Midterm  Exam    MGMT  3030    Sections  004  and  006    INSTRUCTIONS  This  exam  is  due  at  3:15  pm  on  Thursday,  October  17.  You  will  submit  the  completed  exam  electronically   through   the   D2L   dropbox   system.   This   exam   is   a   take   home   exam   and   I  expect   that   the  work   submitted  will  be  your  work  exclusively—meaning   that  you  do  not  collaborate   in   any   way   with   other   classmates,   friends,   etc.   If   I   suspect   that   you   have  collaborated  with  another  student  or  violated  the  Honor  Code  in  any  way,  we  will  have  to  address  it  through  the  Office  of  Student  Conduct.    I  encourage  you  to  visit  the  Honor  Code  website   (http://honorcode.colorado.edu/student-­‐information/what-­‐violation)   to   better  understand  what  is  expected  of  you.      The  CU  Honor  Code  is  to  be  honored  fully.  Period.      In  general,  your  responses  should  convey  to  me  that  you  understand  the  content  from  the  Daft  text  but  also  that  you  are  able  to  connect  and  apply  the  concepts  to  actual  events  that  have   taken  place   (ex.   Enron   scandal,  Walmart   bribery   in  Mexico)   or   a   situation   that   you  could   some  day  encounter  during  your  professional   career.   I   encourage  you   to  pull   from  your   personal   experiences   or   the   experiences   of   others   that   have   been   shared   in   class.  Communication   is   a   critical   skill   in   the   business   world   and   that   includes   written  correspondence.   You   should   be   clear   and   concise   in   general,   while   expanding   on   some  thoughts  when  needed.          GUIDELINES  Please  submit  your  exam  in  a  word  document.  Please  follow  the  suggested  response  length  provided   for   each   question   type.   Please   label   each   response  with   the   question   type   and  question  number.  For  example,  if  you  choose  to  answer  short  answer  questions  2,  3  and  5,  your  first  response  should  be  started  with  “Short  Answer  #2:”  followed  by  your  answer.      Place  the  following  header  at  the  top  of  each  page:  Your  Name  MGMT  3030  Midterm  Exam        

Short  Answer  (15  points  each).  Use  a  half  page  single-­‐spaced  to  answer  each  of  the  short  answer   questions   (no  more   than   1   page   per   response).   Choose   3   of   the   5   short   answer  questions  listed  below  to  answer.      

1. A  distinction  has  been  made  in  both  the  Daft  text  (remember  the  chart  we  covered  in   class)   and   numerous   popular   press   articles   (ex.   Zaleznik’s   “Managers   and  Leaders:  Are  they  different?”  and  Jim  Collins’  “Level  5  Leadership”).    Please  discuss  the   critical   differences   between   managers   and   leaders.   Secondly,   please   provide  examples  of  when  a  manager  would  be  more  effective  than  a  leader,  and  vice  versa.    

 2. You  have  taken  numerous  assessments  over  the  last  several  weeks  with  the  purpose  

of  becoming  more  aware  of  your  personality,  skills,  and  strengths  as  a  leader.  These  assessments   also   highlight   potential   areas   of   improvement.   Introduce   two   (2)   of  these  assessments  that  you  believe  identified  a  weakness  or  gap  that  you  currently  have.   Provide   a   general   overview   of   what   the   assessment   measures   and   provide  details  regarding  any  specific  components.  Then,  introduce  the  specific  aspect  of  the  assessment  that  you  should  improve  on.  Finally,  talk  briefly  about  the  steps  you  can  take  to  address  this  gap.    

 3. There   is   a   longstanding   debate   as   to   whether   leaders   are   born   or   made.   The  

concepts,  theories,  and  examples  from  this  course  have  provided  evidence  for  either  stance   (though   not   equally).   Please   state   your   stance   on   the   debate   and   utilize  content  from  the  class  and  personal  experience  to  back  up  your  position.  (There  is  no   definitive   right   or   wrong   answer   to   born   or   made,   so   points   will   be   given   if  supported  properly)  

 4. A   goal   for   this   class   is   for   you   to   be  more   attuned  with  who   you   are   as   a   person  

today  (through  assessments  and  feedback),  but  also  to  know  the  type  of  leader  and  follower   you   want   to   become.   As   we   talked   about   in   Chapters   5   and   6,   your  community   and   peers   will   naturally   shape   your   core   values   and   your   moral  development.   Please   explain   what   your   core   values   are   and   identify   a   specific  organization  that  you  think  would  be  a  strong  fit  for  you  and  your  goals.  (Hint:  Look  at   company   websites   for   their   mission   and   vision….these   are   often   indicators   of  what  they  value.)  

 5. What   is   your   followership   style?   Feel   free   to   ask   for   feedback   from   a   work  

supervisor   or   someone   who   has   witnessed   your   participation   in   a   group   (ex.  volunteer  work,   sorority/fraternity   involvement,   sports   team).   Explain  what   your  followership  style   is  and  the  context   in  which   this   is  your  style   (you   likely  behave  differently   in   different   groups,   so   just   pick   one).  Highlight   the  ways   in  which   this  style   is   effective   for   the   situation   and   the   ways   that   it   is   ineffective   or  counterproductive  for  the  situation.  Feel  free  to  use  Kelley’s  Followership  Styles  (as  shown  in  Exhibit  7.1  on  page  198)  and  Covey’s  habits.    

     

Essay  (50  points  each).  Use  one,  single-­‐spaced  page  to  answer  each  of  the  essay  questions  (no  more  than  2  pages  per  response).  You  must  answer  both  of  these  essay  questions.    

6. Please   compare   and   contrast   your   own   leadership   patterns   with   those   of   a  prominent   leader.  Begin  by   selecting  a  well-­‐known   leader  who   interests  you.  This  may  be  a  historical  figure  (i.e.  Lincoln,  Churchill,  Martin  Luther  King,  Jr.,  and  Mother  Teresa)   or   a  more   contemporary   one   (ex.  Marissa  Mayer,   Steve   Jobs,   Jack  Welch,  Benazir  Bhutto).  Sources  for  information  on  the  leader  of  your  choice  should  include  news  media,   biographies,   autobiographies,   or  documentaries.   I  would   recommend  that  you  not  use  Wikipedia  as  it  is  not  necessarily  accurate  and  is  often  only  surface  level   information.   Research   the   leader’s   upbringing,   personal   traits,   behaviors,  leadership   philosophy,   style,   successes   and   failures.   Review   your   own  personality  type   and   emotional   intelligence   IQ.   This   essay   should   focus   on   how   the   leader’s  traits   compare   and   contrast  with   your   own.  What   qualities   do   you  most   admire?  Which  would  you  like  to  incorporate  into  your  own  approach  to  leading?  Why?  Your  essay  should  be  a  comparison  and  contrast  between  the   leader  of  your  choice  and  yourself.  References  should  be  provided  when   information   from  another  source   is  used.  

 7. Hardy’s  Hardware  needs   a  new  CEO!  As   an  outstanding   employee   at   this   regional  

do-­‐it-­‐yourself   retailer,   you   recently   participated   on   a   special   team   to   prioritize  human  resources  initiatives  (i.e.  the  in  class  exercise  on  Tuesday).  You  are  now  on  an   elite   search   committee   to   find   the   new   leader   of   your   company.     The   search  committee  consists  of  you  and  about  10  other  people.  Before  you  begin   looking  at  specific  candidates,  the  SVP  of  HR  has  asked  everyone  to  provide  a  recommendation  of   the   type   of   person   the   company   should   aim   for.   Please   outline   3   or   4  characteristics  that  you  think  the  new  CEO  should  possess.  Provide  your  rationale  or  thought  process  for  the  sought  after  characteristic…the  why!  Should  the  new  CEO  be  internal/external?   Should   he/she   be   from   the   DIY   industry   or   not?   Should   the  person  be  more  autocratic  or  democratic?    Use  terminology  that  we  have  discussed  in  class  or  from  the  Daft  text.    

 Background  Info:  Hardy’s  Hardware  is  a  privately  owned  regional  chain  of  building  and  home  improvement  products.    Hardy’s  operates  54  stores  in  Washington,  Idaho,  Oregon,  and  California.    The  stores  are  smaller  than  the  super-­‐centers  of  Lowe’s  or  Home  Depot  but  carry  similar  products.    Hardy’s  has  enjoyed  solid  increases  in  sales  and   loyal   customers   for   several   years  but  has   recently   stalled   in   terms  of   growth,  under  the  increasing  presence  of  the  national  chain  stores.  This  pressure  from  Home  Depot   and   Lowe’s   is   threatening   not   only   profitability   but   also   employee  morale.  The  outgoing  CEO  has  been  with  the  company  for  nearly  30  years  and  was  beloved  internally,  but  was  not  the  right  person  for  necessary  change  for  the  future.      

Give  Me  Points  (5  points  each).  Respond  to  1  of  the  2  questions  below  with  2-­‐3  sentences  at  most.    

8. What  is  the  most  frustrating  stereotype  that  you  have  been  assigned  to?    9. What  is  the  most  valuable  thing  you  have  learned  from  this  class?