(b) How can Maslow’s theory be applied to the motivation of staff? (5 marks)

6 An important part of managing people in a professional organisation is to be able to distinguish between aggressiveness and assertiveness in an employee.

Required:

(a) Explain and give examples of aggressive behaviour. (8 marks)

(b) Explain and give examples of assertive behaviour. (7 marks)

1 Bailey’s is a large toy manufacturer based in a traditional industrial region. Established in the 1970s, it has faced many changes in the market and survived. This has been due in part to employing a largely unskilled low paid staff,and maintaining its main advantage, that of low production costs based on low pay. Most of the production involves repetitive and boring work with little challenge and opportunity for innovation. Although many of the employees have

been with the company for some time, there has been a high level of employee turnover.

However, an unhappy atmosphere has been apparent for some time. There has been a number of instances ofarguments between the staff, friction between different departments, disturbance, low morale, poor production and general unrest, made worse recently by a decline in business which may lead to staff reduction and redundancy. Poor pay is leading to family problems that are affecting the commitment and motivation of the employees.

The business was recently sold to the new owner, Rebecca Stonewall. She is concerned that the negative atmosphere she has found will harm the prospects of the business and is determined to address the issues that have become apparent.

She has therefore decided that it is time to take account of opinions and views of the employees in an attempt both to identify the problems and to resolve them. She has appointed external counsellors since she thinks that a programme of individual counselling might be appropriate and is also of the opinion that some form. of different or improved approach to motivation might be the answer to the problems at Bailey’s.

Required:

(a) Define the role that the external counsellor must fulfil at Bailey’s. (3 marks)

(b) Describe the skills that a counsellor should possess. (14 marks)

(c) Briefly describe three advantages to Bailey’s of counselling. (3 marks)

(b) Explain the meaning of the term ‘Efficient Market Hypothesis’ and discuss the implications for a company if

the stock market on which it is listed has been found to be semi-strong form. efficient. (9 marks)

(c) Discuss the difficulties that may be experienced by a small company which is seeking to obtain additional

funding to finance an expansion of business operations. (8 marks)

(b) Discuss how the operating statement you have produced can assist managers in:

(i) controlling variable costs;

(ii) controlling fixed production overhead costs. (8 marks)

(b) Calculate the value of the closing stocks of finished goods at the end of the three-month period, and the value

of cost of sales for the period. (3 marks)