LO 3: Synthesise unplanned and planned change and organisation development approaches

Module code and title:

MG630 Change and Organisational Development

Module leader:

Dr Tariq Mehmood  

Assignment No. and type:

CW1: 2,000 Word Individual Report

Assessment weighting:

60%

Submission time and date:

Submission on BB, Monday, 8 April 2025 before 2 pm.    

Target feedback time and date:

3 weeks

Assignment task

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:

• Appointing a regional manager to oversee operations across all kiosks.
• Reducing the number of store manager roles.
• Reducing the number of shop assistant roles
• Increasing the number of production staff to meet the growing demand for customized macaroons.
• Recruiting additional delivery drivers to support the nationwide shipping of online orders.
• Hiring a digital marketing team to manage the e-commerce platform and drive online sales.

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:

• Hiring of the e-commerce team and associated IT software
• Training costs for bakers to become shop managers
• Training costs for delivery driver roles.

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.

This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your achievement of the following module learning outcomes:

LO 3: Synthesise unplanned and planned change and organisation development approaches

LO 4: Critically assess the key areas of organisational and individual resistance to change

Task requirements

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:

• Identify and rationalize a strategic change initiative that Miss Macaroon should adopt to thrive in their VUCA environment.
• Ensure the proposal aligns with their mission as a social enterprise and their expansion goals.

Change Management Model:

• Use a recognized change management model (e.g., Kotter’s 8-Step Model, Lewin’s Change Management Model, or ADKAR) to outline a structured approach for implementing the proposed change.
• Detail each step of the model and how it applies specifically to Miss Macaroon’s circumstances.

Resistance to Change:

• Analyse potential sources of resistance to the proposed change at both organizational and individual levels.
• Provide clear solutions to mitigate resistance and foster buy-in, considering Miss Macaroon’s unique organizational culture and workforce diversity.

Referencing and research requirements

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. 11^th ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Copies are available via the University library.

Minimum requirements:

• 15 references
• Mixed academically credible sources for example: Core Textbooks, Journals, News Articles, Professional Bodies, Professional and Credible Videos, Professional and Credible Podcasts

References older than 10 years must be supported by a more recent reference.

How your work will be assessed

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.

Submission details

• This assignment should be submitted electronically. Please use the relevant Turnitin submission point in the Submit your work area in your Blackboard module shell.

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Before you submit

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