Review and Critique Current organisational Practice

Review and Critique Current organisational Practice

Learning and Development Module Assessments

Please note that ALL assessments are compulsory Assessment requirement Submission Date Component 1 (90% of total grade) a) Learning and Development Report (45%) b) Training Intervention Report (45%) Submitted via Moodle and Turnitin submission boxes by 23.59 (UK time) Friday 17th August 2018. End of Unit Tests (10% of total grade) a) Written test at the end of each unit Once you complete each unit you should complete the end of unit test for that unit. The test will cover both the information provided in the unit and the essential reading that is indicated to you. You must complete all tests by week 15. Part A: Learning and Development Report (45%) You have just been appointed as a Human

Resources (HR) consultant, working with the clients HR team. You have been given the following projects to complete in the next year. Your role is to review and critique current organisational practice in respect of learning and development, suggest new approaches with full justification of such (drawing on appropriate theory, research and organisational examples), and present detailed recommendations for implementation. Choice of organisation: You may decide to use your own organisation for this coursework. However, if this is not appropriate you have three alternatives: a small, private sector organisation or charity; a large, public sector organisation; or a case study of an organisation with which you are very familiar. (Note: As we refer in the separate questions to changes and implications for the organisation’s current policies, you may make assumptions about the organisation’s current policies so long as you state your assumptions clearly, in an appendix for example). Word count: Each assessment should be about 2250 words long (10% below or above the limit is acceptable). Please state your word count on the assessment front cover – the cover sheet is provided within the Moodle resources.

Guidelines for Part A The following provides you with more explicit guidelines on how to structure your report and draw on the course materials to effectively address the report requirements. 1 Introduction Your introduction should begin with a clear statement of purpose. You also need to provide a theoretical context for your report, stressing in the process the importance of the area you have chosen to examine as a core competence and a necessary precondition for long-term organisational effectiveness and success. 2 A Critical Overview of the Area – academic and practice-based You will begin with a critical overview of the subject area drawing on relevant literature and examples and case studies to illustrate the trends and issues facing HR practitioners and managers and the most common academic and professional approaches to this area of HR practice. Then you will provide a critical overview of the organisations current practice to include the organisation’s current internal and external context, any changes or challenges they are dealing with (internally or externally) and the key strategy and policy approach and any other issues that are pertinent to the subject area. Your overview should be written with reference to appropriate academic sources. 3 Diagnosing the Issues What are the issues that your organisation is facing. You may wish to conduct some key expert interviews in the organisation in order to uncover the detail around the practice-based issue you have chosen. You may want to use an academic model or framework or a piece of academic research or commentary to compare/contrast or structure your discussion of the issues facing the organisation.

You need to identify your organisations current practice and compare it to academic/professional knowledge in the area and draw out any strengths or weaknesses or gaps. Once you have identified and justified a range of relevant theory and research that will help you understand the issue, explain what the main practice-based issues are and why these need to be resolved. 4 Conclusions In this section, you should distil the key issues arising from the body of your report. You need to make sure that your conclusions are consistent with the arguments you will have put forward in the preceding discussion. Justify and explain the key findings that you need to take forward and act upon. Conclude as to how this might inform your future practice and lead to new understanding about practice. 5 Recommendations for Planning and Implementing any Change Drawing on the above analysis you will frame your recommendations as to how management should plan and implement the proposed changes. You need to ensure that these have operational significance and result in changes to practice. You can also critically reflect on the significance of your recommendations, underlining why they are worthy of management’s attention. This section should flow smoothly from the conclusions. 6 List of References You need to adhere closely to the APA Referencing Style both in the body of the report and in the reference list. Importantly, you need to draw on a good range of books, academic journal articles and, if relevant, credible online sources to show evidence of wider reading and engagement with the module materials. You will find detailed guidelines on how to reference your work via your student portal or by clicking on the following link:

http://www2.napier.ac.uk/ed/plagiarism/students.htm. Appendices Should be numbered and used judiciously to include information that supports the main discussion. These should not be used as a dumping ground for ‘excess’ information that could not be included in the body of the report, which would otherwise denote an inability to write in concise terms and respect the prescribed word limit. Part B: Training Intervention Report (45%) You are the Leadership Development Manager of one of the country’s leading MNCs supplying a diverse range of electronic, analytical and computational products and services. It has always been characterized by high innovation and quality, and for its positive values related to managing its people. A combination of significant external pressures makes it paramount that the company managers have to become more strategic in their culture and abilities, capable of responding to the macro issues the company is facing, both as individuals and as members of a company-wide management community. The managers come mainly from a technical background, and fewer than 40 per cent have any formal business education. The majority are male. Most have worked for years in an extremely successful company where costs received little emphasis. They are also used to the autonomy and local cultures of the company’s functional structure. Key markets are declining due to the global recession, significant investment in new technology is required and there is competition from small companies and low-cost foreign competitors. Due to rising costs, the company needs to restructure. It needs a strategic focus not only on short-term survival, but also so that it will be well positioned to seize opportunities and grow in a post-recession business environment.

The managers must now quickly learn new attitudes and become much more entrepreneurial in their abilities and outlook. They need to enhance their competencies to be more adaptive, mobile, and to function in the international context. They will need to develop greater insight about their personal and professional development and the competencies they need in a changing career context. Working with a national business school whose reputation for high quality, effective business programmes is excellent, you now have to design a company-wide leadership development programme aimed at senior middle managers, aged 30-40, with ten years or more of service in the company, a technical background and education, and responsible for 20-50 people. Promotion prospects are decreasing, so it is important that this programme is not seen as a promotion ticket, but as a way of improving managerial competence in current roles. Key criteria for the programme are: 1. It must be business-focused, cost-effective, have the involvement of senior management, and reflect corporate issues. 2. It must have a national focus. 3. It must be capable of being delivered by each of the company’s regional training teams, and within their resources. 4. It must emphasise manager’s responsibility for self-development, and stimulate them to a real commitment in this respect. 5. Teamwork must be a key feature, so that participants learn from and support each other in the learning processes. 6. The programme must focus on making the target population more effective in their current role. Questions: 1. Analyse the main contextual influences that will shape the leadership development programme design that you propose? 2. Specify the learning objectives for the programme? 3. Propose a framework for the design and delivery of the programme indicating the key phases; the menu of learning strategies; the duration of the programme and the management of the programme? 4. Devise an evaluation strategy indicating the benchmarks that different stakeholders may use and the evaluation methodology that you consider appropriate? Assignment Forms and Marking Criteria Part A: Learning and Development Report Part B: Training Intervention Report

HRM11406 Learning and Development Part A – Learning and Development Report Matriculation Number: Marker: Mark: Assessment Criteria Comments Report Structure & Style (10%) Well-structured assignment, with logical argument development. Style consistent with academic writing. Knowledge & Understanding (35%) Evidence of critical analysis of relevant areas of literature. Discussion of theoretical aspects of the areas through journal articles, books and recent research. Critical review of theories and evidence. Application (35%) Analysis and interpretation in relation to main literature review. Clear and logical presentation of arguments. Conclusions and recommendations (10%) Appropriate conclusions in the light of the aim and objectives, and the findings. Clear, practical recommendations presented. Presentation and Referencing (10%) Clear and effective presentation throughout (both text and graphics). Appropriate use of the APA Referencing Style. Second Marker Comments Tutor Marking Criteria: Part A – Learning and Development Report Assignment Assessment Criteria: Part A – Learning and Development Report DISTINCTION PASS FAIL Report Presentation Structure, argument development & presentation Well-structured report, with clear and logical arguments development. Clear and effective presentation throughout; meaning clear and fluid with an articulate professional writing style. Satisfactory to good structuring of report content. Some argument development. Satisfactory to good presentation overall; style generally consistent with professional report writing, and a reflective, practice-based viewpoint. Poorly structured report; limited attention to argument development. Poor lay-out with inconsistent or inappropriate writing style.

Knowledge & Understanding Critical literature review Evidence of clear and insightful critical analysis and application of relevant areas of literature. Discussion of theoretical aspects from a comprehensive range of academic sources, evaluating a range of alternative viewpoints. Theoretical and empirical literature is effectively synthesised and critically discussed. Demonstrates satisfactory to good knowledge and understanding of the academic literature from a range of academic sources. Some critical discussion and synthesis of the theoretical and empirical literature Insufficient demonstration of the necessary knowledge and understanding of the theoretical and empirical academic literature on the topic. Poor use of source material. Critical Action and Application Analysis & interpretation of case. Critical thinking and reflection. Thorough and original critique of case that effectively synthesises literature and practical implications to reveal new insights. Presents points in a persuasive manner, that demonstrates insight in to effective practice in the field Some application of the literature to the study. Some synthesis of theory and practical implications, possible limited in scope or in depth of analysis. Reasonable, but limited insight in to effective practice in the field. Limited or no application of the relevant literature to study material. Poorly developed critique with little or no new insights developed. Conclusions and Recommendations Conclusions & analysis Comprehensive conclusions, very well supported by the preceding analysis.

Clear demonstration of evidence based principles being used to draw clear and feasible conclusions and recommendations for improved practice. The conclusions drawn from the study are broadly supported by the preceding analysis. Apparent but limited demonstration of evidence based principles being used to draw clear and feasible conclusions and recommendations for improved practice. The conclusions drawn from the study are not supported by the preceding analysis, or are inconsistent with each other and the general arguments(s) given. No apparent demonstration of evidence based principles being used to draw conclusions and recommendations for improved practice. Referencing Inclusion of appropriate and current literature which is accurately integrated into the text; all citations acknowledged; APA citation method used consistently Evidence of appropriate literature, which is accurately integrated into the text; most sources acknowledged; APA citation method used consistently. Literature either not consulted or is irrelevant to the case study analysis; APA citation method very poorly and/or not used. 7 HRM11406 Learning and Development Part B – Training Intervention Report Matriculation Number: Marker: Mark: Assessment Criteria Comments Essay Structure & Style (10%) Well-structured report, with logical argument development. Style consistent with academic writing. Knowledge & Understanding (35%) Evidence of critical analysis of relevant areas of literature. Discussion of theoretical aspects of the areas through journal articles, books and recent research. Critical review of theories and evidence. Application (35%) Analysis and interpretation of theoretical concepts in relation to main literature review. Clear and logical presentation of arguments. Conclusions (10%) Appropriate conclusions in the light of the aim and objectives, and the findings.

Presentation and Referencing (10%) Clear and effective presentation throughout (both text and graphics). Appropriate use of the APA Referencing Style. Second Marker Comments 8 Tutor Marking Criteria: Part B – Training Intervention Report Assessment Criteria: Part B – Training Intervention Report DISTINCTION PASS FAIL Report Presentation Structure, argument development & presentation Well-structured report, with clear and logical arguments development. Clear and effective presentation throughout; meaning clear and fluid with an articulate professional writing style. Satisfactory to good structuring of report content. Some argument development. Satisfactory to good presentation overall; style generally consistent with professional writing. Poorly structured report; limited attention to argument development. Poor lay-out with inconsistent or inappropriate writing style. Knowledge & Understanding Critical literature review Evidence of clear and insightful critical analysis and application of relevant areas of literature. Discussion of theoretical aspects from a comprehensive range of academic sources, evaluating a range of alternative viewpoints. Theoretical and empirical literature is effectively synthesised and critically discussed. Demonstrates satisfactory to good knowledge and understanding of the academic literature from a range of academic sources. Some critical discussion and synthesis of the theoretical and empirical literature Insufficient demonstration of the necessary knowledge and understanding of the theoretical and empirical academic literature on the topic. Poor use of source material. Critical Action and Application

Analysis & interpretation of study. Critical thinking and reflection. Thorough and original analysis that effectively synthesises literature and practical implications to reveal new insights. Presents points in a persuasive manner, that demonstrates insight in to effective practice in the field Some synthesis of theory and practical implications, possible limited in scope or in depth of analysis. Reasonable, but limited insight in to effective practice in the field. Limited or no application of the relevant literature. Poorly developed critique with little or no new insights developed. Conclusions Conclusions & analysis Comprehensive conclusions, very well supported by the preceding analysis. Clear demonstration of evidence based principles being used to draw clear and feasible conclusions for improved practice. The conclusions drawn from the study are broadly supported by the preceding analysis. Apparent but limited demonstration of evidence based principles being used to draw clear and feasible conclusions for improved practice. The conclusions drawn from the study are not supported by the preceding analysis, or are inconsistent with each other and the general argument(s) given. No apparent demonstration of evidence based principles being used to draw conclusions for improved practice. Referencing Inclusion of appropriate and current literature which is accurately integrated into the text; all citations acknowledged; APA citation method used consistently Evidence of appropriate literature, which is accurately integrated into the text; most sources acknowledged; APA citation method used consistently. Literature either not consulted or is irrelevant to the study analysis; APA citation method very poorly and/or not used.