Ewdnatbn fw the depe

MASER OF BUSNESS ADMINISTRATION

AWARDED BY NOTTlNGHAM TRENT U N W S J W , UK

J u l y - M ~ S 2007
t
- MOWLETIC~E:
EARNING AND CHANGING

Duration of examination: 2 HOURS (PLUS 20 MINUI'ES READING TYE)

1. C k k that thi# emin& b U e t consists of 2 PAGES exdudhg fie cover page.

2 There b 1 86e71QN withln Ws examlnatloh b k k t .
3. Amw any 2 OF THE 4 L q ~ ~Each s ,question mi&a total of 50 ma&
&
4. You shwld urn lhe - proovided hr all quesfions, Put the page number on the TOP
RIGHT COFIHm of &Ianswer sheet * Make sure that yw have includedthe Questton No.
5. ~mpleteyouranswersinBLACKINKonly.
6. At the condushn of this emination, make sure that you hand in this h k i ~@ether
l with your answ sdpfs. You
may not r m v e this emination baddet from he exsminatlonvenue.
P Thb W t &oukl be h n d to the answer she&.
P Enwre if all lhe W e a f answer Wts am bghfiy bound using thread w s w e pins
P Put p u t mdent 10 nurnk on dl she& IDavokl Mngsheets in case the binding u n m h
7. No candidah are albwetl lnta or out of the examinatwn hall 30 minubs after the w m m ~of the t examinam
and 30 minubs before the end of the examinah.
8, Make sure that yw have filled in your name(s) and other relevant infwmation in the spaces provided blow.
9, If thew instnlchns am mt complied wtth, your perf~mmcein this exminabn dll k aktd,
10, Candidates are adWd ta spend !he examination time accwdlngly:
R-eadand Understand Questions 20 minutes

Candidate's name:
Student ID & NRIC No. :

THIS PART IS FORTHE I

SOf 'ME W N E R I W I N A T I O N MARKER ONLY:

QUESTION NO. MAWARDED

(50 MARKS I W ESTION)
,
M
u2
Q3
Q4

Tom Mmm
 -
LEARNING AND CHANGING EXAMINATION QUESVONSJULY~AUGUST
2007 -
Question 1
Few companies could survive today without accurate, up to date information on the
external environment (Garvin, 2000). Accordingly many scholars defined learning in
part as an acquisition of knowledge and skill which included acquiring up-to-date
information on their competitors, customers, technology, regulations, and social and
demographic trends (Combs & Moorhead, 1992; Prahalad & Hamel, 1990, Fletcher
& Brown, 2005).

In your opinion, how does this naturalty occur within the workplace? (20 marks)
1 .I
f-
1.2Discuss how you would use Kolb's learning cycle to your own recent work
situation. (30 marks)

Question 2

In today's competitive business environment, knowledge is view as a key corporate

asset. Some managers see best practices as sources of superior productivity and
growth, to be disseminated as quickly as possible, while others consider creative
ideas and innovative thinking essential to success in emerging, tapidly changing
markets. All these am reasons that embrace the need to adopt developmental
approaches to the organization. Yet despite this apparent importance, many
organizations paid lime or no attention in practice.

2.1 In your view, what are the major challenges facing organizations today? Identify
any one challenge and illustrate how you could adopt a development approach to
meet the challenge. (30marks) I

2.2 In your
opinion, how can development approaches prepare the organization for change
. managemenr! (20marks)

Question 3
For learning to be useful within the organization, change it seems is inevitable. An
area that is widely discussed by academics is how and why organizations change,
how is change sustained successfully, Row does it impact thd behaviors, emotions
and performances of employees within the organization, and above all how this
Inevitable force of change can be managed (such as in Basil & Cook, 1974; Moss-
Kanter, 1989; Senge, 7 991). Some organizations adopt a problem solving cycle or
the tools of Planned change to effectively manage change.
 3.1 As a manager for your company, identify and explain on the benefits of tools of
planned change. Using examples, discuss what does tt enable organlratlons to
do? (30marks)

3.2 From your perspective, what are the maim pmblems that could be encountered in
using this approach? 20 marks)

' Question 4

Planning and managing change, both cuttural and technological, is one of the most
challenging elements of a rnanagefs jab, Obviously, the more a manager can plan
In anticipation of a change, the better the manager serves subrdinates and the
organidon. Diagnosing the-causes of change and stmcturing a progmm to
promote a smooth transition to the new process is critical to a rnanagefs success.

4.1 Identify and discuss the dimensions of organizational change that the managers
need to be aware of.
(25 marks)

4.2111ustrate your understanding of discontinuous versus Incremental change that

managers need to be conscious of. (25 marks)
 NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY
WORLD EDUCATION COUNCIL
Examination for the degree

MASTER OF BUStNESS ADMINISTRATION

Module title: Learning and Changing

Duration of examination: 2 HOURS (PLUS 20 MINUTES READING TIME)

-.

*,,
1. Check that this exwninatlon booklei consists of 1 PAGE. excluding the cover page.
7 2. There Ls only 1 SECWN wlthln thls examinahon booklet.
1 AN SWER SHEETS provided for all quasttom. Put the page number on the TOP
3. You sbuld use the m$E-W

4
RlGHT CORNm oi emh amww sheet. 'Make sure that you have included the Question No,
4. Please complete y w r a n w m in BLACK INfi only. 4
5. Answer any 2 OUT nF 4 esay questbns. &h question carries 50 MARKS.
6. At the conclusion dthls examination, make sure that you hand In this booklet tqether with ywr answer scripls. You
may not remove Ihis marnlnatlwl booklet f m lhe examfnatbn venue.
Thk -let should be bound to the answer sheets.
> Ensure If all the h & a f answer sheets ws tightly bound using thread or staple pins
Put your Student ID number on all s h t s to avoid loshg $heels in case b e bindm unrav&
7. No candidates are allwved Into or out of h e examinatfunhall 311 minutes afler h e commencement of the examination
and 30 mln- before Ihe end of the examhation.
8. Make sure that you have filled In your namets) and o h r relevant InfmaUon In the spaces provMed b d w .
9. If them instructiom am not cornplied with, your performanceIn this examinawn will be afleded.
10. CzldkIatcs are advised b spend the examlnatlon tlme acmrdhgly:

W and Understand Questions M minutes

Answering each Question 130 mins X 4) 2 hours
fl
Candidate's name: I

Student ID & NRIC No. :

MIS PART IS FOR THE USE OF THE EXAMINER I EXAMINATION MARKER ONLY:

MARKS AWARDED
QUESTION NO. (50 MARKS I QUESTION)
Q1
Q2
Q3
@ I
&

TUTAL MARKS
Eet& slaestiom carries e totd af 50,mark$

Complet$ aH the subeetlms within the dosen question .

,7 C - U .---I_ ---- --------

has a h i g t o y o f " f o U o w i n g t h e l e s d d , ~ a ~ c h ~ a . bmden,
oan

B* Laming arga&tions artack fmgmedtation, cornp&tiveness and mctiYmes."Explain [hi$!

'statement. (30 marks)

2. A. Explain, with the help of examples, the'diffemces b e m n urgmisatiaml learning a d

laming organization. (20 marks)

B. How might you motivate managers to play a more active role in orgmimtiad learningY
(30 marks)

3. A. What is kaowkdg? Why is knowledge important? (2B marks)

4. A Discuss the U& of narolinguistics programing @LP) in mmagmmt learuiw

(30 m r b )

4. B. *'~;vingbarrim to learning is sn Mona1 m p s e . ' Do you agree or disagree? Exphh

120 marks)