GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN MANAGEMENT XXX GDM 401 - MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS XXX Instructions to candidates: You are allowed three (3) hours to answer this question paper. You are allowed 10 minutes reading time before the examination begins during which you should read the case study and, if you wish, highlight and/or make notes on the case study. You are strongly advised to carefully read ALL the question requirements before attempting the question. ALL answers must be written in the answer book. This paper consists of Five (5) questions. Answer to Question 1 – COMPULSORY. Answer ANY THREE (3) other questions of your choice. Marks for each question are shown in [ ] Write your candidate number, course name, full name, subject title and date in the spaces provided on the front of the answer book. 1 11 Page 1 of 4
Question 1 – (Compulsory) YAHOO: Leadership in Challenging Times Yahoo started out in 1994 as a hieratical directory of other websites, Yahoo grew rapidly throughout the 1990s as a search engine and web information portal, attracting millions of users worldwide. It stock price skyrocket during the dot-com bubble, reaching and all time high of $ 118.75 per share in 2000. However, with the rise of Google as a number one search engine and countless social networking platforms, Yahoo has been struggling to compete in search, mail, and data sharing for the past 10 years. Eventually, Yahoo is no longer in the top 100 global brands whereas Google has climbed to number one. Not being able to innovate its products and define a clear vision and identify, the brand began to lose it place in the customers’ mind. Marissa Mayer faced many problems when she joined Yahoo as president and CEO in 2012. The website seemed to be on its last legs when she left Google to come to the rescue. Her arrival offered an alternative vision for Yahoo headquarters. She began by making Yahoo a more desirable place to work. It started with small changes, like transitioning company phones from BlackBerry to iPhones or Samsung smartphones. Other changes included free food at the cafeteria. Bigger changes meant that Yahoo would shift their focus to smartphones, and to making the mobile web-browsing experience more user-friendly. She also implemented a highly controversial policy change where all remote-working employees were asked to work in Yahoo offices or quit. Yahoo’s employees said that unlike previous c hief executives, who focused outside of Yahoo, Mayer has prioritized fixing the company internally and motivating employees. Under Marissa Mayer’s leadership, Yahoo has been making progress in regaining its early success back in the old days. The insightful CEO, bringing her expertise and experience from 13 years of working for the powerhouse Google, set a plan for Yahoo’s turnaround under three sprits: first is to recruit “great people” then use these people to build “great product” and ultimately t hose better products will lead to “bigger and better audience engagement which will reverse the decline in Yahoo’s core advertising business. However, many of yahoo’s products, especially advertising products are still failing behind those of Google or Facebook, with are more sophisticated and well targeted. Although Yahoo’s stock has increased since Mayer’s appointment, the company has yet to make any solid gains in revenue or profits. Her relatively short time at the company has shown how leadership is often about making tough decisions. Before assuming her current role, Mayer had never led a company, but that didn’t stop her from taking on a risky and impressive challenge. Shortly after her arrival, Yahoo made news by surpassing Google in traffic for the first time in two years. In addition, Yahoo’s stock price has tripled since she became the head of the company. However, part of the problem is that the company has not made any real attempt to get a handle on their culture for some time. Moreover, Yahoo is also facing branding challenges; while yahoo has been perceived quite positively under Mayer’s reign, it is still unclear whether the brand has improved in the eyes of the general public or even those loyal Yahoo’s users, who may only be partially aware of Yahoo’s improvements thus far. Page 2 of 4
Using information from the case study and your own examples, answer ALL questions below. Your answers must refer to the relevant academic theories wherever appropriate. a) Describe different leadership styles and identify three (3) leadership traits (characteristics) of Marissa Mayer as a leader at Yahoo. [15 marks] b) Explain the meaning of organisational culture and how Mayer has successfully managed the challenge of the culture to drive the organisation forward. [15 marks] c) Identify three (3) elements of employee engagement and recommend two (2) ways to promote employee engagement at Yahoo. [10 marks] [Total 40 marks] Answer three questions only Question 2 a) Describe corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its importance to an organisation and recommend two (2) CSR activities for an organisation of your choice. [10 marks] b) Discuss key factors of the international business environment which must be considered when entering an overseas market. [10 marks] [Total 20 marks] Question 3 a) Using examples, explain the meaning of motivation and the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. [6 marks] b) Identify and describe two (2) theories of motivation. [14 marks] [Total 20 marks] Page 3 of 4
Question 4 You are required to make a written presentation recommending a suitable organisational structure for a local firm operating supermarket. Your presentation must include: (i) different types of organisational structures, (ii) the advantages and challenges of each structure, (iii) relevant structure with reasons for the firm you have chosen. [20 marks] Question 5 Write short notes on the following: a) Functions of Management [6 marks] b) Quality Management Techniques [6 marks] c) Levels of Strategy [8 marks] [Total 20 marks] Page 4 of 4
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