Management Project
Project B: An Examination of a Current Management Issue
Abstract
Table of contents
Introduction including research question/aims/objectives
Literature review (on the chosen management issue)
Analysis: Reconciling the literature with the research question and reviewing the implications for organisations in general and/or management of organisations
Conclusions and recommendations
Individual learning outcomes
References
Appendices
No data collection （无需一手资料）
▪ Individual
▪ Choice of company
▪ Individual learning outcomes (compulsory) 【包括Principles of Finance, Accounting ad Financial Analysis, International Financial Markets and Banking, Professional Management Practice】
Use journals, relevant databases and books INSTEAD OF GENERAL GOOGLE
Ask yourself..
How feasible is your project?
Is there a starting point for your work such as previous or related research?
Do you have enough time to complete it?
Do you have enough available resources to work with?
Do you have something to say about this topic?
Are you interested in the topic?
Project literature review
Literature Review/research questions - RQs;
A literature review must do these things:
be organized around and related directly to the thesis or research question you are developing
synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known
identify areas of controversy in the literature
formulate questions that need further research
Theoretical framework
--Without theory, your work will be too descriptive and can result in poor grade.
--Based on the RQ, you need to identify the most appropriate theory for your research and to explore its contributors
Common mistakes
Topic choice
Plagiarised work
No theory
Descriptive
No proper use of clinic sessions-too little too late
Project Title:
Project B:
B. An Examination of a Current Management Issue A critical review of some development in any ONE Management area, for example, an examination of the growing practice of outsourcing the marketing function by organisations.
Exploring the Implications of Virtual Work Environments for Employee Engagement and organisational Culture Transformation
3. Purpose of the Project and your Reasons for Choosing it.
This project explores the influence of virtual working environments, which have come to represent an increasingly significant component of organisational operations in recent years, on employee engagement and the evolving nature of organisational culture. The motivation behind this study lies in the marked transformations observed in how teams align with organisational values, maintain effective communication, and sustain cohesion within an increasingly digital workplace. As hybrid and remote working models become a permanent feature of the professional landscape, it is essential to understand their long-term implications for engagement, culture, and performance.
4. Project Question(s)
Qusetions:
What psychological and social mechanisms link virtual settings to employee engagement?
How do digital communication patterns and leadership styles moderate cultural cohesion within virtual teams?
In remote-first organisations, what practical strategies can simultaneously sustain engagement and cultural identification?
Expected achievements:
The research aims to resolve existing contradictions within the literature—for instance, the tension between the autonomy-enhancing effects of remote work and the potential risks of employee isolation. In doing so, it endeavours to synthesise theoretical frameworks capable of accounting for the dual impact of virtual work on individuals and organisations. Ultimately, the study is expected to yield managerial insights into how culture and productivity may be preserved in remote or hybrid environments.
Hypothesis:
It is hypothesised that, under conditions of effective leadership and deliberate cultural reinforcement, virtual work environments can support or even enhance engagement. In the absence of such strategies, however, there exists a significant risk of employee disengagement and cultural erosion.
5. Personal Learning Objectives
I aim to develop the ability for critical analysis, approaching issues from a managerial perspective to identify methods that can simultaneously enhance employee well-being—such as accommodating preferences for remote work—and effectively motivate productivity.
6. Relevant Past Studies
The research draws on multiple frameworks from organisational behaviour and management theory:
- Kahn’s Engagement Theory: Examines the alignment of emotional, physical, and cognitive energies in work—potentially disrupted or reconfigured by virtual settings.
- Schein’s Model of Organisational Culture: Explains how culture operates at three levels—artefacts, values, and assumptions—and how each may be affected in digital workplaces.
- Social Exchange Theory: Highlights how perceived reciprocity and trust underpin engagement and are challenged by reduced informal interaction.
Key Literature Includes:
- Zhou, Y. (2024). The Interrelationship Between Remote Work and Organisational Culture: Implications for Engagement, Productivity, and Leadership.
- Raghuram, S. (2021). Remote Work Implications for Organisational Culture, in Work from Home: Multi-level Perspectives on the New Normal.
- De Vincenzi, C., et al. (2022). Consequences of COVID-19 on Employees in Remote Working: Challenges, Risks and Opportunities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(18).
Although remote work has enhanced employees' flexibility and job satisfaction, their engagement and productivity have declined. The democratic leadership style. helps alleviate this decline.
Leaders should promote clear communication, provide personalized support, and ensure that employees have the appropriate tools when working remotely.
(Zhou, Y. (2024). The Interrelationship Between Remote Work and organisational Culture: Implications for Engagement, Productivity, and Leadership. Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences,131,164-172.)
A model for analysing how social, technological and normative conditions regulate the relationship between remote work and organisational culture was proposed.
(Raghuram, S. (2021).Remote Work Implications for organisational Culture In Work from Home: Multi-level Perspectives on the New Normal.)
It was concluded that remote work has an impact on employees' productivity, performance and well-being, and that individual and organisational factors play a decisive role in employees' adaptation to remote work. Suggestions in management and practise were also put forward, such as team management strategies and measures to promote employees' physical and mental health.
（De Vincenzi, C., et al. (2022).Consequences of COVID-19 on Employees in Remote Working: Challenges, Risks and Opportunities）