INSTRUCTION

a. Write answers in your own words as far as possible and refrain from copying from the text 

b. Answers of Ist Set (Part-A), IInd Set (Part-B), IIIrd Set (Part – C) and Set-IV (Case Study) must be sent 

c. Mail the answer sheets alongwith the copy of assignments for evaluation & return. 

d. Only hand written assignments shall be accepted. 

A. First Set of Assignments: 5 Questions, each question carries 1 marks. 

B. Second Set of Assignments: 5 Questions, each question carries 1 marks. 

C. Third Set of Assignments: 5 Questions, each question carries 1 marks. Confine your answers 

D. Forth Set of Assignments: Two Case Studies : 5 Marks. Each case study carries 2.5 marks. 

to 150 to 200 Words. 

FIRST SET OF ASSIGNMENTS Assignment-I = 5 Marks 

ASSIGNMENTS 

PART– A 

1. What are some of the metaphors used to describe organizations? What is the significance of 

2. How has organizational behavior been defined? Which features can be highlighted from the way 

3. Briefly  explain the major  lines  of thought  as  far  as research  in the  field  of OB  in  India  is 

4. Why  is  it  important  for  organizations  in  India  to search  for  hybrid,  improvised  models  of 

5. How  essential  is  it for organizations to  adopt the modern management  practices?  To what 

extent can they help in maintaining organizational effectiveness? 

Organization Structure and Behaviour  Page 1 of 5 IMT‐14

SECOND SET OF ASSIGNMENTS Assignment-II = 5 Marks 

PART– B 

1. What is Motivation? What are its features? How does motivation at work benefit organizations? 

2. What is the distinction between the Content theories and Process Theories of motivation? 

3. Explain the model of motivation given by: 

a) The Drive theory. What are its major limitations and contributions? 

b) The need hierarchy theory.  What are its major points of departure from the drive theories? 

c) Herzberg’s two‐factor theory. 

4. How do the orientations to work elements affect work motivation in India? 

5. Write short notes on the following in the context of their importance at work: 

f) Positive and Negative Affectivity  

i) Locus of Control Perception 

THIRD SET OF ASSIGNMENTS Assignment-II = 5 Marks 

PART– C 

1. Explain the relevance of power dynamics in organization. Describe the nature of power. 

2. If you saw a diagram depicting an organizational structure, would you be able to identify the 

sources and direction of power in it? Give examples. 

3. What is leadership? Explain the relevance and importance of leadership in the current context of 

changing and turbulent environment. 

4. Prepare short perspective notes on the following theories: 

a) Personality and Traits Theory. 

b) Ohio and Michigan State University Theories 

c) Theory X and Y as leadership assumptions. 

d) Fiedler’s Contingency Model. 

e) Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Model. 

f) Blake and Mouton’s Grid theory. 

h) Kerr and Jermer’s Substitute Theory 

i) Vertical Diad or Exchange and Transactional Theory. 

j) Transformational and Charismatic Theories 

Organization Structure and Behaviour  Page 2 of 5 IMT‐14

5. How are managers different form leaders? Do you think good leaders should be good managers, 

FOURTH SET OF ASSIGNMENTS Assignment-IV = 2.5 Each Case Study 

CASE STUDY - I 

You are a member of the Guest Lecture Organising Committee in your college.  At the end of one guest 

lecture, you have accompanied the guest speaker to your  course instructor’s office, for an informal 

wrap‐up conversation among the three of you.  

The guest, Mr. Shrenik Das, is the VP (Production) with a Private Limited Joint Venture company that 

manufactures textile machinery.  After the recent hike in the equity participation by the German parent, 

who is a global giant, the message is clear for Das – this company is expected to become a hub that 

serves the growing market in South Asia.  

“We really don’t want to miss this great opportunity”. Das tells you instructor.  Your instructor asks,” 

how is the progress towards the new goal?” Das answers, “ Well, I have employed almost all of my 

learning  from the days of engineering and all my experience with the great German tradition.  Our ISO 

certificate had lapsed three years back, we have almost completed our homework for re‐registration.  

Our technology is already the latest, our lines are well‐balanced and well‐maintained, and we have a 

very elaborate system for controlling quality, defects and output – and we have a great product, of 

course.   Yet, something is falling short.   In spite of following all the correct practices , we have not 

achieved the required level of productivity.”  “How is the approach of your top management?” Your 

instructor enquires, “Oh they are fully supportive, Resources are not a constraint.  I can say that I have a 

free hand managing my operations at the plant – just that, when I look at my staff, sometimes I wish I 

could energize them.  They are highly disciplined and obedient – yet I wonder if I am wrong when I think 

we could achieve much more if they were as fired up about the new goal as I am.  I guess not all find 

“Have you tried OB?” You blurt out.  “When can OB do for us?” Asks Das. Two pairs of eyes are now on 

you and you have two seconds before you answer.  

(Aim – reinforce OB as one of the approaches to organizational effectiveness.  From Das’ comments, it is 

fairly obvious that the quantitative, systems  and strategic  approach  alone  are not sufficient, unless 

supplemented by OB. Pick clues from Das’ words such as ‘energized’ and ‘fired up’ and link them to the 

possible advantages of worker motivation, commitment, engagement, involvement – for example.) 

1. If you were to answer the question asked by Mr. Das, what would you say? 

2. From what Mr. Das has described, what would be you basis of suggesting that OB could show 

3. What specific areas of themes from the OB discipline can you recommend further work on, if 

your answer in (1) above is liked by Mr. Das? 

Organization Structure and Behaviour  Page 3 of 5 IMT‐14

CASE STUDY-II 

Rohit joined High Tech Computers after one  year of experience as an Assistant Programmer at Zen 

computers.  He had switched the job for better career prospect and faster progress because High Tech 

was larger and growing much faster than Zen and also had international clients.   Rohit was sure he 

would do well here just as he had done at Zen.  

At High Tech, Rohit was a Senior Programmer and received a big salary hike.   Upon joining, he was 

assigned to Aparna’s five‐member team.  Rohit had met Aparna during his orientation, and the rest of 

his  colleagues seemed  warm,  friendly  and  comfortablewith  Rohit’s  work.    When  Rohit  asked  his 

colleague Dipti about their boss, Dipti said, “She does not interfere with our work.  Don’t be surprised if 

at times you even feel ignored.” Rohit decided that perhaps Aparna was the one who preferred to leave 

everyone along in order to let them realize their own potential.  After all it was fast growing industry 

with a lot of scope for innovation, which could set one company apart from others.   At Zen also, his 

previous Boss, S.Reddy, had been his guide and mentor apart from being a boss – always supervising 

and available, aware of exactly where the work was headed, but never interfering. Reddy would let 

Rohit make mistakes and learn from them.  He encouraged ideas from individuals, and allowed them to 

discover flaws in those ideas through discussion which he seemed to guide in the right direction.  With 

Reddy an individual was rarely responsible for a failure to deliver when he was a member in a team.  The 

team as a whole was responsible for what they did, and Rohit remembered discussing at Zen that an 

ideal boss is the one who does not interfere with his/her subordinate’s work.  At High Tech now, Rohit 

wanted to believe that Aparna was the non‐interfering boss who would let him perform and support 

him in his growth and delivery of results. 

During the first week at work, Rohit thought that the work atmosphere was a bit dull, However, he was 

himself quite excited.  His team had been assigned a new project which was experiencing a few glitches 

with its new software.  He had been thinking of these problems and their possible solution till late night 

and  was  often  reminded  of  the  charged  atmosphere  at  Zen  where  his  team  members,  similarly 

engrossed, would keep on IM‐ing and sms‐ing each other about ideas and opinions about others ‘ideas, 

Here he could not wait to discuss his overflowing ideas with Aparna and he smiled to himself thinking 

about how Aparna would react to his thoughts once he shared them with her.   May be she would 

instantly call a meeting of all project team members.  Perhaps everyone will notice how he has started 

contributing to  the  project  from  day  one.    These  thoughts spilled  into  a  daydream  about  all the 

Rohit waited for 15 minutes after he saw Aparna walk into her office, and then called her up asking if he 

could see her. When he went into her cabin, she looked up at him blankly and asked, “ Yes?” Not sure if 

she had recognized him. Rohit introduced himself. She said,” Yes, I know – but why did you want to 

meet me?” Rohit started to describe the problems with the new software that his team faced. Before he 

could finished, Aparna told him that she was busy with some other things and that she would send an 

email with the solutions to all the members of the team by the end of the day and that those could then 

Rohit found himself taken aback.  He came out of Aparna’s office and went straight to where his team 

members sat.  He thought it would still be nice to discuss all his ideas with his team members and hear 

what solutions others might have thought of in a technical manner.   When he spoke a little in this 

direction,  he thought that  everyone  else  also might  chip  in  but  again to  his surprise,  others  were 

Organization Structure and Behaviour  Page 4 of 5 IMT‐14

disinterested. Salil, one of his team mates said,” What is the point in discussing all this here? Aparna has 

no time to listen to all this.   Yet she will have solution which she will tell us and we simply have to 

implement them regardless of our opinion, so why bother?” Rohit was now feeling depressed.  Is this 

how he was going to work here? He refused to lose his heart and moved on.  

Several days passed and Rohit realized that Aparna was a complete opposite of Reddy.  In fact, Rohit 

simply could not stop comparing the two.  While she was efficient at what she did and was extremely 

intelligent, she had neither the time nor inclination to groom her subordinates.  None of her solutions 

were incorrect so far but she was never open to discuss or debate the merits or potential effects of the 

ideas that her team members might have.  She never held the team down to deadlines or interfered 

with their execution of work.  In fact, she rarely said anything at all if the work was not completed on 

time.  To her superiors, she would just blame her team and then dissociate herself from them.  

In contrast to S. Reddy, Aparna managed such low levels of motivation and team spirit without actively 

doing much. Rohit’s interest in work began to fade.  He was not required to think, his boss had all the 

answers. He learnt nothing new and he felt stuck.  He felt discouraged and discounted as what he had to 

offer not only went unrecognized but it was deliberately suppressed.  His performance was becoming 

loose and he was lurking dangerously close to being just another mediocre techie.  

1. What  is the  interpersonal style  of  Aparna  at  Hi‐tech?  What  in  your  opinion  are  its  major 

2. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of these style features in terms of their influence on 

issues like motivation, morale, turnover and different parameters of performance.