This document provides an overview of the topics and activities covered in Week 4 of a management course. It includes: - A discussion of contingency theory and contemporary management theories compared to classical theories. - An illustrative case study on the rise and fall of Ford Australia to analyze using different management approaches. - An assignment to develop a skeleton outline for an individual essay arguing whether planning is useful for managers. - An exam preparation activity analyzing the contributions of Hawthorne Studies and differences between contingency theory and early management theories.

1. Week 4:
Evolution of Management
Thought (2)
Monash
Business &
Economics

2. 2
 1. Draw a mind map of week 3’s topic
 2. Grade Week 3’s self-reflections.
 3. Any Qs?
Block 1. Mind map, self-reflections and
inquiries

3. 3
Reflecting on your weekly reflection!
(1). Your final grade is not necessarily the average of the two student
examiners’ marked grades.
(2). Provide an overall Grade, be aware Critical reasoning takes up 60%
of the total grade.
(3). Within the word limit 300 (10% above or below).
(4). 1 page. Otherwise, printed-out copy is missing words.
(5). READ SUBMISSION GUIDELINES CAREFULLY.
– Title of Topic and Week Number at the top of the page
– Your student ID (do not include your name)
– Times New Roman, 12 size font, and 1.5 spacing.
– The reflection cannot be more than a single A4 page.
(6). Confused when grading? Understandable.

4.  Taylor’s 4 principles of scientific management
 General Administrative Theory
 Understand how they have been and still are
being applied in organisations.
Last week: Classical Theories

5. Organisational behaviour Approach
 Hawthorne Studies (motivation)
 Human Relations (employee satisfaction)
 Behavioural science
 Contingency Approach
Understand the historical and cultural context of these
theories and their applicability to contemporary
management practices
Examine the legacy and contribution of the Hawthorne
Studies to the discipline of management
Explore current trends and issues relating to management
This week: OB &Contemporary Theories

6. 6
 The rise and fall of Ford Australia (pp. 69-71)
In groups of 3-4, develop & justify your answers for:
1. Henry Ford built the Ford Motor Company following the principles of scientific
management advocated by Taylor. Did this have a positive or negative impact on the
level of global success achieved by the company over the past century?
2. Why did Ford Australia decide to adopt a management approach in the 1980s that was
more reflective of the organisational behaviour approach than scientific management?
3. What challenges did the Ford Motor Company experience during and in the aftermath of
the global financial crisis? How did the company respond to these challenges?
4. Does the contingency theory offer insights into what factors may have influenced various
management decisions undertaken at Ford Australia?
5. Are there any emerging trends and issues influencing Ford Australia’s operations and
management practices today?
6. What does the proposed closedown of Ford Australia in October 2016 mean for the wider
Australian automotive sector? Should the Australian government intervene the same way
the US government did with General Motors & Chrysler during the GFC?
Block 2. Illustrative case study

7. 7
 Referencing exercise
 Assignment 2 - Individual Essay (Part I)
Due on or before midnight (via Moodle), Friday, April 15, 2016 (i.e. week 6)
Worth 10%
Details of Task
Students are required to develop a one-page skeleton (i.e. Part I of Assignment 2) for an argumentative essay to be
submitted on the following topic as Part II of Assignment 2.
“In an increasingly globalised world where volatility and uncertainty abounds, engaging in planning is a futile exercise
for contemporary managers.”
Through the use of relevant theory and real-life company examples, students are required to write an argumentative
academic essay addressing the above statement as Part II of Assignment 2.
Part I of Assignment 2 (i.e. this assessment) requires students to develop a skeleton for the essay containing the
following:
introduction: purpose, scope, structure, stance taken;
body: paragraph 1 theme, paragraph 2 theme, paragraph 3 theme and so on;
conclusion: summary of key arguments, stance taken, future of subject matter covered in essay;
References: List of key references (APA format)
READ SUBMISSION GUIDELINES CAREFULLY.
Block 3. Class activity

8. 8
 Short Answer Question (5 marks each)
1. Briefly describe Max Weber’s contribution to the general
administrative theory of management and to the evolution of
management in general;
2. Briefly discuss how today’s managers use general administrative
theories of management.
Block 4: Exam preparation for last week

9. 9
 Work in pairs, swap & grade each other’s work using the
marking template below:
1. Briefly describe Max Weber’s contribution to the general administrative
theory of management and to the evolution of management in general;
 Max Weber described an ideal type of organisation called bureaucracy
characterised by division of labour, a clearly defined hierarchy, detailed
rules and regulations and impersonal relationships. Rules and controls were
to be applied uniformly, avoiding involvement with individual personalities
and preferences of employees.
Marking template for Q1
Identifying the theory of
bureaucracy
Briefly explaining Weber’s
contribution to the general
administrative theory and
evolution of management
Overall quality
0.5 mark 4 marks 0.5 mark

10. 10
 Briefly discuss how today’s managers use general administrative theories of
management.
 Many of our current management ideas and practices can be traced to Fayol’s
14 principles of management. For example, principle 14 ‘esprit de corps’ or
promoting team spirit is as important and relevant in today’s organisations as
it was nearly a hundred years ago. The functional view—that managers plan,
organise, lead and control—can also be traced to Henri Fayol. The same
applies to Weber’s bureaucracy ideas. Although his model may not be as
popular today as it was in the 20th. Century, some of these bureaucratic
mechanisms are still necessary in large organisations in order to ensure that
resources are used efficiently and effectively.
Marking template for Q2
Listing the two main
contributors
Briefly explaining how today’s
managers use general
administrative theories of
management
Overall quality
0.5 mark 2 marks each per contributor 0.5 mark

11. 11
1. Briefly explain the contribution of Hawthorne Studies to the field of
management;
2. Briefly explain how the contingency approach differs from the early
theories of management.
Block 4: Exam preparation for week 4

12. 12
 The Hawthorne Studies, conducted at the Western Electric Company Works in Cicero, Illinois from
1924 through the early 1930s, exposed an experimental group of workers to various lighting
intensities while providing a control group with constant intensity. As the level of light was
increased in the experimental group, the output of both groups increased. The series of studies
led to a new emphasis on the human behaviour factor and helped change the dominant theme of
the time which held that employees were no different to any other machines the organisation
used.
 Or to be more specific, the Hawthorne Studies dramatically impacted management beliefs about
the role of people in organisations, leading to a new emphasis on the human behaviour factor in
managing. The behavioural approach has largely shaped how today’s organisations are managed.
Many current theories of motivation, leadership, group behaviour and development and other
behavioural issues can be traced to the early OB advocates and the conclusions from the
Hawthorne Studies.
Marking template for Q1
Describing the Hawthorne
Studies
Briefly explaining contributions
of the Hawthorne Studies to the
field of management
Overall quality
0.5 mark 4 marks 0.5 mark

13. 13
 The contingency approach recognises that organisations are different, face different situations
(contingencies) and require different ways of managing. This is quite different from the early
theories of management that were assumed to be universally applicable. The contingency
approach has helped managers to understand that different and challenging situations require
managers to use different approaches and techniques. The contingency approach allows the
manager to adapt his or her action to the situation and in so doing, increases the probability that
the action will improve organisational effectiveness.
Marking template for Q2
Defining the contingency theory Briefly explaining how the
contingency approach differs
from the early theories of
management
Overall quality
0.5 mark 4 marks 0.5 mark

14. 14
1. Complete MCQ for week 5;
2. Complete the weekly self-reflection for topic 4:
3. Read the “Icelandic volcano” case on pages 297-298 in the text
book.
4. Begin research for the individual essay—Part 1 (i.e., skeleton)
 Have a good Easter break!
Assignment reminder for NEXT WEEK