Week One Assignment

The first week’s assignment focuses on developing a plan to gain knowledge about key course concepts and apply those concepts in an organization. Begin by reviewing the objectives for the first week of the course as well as the Week One mind map. Next, study the scenario and work briefly through the simulation assigned for Week One. During the process, identify the concepts in the objectives and mind map that the scenario and simulation reflect. Finally, read the assigned text materials to develop knowledge about the concepts. Additional reading of research on the concepts in the library will enhance knowledge further.

An essential business skill is the ability to communicate concise information while providing a well-researched response. In this assignment, demonstrate that skill by completing the worksheet on the following page. The example below is from the MBA/500 course using the Global Communications scenario. Use this example to help understand the assignment’s requirements. The worksheet should not contain simple one-word or even one-sentence answers; it should adequately demonstrate, in short paragraphs, graduate-level thinking about the situations presented in the scenario, the simulation, and the reading materials.

Week One Assignment Worksheet
|Concept |Application of Concept in Scenario or Simulation |Citation of Concept |Personal Experience in your |
| | |in Reading |Organization |
|Example from Global Communications Scenario in MBA/500: |
|Building Organizational |Nancy recommends that they tell the truth about |McShane, 2005, p. |In the past, I worked for a |
|Commitment, which is developed |laying off employees in the Small Business Group; |126 |landscaping company whose |
|through the activities of: |Nancy is trying to build organizational | |competitive advantage was |
|Justice & support |comprehension (identifying with the organization | |hard-working employees. The |
|Job security |by keeping employees informed) and re-establish | |employees’ organizational |
|Organizational comprehension |trusting employees. These are two activities | |commitment came from knowing |
|Trusting employees |designed to Build Organizational Commitment. | |that they had good job security |
| |Nancy is also aware that this news may | |and could trust the owner of the|
| |simultaneously decrease Job Security. | |business. |

Employment Conflict Management Concepts Worksheet
|Concept |Application of Concept in Scenario |Citation of Concept |Personal Experience in your |
| | |in Reading |Organization |
|Interpersonal Conflict, |On December 12, 2005 Stan Accord and David Munger |Wilmot and Hocker, |As the new supervisor takes over|
|A lack of resolution in one’s |was having a decision over the new policy that |2007, p. 5 |the area, he implemented old |
|thinking and feeling |Stan implemented within city court house. David | |policy but how he understood the|
| |Munger was expressing his deep concerns over the | |policy. For example, my |
| |matter and how the new policy tramples on his | |supervisor decided to reprimand |
| |ability to care for his parents as well as the | |me for missing “contacts” |
| |county. Stan Accord was unwilling to make changes | |however, since he has been |
| |at the time of the meeting, which lead David to | |supervisor, the number of |
| |believe that he was not willing to become | |contacts missed on our Customer |
| |flexible. | |Service Appraisal report has |
| | | |not changed. The conflict |
| | | |continues when he imposes |
| | | |certain policies on certain |
| | | |people and not on everyone. |
|Perception the way a person sees |Thorough the Scenario, |Wilmot and Hocker, |When I was working for Kmart, I |
|or comprehend an action of |The elderly employees feel that their jobs and |2007, p. 5 |liked to stay on policy; |
|another person or event. The |their lifestyle were being ignored by Stan Accord.| |however, a person would consider|
|person’s actions may be harmless;|In fact, the first bad perception of Stan was | |me a hard handed manager since I|
|however, how people see the |during the elections when he talk about changes to| |stayed on policy. ON the other |
|action will result in how people |the county court house to make it more efficient. | |hand, I had a manager (co |
|will react |For example, September 15, 2005 Stan Accord said, | |worker) who was constantly |
| |“If you are paying county department heads to | |breaking policy. Eventually, the|
| |work, you don’t expect to see them ‘glad-handing’ | |policies she broke hurt the |
| |around the county and drumming up support for the | |store more. For example, if a |
| |clerk’s next election…you expect to see them | |customer returned a television |
| |working for the taxpayers” (3). Meanwhile, Munger | |and the store didn’t have the |
| |claim to maintain the “personal touch that you’ve | |item in stock; she would give |
| |come to know” (3). The perception was beginning to| |the customer the television on |
| |form for Stan, however, when he didn’t seem to | |the wall. People would perceive |
| |back down or make his policies more lax for the | |this as Great Customer Service, |
| |elderly employees; such as Dan Bodkin, who is a | |however, its bad customer |
| |diabetic which is why he needs frequent breaks to | |service because the television |
| |walk and eat. | |has been sitting on the wall for|
| | | |over 3 years and constantly |
| | | |running. |
|Retaliatory Lawsuits, which is a |January 10, 2006 Stan Accord eliminated several |Dana, 2001, p.9 |When I was in training at Kmart,|
|lawsuit that a person has done |jobs in the county court house and hired a firm to| |their was a class action lawsuit|
|wrong to another person. Such as |handle the positions for the new technology to | |among the trainee’s because of |
|an employer committing an offense|make the county courthouse more efficient. | |how Kmart classified the |
|to the employee and the employee |However, the jobs that he laid off were the same | |trainee’s. In fact, the case was|
|reaction to the action of the |employees complaining about his management style. | |resolved and settled out of |
|employer is a lawsuit. |Two in particular were David Munger and Dan | |court. |
| |Bodkin. | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|Integrative Power |David Munger and Dan Bodkin joined forces with |Wilmot and Hocker, |When I was fired by Crossmark, |
|Power with another person |Mona Michael to file charges against County Clerk |2007, p. 1 |they laid off several people. I |
| |Stan Accord for violating Age Discrimination Act | |joined forces with several of |
| |and FMLA. David and Dan has a goal to receive | |the employees to submit a class |
| |better treatment for their age and lifestyle | |action lawsuit. |
| |habits. | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|Escalatory Spirals |The scenario is a great example of how a simple |Wilmot and Hocker, |When I was working at Kmart, the|
|The relationship continues to |decision over breaks and how to handle time out of|2007, p. 12 |co worker and I was constantly |
|circle around to more and more |the office could turn into a huge problem. Reading| |arguing about policy and |
|damaging ends |the scenario, Stan Accord receives several | |customer service. I believe in |
| |opportunities to recognize the errors and to | |customer service; however, not |
| |handle or fix the problem; however, Stan Accord | |at the expense of policy; the |
| |allowed the issues to spiral to arbitration. | |argument spilled over to the |
| |If Stan Accord was following the laws, he would | |District manager intervening and|
| |have realized the undue hardship he was imposing | |explaining our positions. |
| |on his employees. | | |

Dana, Daniel. (2001) Conflict Resolution: Mediation Tolls for Everyday worklife. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Wilmot, William W. and Hocker, Joyce L. Interpersonal Conflict. New York: McGraw-Hill.