Critical Analysis of a Case Study in People and Organisation Topics

Critical Analysis of a case study in the form of an individual written assignment based on three topics from this module.

• Culture

• Leadership

• Change

• Emotions and Identity

• Power and Politics

• Strategic Human Resource Management

• Resourcing

• Diversity

• Learning

You may choose your third topic from either of these lists.

You need to choose one of the following case studies to analyse using three of the People and Organisation Topics. Use the information in the case study as a starting point and analyse the situation in the case study. You need to analyse the people aspects of the case not the business aspects. So for example, consider the culture of the organisation, change management impacts on the people, the ethical issues around the employees, etc. You need to draw on the academic material (literature and theory) from three of the People and Organisation Topics.

You must choose material from at least one Organisation Studies topics and at least one from Human Resource Management topics. You may need to source additional information, for example details from the organisation’s web site could give you an indication of the organisation’s culture, their recruitment procedures or HR policies.If you draw on any literature that has already analysed the case organisation you must clearly indicate this by referencing appropriately.

Please see the additional information on Blackboard on how to start with this assignment and the frequently asked questions.

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Please use the following file format: Word. We cannot ensure that other formats are compatible with markers’ software and cannot guarantee to
mark incorrect formats.

All work should be word processed in 12-point font Arial and single spaced.

• Your student number

• The module name and number

• Your word count

• The coursework title

The word limit for this assignment is 2750 words.

• There is no +/- 10% on word count and anything after the maximum word count will not be marked, in line with UWE Bristol’s Word Count Policy.

• In line with UWE policy, this word count includes everything in the main body of the text (including headings, tables, citations, quotes, lists, etc.).

• The references, bibliography and footnotes (provided footnotes only include references) are not included in this word count.

1. Read the case study two or three times in an undirected manner. “Undirected” means do not think about the questions asked or the method of analysis. The goal here is to become familiar with the case situation that is described without filtering that perception with a premature focus on solutions or answers.

2. Identify the salient issue(s)/problem(s).   Make notes linking the information in the case to an identified issue(s).

3. Consider the stance you intend to take and the argument you intend to present.  Remember you are writing for a purpose. Your argument forms the narrative thread of your essay.

4. Read and study the assignment question. Record information from the case that appears pertinent to its analysis.

5. Decide which principles, theories, or models, from the topics listed in the assignment question, could be applied to the case study situation.  Avoid the temptation to generate ideas based mainly upon intuition, and then try to force-fit some handy theoretical rationale to your preconceived ideas.  The theoretical material is to be used to gain insight into the organisation situation, not as an afterthought.

6. Apply the selected general principles, theories, or models from the chosen topics and develop a narrative thread focussed on the identified issue(s) highlighted in the case study. You may need to search for additional organisation material (the company’s official web site may be a useful starting point here, you could also search through the library’s data bases for articles which are pertinent to the case organisation – remember though that if you use other’s material you must clearly identify the source, failing to do so is plagiarism.)

Better essays will also draw upon academic literature/theoretical material beyond that which was presented in lectures/core readings. Wider reading will also help you to critically evaluate the literature/theory.  Strong essays will apply the theory correctly to the case study.

7. You may or may not wish to provide some recommendations derived from the insights gained from the analysis. The choice to include recommendations will depend somewhat on your overall argument.