Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) 2006 M.B.A Business Administration Managing Interpersonal and Group Processes - Question Paper

M.B.A. DEGREE EXAMINATION, APRIL/MAY 2006

Third Semester

Faculty of Management Studies

Elective VI – MANAGING INTERPERSONAL AND GROUP PROCESSES
(Common for Branches II & III)

Time : 3 Hours Maximum {2004 admissions : 60 Marks
{2003 admissions : 75 Marks
{Prior to 2003 admissions: 100 Marks

part A

ans any 6 ques..

describe / Write short notes on :
1. Perceptual errors.
2. Reinforcement.
3. Stimulus.
4. Organizational communication.
6. Types of groups.
7. Team building.
8. Synergy.
9. Formal Authority and Politics.
10. Organisational effectiveness.
(6 X 2½ = 15 Marks)
(6 X three = 18 Marks)
(6 X three = 18 Marks)

part B

11. Explain how individuals learn and how style differences influence learning?
Or
12. What is social learning theory and how is it related to behavioural self managements?

13. In what ways can strees have positive consequences?
Or
14. What is power? How does the manager get the power needed to get the job done?

15. Explain under what conditions might a manager use avoidance or accommodative style of conflict resolution.
Or
16. Explain how can intergroup competition be bad for organizations?
(3 X 10 = 30 Marks)
(3 X 11 = 33 Marks)
(3 X 17 = 51 Marks)

part C

17. Case Analysis :

Seph Barnard, founder of Tape Resources, a 13 person company that distributes audio tape and video tape to television stations and production companies, was happy to obtain a letter in the mail from an investment banking firm stating that a larger corporation was interested in acquiring his company. Barnard knew that selling the company would bring him at lowest $2 million, which would give financial security for his family.

At 43 years old, Barnard felt he had reached the breaking point. Years of working long hours and worrying about every detail of the company had left him exhausted. “When you feel fatigued, you don’t care anymore”, says Barnard. “Just take the company and provide me something for it. I could get rid of my worries and end up with money”.

Entrepreneurs usually begin companies to obtain a new market. Achieving success, they usually provide up managing day-to-day operations to an outsider and concentrate on broader strategic problems or move to their next start-up opportunity.

To make that decisions, they have to findout which parts of the business are exciting and which parts are draining & stressfull. Entrepreneurs who don’t know the ans to these questions, such as Barnard may place their company and themselves in danger when they are forced to deal with an illness or family crisis that their exhaustion and immersion in their company has caused.

Handling every detail ; For 3 years, Barnard worked hard to make the company a success, taking charge of the direct marketing efforts to expand the company’s customer base. Barnard also note every employees check, examined every invoice, and made every significant decision. He rarely took time away from the business when he did go on vacation, it was always related to attending a conference. He had isolated himself in a business, and he had no hobbies.

Opening a satellite office in Houston also added to his stress. He commuted back and forth to Houston, but he still could not solve all the issues. He would lie awake at night thinking about the fraustrations of running the Houston office. He became more and more dissatisfied with his job, but he wasn’t able to keep his mind off work. Eating dinner, he often obtained himself thinking about work. Too tired to look for new challenges to help solve his problems, he instead focused on minute problems such as how to save money by teaching employees how to tear off an invoice from a printer.

The moment of truth : Now, stronggling over the decision whether to sell the company, Barnard realized that selling would not solve all of his issues it might eliminate a few his stress, but he would lose the company that he built.

ques. :

(a) Is Barnard experiencing burnout? discuss.
(b) What should Barnard do to decrease the stress he is experiencing? Can he change his job demands? What individual stress management strategies might he use?
(c) How might having an “entrepreneurial spirit” predispose or make it easier for individuals to experience negative stress?
(1 X 15 = 15 Marks)
(1 X 24 = 24 Marks)
(1 X 31 = 31 Marks)

Earning:   Approval pending.