Questions:
This examination is composed of two parts. Answer all questions.
PART I (50 Marks)
- 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.
| Category | Sentence 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.)
Answers:
- 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.
| Category | Sentence Number |
| Analysis of the problem: | 2. |
| The Reasons: | 3 and 4. |
| 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 and 15. |
- 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. | 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. | Claim. |
| So, a holistic economic approach that takes into account human and environmental needs may help change the situation (World Tourism Organization, 2011). | Support. |
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:
Introduction
Organizational management is a vast field of knowledge where Edgar Schein can be referred as one of the prominent scholars or expert of all time. He have developed numerous well-known theories in this field of organizational management; however, one of his prominent theories or models is the model of organizational culture. According to this model, Schein portrayed that there are few basic assumptions involved in an organizational culture and such assumptions shapes the value within an organization. Now according to Schein, such developed values in turn shapes behavior and practices within an organization which is visible as the organizational culture (Schein 1990). According to Edgar, there are three levels present in an organizational culture namely Artifacts or visible part of the organizational culture that includes use of language, social practices, leadership and many more followed by values and basic assumptions. All these shapes the core skills of the employees within the organization.
Description
According to Schein, team work is one of the key traits which are required by all work force seeking for employment as well as all employees to excel in their work place that is grow through the organization. According to the key anchors portrayed by Schein in the “Organizational Culture” model, functional and technical competence like team work is very much required by all employees to secure their job as well as to excel at work (Darling 2017). The functional reasons to team working is that all kinds of work may not be known to all employees within the organization so working in team solves this problem. All kinds of work may be attempted by a team and can be finished in a very short time. The psychological reason to team work is that it creates a bonding within the team members who helps each other out at all circumstances thereby producing quality work in less time.
Conclusion
Therefore, from the above statements it is evident that team work is one of the essential traits which all employees must develop as a core skill for securing employability and also to grow through the organization.
References
Alvesson, M. and Sveningsson, S., 2015. Changing organizational culture: Cultural change work in progress. Routledge.
Darling, J., 2017. A conversation with Edgar Schein: Aligning strategy, culture, and leadership. People & Strategy, 40(2), pp.64-68.
Schein, E.H., 1990. Organizational culture (Vol. 45, No. 2, p. 109). American Psychological Association.
Schien, E., 2007. Career anchors revisited: Implications for career development in the 21st century. NHRD Network Journal, 1(4), pp.27-33.
