Level 8 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Assignment Brief

Unit 801 – Personal Leadership Development as a Strategic Managers

Learners are required to complete all tasks.

Assignment Guidelines

All work must be submitted in a single electronic document (.doc file). This should go to the tutor and Centre Manager/Programme Director, plus one hard copy posted to the Centre Manager.

The assignment must be the Learner’s own work and not copies of theories or models. Direct quotes should be kept to a minimum, and shown in inverted commas. Models described and other quotes used must be properly attributed and referenced as appropriate. Learners must acknowledge or reference any sources that have been used to complete the assignment, listing reference material and web sites used.

Learners are encouraged to produce a reflective statement of no more than 300 words (which does not count towards the final word count), describing the value and knowledge gained from undertaking this assignment. The reflective statement is not assessed, however it encourages you to review the value and application of your learning.

Overall word count guide: 2500 - 4500

Plagiarism and Collusion

In submitting the assignment Learner’s must complete a statement of authenticity confirming that the work submitted for all tasks is their own. The statement should also include the word count.

Plagiarism and collusion are treated very seriously. Plagiarism involves presenting work, excerpts, ideas or passages of another author without appropriate referencing and attribution. Collusion occurs when two or more learners submit work which is so alike in ideas, content, wording and/or structure that the similarity goes beyond what might have been mere coincidence.

Appendices

Separate Appendices should not be used. Any use of tables, graphs, diagrams, Gantt chart and flowcharts etc. that support the main report should be incorporated into the back of the assignment report that is submitted. Any published secondary information such as annual reports and company literature, should be referenced in the main text of the assignment but not included

Confidentiality

Where a Learner is using organisational information that deals with sensitive material or issues, they must seek the advice and permission from that organisation about its inclusion. Where confidentiality is an issue, Learners are advised to anonymise their assignment report so that it cannot be attributed to that particular organisation.

Word Count Policy

In total, the assignment report should be between 2500 - 4500 words. Learners must comply with the required word count, within a margin of +10%.These rules exclude the index (if used), headings and information contained within references and bibliographies. When an assessment task requires learners to produce presentation slides with supporting notes, the word count applies to the supporting notes only.

Referencing and Professionalism

A professional approach to work is expected from all learners. Learners must therefore identify and acknowledge ALL sources/methodologies/applications used. The learner must use an appropriate referencing system to achieve this. Marks are not awarded for the use of English, however the learner must express ideas clearly and ensure that appropriate terminology is used to convey accuracy in meaning.

Submission of Assignments

All work to be submitted on the due date as per Centre advice.

All work must be submitted in a single electronic document (.doc file). This should go to the tutor and Centre Manager/Programme Director, plus one hard copy posted to the Centre Manager

Introduction

This unit is about strategic leadership skills required by directors and senior managers to successfully lead international organisational strategic activity working with partners’ buyers, suppliers, customers and competitors

Scenario

Learners may use their own employment context, or that of another organisation with which they are very familiar, to base their assignment. A scenario of choice may also be discussed with your tutor, or provided by your tutor on request.

Task 1

Chose a company you have worked for or know well and critically analyse the needs, goals and aspirations of organisations and people involved in international organisational strategy. You also need to critically evaluate the strategic skills required of a leader to achieve identified strategic leadership ambitions and assess the relationship between existing, required and future skills to achieve the identified strategic leadership ambitions. You also need to reflect on the analysis and evaluation across new, pubic stakeholder’s motivations, beliefs and opinions and draw in where possible to views of experts in the field

Learning outcome

1. Be able to identify personal skills required to deliver strategic leadership ambitions

Assessment criteria: The learner can:

1.1 Critically analyse the needs, goals and aspirations of organisations and people involved in international organisational strategy

1.2 Critically evaluate the strategic skills required of a leader to achieve identified strategic leadership ambitions

1.3 Critically assess the relationship between existing, required and future skills to achieve the identified strategic leadership ambitions

Good Practice

In answering this question note should be taken of the STEEPV factors impacting an organisation’s business units particularly if this involves multi national and international links. You should look beyond the more obvious technological and political for example and review the softer issues for example the values and beliefs, in other words, their world view (Weltanschuung). A full answer could also comment on the alignment of the needs, goals and aspirations of the people involved and their respective organisational entities. Some comments on autonomy and the effectiveness of policy and strategy cascade from Group HQ to organisational entities would add to the answer.

In making an evaluation you could view skills in terms of behavioural competences and know-hows needed to address strategic/critical business activities such as mergers and acquisitions; organisational redesign; selection of partners and suppliers. Reference could be made to some of the specific domain knowledge and expertise required for the job role required to achieve strategic leadership ambitions

Your evaluation could further make reference to writers such as Gareth Morgan (McGill) and future/21st Century management competences that include dealing with ambiguity; remote management, holism, environmental scanning and identifying fracture lines.

A more developed response might further comment on the strengths, weaknesses and relevance of the Anglo American management model and associated tools and techniques in Asia Pacific, EMEA and BIC markets.

You could also build your assessment could build upon your response to assessment criteria 1.1 and 1.2 and take your assessment to look at not just existing but also the required and future skills that will better enable mangers to achieve the identified strategic leadership across the E2E Supplier Customer Chain and those issues that you have previously identified

Word guide: 850 to 1100 excluding diagrams, tables and references Task 2

Building on your answer to task 1 critically discuss the opportunities to achieve strategic leadership development. You also need to design a personal development plan to achieve strategic leadership development and devise an implementation plan and strategy for the development plan. Reflect on your analysis and evaluation and draw on where possible to views of experts in the field

Learning outcome

1. Be able to manage personal leadership development to support achievement of strategic leadership ambitions

Assessment criteria: The learner can

2.1 Critically discuss the opportunities to achieve strategic leadership development

2.2 Design a personal development plan to achieve strategic leadership development

2.3 Devise an implementation process for the development plan

Good Practice

You are required to construct a personal development plan to achieve strategic leadership development. At this level you should be looking beyond the here and now and current competencies and skills. You could include behaviours, underpinning knowledge needed to fulfil a job role within their area of responsibility in context of their organisation and developing skills these might include those less obvious skills for example language skills or emotional intelligence. You might also set out the current and future requirement for requisite behaviours and know how’s along with the associated dates by when these would be achieved and that this period of time indicate, short medium and longer term objectives. Some might find it useful to undertake psychometric testing of some sort to support their personal development and provide some base line assessment.

You are required to construct a personal development plan to achieve strategic leadership development. At this level (8) you should be looking beyond the here and now and current competencies and skills. You could include behaviours, underpinning knowledge needed to fulfil a job role within their area of responsibility in context of their organisation and developing skills these might include those less obvious skills for example

language skills or emotional intelligence. You might also set out the current and future requirement for requisite behaviours and know how’s along with the associated dates by when these would be achieved and that this period of time indicate, short medium and longer term objectives. Some might find it useful to undertake psychometric testing of some sort to support their personal development and provide some base line assessment

In devising an implementation process for the development plan your answer would refer to an appropriate implementation strategy; CSFs, Constraints and Assumptions and include resource implications and possible plans to gain those resources that might be financial but could also include others and time provision.

Word guide: 850 to 1100 excluding diagrams, tables and references Task 3

Building on your answer to tasks 1 and 2 critically assess the achievement of outcomes of the plan against strategic needs and evaluate the impact of the achievement of objectives on strategic leadership ambitions. You also need to critically review and update the leadership development plan and reflect on your responses

Learning outcome

1. Be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategic leadership development plan

Assessment criteria: The learner can

3.1 Critically assess the achievement of outcomes of the plan against strategic needs

3.2 Evaluate the impact of the achievement of objectives on strategic leadership ambitions

3.3 Critically review and update the leadership development plan

Good Practice

When making your assessment you could start by making reference to strategic planning process adopted by their organisation. For example, a deliberate or emergent strategy of the resource base view of the firm (RBV).

This section can only be completed when some of the activities in your plan have taken place and will possibly in line with your review dates set out in the original plan. For this criterion you will note that the objectives in your initial plan need to be measurable if they are to be a measured and b built upon as part of the review process. Your plan also needs consider the changes in your organisation or sector and your plan may need to be reviewed in the light of these let alone your own personal needs. For example you might need to revise your plan in the light of the maturity of the organisation, for example, a start-up; a mature or declining organisation as that each type will require different leadership styles and domain knowledge. You might also need to adjust to any changes made in organisational style and culture and note that there may be cultural differences in business units and different locations

You will need In evaluating the impact of the achievement of objectives on strategic leadership ambitions a full answer could set this out in the form of a gap analysis indicating the gap between current and future objectives and progress achieved towards meeting strategic leadership ambitions. The answer could also indicate any constraints, assumptions, critical decisions and critical success factors (CSFs) and measures (KPIs) associated with the achievement of objectives on strategic leadership ambition

In reviewing and updating your leadership development plan you could review the relevance of the current leadership development plan in context of the emerging STEEPV factors impacting at a national or international level or based on a change in personal goals or opportunities.

Word guide: 850 to 1100 excluding diagrams, tables and references Task 4

Building on your responses to Tasks 1, 2 and 3 critically evaluate the extent to which the strategic needs of organisations involved in international organisational strategy are met from existing resources. You are also required to formulate proposals to develop the strategic leadership resource and critically evaluate the effectiveness of strategic leadership development in achieving advancement of professional leadership practices in organisations.

Learning outcome

1. Be able to assess the impact of strategic leadership development on the success of international organisational strategy

Assessment criteria: The learner can

4.1 Critically evaluate the extent to which the strategic needs of organisations involved in international organisational strategy are met from existing resources

4.2 Formulate proposals to develop the strategic leadership resource

4.3 Critically evaluate the effectiveness of strategic leadership development in achieving advancement of professional leadership practices in organisations

Good Practice

In evaluating the extent to which the strategic needs of organisations involved in inter-organisational strategy are met from current resources a full answer could draw upon some of the ideas of Stafford Beer (Viable Systems Model) and Ross Ashby (Law of Requisite Variety). In particular, the design of variety amplification and attenuation mechanisms in the context of the environment and markets in which an organisation operates.

Examples of impact this could be your role or the impact of other’s that have been developed as managers in the organisation’s developments in customer services, brand management and liquidity.

When formulating proposals to develop the strategic leadership resource you could base your proposals on a variety of approaches to management. You might also include:

• A detailed functional proposal based on a detailed knowledge of the resource requirements
• An outcomes based requirement based on the specification of the performance targets
• A scenario based requirement where development the strategic leadership resource is aligned to one or more business scenarios, for example, takeover, mergers, developing strategic partnerships and suppliers noting inter-organisational strategy.

You are also asked to evaluate the effectiveness of strategic leadership development in achieving advancement of professional leadership practice across organisations. You might choose one specific organisation to give this section some structure then draw upon reading of other examples both national