SHEILA MAY B. BALBINTask 1: Written Questions

1. Project team meetings -Project teams may be formed for all manner of reasons. In a large organisation there may be many different projects being carried out at the same time. Large projects, such as the implementation of a new IT system, would necessarily involve the establishment of sub-groups to handle different aspects of the project. In a change management programme for example, one team may be formed to deal with the human resources aspects of organisational change, while another deals with organisational structure and work process changes, with yet another for the development of new IT infrastructures. It is important that minutes are taken at project review meetings which clearly highlight the salient issues, the key decisions and the agreed actions.

Committee meetings- These are meetings involving a group of people who have been drawn from a larger group for the purposes of managing specific issues. There are many different types of committees within organisations and requirements in terms of the minutes will vary. The general principles of clarity and brevity will usually apply, although some committees (e.g. joint consultative committees) may require a greater level of background detail.

Internal Staff Meetings- are those meetings which are attended mainly by internal staff. Such meetings are generally held to discuss issues like production planning, falling sales etc. Such meetings account for more than 60% of the meetings that are held in any organization every year. Given the time spent in such meetings it is necessary to ensure that internal meetings are held efficiently. Wasting precious time in meetings that lack focus or drive, are goodsufficient reason to send a few managerial heads rolling! In this management related article, we discuss issues related to internal meetings, and find ways to make them more effective.

Regular Departmental meetings- These are periodic or one-off meetings attended by all departmental staff to discuss and address departmental issues (e.g. reviewing performance, setting objectives, reporting on the outcome of actions taken and discussing any other matters in connection with departmental operations). It is usual to take minutes at such meetings.

Board of Directors Meeting- The directors of a company are responsible for managing its business on a day-to-day basis. It is important that directors are not negligent in the execution of their duties and the minutes of board meetings provide evidence of the decisions taken. The minutes should record the decisions taken and provide sufficient background to those decisions. Therefore, the minutes of board meetings will be lengthier than the minutes of general meetings, but they should still be concise and provide a clear summary of the decisions taken.

Annual General Meeting (AGM)- A formal meeting, held annually, where, in the case of a company, those responsible for running it (the directors) meet with those who own it (the shareholders). The AGM for a public limited company (Plc) must be held annually and can be quite a high-profile affair. These meetings may be open to media scrutiny and require a lot of careful thought and planning. For private limited companies, the articles may stipulate that an AGM should be held, but there is no longer a statutory requirement to do so (Companies Act 2006). Similarly, with regard to charities, the AGM provides an opportunity for the members to meet with those running the charity (trustees and/or officers) to ask questions about the management of the charity prior to voting. The governing document will state whether an AGM is required. The articles will stipulate whether an AGM is required for charitable companies. Minutes should be taken at an AGM. In terms of style and format, you should check the requirements regarding layout and level of detail. It is helpful to study examples from previous years, particularly if youre taking the minutes of an AGM for the first time. Usually the style will be succinct and forma

2. A Formal MeetingFormal meetings follow set meeting procedures that are not always used for informal meetings. The following three types of meetings are formal: Annual General Meetings Extraordinary General Meetings Board Meetings They all have: An Agenda A Notice of Meeting Motions are put, discussed and voted on following certain rules Proposers and Seconders of motions have their names recorded in the minutes. Structured Minutes are taken. Formal meetings present an organisations efforts or prospects to another organisation and usually involved two or more organisations for discussion and decision making.An Informal MeetingSemi-formal and informal meetings do not necessarily follow all the rules of formal meetings, though they usually have the same documentation, such as an agenda and minutes.Staff meetings, club meetings and any meeting which is a get-together for managing an organization and making decisions for the group are often semi-formal or informal meetings.At informal meetings there are often no motions put and voted upon - these may be information sharing or reporting meetings. The meeting may make decisions informally, with these recorded in the minutes, but not necessarily a proposer or seconder.Informal meetings sometimes do not have a notice of meeting or an agenda. They occasionally do not take down minutes, but sometimes, they have all three. It often depends on the rules of the organization that is holding the meeting. Most business meetings and meetings of registered organizations, such as sporting clubs, are required to keep records of meetings and these meetings are often semi-formal, rather than informal.Informal meetings can include general staff meetings, work in progress meetings, sales meetings, training meetings, emergency meetings etc., and informal meetings usually only involved people from within an organization.

3. The order of items constitutes a logical flow but exact terminology may vary and not every section necessarily needs to be included in every meeting. Informal groups are unlikely to follow a structure such as this but, as previously noted, that doesnt mean that a structure is not followed even if it is unwritten. Indeed it is very important that relatively informal meetings, such as team briefings, have a clear direction; they are no less important to the operations of the organisation than the more formal meetings. The rules applicable to formal meetings (e.g. general meetings and board meetings) are usually laid down in an organisations governing document; in the case of a company, this would be the memorandum and articles of association. For example, a meeting is said to be quorate when the minimum number of directors entitled to vote are present. The quorum is usually fixed by the articles. If this is not the case then the common law rule applies (i.e. a quorum is a majority of the directors. A committee may compile additional rules or bye-laws regarding the conducting of business and meetings; these are known as standing orders. It is also important that the purpose and objectives of committees and sub-committees are clearly understood. Details regarding a committees membership, the scope of its duties and the extent of its powers should be clearly defined in the terms of reference document. At board meetings it is quite rare for a formal vote to be taken, with decisions often arrived at by consensus. However, a generic overview of voting procedures is provided below. This is followed by a glossary of terms relating to the conducting of formal meetings. Determine whether a meeting is essential. What are the burning issues that necessitate this meeting? If business can be handled electronically, through phone calls, or with other means, dont have a meeting. Plan the meeting carefully, ascertaining who needs to be there, why, when, and for how long. Make sure everyone invited to the meeting knows these details. Prepare an agenda and send it to participants. Email makes it easier for people to respond immediately about their attendance or requested changes in the agenda. Allow ample advance time for regular mail. The more people who come to your meeting, the longer it is likely to be. Consider meetings with fewer participants, but make sure you have a communication network that supports ongoing, prompt sharing of information among all parties.

4. Make sure everyone knows why their presence is necessary for the meetings business. This conveys the need for personal responsibility and honors their efforts to attend. -- Remind everyone who should attend the meeting about one business day before it is scheduled, and give out directions (and parking information) to the meeting one more time. It is also helpful to include a contact phone number in case questions come up (try not to make it yoursyou have enough to do). Get to the meeting early, and set up the environment so that business can start on time. Post the meeting site on the front door or front desk if the building is large and unfamiliar to some participants. Have a clock visible to the facilitator of the meeting

5. Making suitable arrangements for a meeting is a skill. The activities that are required to plan and organise a meeting need to be done in a sequence. Excellent time management skills are needed as some things need to be done well in advance, and others the day before. For example, the booking of a venue and notice of meeting will need to be done well in advance, while the setting up of the room need only be done the day before As well as preparing for the meeting itself, many additional arrangements may need to be made such as booking accommodation and catering. The order of Agenda items is important, as well as roughly anticipating the time needed for each item. The meeting must be well organised so that it flows smoothly and has a positive outcome. The cost of a meeting is another important aspect to be considered by the person requesting the meeting. Will the participant need a replacement person in the workplace? Will the participant require transport/accommodation? Is the meeting going to justify the cost involved? Is there another way to hold this meeting such as a teleconference?6. PurposeCharacteristicsType

Dealing with informationeg giving or receiving reports, issuing instructions, announcing and explaining new proceduresup to three peopleinformal

four or more people or a teamformal

needs feedback & discussioninformal or formal

keeps directors up to dateformal

involves shareholdersAGM or EGM

involves informing many peoplepublic

involves speakers giving informationconference

Solving problemseg handling grievancesonly one other personone-to-one

needs input from several people or a teamone-off committee

concerns an urgent problemimpromptu

Making Decisionseg choosing between options, obtaining authorisation, deciding on a course of actionneeds quick decision of concerns non-standard business matterimpromptu

involves regular business matterformal

needs discussion or authorisation at the highest levelboard

needs authorisation from the shareholders of a companyAGM or EGM

Encouraging New Ideaseg generating creative solutionsneeds creative ideas to be discussedinformal

needs new ideas to be invented quicklybrainstorming

needs reports on issues to be considered, discussed and preparedformal

7. Arrange any resources required check with the presenters to see if they require an electronic whiteboard, video projector, screen and litepro (to attach to a laptop for a presentation), photocopier, etc check with the organisers to see if they require telephone or videoconferencing equipmentA. To work out a meetings total cost: calculatethe combined salaries of all the participants (hourly rates) addthe annual cost of their organisations overheads divided by the number of working hours in the year add service costs (secretarial support and preparing handouts etc) add other hourly costs e.g. room hire add transport costs add cost of refreshmentsB. How to Choose a Meeting Venue

When choosing a venue for your next meeting or conference there is more to consider than just the budget. Taking into account who is attending, from how far and how many you should plan to ask the following about any potential venue:

Suitability Doesthe venuefit the company's corporate image? Does it give the correct impression for this particular meeting? Will it appeal to the target audience? Will the venue's staff add to the attendees' experience in a positive way?

Location Is the venue easily accessible to those attending? Does the location offer the necessary road/rail/air links? Is the venue location suitable for any extra events/shows/excurisions that have been planned? Is the location quiet, close enough to accommodation if required, in a safe area, etc...

Availability Is the venue available on the dates required? Are any extras such as equipment, accommodation, etc. available on the dates required? How flexible are they if you have to change the meeting date?

Size Is the seating capacity suitable? Arethe meeting roomslarge enough to provide a comfortable experience for those attending? Are the meeting rooms well laid out? Do they allow for good views of the speaker without any obstructions? Does the venue allow attendees to move around without bottlenecks and delays?

Facilities Does the venue have a variety of rooms if required? An auditorium if necessary? Small rooms for break away meetings? Can the venue offer a projector, electronic whiteboard, stationery, etc. Does the venue offer wifi internet access? Do they have a photocopying/fax service? Can they make available laptops or PC if required? Can they providerefreshments, tea/coffee/meals? Are vegetarians, vegans and those with specific dietary requirements catered for? Does the venue have enough parking spaces? Are the rooms well ventilated and temperature controlled? Will disabled delegates be catered for? Is therea restaurantor bar for post-meeting networking and entertainment? Do they have sports and leisure facilities such as a pool or gym? Can the venue also provide accommodation if required?

Cost Does the venue fall within the budget for this meeting? What type of rates do they offer i.e.: 24 hour per delegate rate, individual room hire rate, etc... Can they offer any discounts? Can the price be negotiated? Does the overall cost, all extras included, compare favourably with other offers/options (i.e.: hotel accommodation at a separate location to the meeting or dining elsewhere) Are there hidden costs? When is payment required? Is a deposit required and if so how much and how far in advance? What is their cancellation policy? Will you receive a full or partial refund?

A lot of the above questions can be answered by a visit to the venue's website and by asking for a quote. If it is a venue you have never used before you may want to ask the opinion of other companies that have held meetings and conferences there to find out what their experience was like. If the meeting or conference is an important one you may wish to visit the venue personally to get a first hand impression of the layout, suitability and, very importantly, the attitude of the management and staff.

At the end of the day you want to get the most out of your meeting and the venue you choose has to add rather than detract from the experience of those attending. So take the time to choose carefully.

C. Determine whether a meeting is essential. What are the burning issues that necessitate this meeting? If business can be handled electronically, through phone calls, or with other means, dont have a meeting Plan the meeting carefully, ascertaining who needs to be there, why, when, and for how long. Make sure everyone invited to the meeting knows these details. Prepare an agenda and send it to participants. Email makes it easier for people to respond immediately about their attendance or requested changes in the agenda. Allow ample advance time for regular mail. The more people who come to your meeting, the longer it is likely to be. Consider meetings with fewer participants, but make sure you have a communication network that supports ongoing, prompt sharing of information among all parties. Make sure everyone knows why their presence is necessary for the meetings business. This conveys the need for personal responsibility and honors their efforts to attend. Remind everyone who should attend the meeting about one business day before it is scheduled, and give out directions (and parking information) to the meeting one more time. It is also helpful to include a contact phone number in case questions come up (try not to make it yoursyou have enough to do). Get to the meeting early, and set up the environment so that business can start on time. Post the meeting site on the front door or front desk if the building is large and unfamiliar to some participants. Have a clock visible to the facilitator of the meetingD. Operational ReviewMany leaders use an operational review as an ongoing topic for business meetings. Each department reports on progress and updates the rest of the management team on issues, problems and success stories. You can also use this time to question your managers about your concerns regarding their department or function. Supporting materials are essential for this type of meeting, and slides and handouts are recommended as a way to enhance explanations. Interaction is also encouraged because this type of meeting is frequently simply one-way communication.Team TrainingA topic that frequently should be on your business agenda is training. You can use this time to educate your staff on the latest products and services your company offers or to demonstrate new procedures. You can bring in outside vendors and consultants to teach your people about management skills or the latest software products. Frequent training sessions during your business meetings keep your people up to date and demonstrate your continued commitment to their success.Creativity and New IdeasHow to be more creative, and a discussion of new ideas for your company, should be a part of your business meetings. Time devoted to discovering new ways to do things and exploring additional business opportunities takes your organization toward the future, while staying ahead of your competition. Explore what the competition is doing and how you can do things better. Look at new products and ideas and invite presentations from vendors on their new products or services. This agenda topic also motivates your people to use these new concepts in their jobs.

RecognitionAn often underutilized topic for business meetings is recognition for your employees. Set aside time at your meetings to honor those associates who have served your company. Distribute awards and recognition for company anniversaries, years with your organization and special achievement awards for sales and service. Award prizes for contests and events such as best new ideas and customer service excellence, and distribute prizes at these meetings. Public recognition of a job well done encourages both the recipient and others in the room to strive for better and future accomplishments.E. name of the group, place, time, and date of the meeting names of committee members present (send a sign in sheet around during the meeting) names of committee members excused or absent list of observers and guests, including their affiliation a statement that the minutes of the previous meeting were approved as read or revised key items discussed in the order listed on the agenda, with a brief description of the discussion (an actual transcript is usually unnecessary), important comments, decisions, questions, and action steps. It is also very important to document any motions made, the names of the people originating the motion, whether the motion was accepted or rejected, and how the vote was taken (show of hands, voice vote, or other method). If a member of the committee is assigned a specific task, be sure to state the persons name and the responsibility accepted. the time the meeting was adjourned and the date, time, and place of the next meeting (with directions if necessary) the recorders name and signature a sheet attached to the minutes entitled Action Items that lists any action agreed to, the responsible committee member, and the due dateF. Meeting Agenda [Meeting Title]Meeting Information

Objective:

Date:[01/01/2000]Location:[Enter Room Number]Time:6:00 AMMeeting Type:[Type of Meeting]Call-In Number:[List number]Call-In Code:[Enter code]Called By:[Name]Facilitator:[Name]Timekeeper:[Name]Note Taker:[Name]Attendees:[List Names]

Preparation for Meeting

Please Read:

Please Bring:

Action Items From Previous MeetingItem/Responsible/Due Date1. [Item Description] / [Responsible]/[Due Date]1.

Agenda ItemsItem/Presenter/Time Allotted1. [Agenda Item] / [Presenter Name]/[Time Allotted]1. 1.

New Action ItemsItem/Responsible/Due Date1. [New Item] / [Responsible]/[Due Date]1.

Other Notes or Information

G. Meeting Agenda [North Melbourne college board meeting]

Meeting Information

Objective: Sales result, New company car acquisition, Italian fabric wholesalers, company travel expenditures, recruitment needs (2 positions to be filled), scheduling of staff performance appraisals and implementation of new WHS procedure

Date:[02/27/2015]Location:Board Roam at #9 Borough St, West Melbourne, Vic 3003 Time:2:00 PMMeeting Type:Department Managers Meeting

H. Think thoroughly what type of meeting it should be, what the topics that are going to be tackled are. Who are the people that are going to the meeting, how the meeting should go. Make the preparations, the venue, and the delegations of tasks on the meeting. I. So that everybody in that meeting can fully understand the topics that will be discussed without any offense to the participants. Info dissemination is vital in a company, it essential that the topic is understood by everyone.J. So you can prepare for the unusualities like technical error or missing documents. So that there will be no hassle and no delays on the meeting. K. What Are Minutes? an official record of the proceedings of a meeting, given to members before the start of the next meeting a reminder of what happened at a meeting a record of who is to undertake certain actions before the next meeting a basis for discussion of matters arising at the next meeting a permanent record of your teams discussions and progressL. Board Meeting(Date)

Meeting called to order at (Time). by CEO (Name)

Members present:

Members absent:

Approval of minutes:

Motion: Vote: Motion carried Resolved:

Business:Motion VoteResolved

Meeting adjourned at (Time) . by (Name)

M. Sit next to the chairperson, if possible, for help or clarification during meetings. Remain neutral in your documentation. Be as clear and concise as possible Dont try to write every single word unless the exact wording of a statement is important (for example, if the group decides on a mission or vision statement, it should be included exactly as agreed). In most cases, though, it is sufficient to paraphrase what was said, but be alert to the possibility of making changes in meaning If important decisions have been made during the meeting or tasks assigned, you may wish to take the last few minutes of the meeting to review them with the group to be certain that you have recorded them accurately. Follow the agenda exactly, with identical numbers and headings, for easy reading and reference. If items were addressed out of order, make a note of it. You may wish to use the bolding or italicizing functions in word-processing programs to make items stand out, but be restrained in doing so. Nothing stands out in a page where everything is bold or italicized. Be consistentif you bold the agenda items, for example, do it everywhere. If you italicize decisions, do it everywhere Use separate paragraphs for each item. Use short sentences if possible Dont worry about spelling and grammar while you are taking the minutes, so long as you are able to interpret your notes correctly later. You can fix spelling or grammatical mistakes when you prepare your final copy At a minimum, number the pages of the minutes. You may find it helpful to have a footer that mentions the date and the page number.N. To ensure follow-through and accountability a meeting leader needs to do three key tasks after the meeting ends. These are discussed in detail below.1. Distribute minutes2. Archive meeting documents3. Check for action

Resources: https://www.icsa.org.uk/assets/files/pdfs/bookshop/preview/Effective%20Minute%20Taking%20preview%20extract.pdf http://www.srds.co.uk/cedtraining/handouts/hand52.htmhttp://www.srds.co.uk/cedtraining/bast/bast11.htmhttp://business-finance.blurtit.com/732457/what-are-the-examples-of-a-formal-and-informal-meetingshttp://busadmin.wikispaces.com/file/view/Make+meeting+arrangements.pdfhttp://managementhelp.org/misc/meeting-management.htmhttp://ssw.unc.edu/cares/planningbasics/meetings-rev2.pdfhttp://meetings.org/venue1.htmhttp://smallbusiness.chron.com/topics-conversations-business-meetings-25478.htmlhttp://quality.wisc.edu/effective-meetings-after.htm

Task 2: Assignment Prior to the Meeting Checklist:_The topics that are going to be discussed_What type of meeting it should be?_Who are going to attend the meeting?_What are the agenda of the meeting? _The date of the meeting_The Venue_The expenses_The Food and Refreshments _The equipment required_The special considerations _The Notice of the Meeting_The delegation of tasks

During the Meeting Checklist:Ground rulesGround rules create a productive environment where everyone can contribute in a meaningful way. No cell phones Demand proper preparation No side conversations Attendance means participation It is OK to have different opinions, but communicate a unified decision outward Make sure tasks are executed_Start on time_Updates on the tasks of previous meeting_Who commenced and facilitated the meeting?_Minutes of the meeting_Were the agenda followed?_What were the other topics that were tackled?_What were the tasks assigned and to whom it was assigned?_The due dates for the task assigned_Summarize all decision and tasks_Schedule follow-up meeting if required_end of meeting (Time)

After the Meeting checklist: _ Were the minutes distributed as soon as possible?_ Were the tasks communicated to task owners_Track tasks and follow-up if not completed by due date_File the minutes in a place where you can easily find them

Reference: http://meetingking.com/checklist-for-effective-and-productive-meetings/

Task 3: Case Study Part 1: A. This will be a formal meeting of the Board of Directors because it involves regular business matter. The directors of a company are responsible for managing its business on a day-to-day basis and needs discussion or authorisation at the highest level. It is important that directors are not negligent in the execution of their duties and the minutes of board meetings provide evidence of the decisions taken. Participants at a meeting need to be aware of what their responsibilities are in relation to codes of practice, such as how they conduct themselves in meetings. Most organisations have codes of practice or expected behaviour is communicated through ground rules that are determined by the meeting group.Legislation relating to companies or associations needs to be considered when organising public meetings.As in all aspects of organisational activities, OH&S issues also apply to meetings.The participants in meetings want their decisions and meeting outcomes to be willingly accepted and acted upon. This may not occur if unethical practices are associated with, or perceived to be, associated with the meetings.B. electronic whiteboard, video projector, screen and litepro (to attach to a laptop for a presentation), photocopier, etcC. Vibe Savoy Hotel Melbourne at 630 Little Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000Spencer Room Board Room

D. Meeting Agenda [Meeting Title]

Meeting Information

Objective:

Date:[01/01/2000]Location:[Enter Room Number]Time:6:00 AMMeeting Type:[Type of Meeting]Call-In Number:[List number]Call-In Code:[Enter code]Called By:[Name]Facilitator:[Name]Timekeeper:[Name]Note Taker:[Name]Attendees:[List Names]

Preparation for Meeting

Please Read:

Please Bring:

Action Items From Previous MeetingItem/Responsible/Due Date2. [Item Description] / [Responsible]/[Due Date]3.

Agenda ItemsItem/Presenter/Time Allotted3. [Agenda Item] / [Presenter Name]/[Time Allotted]4. 5.

New Action ItemsItem/Responsible/Due Date2. [New Item] / [Responsible]/[Due Date]3.

Other Notes or Information