BUSS505 Consumer and Organisational Behaviour Assessment Brief 2026

BUSS505 Assessment Brief

Please leave the questions as written and insert your answer beneath each one. Once you have completed each question, please delete the (blue) rubric information. The word limit for your answers for this assessment (excluding questions and reference list) is 2000 words (+/- 10%) so aim for approximately 500 words for each 10-mark question. Retain formatting. Delete these instructions.

1. Evaluating sources and workplace stress (10 marks)

a) Using the AUT library databases, find two peer-reviewed journal articles, linking any aspect of stress or burnout to any aspect of organisational behaviour (e.g. job performance, absenteeism, wellbeing, productivity).

b) Outline a key finding from each article.

c) Use the “CRAAP” framework (in the OB resources at the end of this document) to evaluate and compare your articles.

Reference your articles in text and in your reference list using APA 7^th

Provide a “snip” or screenshot of the front pages of the PDFs, large enough for your marker to refer to them and mark your CRAAP evaluation (i.e., the page with the title and abstract).

Rubric:

a) The articles are related to both stress and organisational behaviour.

b) Key findings are correctly outlined.

c) The articles are evaluated and compared using the CRAAP framework. We suggest organising your answer into a table, showing key findings and CRAAP analysis for each article

The front pages (with title and abstract) of the articles are provided.

The articles are correctly cited in-text, with full APA references in the reference list.

2. Personality (10 marks)

1.   HEXACO (3 marks)

Describe the six HEXACO personality traits (Ashton & Lee, 2007), outlining what each dimension represents and providing examples of a workplace behaviour related to high or low scores for each.

Rubric:

Each trait in the HEXACO model is correctly described with a workplace behaviour provided for each of the six traits.

2. Personality Predicting Organisational Behaviour (7 marks)

See the Driving at Fleetsafe case provided in the OB resources at the end of this document.

a) Using concepts from Organisational Behaviour and referring to Clarke and Robertson (2008), explain how agreeableness, emotional stability, and conscientiousness may influence driver behaviour. Compare the likely driving behaviour of a highly agreeable, conscientious, and emotionally stable employee with moderate driving skills with that of a highly skilled driver with low emotional stability, agreeableness, and conscientiousness (4 marks).

b) Do you agree with Wiremu’s view that organisational systems and monitoring can override individual differences in personality? Apply situational strength theory (Judge, & Zapata, 2015; Meyer et al., 2011), discussing both where Wiremu’s argument has merit and where it breaks down (3 marks).

Rubric:

a) The way agreeableness, emotional stability, and conscientiousness may influence driver behaviour is described. Drivers with different traits are compared. Sources are cited and referenced using APA 7^th (4 marks)

b) Situational strength theory is used to evaluate the view that organisational systems and monitoring override individual differences in personality. Sources are cited and referenced using APA 7^th (3 marks)

3. Groups and Teams

1. Social identities in organisational life (5 marks)

To answer this question, choose either Option 1 or Option 2

If you were present in weeks 1 and/or 4, you can select either option; if you missed class, you must select option 2

Option 1 (5 marks)

In weeks 1 and 4, you engaged in some friendly competition with other teams to get points and prizes. Following the steps below, apply Social Identity Theory (SIT) (Ashforth & Mael, 1989) to this experience. Provide specific examples.

a) Describe the intergroup competition you experienced and identify your ingroup and out-group(s)

b) Define the three processes in SIT and describe how these processes affected your behaviour and how you felt about your own and others’ groups.

c) Make links to organisational behaviour. Provide three examples of the way workplaces, and the way work is organised, can trigger workers to socially identify with others.

Rubric

a) The workshop activity in week 1 and/or 4 is described, and students’ ingroup and outgroup(s) are correctly identified.

b) The three SIT processes are defined, and a personal, insightful description of the student’s responses to the in-class experience is provided.

c) Three examples of the way workplaces can trigger workers to socially identify with others are described.

Option 2 (5 marks)

Only do this question if you have not attempted option 1, otherwise delete

Describe the three processes in Social Identity Theory (SIT). Provide three work-related examples of the way identifying as part of a group and/or competing with other groups can impact organisational behaviour (positively or negatively). Your answer should apply Social Identity Theory (Ashforth & Mael, 1989) and refer to Cikara’s (2021) article and/or the podcast interviewing her.

a) Briefly explain the three processes in Social Identity Theory.

b) Workplaces and the way work is organised can trigger workers to socially identify with others. Describe three organisational behaviours that can result from socially identifying with one’s group and/or engaging in competition at work, linking your examples to SIT and/or Cikara’s (2021) insights on intergroup dynamics and competition.

Rubric

a) The three processes in SIT are explained

b) Three OB outcomes of social identification and/or group competition are provided. The answer is linked to SIT and/or Cikara’s (2021) research.

2. Cohesion (5 marks)

See the Cohesion at Revive & Thrive case provided in the OB resources at the end of this document

a) Using the textbook (Wood et al., 2025; p. 229), define team cohesion and (using figure 7.3) identify two features of the Revive & Thrive team that have increased cohesion. Using the Revive & Thrive case, identify two benefits of a highly cohesive team.

b) Priya suspects the team has developed negative performance norms. Explain what a performance norm is, and why high cohesion makes negative norms harder to break once established. Use evidence from the scenario in your answer

Rubric

a) Cohesion is correctly defined, and citation is referenced. Two features of the Revive & Thrive team that have increased cohesion are identified (referring to Fig 7.3). Two benefits of a highly cohesive team are identified and related to the Revive & Thrive team.

b) Performance norms are described, and negative performance norms are linked to cohesion, referring to the Revive & Thrive team.

4. Motivation

1. Equity in organisations (5 marks)

To answer this question, choose either Option 1 or Option 2

If you were present in week 5, you can select either option; if you missed class, you must select option 2

Option 1 (5 marks)

Reflecting on the class activities in week 5:

a) Describe the in-class activity illustrating equity theory. Explain how these activities illustrate the elements of Equity Theory using an academic source cited correctly using APA 7^th.

b) Make links between the tasks and rewards given in class and the causes and consequences of inequity in organisational settings.

c) Describe your feelings and reactions to the reward distributions. How does this align with typical employee responses predicted by Equity Theory?

Rubric

a) The elements of Equity Theory are described and correctly linked to the class activity.

b) Clear links are made between the tasks and rewards given in class and the causes and consequences of inequity in organisational settings.

c) Students’ in-class reactions to inequity are linked to typical employee responses predicted by inequity.

Option 2 (5 marks)

Only do this question if you have not attempted option 1, otherwise delete

Using your textbook or another academic source, briefly describe Equity Theory (Adams, 1963, 1965). Referring to the Equity at ByteSized Aroha case in your resources, identify the “inputs” and “outcomes” Aisha and Elliot perceive at work. Discuss how their differing equity evaluations and “comparison others” in the organisation shape their responses.

Follow these steps in your response:

a) Describe the elements of Equity Theory using an academic source cited correctly using APA 7th.

b) Identify Aisha’s and Elliot’s inputs, outcomes, “comparison others”, and responses. Explain the reasons for their different responses.

Rubric

a) The elements of Equity Theory are correctly described, referring to an academic source.

b) Aisha’s and Elliot’s inputs, outcomes, comparison others are correctly identified. These elements of Equity Theory are discussed, explaining why they led to the different responses.

2. Motivation: Expectancy Theory (5 marks)

See the Motivation at Revive & Thrive case provided in the OB resources at the end of this document.

Briefly describe Expectancy Theory (Vroom, 1964) using an academic source. Referring to the Revive & Thrive case in your resources and using Expectancy Theory, analyse Hazel’s motivation to work harder and improve her performance.

Provide a performance evaluation system using SMART goals that could increase Hazel’s motivation (refer to the SMART framework at the end of this document). Identify how your intervention would impact Expectancy and Instrumentality.

Follow these steps in your response:

a) Describe the elements of Expectancy Theory using an academic source cited correctly using APA 7^th. Explain Hazel’s overall level of motivation by discussing how the three elements in expectancy theory interact.

b) Describe a “SMART” intervention that could increase Hazel’s motivation, identifying which element of Expectancy Theory this intervention would strengthen and why.

Rubric

a) The elements of Expectancy Theory are correctly described, referring to an academic source using APA 7^th. All aspects of Expectancy Theory, and how they interact, are evaluated for Hazel.

b) An intervention (using SMART goals) that would increase Hazel’s motivation is described, identifying how Expectancy and Instrumentality would be improved.

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