Amazon Essay In-Class Test
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:
There are six questions in this in-Class Test.
You must answer one of the questions.
Write your answer as a correctly structured essay.
All questions have equal weighting.
The weighting for this In-Class Test in your module mark is 50%.
Your essay must refer explicitly to Amazon case study material.
Add your team’s case study materials to your essay as an Appendix.
The maximum word count for your essay is 2000 words. Time guidance: 1hr 30 mins to 2 hours.
In-text citations to sources of information are required. A References list is also required.
QUESTIONS BEGIN ON THE NEXT PAGE
QUESTIONS ON AMAZON – CHOOSE ONE AND ANSWER IT AS AN ESSAY
1. Communication
What sort of thing does a company like Amazon need to communicate to its employees? To what extent is such communication successful and positive for employees? What goes wrong with it? How might it be improved?
Use relevant theory and evidence from your Amazon case study materials to analyse the methods of communication between management and employees to answer these questions as an essay.
2. Structure
The most significant features of Amazon’s structure are said to be:
1. Global function-based groups (most significant feature)
2. Global hierarchy
3. Geographic divisions
Provide two examples of dissatisfaction expressed by Amazon employees and use theory of organisational structure to show how the company’s structure might lead to such dissatisfaction. Give two recommendations for changes to structural design that would improve employee experience.
3. Culture
According to Amazon’s website (March 2022) Amazon is “Number 1 in Most Popular Graduate Recruiter in Online Retail Services by UK Target Jobs Graduate Awards 2021”
Apply suitable theory in organisational cultures to features of the organisation to show to what extent employees in graduate positions might be likely to vote it the “Most Popular Graduate Recruiter in Online Retail Services by UK Target Jobs Graduate Awards 2021”
4. Ethics
In March 2022, a current UK Amazon employee working in the Midlands wrote this job review on the Indeed.com website:
“Not worth the stress. Management don’t care about you and would rather see you fail. They will find small little things to be able to fire you and when you try and progress (unless you’re a mate of a manager) you will not progress – and I mean you won’t even make team lead.”
Apply appropriate theory of organisational ethics to two examples of employee experiences to show to what extent Amazon treats its workers ethically.
In-Class Test Questions continue on the next page
5. Motivation
Use case study materials the company website, news media and online reviews, evaluating theory and practice to show to what extent Amazon employees seem motivated to work towards the company’s objectives?
Answer this question by using theory to analyse examples from the Amazon case study materials to demonstrate what motivates the company’s employees and what demotivates them.
6. Leadership
The Amazon website claims that:
“Our Leadership Principles aren’t just a pretty inspirational wall hanging.”
Apply leadership theory to an analysis of four of the fourteen Leadership principles to show to what extent they contribute to the organisation’s success.
Tip: Do not waste words by listing all the fourteen Leadership Principles.
END OF IN-CLASS TEST QUESTIONS
