Leadership Toolkit

Assessing students' awareness and development of leadership

1. Reflective journals
2. Reflective essays
3. Analytical essays
4. Case studies
5. Media, film and fiction
6. Current affairs
7. Group presentations
8. Role plays

Role plays

In this assignment, students are required to play an individual leadership role in a company meeting where a particular issue is to be discussed and resolved.  The background to the scenario helps familiarise students with the possible roles others will play. Each student will take the role of a leader, or emerging leader in their profession, and will research their own role in detail and what type of input to expect from the roles of others in the meeting.

An example has been developed below that may be of use.

The group of six students allocated to this scenario will select a co-ordinator who will call a minimum of two meetings prior to presenting the meeting scenario to the class.  The first meeting will be for the division of roles and to decide on ideas for the presentation.  The second meeting will be during the week of the presentation and will be to finalise the way the meeting will be run.  Students should not divulge to each other at this meeting any tactics or arguments they intend to use as part of their role. 

The group should provide a summary of the roles and scenario to be handed to the class and should prepare the tutorial room in an appropriate setting.  If the number of students allocated to the role does not match the roles provided, students can adjust the scenario accordingly by deleting some of the roles.

Each student has a minimum of three minutes to portray the essence of their point-of-view, based on their particular responsibility within the organisation.  This will allow for 20-30 minutes of group discussion following the individual presentations.  It is expected that a solution will be reached by the meeting, worded as a one or two paragraph recommendation to the Company Board.  Each student should come to the 'meeting' with their own one or two paragraph recommendation based on their perspective.  This should be typed out and include the student's name, and should be handed to the tutor at the beginning of the meeting.

It is expected that each student will consult and refer to appropriate references during the presentation and in their report.  This may include texts, newspaper articles, interviews with experts, etc.

Marking criteria:

Presentation marks will be based on:

• portrayal of own view;
• recognition and rebuttal of others;
• good meeting protocol (allowing others to speak; not interrupting; ensuring all points-of-view are covered; appropriate dress);
• recognition and use of communication and conflict resolution strategies;
• use of overhead transparencies or other visual aids; and
• evidence of the implementation of meeting skills.

Written report marks will be based on: 

• A 'journal', which is a dated report, kept from the time the student is given the scenario.  It is expected that weekly entries will be made, up to the time the journal is submitted together with the written report.  The journal may be neatly written, or typed, and should record the student's reflections on each process of the assessment, especially as it relates to the communication and other generic skills required for the completion of this assignment.
• Copy of notes/overheads, etc., prepared by the students for use at the presentation:
• In addition, students will submit a 1,000 word report reflecting on the roles played by the student and each other person in the scenario, and outlining the contribution of each person to the final outcome decided at the meeting.  The report should include a short discussion on any changes made between the recommendation the student brought to the meeting, and the recommendation made by the meeting.  The report must include reference to the relevant tenets of the IEAust Code of Ethics.

Background to the scenario

Cellular phones are one of the most popular items on the market today. They are attractive and extremely convenient, with some phones transmitting and receiving signals in the 800 MHz band up to and beyond a 30 mile radius. Lately cellular phones have been in the news. A Florida man sued a cellular phone manufacturer after the death of his wife. His wife died of a cancerous tumour in the brain allegedly caused by her cellular phone.
The problem originates with the frequency and the location of the antenna. Under normal circumstances, the antenna is very close to the skull and has an isotropic radiation pattern (360 pattern of radiation) in the azimuthal plane and a figure eight pattern in the elevation plane. Approximately one half of the power is dissipated into the brain. Therefore, the near field effect on the brain needs to be investigated at normal operating intensity.
Very little is known about the near field effects of radiation on the body, especially brain tissue. IEEE has proposed a standard of how much radiation could safely be dissipated into the human body as a whole. This standard is .4 Watts/kilogram. This is an average for the entire body, but recent research shows that the tissue of the brain is much more susceptible to radiation. This means that the standard for the brain should be significantly lower than the IEEE standard. How much lower no one is sure, since the effect of radiation on the brain is unknown.

Scenario

MobilesRUs has been making and selling mobile phones for 10 years and is completing the development of their new range of mobile phones which will be released into a very competitive market.   Their new range incorporates the antenna from their best selling current model.

Andrew Engineer works in the Research and Development Department and has concerns about the radiation levels of the antenna.  He raised this with the manager of Research and Development, Jonathon Chair, who has convened a meeting to discuss Andrew's concerns.

Roles

Jonathon Chair -  Jonathon is the Manager of Research and Development.  He has been with MobilesRUs for 10 years.  He is responsible for ensuring that the research and development of the next range of phones is ready on time, as their main competitors, Vadophone, are due to release their new range around the same time.  However, because Jonathon is also a professional engineer, he believes Andrew's concerns should receive appropriate attention and has convened a meeting.  Jonathon is an engineer.

Andrew Engineer - When doing a bit of off-the-job research, Andrew read the latest report about the susceptibility of the brain to radiation. The next day he reviewed the calculations of the radiation given off by the antenna of his company's hottest selling cellular phone. He found that the S.A.R. to the brain was .35 W/kg.  Andrew is an engineer.

Vernon Accountant - MobilesRUs operates in a very competitive environment.  To maintain their market position they must have an effective and productive Research and Development team which MobilesRUs had to budget and support for many years before the products they release began to pay back the costs involved in their development.  MobilesRUs is shortly listing on the Australian Stock Exchange, and expectations are that the share price will rise rapidly with the release of the new phone range.  Vernon is not an engineer.

Joseph Marketing - When all is said and done, MobilesRUs relies on effective marketing.  Joseph is well aware that if the company did not have his marketing knowledge, which includes a comprehensive understanding of their competitors and consumer wants, they would not be able to fund any Research and Development and would have to cut costs considerably.  Marketing has already prepared brochures, product launches, etc. for the new range.  Joseph is not an engineer.

Mark Standard - Quality control procedures at MobilesRUs have always been efficient and effective.  Recalls on phones are very expensive and lower consumer confidence.  As the profit margin on their sale is not great, there is very little room to amend any errors in production.  Mark is familiar with the IEEE standards and is aware that those standards are under review, but that the present standard will likely remain in place for at least the next three years.  Mark is an engineer.

Gordon Lawyer - Gordon works as a consultant to MobilesRUs and is aware that there are cases on record where companies have been liable for lawsuits even when they have abided by codes and standards.  Gordon is responsible for protecting the trademarks and patents of MobilesRUs.  Because he is familiar with patents in the area, he knows of a patent on an antenna that would lower the S.A.R. to below .3 W/kg.   Gordon is not an engineer.

This case is Adapted from: Harris, C.E., Jr., Pritchard, M.S., & Rabins, M.J. (2000). (2nd end.).  Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases.  Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth.  Case authors: Hamid, M., de Jesus Rodriguez, J., & Trahan, N.

Adapted from: Course outline 2002MEE, Griffith University.
Communication, Technology and Society

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