use in my analysis? Why?

· [answer depends on your case and own selection of theory lenses, but it is very important that you can clearly justify your choices]

4. After the analysis, how many recommendations do I need to include?

· 2-3 high-level recommendations

5. How many Organisational Theory lenses do I need to use to develop and support my recommendations?

· one organisational theory lens

6. Which Organisational Theory lens(es) am I planning to use to develop and support my recommendations? And why?

· [answer depends on your case and own selection of the theory lens, but it is very important that you can clearly justify your choice]

7. What other instructions are given about the recommendations?

· they need to be written in a persuasive way, and they should be realistic, not simplistic or ‘quick-fix’ solutions

TASK 2: Here are some questions to help you think about the resources you will need to access and read. Discuss the questions with another MLS student and note down your answers.

1. In Assignment 1, should I refer to any of the MLS required and recommended texts (books and journal articles)? If so, how do I know which ones to use?

· Yes, you should. Access some of the books that are listed in the subject outline under 'required texts'. You can find them as electronic versions or hard copy versions at the UTS Library. Also refer to some of the journal articles suggested in the weekly resources on UTSOnline that are relevant to the theories you choose.

2. Should I refer to any resources that I’ve found myself? If so, what kind of resources and where do I find them?

· Yes, you should. Conduct your own research to find journal articles that relate to the theories you are using: see  http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/research/literature-searching

3. Where can I go at UTS for help with finding resources?

· The UTS Library, either in person or via online chat: https://www.lib.uts.edu.au/help/ask-librarian/online-chat

4. Should I support my description of the case study issue with any references to sources? If so, what kind of sources?

· Ideally, yes. Find one or more references to support the description of your case study issue - these are likely to be company websites and/or online newspaper articles (e.g. New York Times, The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald etc.), rather than journal articles. However, it might also be possible to find journal articles if the case was widely analysed.

5. What are the most effective ways for me to collect information together as I read?

· The answer depends on your personal learning style, but here are a few ideas: use note-taking software (e.g. Onenote, Evernote) or a table in Word or Excel to record notes; use a reading matrix (explained under ‘STEP 3’ of this guide); use a visual form of collecting ideas such as a spider diagram or argument-mapping tool

TASK 3: How do you think Assignment 1 should be structured, based on the information you have accessed on UTSOnline? Make a list or plan of the different sections that should be included, and a possible order for those sections.

Report framework

Main report sections	What sub-sections should be included?	What key points do I want to make?
Title	N/A
Executive summary	N/A
Introduction	The introduction is only one section, but it should contain these things: · Introduce the name of the chosen organisation and the case (very briefly) · Introduce the theories that will be used in the analysis · Provide a clear outline of what will be contained in the body
Body	There are several sub-sections in the body, such as: · Brief description of the chosen organisation · Definitions of the theories used and why they have been chosen as lenses to analyse the organisational case · Analysis, using the theories to provide insights into the organisation and its practices · Critiques of the limitations of the theories · Possible differences in perspectives associated with those theories · Recommendations
Conclusion	N/A
References	N/A