QMBR8 2025 EXAM PACK 2025 QMBR8 2025
DISCLAIMER
THE DOCUMENT PRESENTED IS A DEMOSTRATION ON HOW STUDENTS CAN
APPROACH THE ASSIGNMENT FOR QMBR8 EXAMINATIONA REVISION 2025. IT IS BASED
ON PRESCRIBED MATERIAL AND EXTERNAL RESEARCH. THE DOCUMENT CONTAINS
BOTH SHORT NOTES AND A RESPONSE EXAMPLE FOR EACH QUESTION. STUDENTS ARE
THEREFORE ADVISED NOT TO COPY AND PASTE BUT USE THE DOCUMENT AS A
RESEARCH GUIDE THAT WOULD HELP THEM DRAFT THEIR OWN FINAL COPIES.
,QMBR8 2025 EXAM PACK 2025 QMBR8 2025
Read the case study below and answer ALL the questions that follow.
Jane has just been hired as the head of the Payroll Department at R&S Electronics
Service Company, a firm of 75 employees. She was hired by Eddie, the General Manager
of the company, who informed her of the need for maintaining strict confidentiality
regarding employee salaries and pay scales. He also informed her that he fired the
previous Payroll Department head for breaking that confidentiality by discussing
employees’ salaries. She was also formally introduced to Brad, the owner, who told her
to see him if she has any questions or problems. Both Brad and Eddie made her feel
welcome.
After three months of employment, Jane begins to wonder why Greg makes so much
more in commissions than the other service technicians. She assumes that he must be
highly qualified and must work rapidly because she has overheard Brad commending
Greg on his performance on several occasions. She has also noticed Brad, Eddie, and
Greg having lunch together frequently.
One day, Eddie gives Jane the stack of work tickets for the service technicians for the
upcoming week. The technicians are to take whatever ticket is on top when they finish
the job they were working on. After putting the tickets where they belong, Jane remembers
she has a doctor’s appointment the next morning and returns to Eddie’s office to tell him
she will be reporting late for work. When she enters Eddie’s office, she sees Eddie give
Greg a separate stack of work tickets. As she stands there, Eddie tells her if she mentions
this to anyone, he will fire her. Jane is upset because she understates that Eddie is giving
the easier, high commission work to his brother. Jane also realizes that Eddie does have
the authority to hire and fire her. Since she has only been at the company a short time,
she is also still on probation. This is her first job since college. She wonders what she
should do.0717513144
Source: Marilyn M. Helms, http://public.tepper.cmu.edu/ethics/AA/mgmt01,
accessed 07/12/2020
Answer ALL the questions in this section.
,QMBR8 2025 EXAM PACK 2025 QMBR8 2025
QUESTION 1 (40 Marks)
Study Unit:
1 Research problem formulation
2 Background and justification of a study
3 Research aims and questions
4 Research strategies
Key Aspects Examined:
1 1.1 – Ability to formulate a concise and relevant research title.
2 1.2 – Understanding of contextualizing a research problem (background).
3 1.3 – Defining the study’s purpose (aim).
4 1.4 – Managerial implications (why the study matters).
5 1.5 – Selection of an appropriate research strategy (such as case study, survey,
experiment).
6 1.6 – Formulating clear, researchable questions.
Required Prior Knowledge:
1 Research problem identification
2 Components of a research proposal
3 Different research strategies (qualitative vs. quantitative)
Expected Competencies:
1 Critical thinking in framing research problems
2 Justification of research significance
3 Ability to align research questions with objectives
Recommended Resources:
, QMBR8 2025 EXAM PACK 2025 QMBR8 2025
1 Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019). Research Methods for Business
Students (8th ed.). Pearson.
2 Zikmund, W. G., Babin, B. J., Carr, J. C., & Griffin, M. (2013). Business Research
Methods (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.
MODEL SOLUTION TO QUESTION 1.1
"Ethical Dilemmas and Favoritism in Payroll and Commission Management: A Case Study
of R&S Electronics Service Company"0717513144
MODEL SOLUTION TO QUESTION 1.2
In modern organisational settings, ethical conduct and fairness in the allocation of work
and compensation are essential for promoting employee morale, trust, and organisational
integrity. At the heart of many workplace conflicts lie issues of favoritism, abuse of
authority, and violation of ethical norms, particularly within human resource
management processes such as payroll administration and task distribution (Ferrell,
Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2021). The case of Jane at R&S Electronics Service Company
illustrates the challenges faced by new employees when confronted with unethical
practices, especially when those in authority, like Eddie, engage in preferential treatment.
Favoritism, defined as giving unfair advantages to relatives or close acquaintances in
professional settings, undermines principles of meritocracy and equity (Brewster et al.,
2020). In this scenario, Greg, the brother of the General Manager, receives high-
commission tasks without transparency, raising questions about fairness, organisational
justice, and the psychological safety of whistle-blowers. Moreover, the fear of retaliation
demonstrated by Eddie’s threat to Jane reflects a toxic organisational culture that
discourages ethical reporting and contravenes labour ethics and corporate governance
principles (Weiss, 2021). Jane's probationary status and inexperience further compound
her vulnerability, creating an environment where power dynamics overshadow ethical
decision-making. This background highlights the urgent need for establishing strong
ethical frameworks and grievance procedures in workplaces to safeguard employee rights
and ensure accountability in managerial conduct (Valentine, Mathis & Jackson, 2020).
DISCLAIMER
THE DOCUMENT PRESENTED IS A DEMOSTRATION ON HOW STUDENTS CAN
APPROACH THE ASSIGNMENT FOR QMBR8 EXAMINATIONA REVISION 2025. IT IS BASED
ON PRESCRIBED MATERIAL AND EXTERNAL RESEARCH. THE DOCUMENT CONTAINS
BOTH SHORT NOTES AND A RESPONSE EXAMPLE FOR EACH QUESTION. STUDENTS ARE
THEREFORE ADVISED NOT TO COPY AND PASTE BUT USE THE DOCUMENT AS A
RESEARCH GUIDE THAT WOULD HELP THEM DRAFT THEIR OWN FINAL COPIES.
,QMBR8 2025 EXAM PACK 2025 QMBR8 2025
Read the case study below and answer ALL the questions that follow.
Jane has just been hired as the head of the Payroll Department at R&S Electronics
Service Company, a firm of 75 employees. She was hired by Eddie, the General Manager
of the company, who informed her of the need for maintaining strict confidentiality
regarding employee salaries and pay scales. He also informed her that he fired the
previous Payroll Department head for breaking that confidentiality by discussing
employees’ salaries. She was also formally introduced to Brad, the owner, who told her
to see him if she has any questions or problems. Both Brad and Eddie made her feel
welcome.
After three months of employment, Jane begins to wonder why Greg makes so much
more in commissions than the other service technicians. She assumes that he must be
highly qualified and must work rapidly because she has overheard Brad commending
Greg on his performance on several occasions. She has also noticed Brad, Eddie, and
Greg having lunch together frequently.
One day, Eddie gives Jane the stack of work tickets for the service technicians for the
upcoming week. The technicians are to take whatever ticket is on top when they finish
the job they were working on. After putting the tickets where they belong, Jane remembers
she has a doctor’s appointment the next morning and returns to Eddie’s office to tell him
she will be reporting late for work. When she enters Eddie’s office, she sees Eddie give
Greg a separate stack of work tickets. As she stands there, Eddie tells her if she mentions
this to anyone, he will fire her. Jane is upset because she understates that Eddie is giving
the easier, high commission work to his brother. Jane also realizes that Eddie does have
the authority to hire and fire her. Since she has only been at the company a short time,
she is also still on probation. This is her first job since college. She wonders what she
should do.0717513144
Source: Marilyn M. Helms, http://public.tepper.cmu.edu/ethics/AA/mgmt01,
accessed 07/12/2020
Answer ALL the questions in this section.
,QMBR8 2025 EXAM PACK 2025 QMBR8 2025
QUESTION 1 (40 Marks)
Study Unit:
1 Research problem formulation
2 Background and justification of a study
3 Research aims and questions
4 Research strategies
Key Aspects Examined:
1 1.1 – Ability to formulate a concise and relevant research title.
2 1.2 – Understanding of contextualizing a research problem (background).
3 1.3 – Defining the study’s purpose (aim).
4 1.4 – Managerial implications (why the study matters).
5 1.5 – Selection of an appropriate research strategy (such as case study, survey,
experiment).
6 1.6 – Formulating clear, researchable questions.
Required Prior Knowledge:
1 Research problem identification
2 Components of a research proposal
3 Different research strategies (qualitative vs. quantitative)
Expected Competencies:
1 Critical thinking in framing research problems
2 Justification of research significance
3 Ability to align research questions with objectives
Recommended Resources:
, QMBR8 2025 EXAM PACK 2025 QMBR8 2025
1 Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019). Research Methods for Business
Students (8th ed.). Pearson.
2 Zikmund, W. G., Babin, B. J., Carr, J. C., & Griffin, M. (2013). Business Research
Methods (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.
MODEL SOLUTION TO QUESTION 1.1
"Ethical Dilemmas and Favoritism in Payroll and Commission Management: A Case Study
of R&S Electronics Service Company"0717513144
MODEL SOLUTION TO QUESTION 1.2
In modern organisational settings, ethical conduct and fairness in the allocation of work
and compensation are essential for promoting employee morale, trust, and organisational
integrity. At the heart of many workplace conflicts lie issues of favoritism, abuse of
authority, and violation of ethical norms, particularly within human resource
management processes such as payroll administration and task distribution (Ferrell,
Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2021). The case of Jane at R&S Electronics Service Company
illustrates the challenges faced by new employees when confronted with unethical
practices, especially when those in authority, like Eddie, engage in preferential treatment.
Favoritism, defined as giving unfair advantages to relatives or close acquaintances in
professional settings, undermines principles of meritocracy and equity (Brewster et al.,
2020). In this scenario, Greg, the brother of the General Manager, receives high-
commission tasks without transparency, raising questions about fairness, organisational
justice, and the psychological safety of whistle-blowers. Moreover, the fear of retaliation
demonstrated by Eddie’s threat to Jane reflects a toxic organisational culture that
discourages ethical reporting and contravenes labour ethics and corporate governance
principles (Weiss, 2021). Jane's probationary status and inexperience further compound
her vulnerability, creating an environment where power dynamics overshadow ethical
decision-making. This background highlights the urgent need for establishing strong
ethical frameworks and grievance procedures in workplaces to safeguard employee rights
and ensure accountability in managerial conduct (Valentine, Mathis & Jackson, 2020).
