1. MGT 3332: Organizational Behavior
Module 3 Assignment 1: Workplace Equity Dilemma
Guidelines and Rubric
Overview:
This workplace dilemma activity provides an opportunity for
you to assume a role in a type of situation you may encounter in
your career. Facing
difficult decisions and determining how to handle them is a soft
skill that you will develop in this assignment. You will apply
what you have
learned in this module about trust, justice, and ethics to
communicate a tough decision to a team, while considering the
importance of managing
the organizational environment. You will also explore how your
personal management style or management preferences could
influence the
tough decision you are facing. You will discover in this
assignment how critical it can be when making tough decisions
to keep the remaining
team motivated to maintain or even increase organizational
commitment.
Directions:
First, consider the following scenario:
John and Mary are full-time professors in the same medical
2. school department of a large private university. As a private
institution,
neither the school nor the university makes the salaries and
benefits of its faculty a matter of public record. Mary has
pursued a
long-term (14 years) career in the medical school, rising
through the academic ranks, while being married to a successful
businessman with whom she has raised three children. Her
research and teaching contributions have been broad ranging
and award
winning. John has joined the medical school within the last
three years and was recruited for his leading-edge contribution
to a novel
line of research on a new procedure. Mary thought he was
probably attracted with a comprehensive compensation package,
yet she
had no details until an administrative assistant gave her some
information about his salary and benefits a month ago. Mary
learned
that John’s base contract salary is 16% higher than hers
($250,000 versus $215,000), that he was awarded an incentive
pay
component for the commercialization of his new procedure, and
that he was given an annual discretionary travel budget of
$35,000
and a membership in an exclusive private club. Mary is in a
quandary about what to do. Given pressures from the board of
trustees to
hold down costs associated with increasing tuition fees, Mary
wonders how to close this $70,000 inequity gap.
Then develop a two- to three-page paper that addresses the
critical elements below and thoughtfully presents an approach
for the department
leadership that would facilitate more equity in the workplace of
3. this medical school department while also addressing the
motivation aspects of
this dilemma.
MGT 3332: Organizational Behavior
Specifically, be sure to address the following in your written
paper:
1. Determine the equity issues in this medical school
department situation using what you have learned about social
exchange and equity
theory. Specifically, be sure to address the following:
a. Do the outcome differences here appear to be gender-based,
age-based, performance-based, or marital status-based?
b. Do you need more information? If so, what kind of additional
information do you need?
c. Assess how your personal preferences, management styles,
and biases may have influenced your responses to the two
questions above.
2. Consider the strategies for the resolution of inequity as
portrayed in this situation. Specifically, be sure to address the
following:
a. Which ones are feasible to pursue based on what you know?
b. Which ones are not feasible? Why?
4. c. What are the likely consequences of each strategy or course
of action?
d. Reflect on your personal management style. If you were
Mary’s mentor, what would you advise Mary to do?
3. Assume the role of a leader in this academic department and
develop a specific plan of action to resolve the inequity so that
Mary and
the department can achieve fair treatment at work. Specifically,
be sure to address the following:
a. What strategies should you consider to keep Mary motivated
to contribute at her exemplary levels and to keep the medical
school
a competitive program for future students.
b. What is your rationale for the strategy? Reference examples
from the textbook or other sources.
Guidelines for Submission: Your assignment should be
submitted as a Microsoft Word document, two to three pages in
length, double-spaced,
using 12-point type and 1-inch margins, and any sources that
are used must be referenced in APA format.
Instructor Feedback: This activity uses an integrated rubric in
Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade
Center.
5. MGT 3332: Organizational Behavior
Rubric
Criteria Satisfactory (100%) Needs Improvement (75%) Not
Evident (0%) Value
Social
Exchange
and Equity
Theory
Determines the equity issues in a
medical school department using social
exchange and equity theory, assessing
outcome differences and identifying any
additional information needed. Also
assesses how personal preferences,
management styles, and biases may
influence perception of these concepts.
Determines the equity issues in a
medical school department using social
exchange and equity theory; also
assesses how personal preferences,
management styles, and biases may
influence perception of these concepts,
but lacks in detail or clarity, or contains
inaccuracies.
Does not determine the equity issues in
a medical school department using
social exchange and equity theory and
does not assess how personal
6. preferences, management styles, and
biases may influence perception of
these concepts.
30
Strategies Assesses feasible strategies for the
resolution of inequity, identifying likely
consequences and recommending best
options. Also reflects on personal
management style.
Assesses feasible strategies for the
resolution of inequity and reflects on
personal management style, but lacks
in detail or clarity.
Does not assess feasible strategies for
the resolution of inequity, or reflect on
personal management style.
30
Action Plan Develops a specific plan of action to
resolve inequity and achieve fair
treatment at work; including motivating
strategies and rationale for each
strategy.
Develops a specific plan of action to
resolve inequity and achieve fair
treatment at work, but lacks in detail or
clarity.
Does not develop a specific plan of
action to resolve inequity and achieve
7. fair treatment at work.
30
Mechanics No grammar or spelling errors that
distract the reader from the content. All
sources used are cited using APA
Style, 6th ed.
Minor errors in grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the content. All
sources used are cited using APA
Style, 6th ed.
Major errors in grammar or spelling that
distract the reader from the content
and/or errors made in citing sources
using APA Style, 6th ed.
10
Total 100%
