Manager Interview Paper

The purpose of this assignment is to give you the opportunity to conduct an interview with a manager to enable you to better understand a manager’s day-to-day responsibilities, examine the approaches the manager uses on the job, and identify how these approaches are related to theories and concepts in organizational behavior.

The Interview:

First, you should identify a manager who is willing to be interviewed. For purposes of this assignment, a manager is a member of an organization with three or more subordinates who report directly to him or her. Any type of organization is acceptable.

Second, you should ask the following introductory questions to get general information:

· How long have you been with the company? Held your current position?

· What are the three most important tasks you are responsible for accomplishing?

· What do you lime most about being a manager? Least?

However, the majority of the interview should focus on determining how the manager handles the following three aspects of his or her job:

· Creating satisfied employees (Ch. 4)

· Motivating employees (Ch. 7)

· Leading employees (Ch. 2)

You should not expect managers to discuss how they do their job using the terms, theories, and concepts we discuss in class. Instead, your job is to ask more pointed questions and then interpret the responses in relation to course material. In other words, don’t ask the manager “Do you use Goal Setting Theory in motivating your employees?” Instead, pick 2 or 3 topics in each chapter that interest you and ask questions around those in common phrases. For instance, you could ask, “Do you use goals to motivate employees? Why or why not?” (from goal-setting theory). Then, interpret these responses in terms of theories and concepts that appear in your textbook and in lecture.

The Paper:

Think about the manager’s responses to your interview questions. Your paper should summarize the interview findings in relation to theories and concepts we have reviewed in class (book chapters, assigned material). The paper should not be in a question and answer format and should not be a verbatim transcript of the interview. Your paper should be approximately 5 to 6 pages (12 point font, double-spaced) – About 1 page for background (incorporate the introductory questions), 1.5 pages regarding “creating satisfied employees”, 1.5 pages regarding “motivating employees”, and 1.5 pages regarding “leading employees”.

MANAGER INTERVIEW PAPER – GRADING RUBRIC:

Part I: Background

a. Introduction that incorporates responses to introductory questions. (2 points possible)

Part II: Creating Satisfied Employees

a. Summarizes, integrates, and interprets the manager’s responses. (3 points possible)

b. Ties manager’s responses into concepts from class. (3 points possible)

Part III: Motivating Employees

a. Summarizes, integrates, and interprets the manager’s responses. (3 points possible)

b. Ties manager’s responses into concepts from class. (3 points possible)

Part IV: Leading Employees

a. Summarizes, integrates, and interprets the manager’s responses. (3 points possible)

b. Ties manager’s responses into concepts from class. (3 points possible)

Part V: Other

a. Grammar, spelling, and formatting (5 points possible)