Writing Question

Weekly Engagement Unit 2--DISCUSS: Unit 2 - Classical Approaches to Organizing - Group 3

Key protocols for this discussion board:

1. Initial posts should be a minimum of one (1) short paragraph, and a maximum of two (2) short paragraphs. [~100-250 words] PER PROMPT QUESTION. They should conclude with a question for your peers to consider responding to.
2. Posts should address the discussion prompts directly and completely, and stay on topic.
3. Posts must make clear use of concepts from course readings and lessons. [Do not confuse us with random definitions of concepts from google.]
4. You will start working in your groups this week, so your discussions from now on will be in groups of 9.

Responses

1. Substantively responding to something I post on your initial post can count as one of your responses.
2. Participants should identify fellow participants by name at the start of response posts, follow conventions of proper language, and maintain a tone of mutual civility and respect.
3. Responses should use and cite textual evidence from course readings and/or other relevant sources where appropriate.
4. Responses should not be “Good point / I agree” or “I disagree.” Provide clear, substantive questions, advice, and other comments that enhance our learning. This is NOT a checklist, feed it into ChatGpt or Google to make something up and get points scenario. This is where and how we engage with the material and each other.

This week you have TWO initial prompts and TWO required responses to peers.

• Your initial posts on each required discussion prompt are due on Thursday at 11:59 PM.
• Your subsequent replies to discussion posts are due no later than Friday at 11:59 PM.
  

The rubric I use to grade should be visible on this page. Please read it if you haven't yet. People who don't post meaningful responses often get 14/20 points. So please plan accordingly.

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Weekly Engagement Activity Unit 2: Discussion Board on Classical Approaches to Organizing

Now that you've read about two big classical theories, let's read and think about current examples of some of these communication practices.

Prompt #1:

Pick an example of one of the principles from the worksheetDownload worksheet I posted on the McDonald's reading page (this could be one of the four principles of Taylor's scientific management OR one of the six principles of Weber's bureaucracy). Once you have chosen a principle from either Taylor or Weber, you will do the following:

1. List and define your principle based on how it is defined in our textbook and other course content.
2. Describe what this principle means in your own words.
3. Provide one example of your chosen principle being used OR violated somewhere in one of the narratives from the McDonald's reading.

NOTE: Choosing your principle is on a first come first serve basis! No duplicates on principles covered on your group's discussion board under prompt #1. So if the first poster responds with examples of Taylor's "one best way to do a job," no one who posts after will get credit for also posting about this principle. The idea is that as a whole discussion board you cover most, if not all of the worksheet (I'll make exceptions if simultaneous posts on the same principle occur, but that is actually really really rare). So before you start answering prompt #1, make sure you've read all of your teammates' posts.**

Here's a sample of what your post might look like (with a theory/theorist we did NOT study this week):

"Prompt #1:

1. Fayol's principle of Discipline: Fayol's discipline principle states that all organization members should be obedient to the rules and the managers who enforce them.
2. Fayol believes that people should never resist their higher ups and that rules are meant to be followed.
3. This principle was violated in the McDonald's article. The article, when talking about Jason, states: “It appears he was so fast on the griddle that... he'd been taken back three times by two different managers after quitting.”(p.19) This suggests the store was operating in violating of the discipline rule because the employee was clearly not being obedient, yet was hired back on the basis that he was a very speedy worker regardless of his obedience to the rules or the managers."

Prompt #2:

Classical theories of organizing are all based on the Functional approach to studying and designing organizations. Let's think about Mizzou as an organization. What is a question you might ask about Mizzou's organizational communication from a functional/classical approach?

I don't expect you to "nail this one" or "knock it out of the park" on the first try... But based on last week and this week's modules, give it a try. We will all join in and get to where we understand what kinds of questions functional approaches ask and answer about organizations!

Please remember to include the prompt # in your initial posts and always post them as responses to the appropriate prompt below to assist me in keeping everything straight in the gradebook!