b325 tma 2016

Faculty of Business Studies
Arab Open University


Managing Across Organizational & Cultural Boundaries B325


Tutor Monitoring Assignment
Spring 2016





This TMA has four questions. Read through the attached article: “Segil, L. (n.d.). Can this Partnership be Saved? Getting an Alliance Back on Track. Harvard Management Communication Letter. Tools, Techniques, and Ideas for the Articulated Executive. Article Reprint No. C0410B.

All questions should be answered. You are supposed to answer each question in 500 words. Only a 10% deviation from the word count limit is acceptable. Critical discussion and link between theoretical frameworks and the article should be clearly highlighted. You are also expected to refer to external references to provide more evidence to your discussion. The questions in this assignment are about different concepts of collaboration that might help to achieve collaborative advantage or collaborative inertia.

QUESTIONS

The outcome of any alliance can be either success or failure. In the first instance, the alliance achieves collaborative advantage, and in the second, it achieves collaborative inertia. The article in hand discusses whether an alliance that reaches collaborative inertia should be saved or not.

Question 1 (25 Marks)

Based on B325 course material, define collaborative advantage and collaborative inertia. Identify the main bases of collaboration and goal setting that need to be put in place for a collaboration to reach collaborative advantage. With reference to the article, and by reflecting on what you have discussed from B325 course material, identify what can go wrong with collaboration for it to reach collaborative inertia and what actions can be taken to restore the situation (500 words).


Question 2 (25 Marks)

Goal setting is very important for any collaboration. However, it can have its negative effects. Based on B325 course material, discuss the main outcomes of overprescribing goals. Reflect on the contents of the article and suggest what can be done to restore the situation (500 words).

Question 3 (25 Marks)

Discuss the importance of trust for collaboration. Based on B325 course material, identify the main elements that need to be present to build, rebuild and sustain trust in collaborative ventures. Identify from the article’s content the main aspects that can lead to mistrust and what can be done to rebuild trust (500 words).


Question 4 (25 Marks)

Leadership media allow collaboration to work more efficiently. Based on B325 course material, discuss the three leadership media. With reference to the contents of the article, identify how the absence of these media can hinder collaborations. Include in your answer consideration as to the way such media were restored in the example the article provides (500 words).

















GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS

Cut-off date: Week 11 (April 30 – May 5, 2016). If you feel that you are unable to meet the cut-off date of the TMA because of unusual circumstances, please contact your tutor as soon as possible to discuss a possible extension to the cut-off date.
TMA weight: 20% of total course grade.
Course material:
- Chapter 1: Collaborative advantage: What? Why? How? And Why Not?; from “Managing to Collaborate” book.
- Chapter 2: Goal Setting: A Five Step Approach to Behaviour Change; from “Organizational Collaboration” book.
- Chapter 3: Goals Gone Wild: The Systematic Side Effects of Overprescribing Goal Setting; from “Organizational Collaboration” book.
- Chapter 9: Coping with Trust; from “Managing to Collaborate” book.
- Chapter 12: The Meaning of Leadership; from “Managing to Collaborate” book.

Format: The answer to each question should be shown clearly with the question number next to it. Failure to do so may result in deduction in presentation points. In addition, you are expected to write your answers in an essay format. However, you may use bulleted paragraphs, diagrams, tables, or any graphs to support your arguments. Failing to do so could result in grade deduction from presentation marks up to 5 marks.
Plagiarism: It’s imperative that you write your answers using your own words. Plagiarism will be penalized depending on its severity and according to AOU plagiarism policy (Enclosed after these instructions you will find the Arab Open University rules of cheating and plagiarism).
Word count: your answers are expected to be within the specified word count. A 10% deviation from word count limit is acceptable. Not adhering to specified word count could result in grade deduction from word count marks up to 5 marks.
Referencing: You are expected to use the Harvard referencing style for in-text referencing and list of reference at the end. Failing to do so could result grade deduction of referencing marks up to 5 marks. In addition, although text books assigned in the course may be used freely as references, you are required to use a minimum of 2 external sources. It is recommended that you use scholarly studies found in the E-library link at the LMS. Failing to do so could result in grade deduction of referencing marks up to 5 marks.

The Arab Open University Rules about Plagiarism

The Arab Open University Definitions of cheating and plagiarism
According to the Arab Open University By-laws, “The following acts represent studies of cheating and plagiarism:
• Verbatim copying of printed material and submitting them as part of TMAs without proper academic acknowledgement and documentation.
• Verbatim copying of material from the Internet, including tables and graphics.
• Copying other students’ notes or reports.
• Using paid or unpaid material prepared for the student by individuals or firms.
• Utilization of, or proceeding to utilize, contraband materials or devices in examinations.”

Examples of Plagiarism
Copying from a single or multiple sources, this is where the student uses one or more of the following as the basis for the whole, or a good part, of the assignment:
1. Published or unpublished books, studies or reports
2. The Internet
3. The media (e.g.TV programmes, radio programmes or newspaper studies)
4. An essay from an essay bank
5. A piece of work previously submitted by another student
6. Copying from a text which is about to be submitted for the same assignment