GSBS6001 Managing Under Uncertainty Trimester 3, 2012

Assignment 3 Personal Case Study Reflection (Sample 1)

Name Student number

Adapted from original student work by Learning Development 2012

INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this report is to critically reflect on a decision made in the workplace that resulted in a less than satisfactory outcome.

I am employed by a local electrical power distribution company. I am the nominated chairman of a company-wide workgroup whose purpose is to design and implement an Inspection and Test Quality Process (ITQP) for electrical assets which are being constructed onto our electrical network. The documentation consists of a quality framework and detailed commissioning check lists and test reports for each item of electrical equipment.

Our workgroup progresses the relevant documents to a point where they are issued as draft documents to field technicians who complete the work and sign off the checks and tests on the reports as they are completed. It is quite an intensive effort to manually produce the required amount of documentation for a project, so the workgroup raised a proposal to expedite this process and at the same time produce efficiency gains to the process.

The workgroup decided to engage an external consultant to complete the automation of the ITQP framework. This report analyses the effects of that decision on the process, and reflects on possibly better ways that decisions can be made when the relevant information is known.

THE DECISION
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The decision to engage the consultant was deemed necessary by all group members as being the most logical, timely and effective way to achieve the automation of our developed ITQP process. Through the many previous months of arduous compilation of data and template formatting we achieved through regular meetings, the group recognised that a specialist was required to develop a more efficient process of rolling out the documentation required for project work. This decision was very much a Nonprogrammed decision (McKee, 2010), as it was not routine, it involved unique information, and it was almost certainly going to be challenged by senior management, who would ask why people within the company were unable to achieve the same outcome.

Our workgroup knew that this process needed to happen in the timeliest and most cost effective way, and approval was granted after we demonstrated the productivity and conformity to be gained from implementing the ITQP through an automated process. A member of our work group had prior experience with a reliable consultant who had worked in this field, and his Intuition (McKee, 2010) told him that this consultant would be a perfect fit for our project. In our colleagues mind, the consultant had a Halo effect (McKee, 2010) due to his ability to undertake the most complex task with expertise and professionalism. With this Confirming evidence (McKee, 2010) detailed by our colleague to our work group, we deemed it logical to engage the consultant as soon as practicable.

SETTING THE GOALS

By applying the critical thinking skill of Inference (McKee, 2010), our working group developed a list of deliverables to be adhered to by the consultant throughout their
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employment with our company. The list served as the scope of what we were attempting to achieve. Our intention was to continue with our regular meetings and engage the consultant in discussion to maximize the flow of ideas and information between us, with the aim of delivering the best possible outcome for the automated ITQP framework. Our work group orientated the consultant to the ITQP framework and its use, and briefed the consultant on the deliverables expected to be achieved by introducing the automated process. A worrying point identified by the group was the short amount of time five months allocated to achieve this outcome; however, we all reassured each other that this was achievable. After one month, the consultant displayed great Conformity (Gerrig, Zimbardo, Campbell, Cumming & Wilkes, 2012) with any issue or problem identified by our group or the process, and dealt with the issue with professionalism and competence.

SCOPE CHANGE
Midway through the engagement, the consultant discovered a problem in the development phase of a process and highlighted this issue because it was a potential anchor to the overall automation of the project. As our workgroup was meeting weekly, we reviewed the issue with an awareness that one of our main goals was that we were to run the system, rather than have the system run us. The identified problem, however, caused us frustration and, with time passing quickly, we settled on Satisficing (Robbins, Bergman, Stagg & Coulter, 2012) an outcome that would achieve the desired result.

At this point, one of the workgroup colleagues suggested that further productivity gains could be achieved from this change by progressing the ITQP framework down a further level, thereby eliminating the need for manually completing a further 30% of the
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documentation. With this efficiency in mind, herding instinct (Hubbard & Beamish, 2010) steered us towards our colleagues view. However, the project and the consultants scope had now grown substantially further with the same amount of time available to complete the automation process. Even with this substantial change we all still agreed that with the major anchor being identified and resolved, this scope change and our deliverables were still very much achievable. The consultant continued conscientiously to attempt to meet these goals.

THE CRISIS POINT

The section management had initially given our workgroup five months to complete this automation process because it was required for a peak in work demand. Company policy frowned on lengthy periods of consultant engagement, regardless of what the project entailed. Initially our workgroup estimated five months based on our deliverables and our experience of what we considered as the scope of work. This project had been progressing satisfactorily; however, the moving of the automation to an extra level, and the continual systematic problems over several weeks was eroding both our time and our effective control of the deliverables. Our escalation of commitment (Robbins, Bergman, Stagg & Coulter, 2012) still did not seem to be making the progress required within the specified timeframe.

With this in mind, and minimal time to complete the process, a Bounded rationality (McKee, 2010) approach drove us to secure a further three months. In the event that we would not be able to achieve the extension of time, the group conceded that the automation would not be completed using the current progression model. However, an
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extension of time was approved by management after the workgroup argued that the revised scope of the ITQP framework would add real gains to our companys ability to produce a common automated process across all five regions.

THE OUTCOME
The allowance of extra time to complete the automated process reduced the pressure on the group, but at the same time refocused our thoughts and reorganised us as a team rather than a group. According to Belbins conception of teamwork (1993, as cited in Teale, Dispenza, Flynn & Currie, 2003), whereby we displayed the actions of a team through predetermined, complementary roles. This change enhanced our progress in achieving the automation as the consultant only dealt with particular team members whose role was to support the consultant, while other team members took on the role of trialling the process to validate its operation. This simple yet effective principle allowed us to make the most efficient use of our time. The process of automating the ITQP used all available time, and while it was able to be used, the ITQP still needed reviewing.

Ironically, within the last month of the consultants engagement, an internal comp any enquiry about an unrelated matter revealed that an existing company resource was available that would complement our process. If our initial research had unveiled this resource, the path to our outcome would have been more efficient and practical. The internal company resource has now been assigned to our team to maintain the system and conduct training in the ITQP automated process.

REFLECTION ON OUR DECISION

The decision by our workgroup to engage the consultant to complete the automation of the ITQP process was by no means a failure. However, as a group, we should have researched our options more thoroughly prior to deciding on this course of action. By working through the Eight-step decision making model (McKee, 2010) we would have challenged each others thoughts and opinions. By listing alternatives we may well have identified that an existing company resource was available to complete the automation.

As the chairman of the working group, I feel responsible for allowing our workgroup to fall into the typical thinking traps of decision making, including the Anchoring (McKee, 2010) of initial information and adhering to that path. The group also developed Janis (1982, as cited in Teale et al., 2003) concept of Groupthink, whereby we all saw our actions as being correct and in the best interests of the company, even when we did not accurately identify the risks, their impact and how we were going to solve them. Had my knowledge on decision making theories been available at the time of making these critical decisions, I would have definitely steered the group away from the thinking traps associated with decision making. At the time, this may have seemed inefficient, however it would have resulted in more thought and strategies being tabulated prior to the project, thereby giving it more direction.

As the process of automating the ITQP was a significant change for the company, we should have identified it as a trigger event (Wheelen & Hunger 2011, p.24), and listed in detail the strategies and outcomes required for its successful implementation. Goodwin Watsons theory of process gain (1931, as cited in Johnson & Johnson, 2009) shows that the interaction of ideas and insights within a group leads to strategies that no one person singularly can accomplish. In our group, this proved to be the case when we reached the

crisis point of being unable to complete the automation. With the time we had left, we shifted from being a group to being a team in achieving our goals.

On final reflection, I believe that had we worked through the eight step decision making model and encompassed the model for effective decision making (Hubbard & Beamish, 2010) which assists with further strategies, we would have found the necessary evidence to make a sound business decision on whether we should have engaged an external or an internal resource to complete the automation process.

CONCLUSION
This report has utilised decision making theories to analyse the engagement of an external consultant to automate a process, with the goal of improving efficiency in producing the ITQP documentation. The report dissected how the consultant was engaged by the group, how the goals were established to achieve our objective, how there were issues along the way and what decisions were implemented to overcome these issues. On reflection, a number of critical thinking errors occurred early in the process. They could have been easily resolved if the knowledge of decision making theories had been tabulated or explored prior to undertaking the decision to automate the ITQP process. This would have produced a much clearer outcome about whether to proceed by utilising an internal company resource or engaging the external consultant.

(2055 words)

REFERENCES
Gerrig, R., Zimbardo, P., Campbell, A., Cumming S. & Wilkes, F. (2012). Social psychology. In Psychology and life, 2nd Edn., (pp. 611- 658). Sydney: Pearson Australia. Hubbard, G. & Beamish, P. (2010). Strategic decision making. In Strategic management, 4th Edn., (pp. 197 217) Sydney: Pearson Australia. Johnson, D. & Johnson, F. (2009). Decision Making. In Joining together: group theory and group skills, 10th Edn., (pp. 264 317). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc., Prentice Hall. McKee, A. (2010). The Human Side of Planning: Decision making and critical thinking. In Management: A focus on leaders, 1st Edn., (pp. 176 209). Sydney: Pearson Australia. Robbins, S., Bergman, R., Stagg, I. & Coulter (2012). Decision making: The essence of a managers job. In Management, 6th Edn., (pp. 259 289). Sydney: Pearson Australia. Teale, M., Dispenza, V., Flynn, J. & Currie, D. (2003). Group Processes. In Management decision-making: towards an Integrative Approach, 1st Edn. , (pp. 273-300). United Kingdom: Pearson Education. Wheeler & Hunger (2011). Basic Concepts of Strategic Management. In Concepts of Strategic Management and Business policy, 12 Edn., (pp. 2-41). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc., Prentice Hall.

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Assessment cover sheet Assignment 3 Personal case study reflection (Sample 2)

Adapted from original student work by Learning Development 2012

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1.INTRODUCTION This report analyses a situation I faced as the production manager of local preserves company. The report indicates how failing to formalise and structure a decision-making process when under coercive and time-induced pressures can intensify personality traits and lead to decisional paralysis and anxiety. This report also reflects on how I may have contained the issues at the time if I had utilised academic concepts, models and frameworks to avoid the negative outcomes.

2. THE DECISION Due to company growth, I was required to make a decision about expanding our range of products, and inform the owner of the decision within two weeks. It could be described as a non-routine and non-programmed complex decision (Malakooti, 2012). To be successful, this type of managerial decision requires a considered, rational approach derived from the principle of inclusive utility (Betsch & Held, 2012). Therefore, to gather information relevant to the decision, I consulted with two experienced sales team managers, Mark and Alan. The owner directed the retail manager, Con, to moderate the decision in formal meetings. Through Con, the owner indicated that if a good decision was not made there may be a significant restructuring of roles within the organisation. In the following two weeks I was exceptionally stressed, and could neither forward reasonable information, nor achieve an outcome.

2.1 Stressors The owners tacit threats to job and role security, communicated through Con, induced an excessive stress reaction in me. My cognitive processes took a central route to being persuaded of negative outcomes in what is referred to as the elaboration likelihood model

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(Gerrig, Zimbardo, Campbell, Cumming & Wilkes, 2012). Consequently, I expanded my expectation and evaluation of negative ramifications. This stressor obscured my rational approach to the decision-making process. It also elevated my personality traits aligned to ultra-conservative and self-preservation motivators (Denison, Hooijberg, & Quinn, 1995), whereby I valued the external perception of performance within the decision more than the quality of the decision-making outcomes. A cognitive response to second-hand accounts of consequences, such as Cons communication of the owners threats, can result in a poor decision through stationary dysfunction (Jago, 1982). My efforts to quell my anxiety were unsuccessful, as I had no feedback to confirm the veracity or extent of this indirect claim within the organisation.

3. DECISION-MAKING ISSUES 3.1 Satisficing and bounded rationality I felt pressured by the owners allocation of a strict two-week timeframe for a decision. As a result the decision was subject to bounded rationality (Teale, Dispenza, Flynn & Currie, 2003a) in which available information is limited. Fiscal data was not sourced; instead, we intuitively evaluated various probabilities of financial outcomes. This situation concurs with the idea that groups and individuals under time constraints may form unwise or premature decisions based on imprecise information, often resulting in decision satisficing (Tolbert & Hall, 2008) rather than seeking the best option. An effective alternative to this could have been a decision tree model, which graphically represents decisions (Liua & Leung, 2002). Decision trees formalise sequences of design with subsequent decision nodes that are more focussed and encourage broader search cycles (Langley, Minztberg, Pitcher, Posada & Saint-Macary, 1995). Use of a decision tree could

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have helped me to focus and expand on each alternative. The result may have lessened the impact of satisficing and may have produced sound data unadulterated by intuitive estimates.

3.2 Heuristic anchoring bias Solutions to guide reasoning in the decision-making process were often frustrated by my disregard of more informed input as solutions progressed. This kind of information discounting can occur because of the heuristic influence of an anchoring bias (Robbins, Bergman, Stagg & Coulter, 2012), exemplified by my fixation on initial concepts that dominated the agenda. We could have overcome issues of individual heuristic biases and controlled the flow of issues in group discussions by adopting the pragmatic strategy of having a formal agenda process (Langley et al., 1995)

4. GROUP ISSUES 4.1 Unstructured approach and goal drift The lack of formal structure in our group resulted in decisional goal shifting (Bonaccio & Dalal, 2006). This happens in groups when ambiguous or non-existent procedures obscure

the processes to goal accomplishment. Goal shifting is a systematic administrative failure leading to circular arguments and group disequilibrium (Patriotta & Spedale, 2011). Accordingly, my decision-making process often entailed long myopic discussion loops with Mark and Alan over previously considered issues, which both slowed the process and shifted goals. Alternatively, had I suggested to the group a structured approach as illustrated in the Eight stage decision making model (Robbins, et al., 2012), more effective protocols would have been developed to identify and curtail my goal shifts and circular analysis. Clear group leadership such as this provides structural guidance, and can clarify and enhance group

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expectations and internal roles (Jago, 1982). This would have resulted in improved identification of issues and analysis of more alternatives.

4.2 Group frustration Frustration can be caused by an inability to progress towards goals (Gerrig, et al. 2012). Production can be blocked by interference and adjournments, which accelerate group dysfunction (Tasa & Whyte, 2005) and deprive the group of holistic participation (Johnson & Johnson, 2009). This was evident in our case when, despite having a designated conference room, Con insisted that the group discuss the decision in a nearby restaurant. This

environment led to interruptions, and, consequently, group frustration. Had the conference room been used for the decision making process participant frustration would have been lessened.

4.3 Role and group conflict Group structure is crucial to the development of a collective decision. It entails having a rolebased balance between task and process orientations of the respective members (Sutcliffe & McNamara, 2001). The structure of our group was fundamentally imbalanced. Our group consisted of individuals who could be described as decision task experts, with differing goal perspectives and priorities indicating potential for latent conflict (Teale, Dispenza, Currie & Flynn, 2003b). Mark and Alans identical roles represented a distinct subunit (Jones, 2010). Typically, a subunit is inspired by the context of the customers it serves, and myopically influences the decision making process (Sutcliffe & McNamara, 2001). This leads to a reduced scope of group discussions regarding alternative assessments.

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As the moderator, Con represented a disruptive gatekeeper role in cynically evaluating alternatives and regulating discussion (Teale et al., 2003). As Con was new to the company, the group did not accept his autocratic stance, and perceived him as a constructor of vertical power within an existing horizontal employee grouping (Kaushal & Kwantes, 2006). The initially minor discord over Cons role became open and emotive verbal conflict, reflecting an escalation from perceived conflict to felt conflict (Jones, 2010). Alan and I both reacted by criticising Con, which did not resolve the issue. A proactive measure I could have taken to prevent this conflict is the Delphi technique (Sniezek, 1992), which can address a lack of inclusive discussion among task-orientated individuals by standardising decision responses.

5. PERSONALITY ISSUES Frustration, pressure and threats to job security influenced me to delay the decision making process and avoid the negative consequences. This avoidance can lead to anxiety (Wolfradt & Dalbert, 2003). Anxiety may also be provoked by the decision-makers perception of threats that exceed his or her capacity to cope, and this perception can lead to rigidity in responding (Tasa & Whyte, 2005). These concepts may explain my own response, and the core of my anchoring bias. My need for a good outcome motivated my amplification of internal conflicts. Mark and Alans procrastinating behaviour constituted a reduced knowledge-sharing environment, which can inhibit planning and prompt an intuitive approach to tasks (Matzler et al., 2008). It also engenders an emotional response of frustration in conscientious individuals. This was relevant to me because, according to the CANOE model (Robbins & Judge, 2011), I have a propensity for higher conscientiousness personality traits.

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5.1 Type A personality trait My frustration provoked in me overt competitive behaviour which is indicative of a Type A personality (Robbins & Judge, 2010). I incessantly attempted to outperform Craig by multitasking and working excessive hours of overtime which resulted in my having less time to reflect on decision appraisals. It is a Type A action-emotion response to aggressively achieve more and more in less and less time (Ahmad, 2010). Workplace personality discords can arise through such symbiotic relationships between competitive Type A personalities and relaxed Type B individuals (Trice & Beyer, 1991) like Con. My action response can be further defined as polyphasic Type A (Chew & Chee-Leong, 1991) in that I have a predisposition to undertake two or more tasks simultaneously at inappropriate times. This can lead to an inability to complete tasks, and reflects the Type A trait of failing to plan. Impulsive engagement in operations, rather than planning for the desired result, creates a cycle of anxiety. Having a formal plan or agenda would have alleviated my anxiety by focussing my efforts on the decision-making process.

6. CONCLUSION In the two week timeframe given, our efforts yielded no clear decision outcome, other than intuitive and emotionally based contributions. My constant anxiety over the outcome and my reactive behaviour of working excessive and unpaid overtime left me emotionally and physically drained. It is clear to me now that our frustration and subsequent dysfunction in the decision-making process was due to the lack of a range of formal planning and conflict resolution techniques. Retrospectively, if I had both recognised my own personality traits and employed some decision-making models at either the formative stage, or in the floundering process, the stress

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from time pressure and tacit coercions would have been reduced, progress toward a decision made, and a rational outcome produced.

(2,291 words)

References Ahmad, M.(2010). Personality traits among entrepreneurial and professional CEOs in SMEs. International journal of business and management. 5(9), 203-213. Retrieved 09/06/2012 from: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijbm/article/download/7328/5702. Betsch, T. & Held, C. (2012). Rational decision making: balancing RUN and JUMP modes of analysis. Journal of mind and society, 11, 69-80. doi: 10.1007/s11299-011-0097-2 Bonaccio, S. & Dalal, R. (2006). Advice taking and decision-making: An integrative literature review, and implications for the organisational sciences. Organisational behaviour and human decision processes 101, 127151. doi:10.1016/j.obhdp.2006.07.001 Chew, I. & Chee-Leong, C. (1991). Type A personality and stress among the Singapore Chinese, Malays and Indians. Journal of personal induced differences, 12(7), 753-758. doi: 10.1016/0191-8869(91)90231-Y Gerrig, R., Zimbardo, P., Campbell, A., Cumming, S. & Wilkes, F. (2012). Social psychology. In M. Fitzgerald & S. Ayson, (Eds.), Managing under uncertainty: a qualitative approach to decision making (pp. 449-496). Frenchs Forest, Sydney, Australia: Pearson. Jago, A. (1982). Leadership: Perspectives in theory and research. Management science. 28(3), pp. 315-336. Retrieved 11/06/2011 from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2630884 Johnson, D. & Johnson, F. (2009). Decision making. In M. Fitzgerald & S. Ayson, (Eds.), Managing under uncertainty: a qualitative approach to decision making (pp. 498551). Frenchs Forest, Sydney, Australia: Pearson. Jones, G. (2010). Managing Conflict, power and politics. In M. Fitzgerald & S. Ayson, (Eds.), Managing under uncertainty: a qualitative approach to decision making (pp.573418). Frenchs Forest, Sydney, Australia: Pearson. Kaushal, R. & Kwantes, C. (2006). The role of culture and personality in choice of conflict management strategy. International journal of intercultural relations.30, 579603. doi:10.1016/j.ijintrel.2006.01.001 Langley, A., Mintzberg, H., Pitcher, P., Posada, E. & Saint-Macary, J. (1995). Opening up decision making: The view from the black stool. Organization Science. 6(3), 260-279. Retrieved 10/06/2012 from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2635251
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Liua, A. & Leung, M. (2002). Developing a soft value management model. International journal of project management, 20, 341349. doi S0263-7863(01)00023-0 Malakooti, B. (2012). Decision making process: typology, intelligence, and optimization. Journal of intelligent manufacturing, 23,733746. doi 10.1007/s10845-010-0424-1

Matzler, K., Renzl, B., Muller, J., Herting , S. & Mooradian, T. (2008). Personality traits and knowledge sharing. Journal of economic psychology 29, 301313. doi:10.1016/j.joep.2007.06.004 Parkinson, B. & Simons, G. (2009). Affecting others: Social appraisal and emotion contagion in everyday decision making. Personality and social psychology bulletin. 35, 10711084. doi: 10.1177/0146167209336611 Patriotta, G., & Spedale, S. (2011). Micro-interaction dynamics in group decision making: Face games, interaction order and boundary work. Scandinavian journal of management, 27, 362374. doi:10.1016/j.scaman.2011.08.001 Robbins, S. & Judge, T. (2011).Perception and individual Decision making. In Organisational behaviour, 14th Edn, 167-201. In M. Fitzgerald & S. Ayson, (Eds.), Managing under uncertainty: a qualitative approach to decision making (pp. 366401). Frenchs Forest, Sydney, Australia: Pearson. Robbins, S., Bergman, R., Stagg, I. & Coulter, (2012). Decision making: the essence of a managers job. In M. Fitzgerald & S. Ayson, (Eds.), Managing under uncertainty: a qualitative approach to decision making (pp. 75-105). Frenchs Forest, Sydney, Australia: Pearson. Sniezek, J. (1992). Groups under uncertainty: an examination of confidence in group decision making. Organisational behaviour and human processes, 52, 124-155. Sutcliffe, K., & McNamara, G. (2001). Controlling decision-making practice in organizations. Organization science,12 (4), 484-501. Retrieved 09/06/2012 from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3085984 Tasa, K., Whyte, G. (2005). Collective efficacy and vigilant problem solving in group decision making: A non-linear model. Organizational behaviour and human decision processes, 96, 119129. doi:10.1016/j.obhdp.2005.01.002 Teale, M., Dispenza, V., Flynn, J. & Currie, D. (2003a). Management decision-making in context. In M. Fitzgerald & S. Ayson, (Eds.), Managing under uncertainty: a qualitative approach to decision making (pp. 7-22). Frenchs Forest, Sydney, Australia: Pearson. Teale, M., Dispenza, V., Flynn, J. & Currie, D. (2003b). Group processes. In M. Fitzgerald & S. Ayson, (Eds.), Managing under uncertainty: a qualitative approach to decision making (pp. 405-466). Frenchs Forest, Sydney, Australia: Pearson.

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Tolbert, P. & Hall, R. (2008). Decision-making. In M. Fitzgerald & S. Ayson, (Eds.), Managing under uncertainty: a qualitative approach to decision making (pp. 28-38). Frenchs Forest, Sydney, Australia: Pearson. Wolfradt, U. & Dalbert, C. (2003). Personality, values and belief in a just world. Personality and individual differences, 35, 19111918. doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(03)00040-0

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SAMPLE CASE STUDY REPORTS CHECKLIST

1. Read the two example reports and note down why you think they scored highly. 2. Reflect on what you have learned in the MUU academic literacy tutorials (below) and check how these things relate to the two sample reports. (NB Use this as a checklist for your own work too. Relevant pages from the NBS Student Manual are provided in brackets.)

OVERALL Reading and note-taking skills (16-27)

Did the writer read widely? Do you think the writer took notes well? Do you think the writer/s read critically, i.e. thought about whether decisionmaking theories were: i) Correct ii) Applicable to the writers own decision experience?

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TO HELP YOU JUDGE THE FIRST 3 CRITERIA:

Summary writing (27-28)

Do the reports employ summary writing, where appropriate, to: i) Relate relevant background information and the case study story ii) Relate the content of relevant theories Are the summarising sentences concise? Do they include the most necessary information for the reader to understand the argument?

Critical analysis and critical writing (23-25)

Check that the writing: Separates (or groups) causes, effects and their interrelationships (6364) Includes all important issues Explains the key issues Relates issues to broad theory (models, frameworks). Relates specific aspects of these issues to more specific theories. Explains/summarises theories that are being applied to the case Emphasises ideas, rather than the source (author) of the ideas Synthesises ideas from multiple sources The voice of the writer is clear we hear what the writer thinks

Reflective writing (55-58)

Check that the writing: Explains what could/would/should have been done if there was better knowledge of decision-making theory at the time. Justifies or explains the reflection with further reference to theory

Find examples in the report/s that demonstrate effective writing in each of these areas.

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SOMETHING ELSE TO CONSIDER ABOUT EFFECTIVE WRITING:

Style & expression (41-47)

Is the work written: in academic style (formal sentence structure & word choice) in well-structured paragraphs that each focus on one idea (42) in clear sentences (43-44) concisely (no wordiness, no repetition) cohesively (keywords, transitions, signposts & connecting words or phrases make it flow) logically (causes & effects are in order, no internal contradictions, chronology is correct) with no spelling, punctuation or grammar errors (48)

TO HELP YOU JUDGE THE 4TH CRITERION:

Report Structure & Formatting (49-53)

(NB: Table of Contents & Executive Summary not required for assessment 3) Check that the sample reports have: Logical sections and subheadings Sections do contain what their subheadings would suggest Are within the 10% + /- range of the word limit Adequate margins Line-spacing of at least 1.5 12 point font (preferably Times New Roman)

Referencing (26-38)
Check the referencing of sources: Does it conform to APA style, using correct punctuation and format? Do all in-text references have a corresponding entry in the reference list? Are all reference list entries cited in the text?

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Assess the Assignment 3 example reports using the rubric criteria:

Notes on Sample 1 Notes on Sample 2

Selection of relevant academic theories, models & frameworks from course literature to identify key issues of personal decision making situation

Application of relevant academic theories, models and frameworks to evaluate why the issues of the personal decision making situation arose

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Notes on Sample 1

Notes on Sample 2

Personal reflection, informed by theory, on how the issue could have been addressed differently

Clear language, overall structure and correct referencing

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