Purpose:
To explore and understand the effect of group behavior, specifically cross-cultural team development and success, on
organizational performance and effectiveness, and to learn new or to enhance leading edge presentation skills
Related to the following course objective:
• Successfully participate as a team member, lead teams, and manage independent teams to accomplish specific goals and
objectives
Deliverable:
Portfolio comprised of two parts:
1. Part 1–OB research findings from which the presentation (Part 2) will be created. Part 1 should be a comprehensive
outline, with expository content under headings and subheadings containing data and information, analyzed, synthesized,
assessed and graphically formatted as presentation (see Part 2 details below). The outline will have broader and more
intensive content—that is, OB-related data, information, concepts, theories, models, methods, practices—than Part 2 because
Part 1 will reflect your research, note taking and fact gathering—that is, what you have learned about group-level
organizational behavior from required weekly and outside resources and the weekly discussions. Think of Part 1 as the notes
section underneath slides in traditional presentation applications, useful to keep a presenter on track and serve as “cheat
sheets” when questions are asked beyond the bulleted slide content. Part 1 notes will also include resource reference list
and in-text citations.
2. Part 2–Graphic presentation. Do not use Power Point (PPT). Included in Assignment 2’s purpose is learning new skills or
enhancing existing skills to create innovative presentations applicable to real-world workplace and other professional
environments. If you are interested in building slide technology skills, I recommend that you consider using Prezi (an
innovative replacement for PPT). For information, go to https://prezi.com/signup/public. Or feel free to use other options
such as video (e.g., YouTube), website page/s (e.g., wix.com) or other innovative graphical presentation application
suitable for illustrating synthesized, key data and information from the comprehensive content generated in Part 1. Consider
integrating audio or animated elements or a concept map, SWOT analysis, or narration into the presentation to increase
impact, meaningfulness and persuasiveness.
The Introduction and additional instructions below provide detailed steps and directions for creating, packaging, and
submitting your Portfolio.
Introduction to Assignment Content
For this group-level analysis assignment, you will wear the hat of a rising-star organizational behavior (OB) consultant.
You will create a portfolio comprised of a graphic presentation—Part 2—supported by the content of Part 1, research findings
from diverse OB publications and internet materials; a selected annotated list of professional knowledge, skills, and
abilities and learning experiences relevant to group-level, particularly cross-cultural, team success. Don’t forget to
research relevant OB networking resources such as communities of practice, special interest groups, and professional
associations; and recommendations for OB self- and team-assessment tools.
Case Study 2: Going Global: What Does it Take to Make Cross-cultural Teams Successful? will serve as the central organizing
influence of your Portfolio. The case describes issues, problems, and challenges related to developing high-performing
cross-cultural teams in an organization integrating new employees after an acquisition. The Portfolio’s overarching goal is
to convince the client to hire you as an organizational change consultant. Portions of the Portfolio will reflect your
actual work, management, and learning experience, when it exists. Other portions will represent reasoned, logical
postulations where research and investigation of OB practitioner knowledge, skills, abilities, publications and other
resources, and OB training, education, development, networks, and professional associations are used to flesh out what you
determine will be a convincing proposal (presented as a Portfolio).
This project is designed around the following hypothetical situation:
You recently launched an organizational behavior consulting practice, specializing in cross-cultural group and team dynamics
and problems. Having done an environmental scan, you know the competition for clients in your niche is stiff. Since the 2008
Recession a number of top-notch OB professionals have established consulting services targeting organizations challenged by
cultural diversity, virtual work environments, communication technology, and issues related to restructuring traditional
organizations into flatter systems with team-centered processes. One such company is Bon Vivant Specialties (BVS), run by
Daniel Chinn, a CEO you met at an international education and development program for high-potential mid-level professionals
called Managing Today, Leading Tomorrow. Case Study 2, Going Global: What Does it Take to Make Cross-cultural Teams
Successful?, represents what you know from Chinn, professional networking, and business and management news and other media.
Chinn has widely expressed his interest in hiring an OB practitioner to identify, document, analyze and assess behavioral
issues and problems, and recommend intervention strategies, methods, and tools to successfully restructure the company,
enhance team performance and effectiveness, and hence organizational performance. Your strategy to convince Chinn that you
are the OB consultant for the job must be innovative, original, and fresh to distinguish your contributions from your
competitors. To that end you will create a Portfolio of varied, meaningful, germane components customized to enable BVS to
reach its cross-cultural team restructuring and organization performance goals.
Read and follow all the Instructions below carefully.
Instructions
1) Review the Assignment 2 Portfolio Grading Rubric, and the assignment purpose, course objective, and introduction above.
2) Read the case, Going Global: What Does it Take to Make Cross-cultural Teams Successful? Your analysis and assessment must
evidence understanding of the case’s specific characters, context, incidents and circumstances. Avoid generalizations that
might apply to similar cases available on the Internet or in previous courses.
3) Choose a name for your consulting practice, and briefly describe the service you provide.
4) List and describe at least three OB-relevant knowledge, skills, abilities and learning experiences. This Portfolio
component is a mixture of a functionally (as opposed to chronologically) organized resume that highlights work or job
actions by category, such as Team Leadership or Team Project Management, and more progressive approaches to professional
promotion such as online networking provided by LinkIn.com. When identifying elements to be described, begin by asking what
did I do (i.e., what actions did I take?—describe with verbs such as worked, created, prepared, implemented, conducted,
produced) and what happened as a result of my experience and learning (i.e., how could I apply my learning and experience as
a consultant for BVS?—explain with verbs such as will use, apply, implement, change, enable, empower).
5) Identify, analyze and prepare to discuss at least three problems and/or issues related to the successful formation,
development and operation of cross-cultural teams in the case context
6) Propose and evaluate at least three recommendations, including OB strategies or interventions, that the organization
could use to solve problems, address issues, and hence enhance cross-cultural team performance and effectiveness and based
on key findings and ideas to maximize ongoing improvements to organizational performance and success. Include
self-assessment team tools, training exercises, team development methods, or other similar resources.
7) Draw data, information, and ideas from at least four required resources (at least two from each of Weeks 4 and 5) listed
in the Course Schedule, plus at least four credible, authoritative, relevant outside sources for a total of at least eight
references. Your outside references should show a mix of credible OB consultant websites, professional networks and
associations (for example, Organizational Behavior Management Network, Society for Human Resource Management, Society for
Organizational Behavior), scholarly and applied/practical sources, largely drawn from UMUC’s Information Library System
(ILS), and including classic writings. Review APA citation materials and Tips on Research Sources in Course Content. Cite
research sources within Part 2’s content using APA in-text formatting. Include a Reference list with complete source
information at the end of the paper. See specific formatting and heading template instructions below in Instruction 9.
Alphabetize references under each subheading. Please note my preference for including publication date and page numbers,
when available, within in-text citations. You are expected to paraphrase, using quotes only when the source’s verbatim
statements uniquely enhance meaning and understanding. Deductions will be taken when quotes are overused and found to be
unnecessary. See examples below.
In-text citation:
(Casey, 2002, p. 50). [Include publication date]
Reference citation:
Casey, C. (2002). Critical Analysis of Organizations: Theory, practice, revitalization. London: Sage.
8) Identify and present in bold font at least six different OB concepts, theories, methods, strategies, interventions, or
practices in your group level analysis. Demonstrate through context and/or endnotes your understanding of the terms’
definition and meaningfulness to the meet the assignment’s purpose and course objectives.
9) Use the headings and subheadings provided below to organize Part 1 of your Portfolio. This written Portfolio portion will
adhere to headings and subheadings labeling analysis and recommendations presented in standard expository form. Bulleted
text can be used, as appropriate, however OB group-level analysis, synthesis, and assessment must be presented in
composition format under each heading. The objective is to create a comprehensive OB analysis based on research data and
information on which your presentation will be based and to which you as the consultant/presenter could refer for additional
information as needed. Feel free to create additional subheadings or modify headings as needed to create an effective
framework for your group-level analysis, synthesis, and assessment. Use examples and cite support sources as presented in
Step 7.
I. Cover page (Your name, course title, assignment, date, and instructor’s name)
II. Consulting practice name and services provided
III. OB-relevant knowledge, skills, abilities and work experiences (use annotated bullet format)
IV. Problems and/or issues
Problem and/or issue 1
Problem and/or issue 2
Problem and/or issue 3
V. Recommendations—OB strategies or interventions, tools, and resources
Recommendation 1
Recommendation 2
Recommendation 3
VI. References
10) Use Microsoft Word for your text document, Part 1 of your Portfolio. Try to be concise and keep this written Portfolio
portion to three to four pages in length (plus cover page), but substance is more important than length. Again, APA
reference format is required. Use the following file title: your last name_Assignment 2 Part 1_464_date.
11) For Part 2, create a presentation using Prezi or video (e.g., YouTube) or website application (e.g., wix.com), or other
innovative graphic application, to illustrate synthesized, key information and resources delineated and synthesized in Part
1. Use the following file title: your last name_Assignment 2 Part 2_464_date.
12) Submit your Portfolio (two files, Part 1 and Part 2) to your Assignment Folder by the due date.
Case Study 2, BMGT 464
Going Global: What Does it Take to Make Cross-cultural Teams Successful?
PetGourmand, a second generation, family-owned Memphis-based company with about 200 employees, develops, manufactures, and
sells nutritious, gourmet food products for pets. PetGourmand is a low-tech, hands-on, bricks and mortar company with solid
brand recognition, an impeccable reputation for high quality and ethical standards and processes, older work force (average
employee age is late 40s), low staff turnover, impressive record of speedy state and federal new-product approvals, and
solid working relationships with their veterinary and pet-owner customers. For the most part the company plays up the
PetGourmand as a close “family,” although the organization’s structure is hierarchical with fairly rigid management
divisions and reporting policies. Research, manufacturing, and sales and marketing operate in traditional fashion, with
employees reporting to supervisors or mid-level managers. By the 1990s, sales and distribution grew from Tennessee into a
regional market, establishing a competitive advantage throughout the US South. Then came the Great Recession. As customers
lost jobs, and small business profits, such as veterinary practices dipped, the demand of “fancy cat food,” as one
PetGourmand lab technician said, seemed to disappear overnight. By the time Bon Vivant Specialities contacted PetGourmand’s
CEO about acquiring PetGourmand, the writing was on the wall.
Bon Vivant Specialities (BVS) is a large Chinese-owned manufacturer and distributor of gourmet food and beverages,
headquartered in Hong Kong. Manufacturing plants operate in main land China, and the company has additional offices in
Europe and Australia. By acquiring the smaller, well-respected PetGourmand, BVS aims to diversify and expand its consumer
base by including products tailor-made to meet market projections of a customer upsurge in healthy, gourmet pet foods and
treats. Given the availability of telecommunications technology (software and hardware), and BVS’s current expertise and use
of such technology, geography and location should not be an insurmountable issue. PetGourmand employees, on the other hand,
are dispirited about the acquisition, and anxious about “working for foreigners,” downsizing, less face-to-face interaction,
language differences, and more electronic systems put into place. To make matters worse, recent news media have printed
stories about tainted pet food made by other companies in China. Employees fear loss of product quality and damage to
PetGourmand’s reputation.
BVS has told PetGourmand workers that—for now—most employees will be retained. However, all employees will be evaluated, and
reassigned and integrated into BVS’s existing, and to-be-formed-as-needed, work teams, a key component of BVS’s flat,
smoothly efficient organizational structure. BVS’s management staff, scientists, and sales professionals tend to be
tech-savvy, culturally diverse, young-to-middle age (ages 25 to mid-forties), bi-lingual, ambitious, self-directed,
accustomed to working remotely, and clearly focused on the company’s commercial success. BVS’s Harvard-educated CEO, Daniel
Chinn, supports increasing the company’s competitive edge by “discovering and developing individual potential through group
collaboration and team synergy,” and is known to be an enthusiastic supporter of job training and career growth beginning
from his days as a brilliant, hard-driving MBA student. He’s eager to move forward on the integration of “PetGourmand’s
greatest asset—it’s knowledge rich, experienced workers.”
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