managing strategic performance essay
Essay question: Discuss the view that it is possible to build employee motivation in
circumstances where employees are tightly controlled.

Please include the use of these Some references for the essay but not limited to. Please include atleast 5 of these references listed below:
Hutchinson, S., 2013, Performance Management Theory and Practice’, CIPD Enterprises Limited, UK.
ISBN13: 9781843983057 (Look at chapters 1-6)
Baron, J. N, Burton, D. M., & Hannan, M. T.
(1996). The road taken: Origins and evolution
of employment systems in emerging companies.
Industrial and Corporate Change, 2,
239€“275.
Beer, M., & Katz, N. (2003). Do incentives work?
The perceptions of a worldwide sample of senior
executives. Human Resource Planning,
26(3), 30€“44.
McGregor, D. (1960). The human side of the enterprise,
New York: McGraw-Hill
McKersie, R. B., & Hunter, L. C. (1973). Pay, productivity,
and collective bargaining. London:
Macmillan.
Pfeffer, J. (1998). The human equation. Boston:
Harvard Business School Press.
URL: https://www.lib.uts.edu.au/drr/36199/

Tracy, Brian (2013) Motivation’. New york: American management association
Herzberg, F. (1959) The motivation to work. New york: John wiley & sons
Harris, L. (2007) Rewarding employee performance: Line managers’ values, beliefs and perspectives from the Uk’s public sector’, journal of European industrial training, vol.26, No.5: 218-29
Harbison, F. and Myers, C. (1959) management in the Industrial world: An international analysis. London/ New York: Mcgraw-Hill
Use only scholarly peer reviewed articles

Requirements of the essay:
1 and half line spacing using Arial font
Harvard style referencing
Include theories such as
€¢ Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
€¢ Alderfer’s Modified Need Hierarchy
€¢ Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory

Identify the process or command’ words like compare, discuss, evaluate. These tell you how you have to answer the question.

In the essay, make it clear whether you are citing evidence, drawing a reasoned conclusion or putting a counter-argument. Use such phrases as:
? This clearly demonstrates that €¦..’
? It has been argued that €¦..’
? On the other hand €¦..’
? However, this view conflicts with that of €¦..’

Essay marking criteria
Introduction
? Provides a clear and concise introduction to the essay.
? The main structure of the essay is outlined clearly.
? The main thesis or argument is outlined.
Depth and Breadth of Knowledge Demonstrated:
? All relevant ideas, concepts and theories are covered with clear explanation, and with clear recognition of the multiple perspectives that are possible.
? Clear evidence of a wide variety of relevant and credible sources used to support and answer the essay question.
Quality of Thinking Demonstrated:
? Ideas, theory and information sources well integrated to provide a sound argument for the conclusions reached.
? Identified all relevant factors pertinent to the essay question and recognises the significance of any inter-relationships.
? Critically evaluates information or evidence (eg in terms of significance, relevance, contradictions, linkages to theory).
Organisation and Flow:
? Logically organised key points and key arguments were clearly identified.
? Key points were supported with a well thought out rationale based on applying specific concepts or theoretical frameworks to the essay question.
? Paragraphs contained good transitions to maintain the flow of the essay.
Spelling/ Grammar/ Professional Writing:
? Proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation used.
? Third person objective view used.
? Essay was formatted according to the assessment criteria.
? The essay adhered to the word limit.
Conclusion:
? Clear and concise summary of the essay is provided.
? The main argument or thesis has been outlined.
? No new information has been presented.
References:
? Quality of references used is high.
? Sources are appropriately acknowledged in the essay.
? All references cited in the essay are included in the reference list.
? All sources listed in the reference list are cited in the body of the essay.
? All references (both in text references and references at the end of the essay) utilise the UTS Harvard system.

Individual Essay €“ 30%
You are required to select one of the following questions to answer in essay
format:
1. Discuss the view that it is possible to build employee motivation in
circumstances where employees are tightly controlled.

2. Discuss the view that in devolving HR activities to the line, the HR function
is distancing itself from employees and losing contact with the human
side of its work.

 

Page 2 of 7

Purpose

The main purpose in writing an essay is to convince the reader that your position or
point of view is valid, well-justified, and well-substantiated by relevant research. The
process of arguing the case to arrive at the conclusion is as important as the
conclusion itself. The evidence from scholarly literature which is used to substantiate
the argument is woven through the essay rather than being collected in a separate
literature review section (which generally occurs for a case study or report).

The skill of good essay writing is to be able to critically discuss the evaluate ideas
within a set word limit of 1250 words. Not adhering to the word limit may incur a
penalty of up to 10% of the base mark for the assessment.
Essay Format

Essays must be prepared in line with the essay format as outlined in the UTS Business
School Guide to Writing Assignments.

All finished essay’s MUST be typed single sided using Arial, Times New Roman or
Calibri typeface (font) in size 12 with one and a half line spacing for ease of reading.

All essay’s MUST be prepared with full references and include a reference list.
Students MUST use the UTS Harvard standard for referencing (please refer to the
UTS Business School Guide to Writing Assignments and the UTS Harvard
Referencing Guide). Footnotes or endnotes are not accepted.

Essay Submission

When submitting essays an assignment cover sheet should be included (available
from UTSOnline).

All finalised essays MUST be uploaded onto UTSOnline under the Assignments
folder prior to a grade being allocated.

A hard copy of the essay must be submitted at the commencement of class in Week
7. Any submission after this point will incur a penalty of 10% of the base mark given
per day, unless an extension has been given and supporting documentation has been
provided.

Essay Structure
Your essay should follow the below structure:
Introduction

? An introduction is a preview of the essay Page 3 of 7

? It makes a general statement about the issue, topic or area under
discussion
? It sets out the main structure of the essay
? It sets out your thesis (i.e. point of view)
? Be brief but include all your main ideas
Body

? This is where you assemble the evidence of your research and thinking
? It accounts for most of the marks in any essay
? You will be assessed on the development and relevance of your information,
and any discussion based on that information
? Your research should be carefully acknowledged with in-text referencing
? If the essay question has more than one part, structure the body into sections
that deal with each part of the assignment question
Conclusion

? A conclusion is a review of the essay
? It sums up the arguments of the whole text
? It makes reference to the key terms of the essay question
? It reiterates and confirms your thesis
? It may suggest recommendations, or indicate the significance or
implications that follow from the conclusion
? There should be no new information in the conclusion
? If you have added something not mentioned in the body, check that it is
relevant; if so, include it as a paragraph in the body
Reference List

? Demonstrates that you have researched the area
? Demonstrates that you are enlisting the support of someone’s research to
support your own ideas Page 4 of 7

? Demonstrates what ideas or information you have referred to from
someone’s research as distinct from your own
? Demonstrates that you acknowledge and give credit to the work of
someone else
? Make sure that you are familiar with the UTS Harvard referencing style as
prescribed by the UTS Business School
? Only include those references that you have used in your essay (i.e. those
that you have cited in your essay)
Adapted from the following source:
Morley-Warner, T. 2009, Academic writing is€¦ A guide to writing in a university context, Association
for Academic Language and Learning, Sydney.

Guidelines For Planning Your Essay
Read the question:

This seems obvious €“ but it is surprising how many people don’t really do this.

? Identify the process or command’ words like compare, discuss, evaluate.
These tell you how you have to answer the question.
? Identify the content’ words. These tell you what you have to write about.
? Think about the question. What exactly is it asking you to do? What do think the
person who framed it expects from you? Are there any unclear terms that will
need defining at the beginning of the essay?

Identify the relevant material:

? Establish your reading list: identify items you have already read which contain
material that is relevant to the question; look at other reading lists relevant to
the unit and see if there is anything that looks promising; browse the library
shelves; follow up citations in the material you read that looks relevant to your
topic; conduct searches in bibliographical databases.
? Identify relevant sources that might be used to inform your analysis.
Do Your Research:

? Read your sources, making notes on points made that are relevant to your
topic.
Page 5 of 7

? Be an active reader: use the contents pages and index pages of books to
identify relevant material; skip read, lingering only on relevant passages; think
always in your note taking about the argument that the writer is making; make
sure to record bibliographical information and, especially, relevant page
references against your notes to be used for your references if you end up
making use of that material.

? Don’t ignore material that doesn’t suit your argument. If you disagree with a
writer, you need to demonstrate their error in your essay, not just pretend they
don’t exist. (This is the difference between producing an analysis and producing
a polemic).
Organise Your Material:

? Options include brainstorming’ your ideas for the essay on paper €“ jotting down
a list of questions and issues prompted by the essay question, all the relevant
examples you can think of and any other related evidence. Re-check your notes
and add missing material. Then link connected ideas and points.
? Collate and write out these points in a way that you can easily move them about.
You might like to do this in an electronic document. It is quite effective to liberate
yourself from technology and do it on separate sheets of paper, on post-it’
notes, or on index cards (there’s something about the low-tech process that
seems to liberate the imagination).
? Shuffle these until you have them in a logical order. This is effectively your
essay plan. However it is a good idea to write yourself a one page summary
with all your key points listed in the order you will tackle them. Each key point
will then have a paragraph to expand it. Don’t forget to plan an introduction and
conclusion.
? Ideas may come to you at unexpected moments €“ keep a notebook handy and
jot them down.

First Draft to Final Version:

? Before you start, are you sure what your conclusion is going to be? You must
know this now if your essay is to focus on answering the question. Never start
an essay without knowing exactly where it is going to end up €“ to do this is to
ensure a rambling and poorly focused essay that fails fully (even, perhaps, fails
at all) to answer the question.

? Now, working from your essay plan, begin to write your first draft.
? Do the best you can but remember that this is only the first draft. It can be
amended to improve it. Page 6 of 7

? Consider the signposts which will be needed to help a reader to follow your
argument. It is good practice to set out in your introduction the bare outlines of
your essay’s structure, but you can also succinctly say what your conclusion
will be (a sentence will suffice). This helps your reader, but it also helps you
because it establishes a sort of contract between the two of you that you have
to deliver on, and thus helps prevent wandering off the point. Provide links
between key sections in your argument.

? In the essay, make it clear whether you are citing evidence, drawing a
reasoned conclusion or putting a counter-argument. Use such phrases as:
? This clearly demonstrates that €¦..’
? It has been argued that €¦..’
? On the other hand €¦..’
? However, this view conflicts with that of €¦..’
? When you have finished your first draft you can amend it for style, etc. But do
not immediately submit it. Instead, put it in a drawer for a day or two to let the
dust settle, or show it to a friend for feedback.
? Having let the draft mature’ for a couple of days, re-read the question and the
essay itself. Its strengths and weaknesses should now be much clearer to you.
? Now you can write your definitive answer. Now is the time to check detailed
issues of spelling, grammar, sentence structure, footnoting, references, etc.
and to check for clarity of expression. When you have finished writing, use your
PC’s spell and grammar check but make sure it is set up to use Australian
English not U.S. English. Don’t rely on it entirely €“ it won’t, for example, detect
homonyms (e.g. distinguish there’ from their’), nor will it detect correctly spelled
but inappropriate words.
? Have a last read through just to check everything really is ok (again, leaving it
to mature for a couple of days will help you here). Now (at last!) submit the
essay.