Nelson College London

Assignment Brief
Unit Details:

Unit Code:

(H/601/0551) (Unit 3)

Unit Name:

Organisations and Behaviour

Programme Name:
Business
Awarding body:

BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in

Pearson

Unit Level (QCF): QCF-5

Academic term:

September 2015

Assignment Brief
Distribution date:

W/C 21/09/2015

Submission deadline:

10/12/2015

Result and feedback date:

4 weeks from the deadline

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COURSE DETAILS

COURSE NAME

BTEC Higher Diploma in Business Management (L5)

UNIT NUMBER

UNIT NAME

Organisations and Behaviour

CREDIT VALUE

15

LECTURERS

Alfred Mbeteh

HAND OUT DATE

W/C 21/09/2015

SUBMISSION
DATE

10/12/2015

INTRODUCTION
Organisations behaviour (often abbreviated as OB) is a field of study that investigates how
individuals, groups, and structure affect and is affected by behaviour within organisations.
Behaviour refers to what people do in the organisation, how they perform, and what their attitudes
are. Organisations behaviour is frequently applied to address workplace issues such as absenteeism,
turnover, productivity, motivation, working in groups, and job satisfaction. Managers often apply
the knowledge gained from OB research to help them manage their organisations more effectively.

Case Study on Royal Dutch Shell

In March 1995 the multinational Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Royal Dutch Shell, announced its intention
to radically change its long-admired matrix organisation. For historical reasons, Shell had developed
a structure based on geographically defined operating companies. These operating companies had
executives representing national or regional units, business sectors (or divisions) and functions such
as finance. Within this three-dimensional matrix, powerful individuals were able to influence the
organisations policies at regional level and a considerable bureaucracy was required to police the
matrix and to co-ordinate decisions between the different elements of the structure.
Faced with growing global competition and shareholder pressure for improved performance, Shell
decided to restructure the organisation by attacking problems of overstaffing and bureaucracy and by
eliminating many of the regional fiefdoms through which the company had come to run its
worldwide empire. Its plan involved shaping the group around five business organisations covering
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its main activities (e.g. exploration and production, refining and marketing, etc.), with each operating
company reporting to and receiving its strategic targets from whichever of the five organisations
were relevant to its activities. A new system of business committees was given responsibility for
strategic and investment decisions within the different organisations, although executive authority
rested with the operating companies. Through this arrangement Shell hoped to retain the sensitivity
to local market needs that had traditionally been part of its organisational creed.
In a further effort to improve the companys performance, Shell indicated that more restructuring
needed to take place. Part of its blueprint for reshaping itself for the twenty-first century included
additional streamlining of its management structure, away from committee based decision making
and towards a system based on American style chief executives.
Subsequently in October 2004 the company announced the merger of its two elements Royal Dutch
and Shell Transport and Trading into a single company, to be known as Royal Dutch Shell plc. The
new entity comprises an Executive Board, a Supervisory Board, a Board of Management and a Board
of Directors for Shell Transport. Members of the Executive Committee are also members of the latter
two boards.
Sources: Based on information contained in BTEC (2011), BTEC Level 4 HNC and Level 5 HND in
Business, The mini case on Royal Dutch Shell, pp.375-376, Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd
(Students can either use the case study above, or do an independent research and analysis of
any organisation of their choice to provide answers to all the assessment criteria below).
REQUIRED
To achieve a pass in this unit you must successfully address the following tasks (P1-P12)
Task
No

Tasks

AC

PART 1
Write short essay on P1 to P9 using the case study or any other
organisation of your choice.
Compare and contrast different organisational structures and cultures.
1

For comparison purpose, you may use the above scenario and compare

P1

it with an organisation of your choice.

In your own view explain how the relationship between structure and

P2

culture impact on the performance of a business. You may use examples

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from the case scenario or any other organisation of your choice
3

Discuss the factors which influence individual behaviour at work.

P3

Compare the effectiveness of leadership styles between two (2)

4

organisations of your choice. You may use the above scenario and

P4

compare with any other organisation

Choose two (2) organisational theories (e.g. scientific management and
5

human relations theory) and explain their influence upon the practice of
management.
Evaluate the different approaches to management used in different
organisations you are familiar with.
Discuss the impact that different leadership styles may have on
motivation within period of change.

P5

P6

P7

Compare the application of two motivational theories (e.g. Maslows &

8

Herzberg theories) using an organisation of your choice.

P8

Evaluate the usefulness of a motivation theory for managers

P9

PART 2
As the supervisor in Shell or an organisation of your choice, you are
expected to do a MS Power Point presentation to your junior staff on the

10

topics below: (P10 P12).

Explain the nature of groups and group behaviour within organisations

P10

Discuss factors that may promote or inhibit the development of effective

11

12

teamwork in organisation using Shell or any other organisation of your

choice.
Evaluate the impact of technology on team functioning within
organisations.

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P11

P12

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Evidence
checklist

Summary of evidence required by student

Task 1

Essay on Understand the relationship between organisational

structure and culture

Task 2

Essay on Understand different approaches to management and

Leadership businesses operate

Task 3

Essay on Understand ways of using motivational theories in

organisations

Task 4

MS power Point on mechanisms for developing effective teamwork

in organisations

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Evidence
presented

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Grade Descriptor

Indicative characteristic/s

M1 Identify and apply strategies to find

Effective judgements have been made.

appropriate solutions

An effective approach to study and research has been

applied.

M2 Select / design and apply appropriate

methods / techniques

Appropriate learning methods/techniques have been

applied.

M3 Present and communicate

Communication is appropriate for familiar and

appropriate findings

unfamiliar audiences and appropriate media have

D1 Use critical reflection to evaluate own

been used.
Conclusions have been arrived at through synthesis

work and justify valid conclusions

of ideas and have been justified.

Realistic improvements have been proposed against

Contextualisation
To achieve M1, you will make effective judgement in your discussion
on the factors which influence individual behaviour at work. (P3)
To achieve M2, you will apply appropriate methods/techniques in
discussing the impact that different leadership styles may have on
motivation within period of change. (P7)
To achieve M3, you will appropriately presents and communicate
your answer in MS Power Point for P10 P12.
To achieve D1 you will have to use critical reflection to evaluate the
different approaches to management used in different organisations
you are familiar with. (P6)

D2 Take responsibility for managing and

defined characteristics for success.

Activities have been managed. New ideas have been

organising activities

generated

independent research as evidenced from the citations and reference

Good referencing and arrangement (Harvard style)

list and study and will have met the deadline to submit the tasks and

To achieve D2 you will have demonstrated an effective approach to

achieve the unit assessment criteria. (P1-P12)

D3 Demonstrate convergent /lateral /
creative thinking

Effective thinking has taken place in unfamiliar To achieve D3, you will have to show creative thinking in comparing
the application of different motivational theories within the work place.
contexts.
(P 9)

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Critical reflection
Write approximately 200 300 words stating how you think you performed in the assignment.
Ask yourself if you think your research was good, did you allow enough time.
Try to be critical and also state what improvements you could make on your next assignment.
You can also talk about time management.
Submission Instructions:

This assignment must be completed by all the candidates undertaking Edexcel HNC/HND
Diploma in Business.

Reasonable consideration will be given in the case of failure to submit the assignments on time
due to any medical reasons. ( Provided the sufficient medical proof is made available at the time
of exemption)

Late submissions are not allowed and will be penalised.

There is no word limit for this assignment; however, we would expect to you complete the
assignment within approximately 3000 words excluding references.

Referencing should be provided in Harvard Style referencing.

The assignments should be completed in Font Type: Time New Roman/Arial with Size 12 and 1.5
spacing between lines.

Appendix A: Plagiarism and Collusion

Any act of plagiarism and collusion will be seriously dealt with according to the regulations. In this
context the definition and scope of plagiarism are presented below:
Using the work of others without acknowledging source of information or inspiration. Even if the
words are changed or sentences are put in different order, the result is still plagiarism. (Cortell
2003)
Collusion describes as the submission of work produced in collaboration for an assignment based
on the assessment of individual work. When one person shares his/her work with others who submit
part or all of it as their own work.

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Appendix B: Harvard Referencing System
Any information that is not yours needs to be referenced or else turns to be plagiarism. Copying
from someones work can be unintentionally if you are unaware of the rules of acknowledging and
referencing direct quotations.
The Harvard systems of citation require you to acknowledge certain information which is mainly
the surname and year of publication within the text.
For example
According to Bell (1999), as you write up your research you will use a citation to indicate in your
text the source of piece of information,.
The authors and publication information cited within the main body of your work must be listed in
the reference list. For example:
Bell, J. (1999) Doing your research Project. (3rd Ed) Buckingham: Open

University Press

Detailed guidance on the Harvard Referencing System (HRS) is available on the Virtual Tutor (VT).

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Appendix C: Learning Outcome for Managing Financial Resources and Decision
Learning Learning

Assessment

In this assessment you will have the

Outcome Outcome
Understand the

Criteria
1.1

opportunity to present evidence that shows no.

Compare
and to:
contrast different organizational
you are able
1
structures and culture

relationship
between
LO1

1.2

organisations structure and culture can

structure and

impact on the performance of the business

Discuss the factors which influence individual

2.1

behaviour at work
Compare the effectiveness of different

2.2

leadership styles in different organisations

Explain how organisational theory underpins1

2.3

the practice of management

Evaluate the different approaches to

Understand ways 3.1

management used by different organisations

Discuss the impact that different leadership

of using

styles may have on motivation in

motivational

organisations in periods of change

Compare the application of different

different
approaches to
management and
leadership

LO3

1.3

Understand
LO2

Explain how the relationship between an

organisational
culture

Part

theories in
organisations

3.2

1
1

motivational theories within the workplace

3.3

Evaluate the usefulness of a motivation theory

for managers
Understand

4.1

Explain the nature of groups and group

4.2

behaviour within organisations

Discuss factors that may promote or inhibit

mechanisms for
developing
LO4

the development of effective teamwork in

effective
teamwork in
organisations

4.3

organisations
Evaluate the impact of technology on team
functioning within a given organisation.

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Evidence