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Assignment Guidelines (Unit 7005) Assessment criteria:

Introduction:
Define the topic area in brief Introduce the objective of the assignment in relation to a specific organisation Discuss in brief the importance of the assignment topic Highlight the structure of the assignment - This paper has got five distinct sections. Section A is the introductory section identifying and justifying the objectives of the assignment topic. Section E concludes with summary of findings developed from the discussion and analysis and recommendations for improvement.

1. Identifying and justifying a strategic investigative project

1.1 Determining a topic of investigation that has a strategic implication


To what extent the topic i.e. management report onof the organization X has strategic implication focusing on a particular area of strategic management. - Assessing in relation to following six basic questions: (1) Does the topic pose questions about strategic management and leadership? (2) Is it researchable? (3) Can theories and concepts, tools and techniques learned studying other level 7 units be applied? (4) Are there significant questions that need to be answered? (5) Will it be feasible and practical to obtain answers in the time available? Will the results be interesting and of value to stakeholders 1.2 Discuss the aim, scope and objectives of the project

Establishing the aim and justifying the same in relation to following three questions as suggested by Van der Velde, Jansen and Anderson: - Why to do the research/investigation? - What we want to achieve? - Who we want to achieve this for?

Identifying whether the aim of the report is a

- Theoretical aim (i.e. contributing to building knowledge like testing a theory about absenteeism) - Practical aim (i.e. helping to solve a problem by developing an instrument to measure the tendency of employees to be absent and improving performance thereon) 1.3 Justify the topic of investigation and its aim, scope and objectives

Discuss the rational of the topic of investigation in terms of the strategic implications of the investigation: - Its practical aim or application, - Achieving its outcome by addressing the research objectives.

Explore the scope of the investigative report by asking following questions: - Will it allow meeting all the objectives of the unit? Does it pose enough challenges in investigating the problem? Does it contain enough complexity and uncertainty?

Analysing objectives of the report in relation to the expected outcomes of the investigation following Jankowiczs classification e.g. - Acquisition and practice of concepts and techniques, - The management of environment, - The personal learning experience, - The contribution to the organization

1.4 Evaluate the project research methodology, including the project structure and research base

Discuss the types of research to be conducted for the management report - Exploratory research, descriptive research or explanatory research, incorporation of more than one approach or a mix of two.

Assess the importance of specific research philosophy from the following to carry out the management report based on research - Positivism; Interpretivism; Post-positivism

Discuss which of the following the options of developing research questions applied for the management report: - Developing research questions after conducting a literature review - Developing the research question first to shape the research design and then to search for the literature - Developing hypotheses from breaking down research question

In terms of strategic management and leadership issues which of the following methods are applied in designing the research for the management report of the organization X - Main methods: Quantitative research, Qualitative research, Mixed-method research

- Alternative methods: action research and operational research

Extent of use of one or combination of following research techniques in collecting data for the management report: - Surveys, - Interviews, - Case studies, - Focus groups

2: Be able to conduct research, using sources and synthesise data and options. Assessment criteria: 2.1 Identify sources of data and information that will support the aim of the project

Whether one of the following collecting data

broad sources or a combination of both is used in

- Primary sources of data collection - Secondary sources of data collection Data collection plan - Discuss the importance of preparing a data collection plan for this report - Prepare a data collection plan by making a list of all the activities relating to data collection within a timeframe.

Managing potential difficulties in collecting data - To what extent potential difficulties regarding access to data and risk of availability of interviewees, poor response rate in data collection and cost have been resolved in your investigative report?

Piloting of data - Discuss the advantages in piloting data collection.

Identifying the sample size for quantitative research as well as qualitative research. - What types of sampling technique are used for collecting data for the report?

The ethical issues relation to anonymity and confidentiality. - Maintaining anonymity and confidentiality in collecting data

Ensuring the quality of data

- Examine to what extent the quality of your data is ensured through some specific or combination of the criteria like reliability, validity, generalisability, credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability . 2.2 Synthesise the data and information for options or alternatives that support the project aims. Methods of data analysis - 1. Quantitative data analysis: which of following techniques e.g. exploratory data analysis, confirmatory data analysis, parametric techniques, non-parametric techniques have been used; which types of scales are used for quantitative data analysis (e.g. nominal scales, ordinal scales, interval scales, ratio scales) - 2. Qualitative data analysis: reducing the data, structuring the data, detaxtualising the data generated either through interviews, focus groups or case studies; quantifying qualitative data with coding by themes (e.g. problem solving, decision making, communicating to staff); analyzing data from three different standpoints, i.e. triangulation of data; - 3. Analysing data applying both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques, i.e. methodological triangulation 2.3 Determine an option or alternative that supports the project aims Revisiting project aim - To examine the impact of data analysis to identify whether the outcome of data analysis did support the research question or not in order to revisit the project aim. - To what extent a cost benefit analysis needed to be used for exploring alternative or option coming out from revisiting the project aim under the situation where data collected did not support the research question. L.O. 3: Be able to draw conclusions and make recommendations that achieve the project aim Assessment criteria: 3.1 Evaluate the research analysis to enable conclusions to be made

Evaluating the summary findings - Evaluating findings from analysis against three criteria e.g. (1) the research questions and hypotheses set, (2) the investigative research project objectives, (3) the investigative research project aims for making conclusions

Reviewing the investigative research process for the management report of X - Reviewing by summarising specific research approach undertaken in different stages (such as topic area, aim/scope/objectives, research design, literature review, data gathering and analysis, determination of options for alternatives)

3.2 Recommend a course of action that achieves the project aim

Identifying appropriate nature of recommendations for a management report - Nature of recommendations following Van der Velde: (a) practice based, (b) theory based, (c) future research based. - Justifying the course of action from recommendations satisfying specific needs of the sponsor organization or other stakeholders?

3.3 Analyse the impact of the recommendations

Examining how far recommendations are useful based on its course of action (e.g. practice, theory and future research). Assessing to what extent each recommendation relate to the project aim. Evaluating impact of each recommendation in terms of time, cost, people and other stakeholders.

L.O. 4: Be able to develop and review the result of the investigative project Assessment criteria: 4.1 Evaluate the medium to be used to present the result of the project Examine the appropriate and specific format of presenting results of the project - In the form of project report for the sponsor organization or for the tutor/assessor as part of CMI level 7 qualification; - In the form of a smaller assignment for the tutor or assessor as part of CMI level 7 qualification; - In the form of a presentation of findings and recommendations.

Identifying Jankowicz:

three main types of documents for reporting results as suggested by

- The short document or a management report for the sponsor organisation, - The longer document without implementation for the tutor/assessor, - The longer document with implementation aimed at both the tutor/assessor and the sponsor organization) 4.2 Produce the result of the investigative project

Structuring the results with

- (1) A written report format (having title, acknowledgements, contents, abstract, introduction, literature review, methodology, results/presenting data, analysis and conclusion, recommendations, references, appendices) - (2) A presentation format - (3) Both of above options 4.3 Evaluate the impact of the investigative project

Examining the achievements or results of the investigative project - In terms of (a) personal learning or (b) organizational gains.

Assessing to what extent the results of the research satisfy the needs of specific target group or audience - For the tutor for assessment whether learning outcomes and assessment criteria are met, specific questions are answered, followed a specific structure with good evidence of academic underpinning and investigative research techniques;

- For the sponsor organization whether the results are aligned to its need with more
focus on a executive summary, conclusions and recommendations for action) Conclusion: This paper attempted to discuss different aspects in preparing a management report for the organisation X. In doing so it came across following issues e.g..................based on which this paper makes following recommendations...........

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