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Individual case analysis: Theory-based case analysis(100%)
Objective: The objective of this coursework is to give students an opportunity to
apply knowledge from the module to a real-world case. Requirements: This coursework asks you to:
1) Select ONE real-world case that is relevant to organisational behaviour (OB). You should choose a real-world case that you have enough information to
analyze. It can be a company or a person, but it must be a REAL case (i.e., a
specific company, a non-business or non-profit organization), or a specific person
(e.g., yourself, a manager, a professional, a worker). When public information is
not available, you should provide detailed information collected through first- hand research methods, e.g. interviews or survey. Please also note that you are:
(a) NOT ALLOWED to select a case that was already analysed in class, in
the ppts, in the seminars, or in the readings (book chapters, journal
papers or any other readings recommended by the lecturers)
(b) NOT ALLOWED to use
Lewin s three-step model of change or
Kotter s eight-step model of the change process for your coursework
2) Analyze the selected case in light of AT LEAST ONE of the organizational
behavior theories taught in class. Below are topics and key theories (you may
select a theory outside the table below, but the theory you choose must be
taught in class or in the textbooks). Topics Key theories
Organisational Change 1. Lewin s three-step model of change
(should not be used for your coursework)
2. Kotter s eight-step model of the change
process (should not be used for your
coursework)
3. Approaches of action research
4. Models of organizational Development
Strategic Decision-making 1. Rational, bounded rationality and intuition
models of decision-making
2. Individual differences and organizational
constraints affect decision making
3. Balanced score card and strategic map
4. SWOT analysis and strategic decision- making
5. Resource-based view of strategic
management
Diversity, Group Behaviour and
Team Management
1. The dual perspectives of group diversity
2. Motivated information processing in
groups (MIP-G) Model
3. Team roles and functions
4. The model of team effectiveness
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Motivating Employees 1. Early theories of motivation (e.g., Hierarchy
of Needs Theory, Two-Factor Theory, McClelland s Theory of Needs)
2. Contemporary theories of motivation (e.g., self-determination theory, goal-setting
theory)
3.Other contemporary theories of motivation
(e.g., self-efficacy theory, reinforcement
theory, equity theory, expectancy theory)
Conflict and Negotiation 1. Conflict categorization(e.g., types of
conflict, loci of conflict )
2. Five-stage conflict process
3. Negotiation strategies and process (e.g., distributive strategy, integrative strategy)
4. Factors impacting negotiation
effectiveness (e.g., individual differences, social context)
Leadership 1. Trait theories of leadership
2. Behavioural theories of leadership
3.Contingency theories of leadership (e.g., the Fiedler Model, Situational Leadership
Theory, Path–Goal Theory)
4.Contemporary theories of leadership (e.g., Member Exchange Theory, Charismatic
Leadership and transformational leadership)
5.Responsible leadership (e.g., Authentic
Leadership, Ethical Leadership, Servant
Leadership)
6. Leadership development
Power and Politics 1. Bases of power
2. Influence tactics
3. Impression management
Individual Differences and
Personnel Selection
1. Criteria of evaluating psychological tests
(e.g., reliability, validity, utility)
2. MBTI and the big-five model
3. Dark traits
4. Competency modelling
5. Attribution theory
6. Perceptual principles and errors
Individual and Orgnisational Career
Management
1. Criteria of evaluating psychological tests
(e.g., reliability, validity, utility)
2. MBTI and the big-five model
3. Dark traits
4. Competency modelling
5. The integrated model of Boundaryless
careers and career success
6. The Identity-Capability-Reward (ICR)
model of person-environment fit
7. The cybernetic development model
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8. The assimilation-accommodation model of
career management
Note that your case analysis must be relevant to organizational behavior, not to
another discipline (e.g., marketing, economics or finance). Assessment criteria: Papers will be marked based on the following criteria:
1. Clarity (15%):
The structure if the paper should be clear and logical; the selected case and
the selected theory should be clearly introduced. 2. Content scope, depth and critical thinking (70%):
Analysis should be informed by theoretical knowledge (i.e. it should be
relevant) and should be critical (i.e., students should demonstrate critical
thinking). Recommendations should be clear, relevant, and applicable. 3. Writing style and originality (15%):
The writing style and the paper layout should meet the requirements
specified in the coursework guide. References should be reliable and
credible. References should be presented using the APA (American
Psychological Association) 7
th style or Harvard style. The coursework should
not be reproduced, in part or in full, from previous work (published or not). The length of the essay: 1,500 words; i.e. 1,350 – 1650 words are allowed, excluding the references. Coursework with more than 1650 words will be treated
as having a major error (as defined in the Business School s Undergraduate
Marking Guide), and will be limited to a maximum mark of 59. *NOTE ABOUT PLAGIARISM* Plagiarism includes referring to the work of other people or other authors
without proper citation as well as self-plagiarism (i.e., reusing your own
work from another module or using the same material in the oral
presentation and the coursework). Your coursework must be ORIGINAL (i.e., it is YOUR work and it is not
reproduced from your previous work). ALWAYS cite your references, no matter if you use the exact words of
another authors or are repeating in your own words what another author
said. Deadline Date for Submission of Coursework: 15:00, 24
th April, 2025.
Five marks will be deducted for each working day (or part thereof) if coursework
is submitted after the official deadline date without an extension having been
obtained. Except in exceptional circumstances, late submission penalties will
apply automatically unless a claim for extenuating circumstances is made within
five calendar days following an assessment deadline. If you need a deadline
extension, contact the Business School Student Support Officer before the
deadline date. The Student Support Officer will provide you with an Extension of
Deadline for the Submission of Coursework form. This form must be signed by the
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Officer and attached to your coursework when it is submitted. Extensions will
only be given in exceptional circumstances such as illness (which needs verifying
evidence from a doctor) and in the case of significant personal/family problems. Short-term illness (less than 7 days) is not normally regarded as an extenuating
circumstance for coursework. Late penalties will not be implemented if a claim for
extenuating circumstances is retrospectively approved. For Organisational Behaviour, you are required to submit one online copy of your
coursework through Turnitin. A hard copy will NOT be required for this module. Online submission through Turnitin in Moodle
The format of your document should be in either MS Word or PDF (PDF is more
desirable). It should be less than 20mb, less than 400 pages and more than 25
words in length. PDFs must not be scans (images). Further information on preparing your document is available at the Student Moodle
Help site: http://bit.ly/studentmoodle
To upload your document into Turnitin: Ensure you have popups enabled in your browser before attempting to
submit Log into Moodle using your University username and password
Navigate to the module page for which you would like to submit an
assignment On the Moodle page for the module, you should find a link with a Turnitin
icon: to submit coursework; click on this link text Within the submission page which then appears, towards the bottom right
of the page click on Submit Paper A pop up window will appear where you can add your file. Enter details in
the Submission Title window. If you are using Chrome, Firefox or IE10 (and
above) you will be able to drag your document into the File to
Submit section. Alternatively you can press the icon on the top left of this section to upload
the file in the traditional way. If you select the alternative way then another
pop up window will generate. Press the Choose File button in the centre
top of the screen. Select your file from your device and then press Upload
this file. The document should appear in the File to Submit section
There is an own work and copyright infringement declaration checkbox in
the next section which needs to be ticked. Once that has been ticked, click
the Add Submission button below
The screen will change momentarily and will say uploading to Turnitin The screen will then change once more and a digital receipt will generate. The digital receipt contains a Turnitin submission ID, which you should
make a note of. An extract of your submission will also appear below. Click outside the popup window to close it. The pop up window will close and you will be returned to the submission
page. However, you should now see within the Submitted column the date
and time when you submitted your assignment. You will also see the Paper
ID of your assignment and its title. Please note that you cannot re-submit a piece of coursework. It is therefore
imperative that you check your work for any errors or omissions (for example any
missing references or missing pages) prior to submission, as you will not be
allowed to re-submit an updated version
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GENERAL GUIDANCE
1) Select ONE real-world case that is relevant to organizational behavior (OB). You should choose a real-world case that you have enough information to
analyze. It can be a company or a person, but it must be a REAL case (i.e., a
specific company, a non-business or non-profit organization), or a specific person
(e.g., yourself, a manager, a professional, a worker). When public information is
not available, you should provide detailed information collected through first- hand research methods, e.g. interviews or survey. Please also note that you are:
(a) NOT ALLOWED to select a case that was already analyzed in class, in
the ppts, in the seminars, or in the readings (book chapters, journal
papers or any other readings recommended by the lecturers)
(b) NOT ALLOWED to use
Lewin s three-step model of change or
Kotter s eight-step model of the change process for your coursework
2) Analyze the selected case in light of AT LEAST ONE of the organizational
behavior theories taught in class. Below are topics and key theories (you may
select a theory outside the table, but the theory you choose must be taught in
class or in the textbooks). As a starting point, students are asked to find a real-world case, and conduct
research on the case. The case can be a recent one or an older one, a successful
case or a case of failure, but it must be a REAL case. It is expected that you will
engage in reading and research. Practice-oriented sources of information: Harvard Business Review, Wall Street
Journal, Academy of Management Learning & Education, California Management
Review, The Economist, BusinessWeek, Management Today, MIT Sloan
Management Review, Forbes, Fortune, and so on. Most of these journals and magazines can be accessed via the university library
database: EBSCO BUSINESS SOURCE PREMIER:
https://nusearch.nottingham.edu.cn/primo- explore/fulldisplay docid=44NOTCH_ALMA6136126320005563&context=L&vid=4
4NOTCH&lang=en_US&search_scope=44NOTCH_COMPLETE&adaptor=Local%20S
earch%20Engine&tab=44notch_complete&query=any,contains,EBSCO&offset=0
Academic journals: Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management
Annals, Academy of Management Review, Administrative Science Quarterly, Organization Science, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Vocational
Behavior, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Management, Personnel
Psychology, Human Relations, Group & Organization Management, Human
Resource Management, Human Resource Management Review, Human Resource
Management Journal, International Journal of Human Resource Management, and
so on.
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Most of these academic journals can be accessed via the university library
database:
WEB OF SCIENCE:
https://nusearch.nottingham.edu.cn/primo- explore/fulldisplay docid=44NOTCH_ALMA6147130700005563&context=L&vid=4
4NOTCH&lang=en_US&search_scope=44NOTCH_COMPLETE&adaptor=Local%20S
earch%20Engine&tab=44notch_complete&query=any,contains,web%20of%20scie
nce
Good papers demonstrate accurate understanding of theoretical knowledge, and
connect the theory and the case comprehensively and accurately. They are well- written and systematically structured, and reflect appropriate scope and
engagement with published literature. In addition to the aforementioned qualities, the best papers will reflect the student s capacity for critical thinking –they
provide a clear, analytic discussion, argue succinctly for a particular position, and
consider and rebut potential objections. These papers also provide theoretical or
empirical evidence to contextualize and justify their arguments, reflecting a
sophisticated engagement with scholarly resources. Papers which present personal opinion unsupported by theory or research or that
are not relevant to organizational behavior will score few points. Papers that
reflect misunderstandings about theoretical knowledge, that are incoherent, lack
structure, and/or appropriate scope will score poorly. PARTS OF THE COURSEWORK
The coursework should be arranged in the following order:
1. Title page
2. Main text
3. References
4. Appendixes
Please, note that part 4 (Appendixes) is optional and not included in wordcount. Interview questions, survey questionnaires and other supplementary materials
can be provided as appendixes. Do not use footnotes or endnotes, but
incorporate all the relevant information into the text. 1. Title page
This page should look as follows:
BUSI1086 Organisational Behaviour
Coursework Title
Student ID Number
date of submission
Word count: [insert your exact word count]
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2. Main text
The text should be left-justified, with the first line of each paragraph beginning
with the tab. It should be structured into sections with each section beginning
with a heading. Keep the heading on the same page as the first paragraph of the
section/subsection it belongs to. Remember that all the text should be double spaced.
It is expected that the main body of your assignment is written in a narrative
format, i.e., the EXTENSIVE use of bullet points, numbered lists, figures/graphs is
inappropriate in academic writing. The main text should begin with an introduction and finish with a conclusion. A
small number of headings/subheadings can help structure the main body of your
coursework and help the reader understand the flow of ideas. 2.1 Introduction
Key questions to ask yourself when writing the introduction: Do you introduce clearly the organizational behavior topic covered in the
coursework Do you explain how your will discuss this topic in the coursework (e.g., the
case you will use, the theory or theories you will put forward, the key
research methods, and the main sections of the coursework)
2.2 Main body
The main body of your coursework should present the analysis of the case you
choose in light of at least ONE THEORY from the module. This analysis must
reflect CRITICAL THINKING. The main body should also include
RECOMMENDATIONS to improve managerial practice. Theory-based analyses: Choose a theory or several theories that are most
relevant and adequate for the case analysis; provide a comprehensive theoretical
analysis of the focal topic; the analyses should closely link theories to
management practices and recommendations. In the context of this coursework, you should ask yourself: Do you introduce clearly the theory you choose Do you
explain why this theory is relevant to analyze the case Do you present its main
characteristics accurately and in your own words Do you connect clearly the case
and the theory Is your analysis in-depth and thorough Is it broad enough
Critical thinking: Critical thinking/reflection means making reasoned judgments
that are logical and well-thought out. It is a way of thinking in which you don’t
simply accept all arguments and conclusions you are exposed to but rather have
an attitude involving questioning such arguments and conclusions. In the context
of this coursework, you should ask yourself: Did I use valid sources of information
for my analyses Is there any aspects of the case that are important but not
covered by my analysis What are the pros and cons of the practices analyzed in
your analyses Is the case aligned with what the theory predicted Does the
theory have any limitations Are they reflected by my analyses Critical reflection
can take many forms, but it basically means that you carefully reflect on the
analyses you did.
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Recommendation: After your case analysis and your critical reflections, you are
asked to present practical recommendations. Here, the questions that you should
answer are: based on my analysis and my reflections, what do I recommend to
managers or employees involved in the case I analyzed How to concretely solve
the problem or how to concretely maintain the success What can I recommend to
managers and organizations facing similar situations Here, you should make
informed recommendations, i.e., recommendations based on theory, analysis, facts, evidence, research, etc. Provide justifications to support the
recommendations and discuss its relevance; integrate insights from theories and
evidence, adding significant value to the management practices in the case. 2.3 Conclusion
Key questions to ask yourself when writing the conclusion: Do you summarize the critical elements from your analysis Do you provide final thoughts or final insights to conclude the
reflection/analytical process undertaken in the coursework
3. CITATIONS IN THE TEXT
Citations in the text should follow Harvard referencing style. Citations to
references should be designated throughout the text by enclosing the authors’ names and year of the reference in parentheses. The course work requires you to
use APA 7 Style or Harvard Style of citations and references. Check here for examples of APA 7 Style citations:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_an
d_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
4. REFERENCES
References should include ALL work cited/used in the coursework. References
should be reliable and credible. You should minimally have two references, one
for your case if it is from public sources and one for your theory. There is no
maximum number of references. Generally speaking, 5-10 good references should
be enough. Remember that this coursework is a case analysis. What matters is the
ANALYSIS you do, not the number of famous authors you cite…
References in Chinese are allowed BUT have to be reliable/credible AND must be
combined with English case description in the text. For the presentation of
Chinese references in the reference list, please note that references must be
translated in English (i.e., name of author, name of article, name of journal, etc.). References should be presented according to the APA 7 or Harvard referencing
style. References should begin on a new page, with the word
REFERENCES
centred in caps and boldface above the section. References should be double spaced, left-justified with hanging indent. Please cross-check your text with the reference list to make sure that every
reference you cite in one appears in the other and that each reference is complete;
double-check the spelling of authors’ names.
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List references in alphabetical order by the last name of the author (first author if
more than one) or the editor, or by the corporate author (e.g., U.S. Census
Bureau), or periodical name (e.g., Wall Street Journal) if there is no indication of
individual authors or editors. World Wide Web sources must be acknowledged following the basic rules for
conventional sources. Check here for examples of APA 7 Style references:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_an
d_style_guide/reference_list_author_authors.html
5. LATE SUBMISSIONS
Five marks will be deducted for each working day (or part thereof) if coursework
is submitted after the official deadline date without an extension having been
obtained. Except in exceptional circumstances, late submission penalties will
apply automatically unless a claim for extenuating circumstances is made within
five calendar days following an assessment deadline. If you need a deadline
extension, complete the form available from:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/services/extenuating-circumstances.aspx
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Marking rubric
0-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-100
Inadequate Poor Insufficient Mediocre Satisfactory Good Excellent
Clarity
(15%)
Fail to identify
the case by
name; miss
critical
elements.
Identify the
case by name
but provide
little to no
further detail;
miss some key
elements.
Identify the
case and its
background but
lacks depth;
introduce some
basic elements.
Identify the
case and
background
information;
include basic
information on
most key
elements.
Identify the
topic, case and
some other
relevant
details; contain
all key
elements and
additional
points of
interest.
Provide a
comprehensive
introduction; all
key elements
are addressed, and an
overarching
framework is
provided.
Provide an
exceptional, clear
introduction to
the topic, case
and relevant
theories; offer a
well-organized
overarching
framework for
the whole report. Theory- based
analysis
(20%)
Fail to identify
key theories
related to the
case.
Identify some
key theories, but the analysis
lacks depth and
detail.
Identify some
theories; try to
summarize their
relevance but
lacks depth.
Choose
theories that
are somewhat
relevant; there
is some theory- based analysis
of the focal
topic; limited
use of theories
to guide
recommendatio
ns.
Choose
theories that
are relevant
for the
analysis;
provide a
theoretical
analysis of the
focal topic; use
theories to
guide
recommendati
ons.
Choose theories
that are relevant
and adequate
for the analysis;
provide a
comprehensive
theoretical
analysis of the
focal topic; link
theories to
management
practices and
recommendatio
ns.
Choose theories
that are most
relevant and
adequate for the
analysis; provide
an exceptional, comprehensive
theoretical
analysis of the
focal topic;
closely link
theories to
management
practices and
recommendation
s. Critical False use of Contain at least Information Limited sources Different Different Synthesize
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thinking
(30%)
information. Fail to identify
any strengths
and
shortcomings
of management
practices; no
evidence
presented to
support claims.
one factual
inaccuracy. Fail
to discuss
strengths and
shortcomings in
detail; limited
evidence
presented and
insufficient to
support the
claims.
mostly accurate
but may
contain minor
inaccuracies. Identify some
strengths and
shortcomings
of management
theories and
practices;
present some
evidence but
may not fully
support claims.
of literature. Information is
accurate. Identify key
strengths and
shortcomings
of management
theories and
practices; cite a
reasonable
amount of
evidence but
may miss some
key aspects.
sources of
literature are
included. Information is
accurate, relevant, and
detailed. Cover
a range of
strengths and
shortcomings
of
management
theories and
practices; the
evidence is
collected from
multiple
sources.
sources of
literature are
integrated. Information is
accurate, up-to- date, and
presented in
depth. Provide a
critical
discussion of the
strengths and
shortcomings of
management
theories and
practices;
different sources
of information
are integrated
into the analysis.
various sources
of literature to
offer new
perspectives. Information is
accurate, comprehensive, relevant, and up
to date; provide
an exceptional, comprehensive
and critical
discussion of the
strengths and
shortcomings of
management
practices;
different sources
of information
are cross- validated are
integrated into
the analysis. Recommen
dations
(20%)
Fail to provide
a proposed
recommendatio
n; no clear
connection to
theories.
Provide
recommendatio
ns but with very
limited detail or
rationale; show
a minimal
Provide
justifications to
support the
recommendatio
ns but lack
depth; show a
weak
Provide some
justifications to
support the
recommendatio
ns; relate to
theories but
Provide
satisfactory
justifications
to support the
recommendati
ons and
Provide
comprehensive
justification to
support the
recommendatio
ns and discuss
Provide
exceptional, comprehensive
justification to
support the
recommendation
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connection to
theories. connection to
theories. could connect
more
comprehensivel
y.
discuss their
relevance;
relate to the
theories and
have some
management
implications.
their relevance;
relate to the
theories and
evidence, adding value to
the
management
practices in the
case.
s and discuss its
relevance;
integrate insights
from theories
and evidence, adding
significant value
to the
management
practices in the
case. Writing
style (15%)
Do not cite
sources or
provide
incorrect
citations. Extremely poor
structure;
grammatical
errors and poor
language.
Cite very few
sources and
possibly
incorrectly. Lack of a clear
structure;
contain multiple
grammatical
errors.
Cite some
relevant
sources but
may miss key
literature. Less organized
structure; some
grammatical
errors are
present
Cite a
reasonable
number of
sources but still
miss some key
literature. Structure is
generally clear
but might lack
a logical flow;
few
grammatical
errors.
Cite most of
the key
literature. Show a broad
understanding
of the field. Structure is
clear and
logical; well- written with
minimal
grammatical
errors.
Cite all key
literature;
Structure is very
clear, and
logical, and
enhances the
understanding. Well-written
with no
grammatical
errors
Cite all literature
with proper
referencing style;
exceptionally
clear, logical
structure that
enhances
comprehension. exceptionally
well-written with
no grammatical
errors.