Faculty of Business, Economics & Accounting

Department of Business Studies

@ Subang

HELP Bachelor of Business (Hons) Year 1

HELP Bachelor of Management (Hons) Year 1
HELP Bachelor of Economics (Hons) Year 1
HELP Bachelor of Business Psychology (Hons) Year 1

INTERNAL SUBJECT DETAILS

Semester 3, 2022
Subject: MGT101
Principles of Management

Subject Lecturer/Tutor: Mr. Rajender Singh

Telephone: 03-2700 5000 Ext 5134
Email: rajender@help.edu.my

Consultation: It would be best for you to email if you have

any enquiries.
PRE-REQUISITE(S)
No pre-requisite is required.

SYNOPSIS

This subject is concerned with principles of managing business organisations.

Management is important to organisations’ business and survival. The dynamic nature of
today’s organisations means that managers require certain knowledge, skills and
competencies to manage organisations effectively.

The aim of this subject is to provide students with an introduction and overview of
management within organisations. The subject will examine management principles,
concepts and theories of management, and give students an appreciation and
understanding of various challenges facing managers in organisations in today’s
competitive global environment.

OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this subject, students should be able to:

CLO1 Examine the concepts, principles and theories related to the study (C3, PLO1)
of management
CLO2 Apply the understanding of planning, organising, leading, (A3,
controlling, organisational environment, managerial ethics and PLO5)
corporate social responsibility in organisations
CLO3 Analyse management issues using management concepts, (C4, PLO2)
principles and theories

TOPICS

Topic 1 Introduction to Management

Topic 2 History of Management Thought

Topic 3 Planning & Fundamentals of Strategic Management

Topic 4 Decision Making

Topic 5 Organising (Organisational Structure & Design)

Topic 6 Managing Work Teams

Topic 7 Managing Human Resources

Topic 8 Leading & Organisational Power & Politics

Topic 9 Motivation

Topic 10 Communication

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Topic 11 Controlling

Topic 12 Management Environment, Managerial Ethics & Corporate Social

Responsibility

PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOKS

Robbins, S.P., & Coulter, M. (2021). Management. 15 edition. Harlow, England: Pearson
Education Limited

Borges, W.G. “Bill”., Leong, L.S., Ramasamy, N., et., al. (2015). Principles of
Management. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: SJ Learning.

RECOMMENDED REFERENCES

Daft R. L., (2022). Management. 14th edition. Asia Edition. New Tech Park, Singapore:
Cengage Learning, Inc.

Jones G.R. & George J.M., (2022). Contemporary Management. 12th edition. New York,
N.Y: McGraw Hill Education.

Bateman, T.S., Snell, S.A., & Konopaske, R. (2021). Management: Leading &
Collaborating in a Competitive World. 14th edition. New York, N.Y: McGraw Hill
Education.

Schermerhorn, J.R., Jr., Davidson, P., Woods, P., et.al. (2020). Management. 7th Asia-
Pacific edition. Queensland, Australia: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Additional References

 Make use of Database - the electronic library, made available by HELP Library Portal
at: http://library.help.edu.my

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Detailed Subject Outline / Teaching Plan

Department: Business Studies Subject Code: MGT101 Reference to specific

Lecturer : Rajender Singh Subject Title: Principlespages
of Management
of the core text
Lecture Topic
Week

Introduction to Management Robbins & Coulter

(2021, Chapter 1);
 Definition of management.
Borges, Leong,
 Areas of management. Ramasamy, et.al
1  Functions of management. (2015, Chapter 1).
 Levels of management.
 Managerial roles.
 Management skills.
 Entrepreneur: Evolution, Concepts & Theories.
 Characteristics of Entrepreneurs & Entrepreneurial
Networking.
 Developing New Venture & Legal Requisites.
History of Management Thought Robbins & Coulter
 Classical management. (2021, Chapter 1);
2  Behavioural management. Borges, Leong,
Ramasamy, et.al
 Quantitative management.
(2015, Chapter 2).
 Contemporary management approaches & challenges.

Planning Robbins & Coulter

 Defining planning and its importance to organisations. (2021, Chapter 8,
 Benefits of organisational planning. Chapter 9);
Borges, Leong,
 Framework of planning and types of planning.
Ramasamy, et.al
3  The planning process. (2015, Chapter 8 &
 Influence of environmental factors on planning. Chapter 9).
 Maximising effectiveness of planning.
 Weaknesses of planning and, reasons for not planning.

Fundamentals of Strategic Management

 Defining strategic management and its advantages.
 Strategic management process.
 Three level strategies.

Decision Making Robbins & Coulter

4  The nature of decision making. (2021, Chapter 2).
 Types of decision making. Borges, Leong,
Ramasamy, et.al
 Decision making conditions.
(2015, Chapter 10).
 Decision making models.
 Factor of risk propensity and decision making.
 Ethics and decision making.
 Challenges in decision making.

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 Organising (Organisational Structure and Design) Robbins & Coulter
 Fundamentals of Organising. (2021, Chapter 11);
 Departmentalisation. Borges, Leong,
5 Ramasamy, et.al
 Bureaucratic model of organisation design.
(2015, pp.205-228).
 Situational influences on organisation design.
 Recent developments in organisation design.

Managing Work Teams Robbins & Coulter

 Types off groups and teams. (2021, Chapter 12 &
6  Stages of team development. Chapter 13);
Borges, Leong,
 Characteristics of groups and teams.
Ramasamy, et.al
 Interpersonal and intergroup conflict. (2015, Chapter 13,
 Management of conflict. Chapter 18).
 The negotiation process.

Managing Human Resources

 New Ways of Working in the 21st century.
 The Human Resource Management (HRM) Function.
 Recruitment and Selection.
 Training the Workforce.
 Compensation and Benefits.
 Safety and Health, Employee and Labour Relations.
 Individual differences and work behaviour.
 Current issues in organisational behaviour.

Leading; Organisational Power & Politics Robbins & Coulter

 Nature of leadership. (2021, Chapter 17);
 Sources of leader power. Borges, Leong,
7 Ramasamy, et.al
 Early theories of leadership
(2015, Chapter 16).
 Situational theories of leadership.
 Alternative approaches to leadership.
 Organisational power and politics.

8 MIDTERM
9 Motivation Robbins & Coulter
 Nature of motivation. (2021, Chapter 16);
 Content perspectives of motivation. Borges, Leong,
Ramasamy, et.al
 Process perspectives of motivation.
(2015, Chapter 15).
 Reinforcement perspectives of motivation.
 Other motivational strategies.

10 Communication Robbins & Coulter

 Role of communication in managers’ job. (2021, Chapter 14);
 Forms of communication in organisations. Borges, Leong,
Ramasamy, et.al
 Informal communication in organisations.
(2015, Chapter 17).
 Awareness cultural and language differences in all

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 communication.
 Managing organisational communication.
 Digital communication.

11 Controlling Robbins & Coulter

 Nature of control. (2021, Chapter 18);
 Financial & budgetary control. Borges, Leong,
Ramasamy, et.al
 Managing total quality.
(2015, Chapter 19).
 Managing productivity.
 Collecting, generating, storing, accessing, using or
sharing data and information.

12 Management Environment: Robbins & Coulter

(The Organisational Environment & The (2021, Chapter 3);
Organisational Culture) Borges, Leong,
 The Environment and Business. Ramasamy, et.al
 The Organisation and Environment Relationship. (2015, Chapter 3).
 Stakeholder Relationship Management
 Types of culture.
 Importance of culture in organisations.

13 Management Environment: Robbins & Coulter

(Managing the Global Economy) (2021, Chapter 4);
 Globalisation and forces that drive globalisation. Borges, Leong,
 Implications of globalisation on managers. Ramasamy, et.al
 Management from a global perspective. (2015, Chapter 4).
 Multinational corporations & methods of entering
foreign markets.
 Assessment of the different entry methods used by
multinational corporations.
 International business strategies.

Management Environment: Robbins & Coulter

(Managerial Ethics & Corporate Social (2021, Chapter 6);
Responsibility) Borges, Leong,
 Ethics vs. Morality. Ramasamy, et.al
 Accountability vs Integrity. (2015, Chapter 5).
 Managerial ethics.
 Managerial ethical perspectives.
 Ethical reasoning in business.
 Common ethical dilemmas in the workplace.
 Stages of moral development.
 Factors that lead to ethical and unethical behaviour.
 Improving ethical behaviour in workplace.
 Rules and principles-based approaches to ethics.
 Social Responsibility.
 Arguments for and against social responsibility.
 Sustainability.

14 Revision

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 15 - 16 Final Exam

Textbooks:
Robbins, S.P., & Coulter, M. (2021). Management. 15 edition. Harlow, England: Pearson
Education Limited
Borges, W.G. “Bill”., Leong, L.S., Ramasamy, N., et., al. (2015). Principles of
Management. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: SJ Learning

Assessment Items Value Due Date

Group Assignment Due Date: 15

September 2022

a. Release Date & Release Portal: 22

August 2022, at 9.00am in HLMS
1. Group Assignment 20% b. Submission Due Date: 15
September 2022, by 5.00pm
(Malaysian Time). The assignment
must be physically submitted to
department together with Turnitin
report.

Midterm Examination (2 hours)

Date: To be confirmed

Format:
Section A: 25 Multiple Choice
2. Midterm Examination 30% Questions (Answer all).
Section B: Answer 2 out of 4 Short
Questions.
Section C: Case Study – 3 Questions
(Answer all).

Final Examination (3 hours) Date: To

3. Final Examination 50% be confirmed
ASSESSMENT:

There are 3 assessment items for this subject:

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REQUIREMENTS:

A student must score an overall aggregate mark of 50% AND pass:

 continuous assessments, and
 the final examination / assessment in order to pass a subject.

Furthermore, a student must attempt all continuous and final assessments.

EXTENSIONS AND PENALTIES FOR LATE SUBMISSION OF

ASSIGNMENT(S)
BUT NOT FINAL ASSESSMENT

If you are having difficulty in completing work in time due to illness or *extenuating
circumstances, you may apply for an extension through your lecturer with supporting
documentations eg. medical certificate, police report etc. Applications for extensions
on or after the due date of the assessment will not be considered. A deduction of 10% per
day from the marks awarded after the due date applies, if the piece of work is
submitted late without approved extension.
*Extenuating circumstances should primarily mean, medical conditions (both physiological and
psychological), family issues (death or illness), and personal misfortune (accident, mugging,
theft). Student should provide document proof for all of the above and should also obtain prior
approval from the examiner towards late submission.

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 Department of Business Studies

HELP Bachelor of Business (Hons) Year 1

HELP Bachelor of Management (Hons) Year 1
HELP Bachelor of Economics (Hons) Year 1
HELP Bachelor of Business Psychology (Hons) Year 1

MGT101 Principles of Management

Group Assignment

AUGUST 2022 SEMESTER

DUE DATE: 15 September 2022

[by not later than 5.00pm, Malaysian Time]
Weightage: 20%

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 Assignment: Group Assignment

Weightage: 20%
Due Date: 15 September 2022 (by not later than 5.00pm,
Malaysian Time)
Word Limit: 1500 words
Excluding in-text citations and list of reference
Mode of Assessment: Group Assignment (4 members per group)
A1: Details of the Group Assignment is based on the following:

Question
The persistently of the Covid pandemic has accelerated the pace of technological
developments and has had implications on organisations. Robots are now increasingly
being used in factories, industrial settings and offices which brings a new look at how
work is being done. Imagine, that you are a manager, in an office in which humans and
robots are being used.
Q1. What functions of manager would you be expected to play in an office in which
both humans and robots were being used?
Q2. Discuss the kind of roles that you would need to demonstrate in managing the office
settings. Support your explanation with appropriate reasonings.
Q3. In your opinion, what are possible, challenges of using robots in an office settings?
Justify.

AII: Guidelines for the Group Assignment

 In this assignment, you should discuss all the questions posted logically. Demonstrate
your understanding, by applying concepts/theories, wherever relevant.
 Use of good supportive evidences from wider academic literature related to principles
of management to be integrated into thrust of discussion.
 Your answer should cover the following aspects:

Questio Group Assignment Structure Maximum word

n No. limits

1. Functions of manager would you be expected to play 500

in an office in which both humans and robots were
being used.

2. The roles that you would need to demonstrate in 500

managing the office settings. Support your explanation
with appropriate reasonings.

3. Challenges of using robots in an office settings. Justify. 500

Total Words 1500

 Your group assignment must have appropriate APA style citation in the text of your
essay and list of reference.

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AIII: Formatting & Layout for Group Assignment
 The group assignment must be formatted in the following:
o Times New Roman/Arial, Font Size 12.
o 1.5-line spacing.
o The page orientation should be ‘portrait’.
o Pages should be numbered.

 The group assignment layout should be arranged in the following:

o Please include on the first page of the assignment the assignment coversheet.
o Main body. Arranged according to the set questions.
o APA referencing in the text of essay (citation) and list of reference.
o Group meeting minutes.
o Turnitin originality report.

AIV: Extensions and Penalties for late submissions

 If you are having difficulty in completing work in time due to illness or *extenuating
circumstances, you may apply for an extension through your lecturer with supporting
documentations eg. medical certificate, police report etc. Applications for extensions on
or after the due date of the assessment will not be considered. A deduction of 10% per
day from the marks awarded after the due date applies if the piece of work is submitted
late without approved extension.
*Extenuating circumstances should primarily mean, medical conditions (both
physiological and psychological), family issues (death or illness), and personal
misfortune (accident, mugging, theft). Student should provide document proof for all of
the above and should also obtain prior approval from the examiner towards late
submission.

AV: Turnitin Requisites

 You have to Turnitin your assignment into Turnitin Submission Point in HLMS using
your Helplive account.
 You must Turnitin your assignment at least 4 days before the due date. This will allow
you to make any changes and resubmit to Turnitin for the updated report. You can
Turnitin until the due date.
 Turnitin similarity index must be 15% and below.
 Submission protocol: The group assignment & Turnitin originality report must be
printed and submitted to the faculty office by the stipulated due date.

AVI: Assignment Prohibited website sources:

 Investopedia
 Wikipedia
 Ukessays.com
 BusinessBalls.com
 Coursehero.com

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  Grade Band:
Mark Range Grade Grade Point Description

(85-100) HD 1 (4.00)  Comprehensive and excellent grasp of key management

concepts/theories.
 Excellent use of analytical means and logical arguments.
 Excellent synthesis of arguments and excellent use of
relevant examples.
 Balanced discussions and excellent flow of ideas.
 Excellent command of language with no errors.
 Excellent and consistent referencing.
(80-84) HD 2 (3.75)  Comprehensive and excellent grasp of key management
concepts/theories.
 Excellent use of analytical means and logical arguments.
 Good synthesis of arguments and excellent use of relevant
examples.
 Balanced discussions and good flow of ideas.
 Excellent command of language with no errors.
 Excellent and consistent referencing.
(75-79) DI 1 (3.50)  Fairly comprehensive and good grasp of key management
concepts/theories.
 Excellent use of analytical means and logical arguments.
 Good synthesis of arguments and good use of relevant
examples.
 Fairly balanced discussions and good flow of ideas.
 Good command of language and negligible number of
errors.
 Good referencing.
(70-74) DI 2 (3.25)  Fairly comprehensive and good grasp of key management
concepts/theories.
 Excellent use of analytical means and logical arguments.
 Good synthesis of arguments and moderate use of relevant
examples.
 Fairly balanced discussions and good flow of ideas.
 Good command of language and limited number of errors.
 Good referencing.
(65-69) CR 1 (3.00)  Fairly comprehensive and reasonably good grasp of key
management concepts/theories.
 Good use of analytical means and logical arguments.
 Good synthesis of arguments and moderate use of relevant
examples.
 Fairly balanced discussions and reasonably good flow of
ideas.
 Good command of language and limited number of errors.
 Good referencing.
(60-64) CR 2 (2.75)  Competent grasp of key management concepts/theories.
 Competent use of analytical means and logical arguments.
 Fair synthesis of arguments and moderate use of relevant
examples.
 Fairly balanced discussions and fairly clear flow of ideas.

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  Competent command of language and limited number of
errors.
 Satisfactory referencing.
(55-59) PS 1 (2.50)  Passable grasp of key management concepts/theories.
 Competent use of analytical means and logical arguments.
 Fair synthesis of arguments and lack of relevant examples.
 Fairly balanced discussions and fairly clear flow of ideas.
 Satisfactory command of language and moderate number of
errors.
 Satisfactory referencing.
(50-54) PS 2 (2.00)  Basic grasp of key management concepts/theories.
 Less than satisfactory use of analytical means and logical
arguments.
 Little synthesis of arguments and hardly any relevant
examples.
 Some evidence of balanced discussion but poor
organisation.
 Satisfactory command of language and considerable number
of errors.
 Relatively flawed referencing.
(0-49) FL (0.00)  Shows ignorance of key management concepts/theories.
 Less than satisfactory use of analytical means and logical
arguments.
 Little synthesis of arguments and no relevant examples.
 Little or no balanced discussion and poor organisation.
 Relatively poor command of language and unable to express
ideas clearly.
 No referencing or very poor referencing.

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 MGT101 Group Assignment: Rubric Guide

Assessment Excellent Good Fair Poor Very Poor Score Weightage Marks
Criteria (5) (4) (3) (2) (1)
Introduction. A very clear A clear An adequate A brief A vague 10
introduction introduction introduction introduction introduction
& identifying & identifying & identifying & identifying &
of issues. of issues. of issues. of issues. identifying
of issues.

Functions A very clear A clear An adequate A brief discussion A vague 25

of manager discussion of discussion of discussion of of discussion
expected to functions of functions of functions functions of of
be played manager you manager you of manager you function
in an office would play in would play in manager would play in s of
in which an office in an office in you would an office in manager
both which both which both play in an which both you
humans humans and humans and office in humans and would
and robots robots were robots were which both robots were play in
were being being used. being used. humans being used. an
used. and robots office in
were being which
used. both
humans
and
robots
were
being
used.

Roles that you A very clear A clear An adequate A brief explanation A vague 25
would need to explanation of explanation of explanation of the roles that explanation
demonstrate in the roles that the roles that of the roles that you would need to of the roles
managing the you would you would you would demonstrate in that you
office settings. need to need to need to managing the would need
demonstrate demonstrate in demonstrate in office settings. to
in managing managing the managing the demonstrate
the office office settings. office settings. in managing
settings. the office
settings.

Challenges of Very clear Clear Adequate Brief discussion of Vague 25

using robots in discussion of discussion of discussion of challenges of using discussion of
an office challenges of challenges of challenges of robots in an office challenges
settings using robots using robots in using robots in settings. of using
in an office an office an office robots in an
settings. settings. settings. office
settings.

References, All the Most of the Reasonable Some of the Very few 10
Citation & references are references are amount of references are references
Conclusion. credible. credible. references is credible. are credible.
Perfect in-text Highly credible. Fairly Inaccurate in-text Highly
citation based accurate in-text accurate in-text citation based on inaccurate
on APA citation based citation based the APA format. in-text
format. on the APA on the APA Brief summation citation
Very clear format. format. of key ideas based on the
summation of Clear Adequate presented in APA format.
key ideas summation of summation of discussion. Vague
presented in key ideas key ideas summation
discussion. presented in presented in of key ideas
discussion. discussion. presented in
discussion.

Overall Very well Well presented. Fairly well Poorly presented. Very poorly 5

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presentation: presented. Adhering to presented. Adhering to very presented.
Structure and Strictly most of the Adhering to few of the Not adhering
language; adhering to instruction some of the instruction given in to the
diagrams the instruction given in the instructions the guidelines. instruction
properly given in the guidelines. given in the given in the
labelled; clear guidelines. guidelines. guidelines.
linkage of facts;
adheres to
format; and
word limit.

Total 100

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 Department of Business Studies

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Honesty and Responsibility

Academic integrity is an important tenet for HELP University (the “University”). In
pursuit of the highest standards of academic integrity, the University holds its students to
the highest ethical standards defined by the Rules and Regulations section of the
Academic Handbook. All students studying a HELP University programme are subjected
to and are bound by the Student Academic Misconduct Rule to assure academic honesty.
Students are required to sign a pledge on the assignment cover sheet before submitting
your assignments.

What is Plagiarism?
Plagiarism is academic dishonesty or academic theft, and it is a serious academic offence.
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the followings:
1. quote, paraphrase or summarise someone else’s ideas, theories or data, in whole or
in part, without appropriate acknowledgement;
2. borrow ideas, opinion or words, in whole or in part, from other sources without
properly crediting the author(s);
3. use any facts, statistics, diagrams or graphs, in whole or in part, without
acknowledging the source clearly;
4. claim or imply original authorship of someone else’s ideas, theories or data, in
whole or in part, as your own;
5. employ or allow someone to help to revise, amend or write your work and pass off
as your own original work;
6. collaborate with or allow other students to copy your work; and
7. draw on sources more than what you have acknowledged by citations.

While a student is not discouraged to discuss an assignment with his/her friends or

classmates, the work he/she submits must be done by the student alone. If a student shares
his/her assignment with other students and they plagiarise it, the student is as guilty as
those students who plagiarised his/her assignment. All parties to plagiarism are considered
equally guilty. Under no circumstances should a student be involved in collusion with
other students unless he/she is permitted to work on an assignment jointly by the
lecturer/tutor. If a student is unsure what constitutes plagiarism, he/she is obliged to
consult the lecturer/tutor on the matter before submission of his/her assignment.

When and How to Reference?

Knowing when and how to cite is a student’s responsibility. If he/she is in doubt or need
more help on this matter, the student may consult the lecturer/tutor. The following list
comprises some of the sources a student will need to reference. The list is by no means
exhaustive, but simply consists of the most common sources used by students to complete
their work.

1. Books

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 2. Chapters in books
3. Journal articles
4. Conference papers
5. Newspaper articles
6. Magazines
7. Websites
8. Study guide

Students are advised to cite in the following cases [1]:

1. When he/she quotes two or more words verbatim, or even one word if it is used in
a way that is unique to the source;
2. When he/she introduce facts that he/she have found in a source;
3. When he/she paraphrase or summarise ideas, interpretations, or conclusions that
he/she find in a source;
4. When he/she introduce information that is not common knowledge or that may be
considered common knowledge in your field, but the reader may not know it;
5. When he/she borrow the plan or structure of a larger section of a source’s
argument (for example, using a theory from a source and analysing the same three
case studies that the source uses);
6. When he/she build on another’s method found either in a source or from
collaborative work in a lab;
7. When he/she build on another’s program in writing computer code or on a not-
commonly-known algorithm; and/or
8. When he/she collaborate with others in producing knowledge.

In general, a referencing system requires two parts:

1. In-text citations
This is information about a source within the text of an assignment.
2. List of references
This is a list of all sources a student has used to research his/her assignment. It is
alphabetically arranged by author surname and appears immediately after the last
page of an assignment.

Different faculties or departments may have different requirement on how referencing for
an assignment should be done. The various formats used for in-text citations and list of
references are available in the following websites:
1. Harvard System
(http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/library/subjectsandsupport/referencemanagement/
harvard))
2. Chicago Style (http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/index.html)
3. American Psychological Association or APA Style (http://www.apastyle.org)
4. Modern Language Association of America or MLA Style
(http://www.mla.org/style)

Once a student has selected a referencing style for his/her assignment, he/she must follow
the same style consistently throughout the assignment. We strongly suggest that the
student consults the lecturer/tutor about which method to use before submission of his/her
assignment.

1
http://www.yale.edu/bass/writing/sources/plagiarism/warning.html, accessed May 18, 2008.

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Penalties for Plagiarism

The Turnitin Similarity Index for all programmes offered should be not more than 15%.

Penalties for plagiarism ranges from mark reduction for the assignment to expulsion from
the University. If plagiarism has been found to have occurred, the action(s) taken will be
determined by the forms of plagiarism implicated:

1. Complete plagiarism
Verbatim copying another person’s work without acknowledgement
- To be referred to a panel 2 for further investigation. If the student is found to
be guilty, a grade “FL” is to be awarded for the subject.

2. Substantial plagiarism (Turnitin Similarity Index ≥ 30%)

Near-verbatim copying another person’s work by simply altering the order of the
sentences or the format of presentation or by changing a few words or phrases
without acknowledgement.
- Based on a report submitted by the lecturer in charge of the subject, a Zero
mark will be awarded for the said assessment.

3. Minimal plagiarism (Turnitin Similarity Index ≥ 15%)

Paraphrasing by changing and/or eliminating some words without proper
acknowledgement.
- Based on a report submitted by the lecturer in charge, a deduction of up to
50% of marks the student is entitled to receive for the said assessment.

Pleading ignorance or unintentional plagiarism does not constitute valid reasons for
plagiarism and will not avoid the penalties from being imposed. Excuses for acts of
plagiarism such as the following, but not limited to, will not be entertained:
1. I don’t have time to do the assignment
2. I have too many assignments due on the same day
3. I don’t know, I really didn’t do it
4. I am not aware
5. I don’t understand what plagiarism means
6. I have no intention to plagiarize
7. I forgot to cite the reference
8. I forgot to include the bibliography
9. My English is not good
10. My lecturer/tutor did not explain to me
11. In my country, it is alright to copy someone else’s work
12. My friend copied my assignment when I let him/her to look at my assignment
13. My friend copied my assignment when I allow him/her to use my laptop
14. I did my assignment in the computer lab, someone must have copied my work
15. I asked my friend to submit my assignment and he/she copied my work
16. I discussed my assignment with my friends, so our answers are the same/similar
17. Even though I do not have in-text citation but I have bibliography/reference list

2
The panel consists of the HoD as the Chair and 2 to 3 senior academic staff.

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Students should be reminded that it is their responsibilities to take due care throughout
their written work to effectively reference or cite when they use others’ ideas from any
source.

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 DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS STUDIES

SEMESTER X, 20XX

SAMPLE: MID-SEMESTER EXAMINATION

Subject Code : MGT101

Subject Name : PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT

This examination carries 30% of the total assessment for this subject.

Examiner(s):

Day :
Time :
Date :

Time allowed : 2 HOURS

INSTRUCTION(S):

1.This examination consists of THREE (3) sections:

SECTION A Multiple Choice Questions (25 Marks) – Answer ALL questions in the multiple-choice
answer sheet provided.

SECTION B Short Answer Questions (50 Marks) – Answer only TWO (2) out of FOUR (4) questions
in the answer book provided.

SECTION C Case Study (25 Marks) – Answer ALL THREE (3) questions based on the case in the
answer book provided.

2.This is a CLOSED BOOK examination.

3.Students are NOT permitted to retain this examination paper.

(This question paper consists of 3 sections in 8 printed pages, including cover page)

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SECTION A: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (25 MARKS)
Answer ALL questions. Each question carries ONE (1) mark.

1. Managers perform ______________ whereby they distribute information to parties

outside their functional units or organisations, being present at press releases or board
meetings.
A. liaison role
B. disseminator role
C. spokesperson role
D. monitor role
2. _________________ refers to how well an organization achieves its purpose of
providing its customers with valuable goods and services.
A. Organisational efficiency
B. Organisational performance
C. Organisational effectiveness
D. Organisational sustainability

3. _________________ level comprises of departmental and functional heads such as

production manager, personnel manager, and marketing manager.
A. Middle management
B. Upper middle management
C. Lower middle management
D. Intermediate management

4. Which of the following is NOT a principle of Henri Fayol’s Administrative

management?
A. discipline
B. equity
C. initiative
D. efficiency rewards

5. ______________ advocates that suitable managerial action in a given circumstance

relies on the unique details of that circumstance.
A. Quantitative management
B. Contingency view
C. System view
D. Behavioural management

6. Which of the following are characteristics of William Ouchi’s Theory Z?

A. job rotation to build employees’ cross-sectional skills
B. involvement of employees in decision making
C. job stability to elicit employees’ commitment and loyalty
D. all of the above

7. Policy, procedure and regulation are examples of _________________.

A. strategic plan
B. operational plan

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C. standing plan
D. single-use plan

8. All of the following are advantages of organizational planning except

_______________.
A. provides direction
B. ensures efficient use of resources
C. assists in development of a research strategy
D. generates intensive efforts

9. __________ is what an organization aspires to become in the future.

A. mission
B. strategy
C. vision
D. goal

10. Which of the following are reasons for non-planning?

A. lack of knowledge and expertise
B. lack of time
C. lack of trust and openness
D. all of the above

11. _________________ determines how an organization should compete within its

strategic business units.
A. Functional level strategy
B. Corporate level strategy
C. Business level strategy
D. None of the above

12. _____________ strategy focuses on a lower cost advantage in a small market

segment.
A. Differentiation leadership
B. Cost focus /
C. Cost leadership
D. Differentiation focus

13. ______________ are very flexible and only provide general guidelines.
A. Directional plans
B. Short-time plans
C. Specific plans
D. Operational plans

14. A decision maker has clear-cut goals and that good information is available, but the
Future outcomes associated with each alternative are subject to chance refers to a
decision environment known as __________.
A. uncertain
B. risk
C. ambiguous
D. certain

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15. A _____________ is a type of decision made in response to a situation that has
occurred often enough to enable managers to develop decision rules applicable in
the future.
A. nonprogrammed decision
B. strategic decision
C. tactical decision
D. programmed decision

16. _________________ of decision making that describes how managers actually

make decisions in complex situations and recognizes the human and environmental
limitations that affect decision outcomes.
A. Political model
B. Classical model
C. Administrative model
D. None of the above

17. Which of the following is a disadvantage of a functional structure?

A. efficient use of resources
B. in-depth skill and development
C. decisions are concentrated at the top of the hierarchy
D. economies of scale

18. _____________ refers to the quality of collaboration across divisions and departments.
A. Decentralization
B. Coordination
C. Reengineering
D. Accountability

19. Which of the organization structure has a dual chain of command?

A. virtual network structure
B. divisional structure
C. matrix structure
D. functional structure

20. Which of the following are primary reasons teams present a dilemma to people?
A. Teams are sometimes dysfunctional.
B. They have to give up their independence.
C. They have to put up with ‘free riders.’
D. All of the above

21. ________________ is defined as the extent to which team members are attracted to the
team and motivated to remain in it.

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A. Team spirit
B. Team norm
C. Team cohesiveness
D. Team interaction

22. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a team?

A. holds team members accountable to each other
B. discusses, decides and delegates work to individuals
C. has collective work products
D. conducts meetings that encourage open-ended discussion and problem solving

23. The __________________ is developed from critical incidents pertaining to job

performance which can more accurately evaluate an employee’s job performance.
A. 360-degree feedback
B. performance review ranking system
C. behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS)
D. performance evaluation error

24. _________________ is the most common method of training in which an experienced

employee is asked to teach a new employee how to perform job duties and
responsibilities.
A. On-the job training
B. Mentoring
C. Coaching
D. Training and development

25. An interview that is conducted with departing employees to determine why they as
leaving the organization is known as _____________.
A. structured interview
B. exit interview
C. panel interview
D. nondirective interview

SECTION B: SHORT ANSWER QUESTION (50 MARKS)

Each question carries 25 marks.
Answer only TWO out of FOUR (4 ) questions.

1(a). What is Max Weber’s Bureaucratic management? (1 mark)

1(b). Explain the significance of any FOUR (4) characteristics of
Bureaucratic management. (24 marks)
2(a). Define Management by Objectives (MBO) (1 mark)
2(b). Explain any THREE (3) benefits of MBO. (12 marks)
2(c). Explain any THREE (3) limitations of MBO. (12 marks)

3(a). What is decision making? (1 mark)

3(b). Describe any THREE (3) characteristics that differentiate the
Classical model of decision making & Bounded Rationality
Model of decision making. (24 marks)

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 4(a). Define divisional structure. (1 mark)
4(b). Draw a simple organizational chart of any type of divisional
structure. (4 marks)
4(c). Explain any TWO (2) advantages of divisional structure. (10 marks)
4(d). Explain any TWO (2) disadvantages of divisional structure. (10 marks)

SECTION C: CASE STUDY (25 MARKS)

Answer ALL questions. The allocation of marks is indicated at the end of each
question.

CASE STUDY: “A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PROJECT MANAGER”

A Day in the Life Rachel, the project manager of a large information systems project company,
arrives at her office early to get caught up with work before her co- workers and project team
arrive. However, as she enters the office she meets Neil, one of her fellow project managers,
who also wants to get an early start on the day. Neil has just completed a project overseas.
They spend 10 minutes socializing and catching up on personal news.

It takes Rachel 10 minutes to get to her office and settle in. She then checks her voice mail and
turns on her computer. She was at her client’s site the day before until 7.30 p.m. and has not
checked her e- mails or voice mails since 3.30 p.m. the previous day. There are 7 phone
messages, 16 e- mails, and 4 notes left on her desk. She spends 15 minutes reviewing her
schedule and “to do” lists for the day before responding to messages that require immediate
attention. Rachel spends the next 25 minutes going over project reports and preparing for the
weekly status meeting.

Her boss, who just arrived at the office, interrupts her. They spend 20 minutes discussing the
project. He shares a rumour that a team member is using stimulants on the job. She tells him
that she has not seen anything suspicious but will keep an eye on the team member. The 9.00
a.m. project status meeting starts 15 minutes late because two of the team members have to
finish a job for a client. Several people go to the cafeteria to get coffee and doughnuts while
others discuss last night’s baseball game. The team members arrive, and the remaining 45
minutes of the progress review meeting surface project issues that have to be addressed and
assigned for action.

After the meeting Rachel goes down the hallway to meet with Victoria, another IS project
manager. They spend 30 minutes reviewing project assignments since the two of them share
personnel. Victoria’s project is behind schedule and in need of help. They broker a deal that
should get Victoria’s project back on track. She returns to her office and makes several
telephone calls and returns several e- mails before walking downstairs to visit with members of
her project team. Her intent is to follow up on an issue that had surfaced in the status report
meeting. However, her simple, “Hi guys, how are things going?” elicits a stream of disgruntled
responses from the “troops.” After listening patiently for over 20 minutes, she realizes that
among other things several of the client’s managers are beginning to request features that were
not in the original project scope statement. She tells her team members that she will25get
| Pon
a gthis
e
right away.
Returning to her office she tries to call her counterpart John at the client firm but is told that he
is not expected back from lunch for another hour. At this time, Eddie drops by and says, “How
about lunch?” Eddie works in the finance office and they spend the next half hour in the
company cafeteria gossiping about internal politics. She is surprised to hear that Jonah
Johnson, the director of systems projects, may join another firm. Jonah has always been a
powerful ally. She returns to her office, answers a few more e- mails, and finally gets through
to John. They spend 30 minutes going over the problem. The conversation ends with John
promising to do some investigating and to get back to her as soon as possible.

Rachel puts a “Do not disturb” sign on her door, and lies down in her office. She listens to the
third and fourth movement of Ravel’s string quartet in F on headphones. Rachel then takes the
elevator down to the third floor and talks to the purchasing agent assigned to her project. They
spend the next 30 minutes exploring ways of getting necessary equipment to the project site
earlier than planned. She finally authorizes express delivery. When she returns to her office,
her calendar reminds her that she is scheduled to participate in a conference call at 2.30 a.m. It
takes 15 minutes for everyone to get online. During this time, Rachel catches up on some e-
mails. The next hour is spent exchanging information about the technical requirements
associated with a new version of a software package they are using on systems projects like
hers.

Rachel decides to stretch her legs and goes on a walk down the hallway where she engages in
brief conversations with various co- workers. She goes out of her way to thank Chandra for his
thoughtful analysis at the status report meeting. She returns to find that John has left a message
for her to call him back ASAP. She contacts John, who informs her that, according to his
people, her firm’s marketing representative had made certain promises about specific features
her system would provide. He does not know how this communication breakdown occurred,
but his people are pretty upset over the situation. Rachel thanks John for the information and
immediately takes the stairs to where the marketing group resides. She asks to see Mary, a
senior marketing manager. She waits 10 minutes before being invited into her office. After a
heated discussion, she leaves 40 minutes later with Mary agreeing to talk to her people about
what was promised and what was not promised.

She goes downstairs to her team members to give them an update on what is happening. They
spend 30 minutes reviewing the impact the client’s requests could have on the project
schedule. She also shares with them the schedule changes she and Victoria had agreed to. After
she says good night to her team members, she heads upstairs to her boss’s office and spends 20
minutes updating him on key events of the day. She returns to her office and spends 30
minutes reviewing e- mails and project documents. She logs on to the MS project schedule of
her project and spends the next 30 minutes working with “what- if” scenarios. She reviews
tomorrow’s schedule and writes some personal reminders before starting off on her 30- minute

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QUESTIONS:

1. Based on the activities evident in the case study, identify and explain
two (2) management functions that are significantly performed by
Rachel in her one-day at work. (8 marks)

2. Based on the activities evident in the case study, identify and explain
three (3) specific roles managerial roles (within the interpersonal,
informational and decisional role categories) that are significantly
performed by Rachel in her one-day at work.
(12 marks)
3. According to Robert Katz there are three management skills that are
required by any manager. In your opinion, which management skill is
critical to Rachel to become an effective manager? (5 marks)

***END OF EXAMINATION***

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 DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS STUDIES

SEMESTER X, 20XX

SAMPLE FINAL EXAMINATION

Subject Code : MGT101

Subject Name : PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT

This examination carries 50% of the total assessment for this subject.

Examiner(s):

Day :
Time :
Date :

Time allowed : READING: 10 MINUTES

WRITING: 3 HOURS

INSTRUCTION(S):

1. This section consists of FOUR (4) sections:

SECTION A Multiple Choice Questions (20 Marks) – Answer ALL TWENTY (20) questions in the
multiple- choice answer sheet provided.

SECTION B Short Answer Questions (30 Marks) – Answer only THREE (3) out of FOUR (4) questions
in the answer book provided.

SECTION C Essay Questions (20 marks) – Answer only ONE (1) out of THREE (3) questions in the
answer booklet.

SECTION D Case Study (30 Marks) – Answer ALL THREE (3) questions based on the case in the
answer book provided.

2. Writing on the examination answer book is NOT permitted during reading time.

3. This is a CLOSED BOOK examination.

4. Students are NOT permitted to retain this examination paper.

5. Students MUST pass this examination in order to pass the subject

(This examination paper consists of 4 sections in XX printed pages, including cover page)

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SECTION A – Multiple Choice Questions (20 Marks)
Answer ALL questions. Each question carries ONE mark.

1. The manager is very unhappy with the employee’s performance and punishes the
employee with no salary increment. This refers to ___________________.
A) legitimate power
B) coercive power
C) reward power
D) referent power

2. _________________ is the ability to influence people toward the accomplishment of

organizational goals.
A) Persuasion
B) Empowerment
C) Leadership
D) Motivation

3. Which of the following are qualities of a manager?

A) maintains status quo
B) utilizes position power
C) all of the above
D) none of the above

4. Which of the following is not a method of motivating the workforce in

organisations?
A) free parking
B) flexible work schedules
C) pay for knowledge
D) work long hours

5. Which of the following are needs in McClelland’s Acquired Needs theory?

A) power
B) achievement
C) affiliation
D) all of the above

6. ______________ is the capacity of a channel or communication medium to carry

information in an effective manner.
A) Channel effectiveness
B) Channel richness
C) Channel efficiency
D) None of the above

7. The process of taking action to help the source of a message say exactly what he or she
really means refers to ___________.
A) Active listening
B) Good listening
C) Focus listening
D) None of the above

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8. _________________ is the intentional distortion of information to make it appear
more favourable to the recipient.
A) Stereotyping
B) Selective perception
C) Filtering
D) None of the above

9. Direct supervision or administrative systems are related to _____________.

A) External control
B) Internal control
C) Market control
D) Clan control

10. Which type of control refers to work inputs?

A) Feedforward control
B) Feedback control
C) Concurrent control
D) Organizational control

11. Customers and suppliers are elements of __________________.

A) specific environment
B) general environment
C) internal environment
D) external environment

12. ________________ means that there is a lack of complete information regarding what
developments will occur in the external environment.
A) Environmental certainty
B) Environmental uncertainty
C) Environmental dynamism
D) Environmental turbulence

13. The ________________ consists of customers, suppliers, competitors, and re

A) task environment
B) general environment
C) external environment
D) internal environment

14. A ______________ defines and uses signals and symbols to influence corporate culture.
A) cultural leader
B) symbolic leader
C) strategic leader
D) visionary leader

15. Which of the following is not an example of visible culture?

A) slogans
B) values
C) stories
D) symbols

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16. Which of the following are Hofstede’s dimensions of national culure?
A) power distance; uncertainty avoidance
B) individualism and collectivism
C) masculinity and femininity
D) all of the above

17. Does a decision or behaviour show fairness and impartiality? This refers to ________.
A) Utilitarian view
B) Moral-rights view
C) Justice view
D) Individualism view

18. A _____________ is a systematic assessment of an organisation’s accomplishments in

areas of social responsibility.
A) social audit
B) social assessment
C) social evaluation
D) none of the above

19. The obligation of an organization to act in ways that serve both its own interests and
the interests of its stakeholders.
A) discretionary responsibility
B) legal responsibility
C) economic responsibility
D) ethical responsibility

20. The _________________ holds that management’s only responsibility in running a

business is to maximize profits.
A) socioeconomic view
B) classical view
C) all of the above
D) none of the above

SECTION B: SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30 MARKS)

Answer only THREE (3) questions. Each question carries 10 marks.

1. Explain two (2) main differences between Adam’s Equity

theory and Vroom’s Expectancy theory. (10 marks)

2(a). What is Management by objective (MBO)? (2 marks)

2(b). Explain two (2) advantages of MBO. (4 marks)
2(c). Explain two (2) disadvantages of MBO (4 marks)

3(a). Define observable culture and ‘core’ culture. (2 marks)

3(b). Explain the impact of heroes and rites/rituals on
employees’ behaviours. (8 marks)

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 4(a). Define moral rights. (1 mark)
4(b). Explain three (3) types of moral rights. (9 marks)

SECTION C: ESSAY QUESTIONS (20 MARKS)

Answer only TWO (2) questions. Each question carries 20 marks.

1. Discuss how managers in organisations motivate their employees’ job performance

with the application of House’s Path-goal theory of leadership. Provide relevant
workplace examples.

2. What are the pros and cons of Multinational corporations from the perspectives of
host-country and home country? Discuss.

3. Discuss any four (4) mechanisms that organisations can implement to maintain high
ethical standards.

SECTION D: CASE STUDY (30 MARKS)

Answer ALL questions. The allocation of marks is indicated at the end of each
question.

CASE STUDY: “BUSINESS COMMUNICATION IN ASIA”

There are many cultural aspects to be aware of when communicating in Asia. In

Indonesia, China and Japan, for example, locals often try to avoid ‘no’ directly to a
person, for fear of appearing rude or defiant, or of offending the other person’s ‘face’
(personal integrity). Saying ‘yes’ is preferred, even though it is actually a ‘no’.
Therefore, in these countries, if you are unsure whether the ‘yes’ or a ‘no’, it is best to
repeat the request, then follow up.

Conflict avoidance, or harmony, is critical in Asian cultures. Hence, it is necessary to

avoid difficult situations, whereby your guest or host could be embarrassed or
uncomfortable or ‘lose face’. Although this type of sensitivity is also necessary in the
West, the practice of harmony is particularly important in Asia. Hence, direct
confrontation or challenging someone’s position or ideas should be avoided. Apart
from avoiding the situations of ‘loss of face’, it might also be necessary to practice
‘giving face’ in Asia. For example, a simple act of ‘giving face’ could be a small gift
from your firm at the end of the meeting, visit or contract negotiation. Such a small gift
could be in the form of a paper holder with your company logo or other artifacts with
your company logo.

However, when business gifts are involved, there a few things to not that depend very
much on the ethnic group of the recipient. If the recipient is Chinese, for example,
clocks should be avoided, as to they are associated with death. Similarly, the wrapping
of the gifts in white, blue or black should be avoided, as these are considered mourning
colours in Chinese culture. If the recipient is Malaysian, do not give of pig skin
(Malaysians are generally Muslims); do not give alcohol; only give halal goods; and
avoid white wrapping paper, as it symbolizes death.

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Finally, if the recipient is Indian, avoid giving bouquets that include frangipani, as they
are used in funeral wreaths, and avoid wrapping gifts in white or black. Also, avoid
giving leather products to a Hindu. In many Asian countries, including Thailand,
Indonesia and South Korea, it is important to realize that a gift received should not be
opened infront of the person who presented it.

Even the act of exchanging business cards has greater significance in many Asian
countries, and is surrounded by etiquette that is important in terms of communicating
respect. When presenting your business card, it is courteous to hand it over with both
hands. When receiving a business card (again with both hands), it is respectful to show
interest in reading the details of the card before filing it away.

Within individual Asian countries, there can be much potential for diversity in
communication, Singapore provides an example, being a multicultural society with a
population of about 4.5 million. Many ethnic groups are represented in its population,
including Chinese (76.8 percent), Malay (13.9 percent) and Indian (7.9 percent); many
languages are spoken, such as Mandarin (35 percent), English (23 percent), Malay
(14.1 percent), Hokkien (11.4 percent), Cantonese (5.7 percent) and Teochew (4.9
percent). Since its independence in 1965, Singapore has adopted four national
languages; namely Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English. For business and politics,
English is the language of choice. While Singapore claims to be an egalitarian society,
Singaporeans retain strong hierarchical relationships that can be observed in the
relationships between parents and children, teachers and students, employers and
employees. This reliance on hierarchy is drawn from Confucianism, which emphasizes
respecting elders and status.

This cultural value translates to a more formal approach to business in Singapore than
in many Western countries. Having ‘face’ and ‘giving face’ to others are important
aspects of both social and business transactions. As such, Singaporeans tend to be
subtle, indirect and implicit in their communications. They hint at a point rather than
making a direct statement, since that might cause the other person to lose face. Rather
than say ‘no’, they might say, ‘I will try’. This allows the person making the request to
‘save’ face, and thus maintains harmony in the relationship. Singapore has a group-
oriented culture, so links are often based on ethnicity, education or working for the
same company. Most Singaporeans are soft-spoken and believe a calm demeanour is
superior to a more aggressive style.

QUESTIONS:

1. Explain any three (3) potential barriers to effective communication as

evident in the case study. (12 marks)
2. Explain two (2) advantages and two (2) disadvantages of the various
(12 marks)
communication channels as evident in the case study.

3. How could perception potentially affect intended communication

messages as evident in the case study? Relate to two (2) types of

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perception. (6 marks)

***END OF EXAMINATION***

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