Critical reflective blogs
Length: Length: 700 words per blog
| Grouping individuals and behaviour (T7) Chapter8 -- 700 words |
| Grouping individuals and behaviour (T7) Chapter 14-15 -- 700 words (Organisational change OR Organisational culture) |
Company is ITSM Corp.
Job Title: Business Development Assosciate
Job Description:
Business Development Associate
- Embody ITSM and its representatives in a positive and professional manner
- Ability and willingness to contact potential customers (cold calling, digital and social selling) and build business relationships
- Use investigative skills to research and discover prospective clients, and if they have a requirement for one of our target products. You must be willing to pick up the phone or visit and talk to prospects.
- Learn how to use consultative sales approach to educate prospects on our products
- Remains knowledgeable and up-to-date on changes and developments in the IT industry
- Keeps management informed of all activity, including timely preparation of reports
- Manage and update leads, opportunities, and information within our CRM system
- Possibility to shadow senior staff during client pitches and meetings
- Account manage assigned accounts and partners
- Help Senior Sales with backend quotation
- Work closely with our Sales team to learn the ropes of B2B selling
Task
You are required to set up and use Interact2 Blog tool and post your reflections on four OB topics of your choice. You can choose from the following OB topics:
• Topic 7: Grouping individuals and behaviour; Organizational change; Organizational culture
A starting question for your reflection should be: What is the applicability and relevance of OB theory/model/concepts covered in the specific OB topic for me as a practitioner in my workplace? Discrepancies between the theory and practice should be explored, and implications for your workplace identified.
For students who may not have work experience, you may use a newspapers or academic journal articles that discuss an OB trend/issue in an existing Australian or international organization. Alternatively, you can do your own research on an organization of your choice and focus your reflection on the imagined influence this organizational context (in relation to the specific OB topic) would have on you.
The structure of the blog should follow the following three steps in order to enhance the analytical aspect of the reflection process and to ensure the benefits of this assignment for you and your development in the organization:
Each reflection needs to be based on three journal articles. As this is a reflection where you are using your own experiences and views, your blogs should be written in first person.
A quality reflection shows deep critical analysis of workplace experiences through application of OB theories/models/ concepts. It provides deep insights into the practitioner’s own practice.
This is an opportunity to express your voice on workplace trends that are important to you.
You are required to post each reflection by the end of the week when each topic is covered in this subject, as per the subject schedule. This will ensure continuity of learning as well as the quality reflections. Please note that failure to submit weekly blogs will result in mark deductions.
I will provide feedback and marks on the first blog, and the other three blogs will be graded at the end of the session.
Additional guidance (Suggestion only)
Use this guide as a suggestion only. You can choose to reflect on any other situation/question that is of value to you and your workplace as long as the focus of each post is aligned with the content of the relevant OB topic.
Examples of questions that can be explored in your reflections are provided below.
•Grouping individuals and behaviour (T7)
Do you work in teams? Yes and what is the influence of working in teams on you? Which factors affect your team performance (positively and negatively)? What is needed to improve the performance of the team?
Did your organization go through any changes recently – YES (e.g., organizational transformation, implementation of new technology (SMART GRID for Papua New Guinea’s Smart City) , new leader)? If yes, how was employees’ resistance/involvement managed? YES . What is the influence this had on the organizational culture? What were the strengths (everyone was excited yet scared of the big risk to take) and weaknesses ( needs more experienced engineers to handle the project) of the approach to change? Any suggestions for the organizational practice in the future, or your own strategies for dealing with change? …
Another approach on reflection related to this topic, is to analyses the organizational culture in your organization, how it constrains and promotes organizational strategies, and the role of political behaviour.
•Organizational processes and behaviour (communication, negotiation and conflict) (T8)
How are meetings being held in your workplace? Who dominates, who is silent and does this tell us something about the organizational dynamics? What is the role of conflict in your workplace and how is it being accepted and dealt with? What is your negotiation style and how effective is it in your workplace environment?
Blog submission schedule
| Choice of topics | Blog submission due dates |
| Grouping individuals and behaviour (T7) Chapter8 | 12/05 - 700 words |
| Grouping individuals and behaviour (T7) Chapter 14-15 (Organisational change OR Organisational culture) | 19/05 - 700 words |
Rationale
This assessment task will assess the following learning outcome/s:
The purpose of this assignment is to complete a critical reflective journal for four OB topics covered in the subject. The aim of this assignment is to enable you to highlight thoughts on each topic as well as demonstrate your understanding of the topics covered in this subject.
Marking criteria and standards
| Criteria | High Distinction |
| Reflection of a workplace practice/situation based on personal observations/ experience Mark: /30% | Reflective practitioner: Examination and evaluation of events/issues that shows evidence of deeper consideration of the impacts of the possible alternative viewpoints and linking back to your own self-appraisal, discussing both, growth and frustrations, as they relate to workplace experiences. |
| Analysis of the key aspects of workplace situation based on application of relevant OB concepts/theories/ models MARKS: /40% | Identify key aspects of the situation and critique strengths and weaknesses of relevant OB concepts/theories/ models with consideration of contextual factors. |
| Develop a strategy for managing own or others behaviour MARKS: /30% | Discuss a strategy for managing own or others behaviour with a purpose of addressing the workplace situation. Suggested strategy is evaluated in terms of why it will work and justified based on the well-balanced arguments from the academic literature. |
Note: A penalty for late submission is 2 marks per post. If all four posts are submitted late, 8 marks will be deducted for this assignment.
Presentation
Guidelines
What is critical reflection?
We tend to use critical reflection when we are trying to make sense of how diverse ideas fit together, when we are trying to relate new ideas to what we already know or when new ideas challenge what we already know, or our beliefs and world-view about how things should be (i.e. taking a deep approach to learning). Reflection is the process we use when working with material that is presented in an unstructured manner, not organized and purified as in a traditional curriculum.
There are different ways of engaging with issues, ideas, events, facts or literature reports -
Descriptive writing:
This is a description of events, issues, ideas, facts or literature reports. There is no discussion beyond description. This writing is considered not to show evidence of reflection.
Descriptive reflection:
There is basically a description of events, issues, ideas, facts or literature reports but the account shows some evidence of deeper consideration in relatively descriptive language. There is no real evidence of the notion of alternative viewpoints in use.
Dialogic reflection:
This writing suggests that there is a 'stepping back' from the events, events, issues, ideas, facts or literature reports which leads to a different level of ‘discussion about' the material. There is consideration of the qualities of judgements and of possible alternatives for explaining and hypothesizing. The reflection is analytical or integrative, linking factors and perspectives.
Critical reflection:
This form of reflection, in addition to dialogic reflection, shows evidence that the learner is aware that the same actions and events may be seen in different contexts with different explanations associated with the contexts. They are influenced by multiple historical and socio-political contexts, for example.
Critical reflection is a skill that can be developed, and which keeping a critical reflective journal is intended to help you with. A key to this is the degree of focus and engagement you can bring to the material.
The following analogy may help you grasp the difference between simple description of issues and deeper reflection:
You go to see a movie that you find bores you. After you come out of it, your friends ask you about the movie. You are not likely to remember much, and your account might cover some of the main events or briefly describe the overall plot, but it will not go much beyond a superficial response.
On the other hand, you see a movie that absorbs you. You are likely to become deeply engaged with the events and the characters on the screen, even to the point of forgetting that you are in a theatre. When your friends ask you about the movie, you are able to give an extended account, describe the key characters, events, and the connections between them, provide nuanced interpretations of what was happening below the surface, consider the action from the point of view of different characters, compare and contrast the movie with other movies, and may even find yourself thinking about particular key aspects of the movie for days afterwards.
Developing your capacity for critical reflection is associated with developing the skills of critical thinking, which have been described in the following terms:
What is a critical reflective blog and why should you use one?
Critical reflection is an opportunity to construct knowledge and meaning from your work. It is one of the most valuable activities you will perform in this course. A critical reflective blog is an instrument for developing your writing skills and critical thinking ability. A critical reflective journal differs from your typical class notes in which you “passively” record data/information given to you by an instructor. It should not be a mere “listing of events” but rather reflect upon lessons you have learned- it's a personal record of your educational experience in class.
An online blog/journal facilitates your documentation of knowledge you are constructing throughout the course. It will help you take control of and direct your own learning experience, identify what you have learned, what questions you have, and what you would like to know more about. You should not only reflect on knowledge gained through materials and discussion, but also new ideas to explore through feedback from others.
More specifically, maintaining a critical reflective blog serves several purposes:
• It facilitates and enables the development of communication and conversation (e.g., between material and yourself; yourself and your teacher).
• It provides regular feedback between you and the instructors and helps to match expectations.
• It works as a platform for synthesizing your developing knowledge and ideas.
• It helps you move from passively remembering the topic material to a more active and questioning engagement with the material, deepening your understanding of the strengths and limitations of key ideas and approaches, and an appreciation of its relevance to practice. This is a part of developing your capacity for critical thinking.
• Helps to identify issues that interest you, that challenging challenge you, and areas that you can improvement upon.
• Aids in clarifying the meaning of key terms by developing a Dictionary of important terms.
What to write?
First write a brief summary of the contents of a topic, chapter or reading material. Then reflect upon the learning activities you have engaged with. Record your own thoughts, ideas, responses and reactions to any of the above. Make notes about concepts, questions you have, and any confusion that may arise. Record new insights and problem-solving strategies realized during discussions with fellow students and instructors. The journal helps you to identify and explain the key issues and to critically reflect and further develop your own thoughts and ideas about it. Be as original and critical (constructive) as you can.
How to write?
You should use whatever style you are comfortable with as long as it is clearly written and sensible, is understandable to another reader (your teacher) and uses correct spelling, grammar and semantics (word meanings).
Expectations
Your blog should meet the following expectations:
Requirements
Submission of blogs in the week when the relevant OB topic is covered in the subject, as indicated in the subject schedule.
Each reflection needs to be based on at least 5-6 journal articles.
Your complete assignment (blogs) will be graded at the end of the session.
As this is a reflection where you are using your own experiences and views, your blogs should be written in first person.
Critical Reflective Blog 2
1. Reflect on a workplace experience that is meaningful and important to you and your growth in the organization
I would like to describe the events within my organisation ITSM Corp., when the management decided to implement the employee attendance software. This change sparked resistance from the employees as their salaries got deducted as per leaves and late attendance without any forewarning. The condition was similar in my department and I had enacted and espoused values help an organization to guide staffs behaviour. The effective communicating was important to manage the behaviour of my team mates in order to make this change permanent. I had learned that to mitigate resistance to changes teamwork plays an important role. Through the reinterpretation of my experience at the time of working in ITSM Corp., I can say that I have learned to apply practical and logical knowledge to lead organizational changes and establish a productive organizational culture. In context to organizational change in ITSM Corp., teamwork and effective communication has been significant for me to managing the employees and promoting organisational behaviour. I realised that working with strong team dynamics improves group member’s motivation and progress performance and productivity (D’Innocenzo et al. 2016). The overall workplace experience has been good and helpful for me to identify that with changing market scenarios one should have skills to quickly adapt and ultimately lead the productivity of the organization.
2. Analyze the chosen situation by applying relevant OB concepts/theories/models from the relevant Topic
In ITSM Corp., the management was aiming to strengthen their cultural values by implementing the employee attendance software. I have found that the dimension of ITSM Corps., organizational culture constitutes an innovative workplace with low cautiousness and fewer rules. I believe this route was beginning to decrease the organizational culture and the effective team orientation and rule-oriented nature of the workplace. In retrospect of the Organizational Behavioural theory, I think that the implementation of Attraction-selection-attrition theory is effective to enforce stronger culture (Meng et al. 2016). The disciple would be helpful for an organization wishing to lead healthy culture by at first understanding individuals that populate it (Link & Jeske, 2017, August). I believe organizational socialisation would be the significant procedure by which person learn values, social knowledge and expected behaviour important to guide their role in the company. On the other hand, ITSM Corps., was establishing the major changes in the employee behaviour management to develop its efficiency in operational areas that can be related with Lewin Force-Field Model. The model helps the organization to diagnose changes against driving and restraining forces (Shrivastava, Shrivastava & Ramasamy, 2017). I think the introduction of the respective model not only be helpful for an organization to identify negative factors becoming a negative force to lead changes but also incorporate significant strategies like strong team-dynamic and well-informed workforces.
3. Develop a strategy for managing own or another employee (s) behaviour with the purpose of addressing the workplace situation
I have encountered at the time of working as Business Development Assosciate that change management is a systematic approach and application of resources and knowledge to deal with changes effectively. In relation to addressing workplace environment aiming to assure productive organizational culture, I believed that the implementation of the operationalizing process would be beneficial to manage staffs. It would be helpful to improve employee’s productivity and efficiency at all levels in an organization. I was committed to handling my team members, informing them about the necessity of the change. I also proposed the executives about introduction of attendance reward systems to motivate the employees into adopting the new culture. On the other hand, the key strategy of managing employee in change management is the high participation of staffs (Nohria, 2017). I believe an organization like ITSM Corps., the implementation of the employee attendance software will lead to stable organizational performance. I will in future inform my team members at first to avoid the disorientation among the employees at the time of organization shifting from old to the new process, they need to be comfortable and supported, where communication is important.
4. Explain what you have learned about the relevant OB topic/yourself/others in the workplace as a result of this reflection exercise
I was initially myself taken aback with the implementation of the employee attendance systems within the ITSM Corps., since a negotiable culture was the norm. Then I had to convince my team members as a manager and make the change implementation easier. I decided to effectively communicate and motivate my employees since I knew lowered motivation would be detrimental to the organisational productivity. In the process of working on topic organizational culture and organizational changes, I have learned that with marketplace frequently changing and becoming a competitive adaptation of new strategies and productive culture is important. I have observed that success is obtained by implementing organizational change, developing staffs, understanding of change, improving their satisfaction and adequate skills through change-related training. I have understood that healthier and effective organizational culture can only be achieved through enforcement of shared-believes, equality at workplace and significant staffs engagement. The only way to motivate the employees towards the acceptance of the change would be introduce a reward system for attendance. I proposed my pan to the executives and they accepted after other managers agreed as well. The culture of an organization is often controlled by the way staffs behave at the workplace (O'Neill, Beauvais & Scholl, 2016). Therefore, the study of learning related to OB topic has made me learn that staffs are driving force of smooth organization change and healthy culture persuades staffs to stay loyal to the management.
Login
Pages: 4
Words: 890