Essay Question: Why is ‘groupthink’ dangerous?
Financial Management for Accountants
Mainly use the sources provided below but you may additionally include further sources, if needed, which will be relevant to answering the question.
Answer with 1100 words (total world count excludes references page, cover page, title).
Refer to the essay guidelines below.
Reference all in-text citations appropriately, including page number for every citation (refer to citation guide document).
Important Guidelines:
Make sure you answer the specific question set clearly and directly – ideally in the first sentence.
Structure your essay around 3 or so reasons why your answer is what it is, and then explain and justify your reasons with reference to your analysis of the literature and any relevant empirical examples.
Make a point, explain your point, then show how your analysis of the evidence supports it.
Aim to discuss at least 3-4 readings in the essay, and more if you can, with some in more detail and some in just a sentence.
Actively critique every reading you mention. For the key texts, explain whether their strengths outweigh their weaknesses. Show how, having read each text and thought about its pros and cons, you reached your own independent understanding of the material and
therefore your own answer to the question.
Make sure you structure your essay around reasons for your answer rather than around readings or examples. Structuring around a list of readings or examples often leads you to write more description than analysis. It’s not that you’ll say anything wrong, more that you won’t be analytical enough.
Write short, focused sentences. Avoid generalizations. Be clear about what your argument is – don’t say “it could be argued that…” – either argue it, or don’t.Omit unnecessary words.
Sources:
Badie, Dina (2010) “Group think, Iraq and the War on Terror: Explaining US policy shift towards Iraq”, Foreign Policy Analysis 6(4): 277-296. Çuhadar, Esra, Kaarbo, Juliet, Kesgin, Baris and Ozkececi-Taner, Binnur (2017)
“Personality or role? Comparisons of Turkish leaders across different institutional positions”, Political Psychology 38(1): 39-54.
Gallagher, Maryann, and Allen, Susan (2014) “Presidential personality: Not just a nuisance”, Foreign Policy Analysis 10(1): 1-21.
Hermann, Margaret (1980) “Explaining foreign policy behavior using the personal characteristics of political leaders”, International Studies Quarterly 24(1): 7-46.
Kaarbo, Juliet (1997) “Prime minister leadership styles in foreign policy decision making: A framework for research”, Political Psychology 18(3): 553-81.
