LB170 Organizational Learning: 1546588

Questions:

PART I (50 Marks)

  1. Read the case carefully and complete the proposal by filling in the correct sentence NUMBERS. (Some parts of the proposal will have more than one sentence) Do not copy the sentences; do not add your own ideas.

Zinn’s Burgers and Pizza

1. Zinn’s Burgers and Pizza is a medium-sized chain of fast-food restaurants. Its branches are predominantly based in the north-west and Midlands of the United Kingdom and, until lately, this regional concentration and profile has enabled the chain to compete with the larger, international fast-food brands in these areas (many of whom have outlets near to a Zinn’s restaurant).  2. However, in recent years, many of Zinn’s restaurants have begun to struggle; they are losing both customers and staff.  3. The décor and furniture look tired, cooking equipment needs replacing; the menus require updating.  As with all fast-food businesses, the chain’s sales have been threatened by the recent trend towards ‘healthy eating’ and concerns over the environmental impact of the fast-food sector.  5. The recent recession has boosted sales slightly as customers look for cheap opportunities to eat out. 6. Zinn’s Burgers and Pizza should move to healthy combination of meals along with healthy drinks that needs careful planning with the help of food dieticians. 7. Various contests like ‘the happy family moments’, ‘coast to coast’, ‘Full of care’ are to be introduced. 8. Direct marketing as the term suggests, is a method of directly marketing to your consumers by means such as telephone marketing, Online marketing, E-mail based marketing, etc. which Zinn’s Burgers and Pizza needs to tap especially now.  9. The working hours and pay scale of the staff must undergo revision. 10. Lugo furniture manufacturers, situated in Midlands, use the extremely attractive Candi Tube Collections that attracts all ages. The company has quoted very reasonable charges for refurnishing. 11.  By introducing the contests there will be a boost in sales and market share by creating an awareness of the brand and instilling it in the minds of the consumers. 12. The telephone, online marketing that offers direct information to the consumers on their diverse products and services will giving the consumers sufficient knowledge about the products and deals of Zinn’s Burgers and Pizza. 13. Good décor and furniture attract the eyes naturally.   And the rule goes if the staff is happy, the customers are also happy. 14. There is threat that Zinn’s Burgers and Pizza may be labelled as JUNK FOOD SUPPLIERS and POOR SERVICE PROVIDERS, if changes are not made. 15. No business wants to close down because customers do not trust.

CategorySentence Number
 Analysis of the problem:  
 The Reasons:  
 Proposed Solutions:   
 Benefits of the proposed solutions:  
Risk to the organisation if the proposed changes are not made:  
  • Read the sentences below and decide the function of each sentence by specifying which states a claim and which states a support. Fill your answers in the blank boxes.
Sentence Function
Belgrade, as a tourism destination, is not competitive in terms of walking tours around the city compared to other major Serbian destinations.   
This is due to the undeveloped infrastructure around green areas (Maksin, 2011). 
As a post-industrial city, Belgrade lacks revitalization, which makes it less competitive. 
So, a holistic economic approach that takes into account human and environmental needs may help change the situation (World Tourism Organization, 2011). 

PART II (50 marks)

In well written essay of around 300 words, answer the following question.

Team working is one of the core skills for employability. According to Schein (1980), teams form for both functional and psychological reasons. Write an essay discussing the functional and psychological reasons according to Schein theory. (This question will test your essay writing and paraphrasing skills.)

Answer:

  1. Read the case carefully and complete the proposal by filling in the correct sentence NUMBERS. (Some parts of the proposal will have more than one sentence) Do not copy the sentences; do not add your own ideas.

Zinn’s Burgers and Pizza

1. Zinn’s Burgers and Pizza is a medium-sized chain of fast-food restaurants. Its branches are predominantly based in the north-west and Midlands of the United Kingdom and, until lately, this regional concentration and profile has enabled the chain to compete with the larger, international fast-food brands in these areas (many of whom have outlets near to a Zinn’s restaurant).  2. However, in recent years, many of Zinn’s restaurants have begun to struggle; they are losing both customers and staff.  3. The décor and furniture look tired, cooking equipment needs replacing; the menus require updating.  As with all fast-food businesses, the chain’s sales have been threatened by the recent trend towards ‘healthy eating’ and concerns over the environmental impact of the fast-food sector.  5. The recent recession has boosted sales slightly as customers look for cheap opportunities to eat out. 6. Zinn’s Burgers and Pizza should move to healthy combination of meals along with healthy drinks that needs careful planning with the help of food dieticians. 7. Various contests like ‘the happy family moments’, ‘coast to coast’, ‘Full of care’ are to be introduced. 8. Direct marketing as the term suggests, is a method of directly marketing to your consumers by means such as telephone marketing, Online marketing, E-mail based marketing, etc. which Zinn’s Burgers and Pizza needs to tap especially now.  9. The working hours and pay scale of the staff must undergo revision. 10. Lugo furniture manufacturers, situated in Midlands, use the extremely attractive Candi Tube Collections that attracts all ages. The company has quoted very reasonable charges for refurnishing. 11.  By introducing the contests there will be a boost in sales and market share by creating an awareness of the brand and instilling it in the minds of the consumers. 12. The telephone, online marketing that offers direct information to the consumers on their diverse products and services will giving the consumers sufficient knowledge about the products and deals of Zinn’s Burgers and Pizza. 13. Good décor and furniture attract the eyes naturally.   And the rule goes if the staff is happy, the customers are also happy. 14. There is threat that Zinn’s Burgers and Pizza may be labelled as JUNK FOOD SUPPLIERS and POOR SERVICE PROVIDERS, if changes are not made. 15. No business wants to close down because customers do not trust.

CategorySentence Number
 Analysis of the problem: 2 and 3
 The Reasons: 4 and 5
 Proposed Solutions:  6,7,8,9 and 10
 Benefits of the proposed solutions: 11, 12 and 13
Risk to the organisation if the proposed changes are not made:14 
  • Read the sentences below and decide the function of each sentence by specifyingwhich states a claim and which states a support. Fill your answers in the blank boxes.
Sentence Function
Belgrade, as a tourism destination, is not competitive in terms of walking tours around the city compared to other major Serbian destinations.  Claim
This is due to the undeveloped infrastructure around green areas (Maksin, 2011).Support
As a post-industrial city, Belgrade lacks revitalization, which makes it less competitive.Support
So, a holistic economic approach that takes into account human and environmental needs may help change the situation (World Tourism Organization, 2011).Claim

PART II (50 marks)

In well written essay of around 300 words, answer the following question.

  1. Team working is one of the core skills for employability. According to Schein (1980), teams form for both functional and psychological reasons. Write an essay discussing the functional and psychological reasons according to Schein theory. (This question will test your essay writing and paraphrasing skills.)

Edgar Schein suggested a business culture model in which simple standards shape decisions and procedures with attitudes and values, which is a tangible feature of culture. Companies do not adopt an agenda on a particular day and, in fact, reap the benefits of previous operations to aim to do all of this, developing the atmosphere of an organization.

Psychological security defines the expectations of individuals of the effects of pursuing behavioural opportunities in a given environment, like the workplace. Since the 1990s, psychological well-being has undergone a revival and continues to the present, first discussed by groundbreaking organizational researchers in the 1960s. Organizational analysis has established psychological protection as a crucial factor of recognizing such phenomena as speech, coordination, team learning, functionality and organizational learning.

The myths and theories that spread amongst these workers indicate just what kind of person or action is called courageous, how to deal with these kinds of circumstances, that which can not be prevented, what occurs in this business if one behaves in a certain way, and on and on. Whenever a manager breaks the rules, the constructs to decipher whatever happens in the corporation become specifically curious, whatever happens if the firm needs to pick among profits and jobs, that follows if anyone makes mistakes. Such announcements can be for the day regardless, or about important incidents, and even the past glory of the organization.

These narratives have an influence on the psychology of the workforce because it will be harder for them together to work within the same unit if certain members are left out or if the team does not support them, and because communication and coordination is one of the core skills of employment prospects. It has to be planned and worked on because if the staffs are unable to work within a squad, their functionality will impair the functioning of the whole organization.