MGF5680 Managerial Problem Solving and Decision

Making

Assessment Task 3: Reflective Writing Journal

Student name / ID

Due date: 27 May 2015 (midnight)

Sample template report

Requirements:
1. Completed four questions in Personal Statement (Part 1)
2. Reflective comments: reflect on the topic of the week (throughout Weeks 2 to 11
ideally) and, where appropriate, add reflective comments beside your personal
statement to demonstrate how your initial views have been confirmed, challenged
or expanded
3. Professional report-style format with table of contents, check presentation
requirements
ID: xxxxxxx

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4. Reference list: presenting academic sources cited within the entire journal
document (APA style is fine)
5. Word limit: 1,800 including reference list (+/- 10% is acceptable)

ID: xxxxxxx

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Contents
Personal statement with critical reflection Question 1.............................................................3
Personal statement with critical reflection Question 2.............................................................4
Personal statement with critical reflection Question 3.............................................................5
Personal statement with critical reflection Question 4.............................................................6
Reference list............................................................................................................................. 7

ID: xxxxxxx

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Personal statement with critical reflection Question 1

Q1. Describe a past workplace scenario (preferably based on reality) where
you were informed of a relatively complex or significant problem and it was
your responsibility to get it fixed.
Week 1 response:

Reflective comments (noted Weeks 2 to 11) - incorporate academic references where

applicable
Escalation of commitment (Week 9):
Reflect on Week 9 key topics:

Drivers (psychological, social, economic,

organisational, passage of time)

Sunk costs fallacy

Escalatory spiral

Unilateral escalation

Competitive escalation
Perceptual and judgmental biases,
impression management, competitive
irrationality

Reflect on Week 9 learning sources/ context:

Lecture slides
Wonthaggi Desalination Plant Case Study
Readings: textbook chapter 7; Fotaki and
Hyde (2014); Sleesman et al. (2012)
Prior knowledge
Discussions/observations

Incorporate academic references where applicable

State topic (Week xx):

ID: xxxxxxx

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Personal statement with critical reflection Question 2

Q2. With regard to the scenario identified in Q1, now describe the problem
solving process that you used. You may wish to comment on how you:
defined

the

problem,

used

tools/information

to

generate

solutions,

identified the best solution, implemented the solution, communicated with

stakeholders and evaluated the solution.
Week 1 response:

Reflective comments (noted Weeks 2 to 11) - incorporate academic references where

applicable

State topic (Week xx):

State topic (Week xx):

ID: xxxxxxx

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Personal statement with critical reflection Question 3

Q3. With the benefit of hindsight, how effective was your judgment in the
decision-making process and overall solution for your workplace? Comments
may refer to individual overconfidence or biases; organisational constraints;
alternative solutions or reversing of decisions; the influence of emotions,
time, resource or other pressures, status or power; the role of fairness and
ethics; conflict of interests; negotiation processes; unexpected outcomes
(savings or costs, positive or negative); organisation policies, hierarchy and
culture; and/or communications with stakeholders.
Week 1 response:

Reflective comments (noted Weeks 2 to 11) - incorporate academic references where

applicable
State topic (Week xx):

State topic (Week xx):

ID: xxxxxxx

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ID: xxxxxxx

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Personal statement with critical reflection Question 4

Q4. Based on your current knowledge, develop your own personal statement
of the key features of a Best Practice approach to managerial problem
solving and decision making.
Week 1 response:
In my view, the key features of a best practice approach to managerial problem
solving and decision making process

Reflective comments (noted Weeks 2 to 11) - incorporate academic references where

applicable
State topic (Week xx):

State topic (Week xx):

ID: xxxxxxx

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ID: xxxxxxx

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Reference list
Bazerman, M.H. & Moore, D.A. (2013). Judgment in Managerial Decision Making (8th
ed). Wiley, USA. (Chapter 7).
Fotaki, M. & Hyde, P. (2015). Organizational blind spots: Splitting, blame and
idealization in the National Health Service. Human Relations, 68(3), 441-462.
Sleesman, D.J., Conlon, D.E., McNamara, G. & Miles, J.E. (2012).Cleaning Up the Big
Muddy: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Determinants of Escalation of Commitment,
Academy of Management Journal, 55(3), 541-562.

There is no prescribed minimum

or maximum number of references
required. Where a source is cited
or referred to within the body of
the journal then please add to the
reference list.

ID: xxxxxxx

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