Change Management Theories, Concepts and Frameworks

Learning Outcomes

The assessment task is aligned with the Learning outcomes which are specified in the Module description:

1. Examine and appraise change management theories, concepts and frameworks both within different international contexts and from various cultural perspectives

2. Evaluate how individuals and organisations exploit and manage risk and uncertainty

3. Recognise the critical role played by managers in creativity and change

4. Explain how to manage change through a participative approach

5. Diagnose complex management and organisational problems relating to the management of change

6. Generate and evaluate alternative courses of action to address such problems

7. Demonstrate awareness of their personal skills and attributes in relation to leading change situations

8. Interact better within a team/learning/professional group; recognise, support or be proactive in leadership; negotiate in a professional context, manage conflict; and identify where they need to improve further

9. Explain organisational change in a professional way, either in writing or verbally, using evidence and building an argument using appropriate theories/concepts, models and tools

10. Understand better what is meant by ‘learning how to learn’; and the connection between learning, change and flexibility/adaptability both at an individual and organisational level

Assignment task

There are TWO TASKS in the assignment. BOTH are to be addressed. The final mark will be presented as an overall weighted average percentage mark. This means that a relatively low mark in one assignment might be compensated by a relatively high mark in another. However, please note that addressing both tasks will be the only way to do relatively well on the module. Students who fail to address one of the two tasks are at serious risk of not passing the module at the first attempt.

Task 1: Case Study, 2000 words (60%)

Identifying a leader of your choice, analyse and evaluate how they are leading the change process and reflect on the lessons business leaders might take from their experience.

You are encouraged to focus on the UK Prime Minister’s (Boris Johnson) leadership of Brexit. There is no formal written case study provided by the tutors. You are encouraged to do your own research. However, some very useful links are provided on Moodle. You can take as your start point Boris Johnson’s campaign to become the leader of the Conservative Party,  the time from when he is elected leader or any time between these events and the start of this module (25/9/19). The end point will be the hand-in date, a month before the hand-in date or any possible time of resignation/his standing-down as Prime Minister. You can choose another change leader, in any context, but that leader must be in the public eye and the module leader (Adrian Myers, not your seminar tutor) must agree with the choice you make. To ensure anonymous marking, the other seminar leader will mark your assignment and a drop-box will be provided for students who take this route.

Task 2: 1000 word reflective essay

Drawing on the diary record of your participation in seminars, lectures, group work and engagement generally with the module, write a 1,000-word reflective essay that provides a synthesis of what you have learnt about yourself and which gives some insight into your likely personal capacity to act as a change agent (to lead and manage change).