LO 3: Synthesise unplanned and planned change and organisation development approaches
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Module code and title: |
MG630 Change and Organisational Development |
Module leader: |
Dr Tariq Mehmood |
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Assignment No. and type: |
CW1: 2,000 Word Individual Report |
Assessment weighting: |
60% |
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Submission time and date: |
Submission on BB, Monday, 8 April 2025 before 2 pm. |
Target feedback time and date: |
3 weeks |
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Assignment task |
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CONTEXT Miss Macaroon is a niche bakery business based in Birmingham, specializing in high-end macaroons. The business was founded by Rosie Ginday, a trained pastry chef with a strong passion for social entrepreneurship. Miss Macaroon operates as a social enterprise, with profits reinvested to support training and employment opportunities for unemployed young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Over the past three years, Miss Macaroon has expanded its operations by opening pop-up kiosks in major shopping centres across the West Midlands, alongside its flagship shop in Birmingham. The business now operates four outlets and plans to expand to eight within the next two years. As part of its growth strategy, Miss Macaroon is planning to launch an online customization service for macaroons, allowing customers to design bespoke gifts for nationwide delivery. This service will be supported by an investment in a dedicated e-commerce platform and new packaging facilities at its Birmingham headquarters. The planned expansion and introduction of the online customization service will lead to restructuring within Miss Macaroon. Proposed changes include:
Currently, each kiosk has a store manager and a small team of customer service assistants. Under the new structure, smaller kiosks will be managed by production staff, who will also take on some managerial responsibilities. The flagship shop in Birmingham will continue to have a dedicated store manager and expanded customer service team to handle high foot traffic. While the proposed restructuring aims to streamline operations and support growth, it has caused concerns among current employees. Many staff members feel that the reasons for the changes and their implications have not been clearly explained. This has led to feelings of uncertainty, reduced morale, and a loss of trust in senior management. Rosie Ginday believes that regular team meetings and newsletters have adequately communicated the rationale and benefits of the proposed changes. However, feedback from staff suggests otherwise, with several employees voicing frustration over the lack of consultation and clarity about their future roles. In addition to managing these internal challenges, Miss Macaroon faces significant upfront costs associated with its expansion plans, including:
Some long-serving employees who joined Miss Macaroon in its early days are resistant to changes in their roles, citing discomfort with new responsibilities. Rosie is committed to ensuring the success of the expansion while addressing these employee concerns. To this end, she has engaged your consultancy to help manage the restructuring process and ensure a smooth transition as the company continues to grow. |
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This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your achievement of the following module learning outcomes: |
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LO 3: Synthesise unplanned and planned change and organisation development approaches |
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LO 4: Critically assess the key areas of organisational and individual resistance to change |
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Task requirements |
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Following your presentation to Miss Macaroon, the company has now hired you to provide a detailed analysis of their VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) environment and the proposed change management model. They seek your advice on a strategic change initiative, accompanied by clear, guided steps for implementation using the appropriate Change Management model. Additionally, they request a detailed examination of potential resistance to change at both organizational and individual levels, with strategies to address these challenges. GUIDANCE: Using your presentation content (PR1) and guided by the feedback provided, you are to produce a 2,000-word professionally written and presented business report that includes: Strategic Change Proposal:
Change Management Model:
Resistance to Change:
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Referencing and research requirements |
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Please reference your work according to the Harvard style as defined in Cite Them Right Online (http://www.citethemrightonline.com). This information is also available in book form: Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2019) Cite them right: the essential reference guide. 11th ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Copies are available via the University library. Minimum requirements:
References older than 10 years must be supported by a more recent reference. |
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How your work will be assessed |
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Your work will be assessed against the assessment criteria which have been provided at the end of this brief. These criteria have been designed specifically for this assignment and are intended to measure the extent to which you have demonstrated your achievement of its associated learning outcomes (see above). Identify and rationalize a strategic change initiative that Miss Macaroon should adopt to thrive in their VUCA environment. They have been aligned with the institutional grade descriptor appropriate for your level. The assessment criteria provide a basis for fair and consistent marking and indicate what is expected of you in this assignment. It is strongly recommended that you engage with them while you are working on the assignment and use them in combination with any feedback you receive once your work has been marked to help you plan for future learning and development. |
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Submission details |
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Before you submit |
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Fit to Submit: Assignment Checklist |
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This brief assignment checklist is designed to help you avoid some of the most common mistakes students make in their coursework. Have you read the assignment brief? If not, do so now! In it you will find details of the assessment task, word count, the assessment criteria your work is marked against, and the learning outcomes – the basis for the assessment strategy in each module. Students often lose marks by forgetting some of the more straightforward elements of their assignments. We recommend that you “tick off” each of the points below as you prepare your work for submission. If you need any help, ask your tutor and/or visit https://bucks.ac.uk/students/academicadvice/assessment-and-examination
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