research paper

This is a research paper, so you need to approach it as just that. The point of this assignment is to demonstrate that you can complete research, and connect that research to the class material. In doing this, you will show that you understand and can explain the class material through the research. The research in this assignment is the information that you collect from the interview and shadowing experiences.

Complete the following steps to complete this project:

Step 1: Choose an interview and shadowing subject – This should be a person that:

1. Is currently a manager with employees that they manage,

2. You have access to for both the interview and shadowing, and

3. Agrees to allow you to interview and shadow them.

If you need a letter from the professor to gain their approval, please request one from the professor.

Step 2: Conduct your interview - Use the questions listed below for conducting your Manager Interview. You’ll want to take notes and, if possible, audio record the interview for use when you’re preparing your paper.

Step 3: Shadow your interviewee – spend at least 4 or more hours following the manager through their daily routine. Make notes during this time that focus on what the manager may or may not be doing well based on your opinion and the material from the class.

Step 4: After conducting your interview – prepare a 5-7-page paper that reports your findings from the interview. Think of the interview and shadowing as a primary source (like a book or research journal) to use to write your paper. You MUST clearly cover the following five points :

a. Summarize the manager’s responses to the questions.

b. Evaluate and compare the manager’s responses compared to textbook and lecture discussions.

c. What advice might you give to the manager in order to improve his/her performance?

d. What information most surprised you from the interview and was most useful to you?

e. Use the interview to identify lessons for doing management that you would keep in mind if you held a managerial position.

TIPS FOR WRITING YOUR PAPER:

Potential Interview Questions:

Note: you will probably have more or different questions based on who you are interviewing.

1. Background information on the manager’s company and his/her management position:

a. In what industry is your company?

b. What products and services do your company offer?

c. What is your position in the company?

d. How many subordinates do you supervise?

e. How many years of management experience do you have and how has the experience affected your approach to management?

f. What formal business education or training programs have you received? How has this education and training helped you to manage more effectively?

2. What are some of the typical issues or problems that you must deal with? How do you typically try to develop solutions to these problems?

3. In your work, what does it mean for you to be efficient; to be effective?

4. What legal or ethical challenges do you encounter? How do you try to resolve such challenges?

5. What planning processes are used in your organization and what is your role in the organization’s planning? What do you see as strengths and weaknesses of this planning process?

6. What are developments in the external environment that are most important for you personally and for your organization? How do you and your organization try to respond to these environmental developments?

7. How are teams used in your organization and what is required for teams to be successful?

8. How do you try to motivate your employees? What have you found are good approaches for motivating employees? What have you found are bad approaches to motivating?

9. How do you recruit employees for vacant positions? What factors affect your selection of an applicant for a job (If a manager says something like “how well the person fits,” ask him/her to explain more what that means)?

10. How do you evaluate employee performance? Is there any type of formal assessment process, and, if so, how is the assessment process used?

11. What issues or concerns do you consider if you must dismiss/fire an employee?

12. What does being a leader mean to you?

13. What do you think are effective and ineffective approaches to leadership?

14. What do you believe are keys to effective communications? What obstacles exist to effective communications and how do you try to overcome these obstacles?

15. How do you try to innovate within your organization? What challenges do you experience in trying to innovate?

16. Generally, how does a manager’s personality affect his/her ability to manage?

17. What advice would you give to a college graduate about how to perform well as a manager?