YORK SOS MGMT 1000 SessionDecember 5, 2011

Tutor: Rithu Rajendranath. Maxim Matushansky

AGENDA

Introductions Expectations General notes and tips for your midterm List of useful terms and concepts Take-up of Final Exam 2009

WHO WE ARE

York SOS is a chapter of the national charity Students Offering Support

We are students from all walks of life working to make a difference

My expectations

I’m here for YOU, so…ask questions! Focus of session on how to write the exam, but feel free to

ask conceptual questions There is more to an A than “eloquent wording”

Your expectations

What are you looking to walk away from the Exam-AID with?

General exam info

Exam is graded holistically Relative grading means you really need to spend some

time on each of the questions – don’t leave blanks Answer what the question is asking! Use plenty of concepts and illustrations Questions are sometimes based on current events (e.g.

York construction accident) Panellist-based question

Questions so far?Ask now or risk forgetting!

(Comments are also appreciated)

Overarching themes

Knowledge Knowledge economy Learning organizations Trained incapacity, groupthink Continuous innovation

Overarching themes

Sustainability TBL Tangible and intangible values Connection to external environment Social entrepreneurship CSR

Overarching themes

Product development Creative reference points Product life cycle

Introduction Growth Maturity Decline

Overarching themes

Quality and organization Continuous improvement reduces costs in the long

run Everyone needs to have a stake in quality (e.g.

WestJet) Democratic organizations Empower employees Leadership models

Overarching themes

Models and tools SWOT analysis Stakeholder analysis Use ideas from one situation to reinvent another Mental models Vicious vs. virtuous loops And there’s a whole lot more!

How to structure your answer

Any ideas? Charts and bullets help – but do not compromise on

content! References To the point! By subsections of the question being asked Play to your strengths (point form, tables, etc.)

Time Management

Organize your notes Don’t focus too much on one question Cover all questions equally Know where the info in your notes is Know the material too Stick to recommended times Have examples ready – be specific! If you’re stuck, use the key words as jumping point

TAKE UP OF FINAL EXAM 2009

QUESTION 1a

i. Identify FOUR important and unique potential future corporate earthquakes

  ii. Briefly describe each in enough detail for the reader to

understand why it is important and unique

iii. How it can be directly related to specific content covered in this course

Sample Answer 1a

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Ryan’s Answer B+/A

Organized very clearly Includes subsections of questions Course-concepts tied in explicitly

Repetitive with course concepts eg. Proactive and reactive for both global warming and environmental degradation

Laura’s AnswerA/A+

Content-driven Specific with why each is unique i.e. digital technology in computer business vs. technology

Course-concepts buried in answer

QUESTION 1b

i. Select THREE companies from different industries (e.g., technology, healthcare, retail, financial services, fast food, education, arts and entertainment, etc.)

ii. Describe at least one challenge AND one opportunity for EACH of the three companies created by the corporate earthquakes you identified above (in response to question 1a).

IMPORTANT: Each challenge and each opportunity you

describe for each of the three companies must be completely different. Do not use the same example more than once.

Sample Answer 1b

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Ryan’s Answer B/B+

Organized very clearly Identifies one challenge and one opportunity for each company based on each corporate earthquake

Content is not as strong tends to happen when in bullet form or in chart form

Laura’s Answer B/B+

Identifies specific names of companies Explains relevance very well

Misses substantial part of what question asks

QUESTION 2a – EASY MARKS!

Personal positive example and negative example for each (use PCDP and BPTP):

Mental models Trained incapacity Quality mindset Multiple views Stakeholders

Sample Answer 2a

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Ryan’s AnswerC+/B

Organized very clearly Identified where learning experience came from: BPTP or PCDP

Personal experiences matter! Vague responses for this answer is detrimental Repetition of strengths and weaknesses Regurgitation of course definitions

Laura’s AnswerA/A+

Ties in other course concepts! (single-loop learning vs. vicious loop) Very specific experiences highlighted

Positive and negative overlap sometimes

QUESTION 2b

i. Shane, one of your new clients, wants to go into the import-export business and make a lot of money as fast as possible

Five skills and why important to his/her goals

ii. DeeDee, another new client, is investigating social entrepreneurship opportunities.

Five skills and why important to his/her goals

Sample Answer 2b – this is where your concept sheet will come in handy!

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Ryan’s AnswerB/B+

Organized very clearly What skill is required and why it is required should have been addressed in one go Two skills overlap (Global leadership and Global Management)

Laura’s AnswerA/A+

Strong content that chooses skills based on different goals Provides examples on which aspects of business it is useful

Suggestion: Financial Literacy is a skill

DeeDee’s discussion could have been stronger

QUESTION 3a   Relate four main characteristics of globalization (page

106 in your course book) to following concepts AND provide example for each: Knowledge economy Innovation Dialogue Trust Double-loop versus single-loop learning Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Sample Answer 3a

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Ryan’s AnswerB/B+

Organization both strength and weakness

Examples not explored

Laura’s AnswerA/A+

Organized very clearly and consistently Does not assume reader knows all four characteristics; identifies themStrong examples varying from panellists to news stories to textbook examples!

DeeDee’s discussion could have been stronger

QUESTION 3b  “As the world grows more and more interconnected, small

changes can most certainly have large (and sometimes quite unexpected) effects.”

  Support the above statement using TWO examples – one positive and one

negative – that clearly illustrate the ripple effect of words and actions of specific political and/or business leaders for EACH of the following topics: Trade Climate Finance Healthcare Education

Sample Answer 3b

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Ryan’s AnswerB/B+

Organized very clearly Ripple effects/nature of examples not clear or valid

Laura’s AnswerB+/A

Organized very clearly Research for examples evident and are unique

Some examples not relevant or relevancy not clearly explained

Common Errors

Missing complete question subsections Repeating examples when question asks for unique

examples Using charts but forgetting content! Not being explicit with course content – do not

assume grader knows what you are referring to Quoting from textbooks, NMS etc. that do not support

answer Missing references/ going overboard with references

Questions?Ask now or risk forgetting!

(Comments are also appreciated)