Critically Evaluate Three Themes Covered During the Module using Examples from the CIPD Case Studies

Critically evaluate three themes covered during the module using examples from the CIPD case studies document ‘Developing Organisation Culture: Six Case Studies’.

• Identify why you think these three themes are important for organisations and people management.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of theory and practice associated with these three themes in different organisational cultures.
• Critically evaluate the themes, identifying relevant issues, applying theory to organisational practice and using examples from the case studies.
• Include recommendations for future practice i.e. how any issues or problems could be tackled using relevant theory.

Remember: Critical evaluation means evaluating how good the theory is at explaining practice and how helpful it is in explaining organisational issues and problems.

Ability to identify issues relevant to the study of organisations and people management 25%

Application of theory to those issues in this particular organisational context 30%

Critical evaluation of theory and the organisation 30%

Presentation, structure, referencing 15%

1. To develop a critical understanding of the theory and practice of managing modern day organisations and people management.
2. To apply appropriate frameworks in order to critically analyse and reflect upon management theory in the light of practice.
3. To develop a comparative and critical approach to management that incorporates an ability to evaluate the appropriateness of management theory and practice in different organisational cultures.
4. Demonstrate a range of cognitive skills including: critical thinking, analysis and synthesis.
5. Demonstrate a range of personal and interpersonal skills including: effective listening, negotiation and persuasion; sensitivity to others; self-awareness, effective communication; learning through reflection on practice and experience and research to inform personal and collaborative learning.

An excellent assignment (70+) will identify a number of issues and apply theory in a sophisticated way in order to further understanding of these issues. An excellent assignment will also incorporate in-depth critical evaluation of both theory and the case study organisation. Detailed, relevant and considered recommendations for practice will be offered. An excellent assignment will utilise a wide range of academic sources including academic monographs and journal articles. A mark of 80-90% will cover most of these aspects in an outstanding fashion; a mark of 91-100% will cover all of these aspects in an outstanding fashion and display exemplary achievement to the very highest standards of scholarship.

A good to very good assignment will identify a number of issues and apply theory in a highly competent way that illustrates the importance of these issues. It will begin to develop critical evaluation of both theory and the case study organisation. Relevant and considered recommendations for practice will be offered. A very good assignment will utilise a good range of academic sources including academic monographs and journal articles.

A satisfactory to competent assignment will identify some issues and link these issues to theory in a largely descriptive way. There will be some attempt at critical evaluation, but this will be limited and in need of further development. Some recommendations for practice will be offered and the conclusions consider the implications of the analysis for theory and practice. Literature sources will be used, but these will be limited and of lesser academic quality. For example, non peer reviewed internet sources.

Fail An unsatisfactory assignment (45-50) will identify issues, but fail to apply theory in an adequate manner. There will be no attempt at evaluation and the assignment will fail to meet the above brief. Few academic sources will be accessed.

Clear fail A poor assignment (-45) will not answer the question. For example, it might discuss theory but with little or no application to the case study. Alternatively, it might discuss the case study, but fail to address theory.