MBA7000 People and Organisations
MBA7000 People and Organisations
Writ 1 Assignment Brief
The assignment for this module is designed to evaluate your knowledge and understanding of the range of topics covered within the module and to satisfy the learning outcomes listed below:-
- Critically analyse key theoretical approaches to the management of change with reference to structure, culture, conflict and managing self
- Critically examine organisational behaviour in a variety of contexts and develop discussion based on complex scenarios and the changing external environment
- Develop, explore and critique human resource management approaches in these contexts with reference to contemporary theory and an understanding of current practice
- A conceptual understanding of the core theories in understanding people and their role in organisations.
Guidance Notes:
The assignment is in the form of a negotiated assignment focusing on a critical aspect of Organisational Behaviour and Development that is familiar to you from your existing organisational environment or an organisation in which you have recently worked. Your work should build insights into the factors influencing the behaviour of people within your organisation and critically reflect on how these influences might be taken into account to achieve maximum organisational effectiveness.
Where appropriate, link this work to the content to which you have been exposed during the module – notably – organisational strategy, climate and culture; organisational power and politics; strategic concepts and practices linked to human resource management; reflective practice and experiential learning; business coaching and high performance working; organisational change; and organisational learning.
The assignment ‘Brief and ‘Task’ are outlined on the next page.
You are advised to proof read and spell check your work before submission and to ensure that the work is laid out with double line spacing and in a business-like and professional manner, as it would be expected in the workplace. You are expected to draw upon a range of contemporary academic and appropriate business sources, and to reference these in Harvard format. If in doubt, please visit www.citethemrightonline.co.uk for help with the correct form of referencing.
Key Skills Developed
This assignment will enable you to develop your ability to critique practice, develop new ideas for implementation and present these via report format. It will enable you to explore original ideas for your own personal development in future assignments. It will also enable you to develop original ideas for communicating policy in an organisation.
The Assignment Task:
Action research assignment involving a case study approach.
The Assignment Brief:
Critically review a recent and significant change in your current organisation and link this critique to contemporary (published post-2000) research and best practice. As a minimum, we would expect you to incorporate the following:-
- A brief introduction to your report and a section providing background for your organisation (approx. 500 words). 7 marks available.
- A critical analysis of the changing external environment in which the organisation competes (approx. 750 words). 8 marks available.
- Organisation structure and culture and their impacts upon behaviour at different levels within the company (approx. 1250 words). 15 marks available
- Models of change management and their practical implementation in the workplace (approx. 1000 words). 10 marks available
- The impact of change upon staff at different levels within the organisation – including resistance to change, barriers to change, managing conflict and managing self (approx. 1250 words). 15 marks available
- An academic reflection upon this change process, incorporating recommendations for human resource management approaches, policy and practice which will enable future organisational change programmes to contribute more effectively to high performance work, organisational strategy and employee engagement (approx. 1250 words). 15 marks available
- A further 30 marks are available for students who demonstrate a wide range of academic reading, beyond the module content.
The overall word count for the assignment is 6,000 (+/- 10%) but you should be mindful of the guidelines specified above as these relate directly to the maximum number of marks allocated in each section. Please also look at the specific marking criteria attached, which will guide you further on what to include and how to improve your marks.
Marking Criteria/Marks
Distinction
80% plus |
Merit
70% plus |
Good
60% |
Satisfactory
50% plus |
Fail
Below 50% |
|
Section 1
15 marks |
The student has clearly explained the organisational context, the external environment including specific drivers of change has incorporated a detailed range of relevant examples. |
The student has explained the organisational context, the external environment including some specific drivers of change and incorporated a good range of relevant examples. |
The student has explained the organisational context, the external environment and generic drivers of change and has incorporated good examples. |
The student has attempted to explain the organisational context and external environment. They have made reference to some drivers of change and have incorporated some examples although both may be rather more generic than specific. |
The student has not properly explained the organisational context and/or the external environment.
And/or They may not have covered drivers of change. And/or the work lacks relevant examples. |
Section 2
25 marks |
The student has demonstrated comprehensive understanding of organisation structure and culture and impact upon organisational behaviour with strong reference to relevant theory and practice. | The student has demonstrated very good understanding of organisation structure and culture and impact upon organisational behaviour with clear reference to relevant theory and practice. | The student has demonstrated good understanding of organisation structure and culture and impact upon organisational behaviour with good reference to relevant theory and practice, | The student has demonstrated understanding of organisation structure and culture and impact upon organisational behaviour with reference to relevant theory and practice. | The student does not appear to understand organisational structure or culture, or has been unable to interpret the impact upon behaviour or the student has not answered this question. |
Section 3
15 marks
|
The student has made detailed use and synthesis of academic theory or model(s) to explain a planned approach to organisational change and demonstrated excellent understanding of the potential impacts upon people at different levels within the company. There is strong understanding of resistance, barriers, conflict and ability to manage self. | The student has made very good use and synthesis of academic theory and or model(s) to explain a planned approach to organisational change and demonstrated strong understanding of the potential impacts upon people at different levels within the company. There is clear understanding of resistance, barriers, conflict and ability to manage self |
The student has made good use of academic theory or model(s) to explain a planned approach to organisational change and demonstrated clear understanding of the potential impacts upon people at different levels within the company. There is good understanding of resistance, barriers, conflict and ability to manage self
|
The student has made use of academic theory or model(s) to explain a planned approach to organisational change and demonstrated understanding of the potential impacts upon people at different levels within the company.
There is some understanding of resistance, barriers, conflict and ability to manage self but perhaps these lack depth of discussion. |
The student has not utilised academic theory or model(s) or is unable to properly explain organisational change,
or has not considered the impact, or does not show understanding of barriers, conflict or ability to manage self or not answered the question. |
Section 4
15 marks |
The student has provided a comprehensive academic reflection and critique of this change process, incorporating a range of HRM recommendations to enable future organisational change programmes to contribute more effectively to high performance work, organisational strategy and employee engagement | The student has provided a detailed academic reflection and critique of this change process, incorporating practicable HRM recommendations to enable future organisational change programmes to contribute more effectively to high performance work, organisational strategy and employee engagement | The student has provided an academic reflection and some critique of the change process, incorporating reasonable HRM recommendations to enable future organisational change programmes to contribute more effectively to high performance work, organisational strategy and employee engagement | The student has attempted an academic reflection and critique of this change process, incorporating some HRM recommendations to enable future organisational change programmes to contribute more effectively to high performance work, and/or organisational strategy and/or employee engagement |
The student has not attempted an academic reflection or critique, or the work attempted fails to properly reflect upon this change process.
And/or there are no HRM recommendations enabling future organisational change programmes to contribute more effectively or the recommendations are unsound
And/or there is a lack of detail with regard to high performance work, and/or organisational strategy and/or employee engagement
|
Wider reading, referencing and academic content.
30 marks |
The student has utilised an extensive range of wider reading (beyond module content) at Master’s level and evidenced this throughout the assignment. References are in the correct format. | The student has utilised a wide range of wider reading (beyond module content) at Master’s level and evidenced this throughout the assignment. References are in the correct format. | The student has utilised a range of wider reading (beyond module content) at Master’s level and evidenced this throughout the assignment. References are in the correct format. | The student has evidenced wider reading (beyond module content) at Master’s level. The majority of references are in the correct format. | The student has not evidenced wider reading and is limited to module content. |