Developing a Knowledge Base for Implementing Best-Practices: A Consultancy Report for Bedford Town R

Recognising and Understanding Interaction between Functional Elements

Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding

Recognise, understand and discuss the interaction between functional elements and understand the key drivers of operational management and understand the use of analysis, data and information in operational performance of organisations

Demonstrate the following skills and abilities

Work with others to achieve shared goals and apply problem solving techniques appropriately and with an appreciation of how communication, information technology and numeracy skills can help in the world of business.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

This assignment continues focusing on the BTR (Bedford Town Residences) Case Study used in Assessment 1. Students should stay in the same group; please contact your tutor for help if you need assistance with group formation.

You will work in groups to develop a Knowledge Base on implementing working ‘best-practices’ developed during the Work-From-Home (WFH) period and research if and how a hybrid WFH and Word-from-Office (WFO) is feasible and desirable. This should be based upon the “Knowledge Base Template” document provided on the BREO shell under the Assessment and Feedback section in the “Assessment 2” folder.

This Knowledge Base should form the core of the information and key sources used to write your Individual Reports.

What is expected:

Write a formal report, with headings, using your reading, research, learning and journal content as a starting point. We suggest writing the report in two parts:

Part 1 written based on your research findings so in 3rd person

Your Individual Report should take the form of a consultancy report aimed at the management of BTR (Bedford Town Residences) addressing the following key points

What working practices have changed for the better ;

How can these ‘best practices’ be implemented in an office environment ;

In addition, management needs an analysis if a hybrid model (both remote-office) can be implemented if that would maintain or even enhance productivity and wellbeing of staff.

There should be clear evidence of reading about the topic beyond the areas discussed in class and include both academic sources to support your use of key models and concepts as well as credible non-academic sources to support your discussion and evaluation of recommendations to address the issues facing the Case Study company (Bedford Town Residences). You must reference your sources both in-text and in a Reference List using the Harvard-UoB style (please see referencing resources on the LRWeb for further guidance if needed).

Key Drivers of Operational Management

Suggested Structure and Additional Guidance

Describe the key points from the report, including the most important findings and recommendations.

Explain the purpose of your report and lay out the structure of the rest of your report.

Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on organisations: Discuss and explore the impact of Covid-19, particularly as it relates to

Key Issues present at BTR: Highlight the key issues that are present at BTR as relates to return to office working. Do not simply re-state the key issues as raised in the Case Study but connect them to the previous section (“Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on organisations”) and discuss them in the wider context of the challenges faced by organisations post lockdown.

Recommendations: Give justified and supported recommendations for how BTR should make adjustments or changes to their organization in light of the lessons learned during the remote working period and how to implement these in post lockdown, including a possible hybrid model WFH-WFO. These recommendations should address some or all of the key issues that you have identified in the Case Study and should be supported by credible sources, including sources from the academic literature.

This section should draw together the main points from your Report, no new information should be included in the conclusion.

Part 2 written about yourself so 1st person

Your personal reflection is based on your learning experience documented by your journal entries in BREO which will form part of this assessment. Therefore, journal entries added on a regular basis in weeks to evidence how you have developed and used key skills in the initial learning in the unit and in the analysis of the business case for this assignment.

This can be achieved by completing journal entries on your self-assessment analysis, VARK, Belbin and all personal development activities that link to key employability skills.

In the reflective report you may explore key skill development in all or any of the following areas:

• Communication (both verbal and written – evidenced by classroom discussion, presentations and report writing)
• Numeracy – (evidenced by examples of use of data and statistics in your seminar activities and this submission)
• ICT (evidenced using Microsoft Office programs during the unit)
• Problem Solving (evidenced by examples of analysis and information gathering, during the unit and in the submission of the assignment)
• Working with Others (evidenced by reflecting on your experience working in teams during the unit)

The reflective report should include continued evaluation of your experience working in class and your practice week by relating where possible to models and theories like Belbin, Tuckman and Kolb. You can also include reflection on learning from feedback offered in seminars and from SEM 1 units as your development is continuous

The reflective report should conclude with an action plan using the SMART framework. So, where you identify an improvement is needed, document how you intend to do that.

Do not include any elements that have been submitted or marked in previous submissions without correct referencing. To use chunks of work previously submitted is considered to be self-plagiarism.

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

• Show evidence of topic understanding using resources listed in the reading list
• Demonstrate knowledge of practical application of theory learned during the Unit using examples from business
• Show evidence of research through academic writing and referencing
• Show evidence of reflection related to the unit learning

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?