MGMT20001 ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
Semester 2 2024
Individual Assignment
Due: 11:59pm Sunday 18th August 2024
Submission: Submit as one document via OB Canvas
Word length: 1000 words
Assessment weight: 10% of the total mark for the subject
Instructions
This assignment asks you to analyse a case, drawing on academic literature to answer three questions.
In order to answer the questions you must read the Case Study below.
You must include all three required readings in your response. In addition to the required readings,
you must use at least three articles from academic peer-reviewed journals. You will be given
information about how to find and reference such sources in the skill-building session held in Week 2
of Semester.
Case Study
Frances Patris had always been interested in sports. From primary school onwards she had
participated in everything available and after school she could be found kicking a ball around
in one of the many impromptu games of soccer that the local kids were always enjoying.
However, it was in secondary school in Orbost that she was first introduced to field hockey
by a sports teacher who had once played for Australia. Frances was clearly a natural at the
game and ascended to star player and captain of the school team. By the time she was 17 she
was playing for Victoria and was invited to join the national team at 19 where she quickly
became a star forward. Frances’ national career lasted a surprising 10 years and included 35
caps and an Olympic medal. She also enjoyed the status of national sports icon, and her
retirement was followed by invitations for cameo appearances on television in chat shows
and interviews.
But Frances was not happy in retirement, she missed the game and the camaraderie but also
felt frustrated that she was no longer able to pursue some of the many ideas that she had
regarding how training and playing improvements might be included in coaching. Following
her retirement Frances enrolled at college and over the next two years acquired qualifications
in coaching as well as a master’s degree in sports management. This was rewarded by an
invitation to become assistant coach to the women’s national team and, over the next few
years, in which Frances became national coach, she enjoyed many successes, including
taking Australia to the World Championship in which her team beat the other finalist by a
resounding 7 goals to 2.
Australia’s men’s hockey team was not enjoying the same success, however, not having won
an international match in over three years. This came to a crisis in which the national
manager, coach and assistant coach were all dismissed, followed by international advertising
for their replacements. Frances applied for the position of head coach. Two weeks later, she
received an invitation to an interview at the team’s headquarters in Sydney. The interview
panel of four men seemed surprised when she walked into the interview room, clearly, they
had not expected a woman and clearly, they had not studied her application very closely and,
perhaps had inadvertently placed her application in the wrong pile.
The interview came to a head very quickly ‘Look', said the chairman, 'your
accomplishments, experience and skill are beyond question'-- having quickly perused the CV
as she was entering the room -- 'but the fact is that we were planning to hire a man; it is a
men's hockey team after all'. He advised Frances that she would not be considered for the
role. Ultimately, it went to the male applicant.
Case Study adapted from Shaw, W., Barry V., & Sansbury, G. (2009) Locker room bias? In
Shaw, W., Barry V., & Sansbury, G. (Eds. 1), Moral Issues in Business. (pp. 570-571).
Australia: Cengage Learning.
Individual Assignment Required Reading List:
You must include all three required readings in your response. In addition to the required readings,
you must use at least three articles from academic peer-reviewed journals. You will be given
information about how to find and reference such sources in the skill-building session held in Week 2
of Semester.
Textbook Chapter 3: McShane et al. (2019) Perceiving ourselves and others in organisations.
In McShane et al (Eds. 6), Organisational Behaviour: Emerging Knowledge. Global Insights.
(pp. 80-115). Australia: McGraw-Hill.
Textbook Chapter 7: McShane et al. (2019) Decision-making and creativity. In McShane et al
(Eds. 6), Organisational Behaviour: Emerging Knowledge. Global Insights. (pp. 228-265).
Australia: McGraw-Hill.
Dunning, K., Johnson, K., Ehrlinger, J. & Kruger, J. (2003). Why people fail to recognize
their own incompetence. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12(3), 83-87.
Individual Assignment Questions
Question 1. Identify the biases or sources of error in the Chairman’s decision-making in this
scenario. (300 words)
Question 2. To what extent would you say that the Chairman made a rational decision not to
select Frances for the position of head coach? (300 words)
Question 3. Identity at least two ways to improve perceptions and decision-making of the
Chairman and the interview panel? (400 words)
INSTRUCTIONS: Please read the following carefully.
Structure/Formatting:
Write your response to each question in paragraphs.
Label your response to each question clearly using headings. (Q1, Q2, Q3 is acceptable.)
Use double-spacing, and 12 pt font size.
Assessment criteria/feedback sheet:
You will be assessed using the following criteria:
- Appropriately addressing the assignment questions
- Understanding of the theories
- Definition of terms/concepts
- Analysis and evaluation of the theory to answer questions
- Relevant and original argument incorporating reading and research to develop your
argument
- Use of research beyond set or recommended readings (at least 4 additional to the req
uired reading listed above)
- Written style: expression, spelling and grammar
- Structure: all parts of the questions are answered. Correct use of paragraph structure.
- Referencing and Citing correctly using the APA referencing system
Cover page:
Include a front page on your assignment as the first page of your assignment and fill in the
relevant details: full name, student number, subject code and name, due date and assignment
name. If you do not include these details, we cannot mark your assignment.
The Assignment Cover Template is available on the OB Canvas page via:
Subject Overview > Assessment Information >Individual Assignment > IA Coversheet
Referencing:
All material used must be correctly cited and referenced, using the APA Referencing System
which includes:
In-text citations in the body of your short answer questions
A reference list as the last page of your assignment (listing only references you have cited).
Material that has not been referenced correctly may be considered to be plagiarised, and as
such may be penalised. We will also look for evidence that material included in the reference
list has been used in the assignment. Including references that have not been used may also
result in your assignment being penalised.

There is a link to the APA Referencing System Guideline on OB Canvas page via
Subject Overview > Assessment Information > Assessment Guides
If you would like to find out more about Academic Integrity, take a look at the
Academic Honesty page available under Assessment Information.
Plagiarism and collusion:
Please note: Your assignment will also be screened for plagiarism using the Turnitin.
More information about the university’s policy and the Turnitin program
is available from the following website: http://academichonesty.unimelb.edu.au

- Presenting material from other sources without full acknowledgement (referred to as
plagiarism) is heavily penalised. Penalties for plagiarism can include a mark of zero
for the piece of assessment or a fail grade for the subject.
- Plagiarism is the presentation by a student of an assignment identified as his or her
own work even though it has been copied in whole or in part from another student’s
work, or from any other source (e.g. published books, web-based materials or
periodicals), without due acknowledgement in the text.
- Collusion is the presentation by a student of an assignment as his or her own work
when it is, in fact, the result (in whole or in part) of unauthorised collaboration with
another person or persons. Both the student presenting the assignment and the
student(s) willingly supplying unauthorised material are considered participants in
the act of academic misconduct.
- The Academic Skills unit has prepared a help sheet on avoiding plagiarism
Word count:

- Total word limit 1,000 - 10% either way is acceptable (penalties apply for exceeding
the word limit – refer to course outline).
- Please note: In-text Citations and Reference list are NOT counted in the word count.
Assignment extensions and penalties for late submissions:
Late submission of an assignment is permitted only where an extension has been granted.
Requests for an extension can be made through the OB Canvas page via
Subject Overview > Assessment Information > Assessment Extensions (or Special
Consideration)
All requests for an extension must be made prior to the assessment due date.

- Unless an extension has been granted, penalties to the assessment will be applied.
- To ensure equality for all students, assignments must be completed within specified
time limits. Late submissions will attract a marking penalty where approval for late
submission has not been given. Assignments exceeding word limits may also attract
a marking penalty.
- Penalties for late submission: The mark a student is awarded for their work will be
reduced by 5% for each day the work is late.
- Assignments that exceed the word limit by more than 10% may attract a marking
penalty of 10% of the marks that would otherwise have been awarded.
- Assignments that exceed the word limit by 25% or more may attract a higher penalty,
including a cap on the maximum grade awarded, unless a student gains an
exemption.
- (For example, an assignment with a limit of 2000 words will be marked down by
10% if there are more than 2200 words. If there are 2500 words or more, the
maximum result that may be awarded is an H2B.)

Special consideration:
Students who have been significantly affected by illness or other serious circumstances
during the semester may be eligible to apply for Special Consideration.
Requests for a special consideration can be made through the OB Canvas page via
Subject Overview > Assessment Information > Assessment Extensions (or Special
Consideration)
You must submit your online application no later than 4 working days after due date for
submission or examination of the particular component of assessment, to which your
application refers.
Submission Instructions:
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY
The LMS allows you to submit your assignment online from home or from any of the student
labs on campus.
You can access the Assignment Submission function by clicking on the Assignments link on
the left-hand pane on the OB Canvas page.
Please note that you are required to keep a copy of your assignment after it has been
submitted, as you must be able to produce a copy of your assignment at the request of your
tutor or lecturer at any time after the submission due date.
Assignment submission guidelines can be found on the OB Canvas page via
Subject Overview > Assessment Information > Assessment Policies