Discuss the roles and responsibilities of middle managers who lead and drive through change in organisations, and appraise interventions which can support middle managers in such a role, taking into account the emotional and ethical implications involved in change
1. Summative Assessment Brief
The writing around teams and how to develop a high performance team should be written around teams in general. It is possible to illustrate the topic with example/s of high performance teams.
The number of marks should give you an idea of how to allocate the word count.
The theories and concepts that you can use are stated below and also all the PowerPoints are attached.
Assessment – Portfolio (3300 words) Marks available: 100
For this assignment students will create a portfolio of 3300 words made up of the following elements:
- From what you have learned in the module, and from wider reading, write on the basis for managing change, with reference to academic theory and practice, including but not limited to open systems
15 Marks
Congruency model (open systems)
Organisations and change
Theory: context and types of organisational change
Types of change – Incremental and Discontinuous (Radical and Transformational)
Different change initiatives vary on a number of dimensions
The change process: 4 main process theories of change determined by Van de Ven and Poole 1995
Implementing Change: Programmes of change
Corporate ambitions and How that translates
Vision Statement
Communicating the change
Programme management
Supporting Strategy
Defining benefits – examples of tangible and intangible
Programme management environment
Planning and thinking about change
Some possible effects of dramatic organisational structural change, on people and on organisational culture
Impact of dramatic structural change can bring important issues which need to be addressed
Your Role as a Change Agent: implementing dramatic change
- Describe and critically evaluate practical interventions which can be used to help build a high-performance team going through
25 Marks
The evaluation of change management theory and techniques from an international perspective
Major Changes
Dimensions of Organisational Change
The Change Context
Change determined by strategy
Strategy Development: all leading to change, and these changes need to be managed
Strategy by design or Emergent strategy
Examples of deliberate strategy
Emerging strategy: New reality warning signals
Planned Change
A theoretical model: Kurt Lewin’s model of organisational change (originally 1947)
LEWIN Unfreezing: the first stage
LEWIN Making the change: the second stage
LEWIN Freezing or Refreezing: the third and final stage
Lewin’s Forcefield Analysis: First, there is a need to identify and work with the forces at play
Planned change: Forcefield analysis
UK Government Policy paper – COP26 declaration on accelerating the transition to
100% zero emission cars and vans
Further application of Lewin’s forcefield analysis would be to
Forcefield Analysis, another approach: used to create Action Plans
Implementing change
Introducing Kotter’s Eight Steps to Transform an Organisation
Introducing Stouten et al (2018), who reviewed and synthesised empirical literature and identified ten evidence based principles of change management
Consideration of SDG goals in the drive for change through deliberate and emerging strategies
Sustainable Development
Conventional Business Priorities
World challenges require all organisations to work together to achieve change
Sustainability routes – changes which can develop and deliver sustainable development
New Technologies – Energy generation
Process optimization (Products – Manufacturing)
Industrial Ecology
Organisational Culture
An example of an iceberg model of corporate culture
Schein – Three Levels of Culture
Espoused Values
Espoused vs. True Values?
Basic Underlying Assumptions: Shared behaviours
Assessing the organisation and organisational culture with respect to change
Cultural web (Johnson and Scholes 1999)
Assessment of power, politics and conflict in change situations and their impact on individuals, teams, and the organisation
Sources of power a change agent can use to influence the change process
Changes in the external environment impact on power and politics in organisations, and this brings changes to the power structure
Empowering Employees
Individuals and Teams: Changes in organisational structures
Organisations: a political view
Nadler 1987
Individuals and groups
Change Management or Change Leadership?
Developments in Leadership Theory
Behavioural: Theories X and Y
Transformation Theory and Emotional Intelligence
Leadership and Change
Conflict and negotiation: Individuals and Groups
Parker’s Twelve Characteristics of Effective Teams
Change can seriously undermine a team
How to create High Performing Teams
Creating High Performing Teams: (GRPI)
Team Performance Model
Team Interventions
8 Belbin’s team roles
Team/Group Formation and Development (Tuckman, 1965)
Leading high performance teams through cultural change
Kotter’s 8 steps and cultural change
Social identity theory and acculturation theories with respect to mergers and acquisitions
Changing organisational culture and building resilient teams through mindfulness – the 5 practices to develop mindfulness
- Discuss the roles and responsibilities of middle managers who lead and drive through change in organisations, and appraise interventions which can support middle managers in such a role, taking into account the emotional and ethical implications involved in change
25 Marks
Emotions and culture
Middle-managers need to be truly empowered
Mid-managers concern with ‘impression management’
Fear based cultures
- Response to change, models of emotional curves/transitions:
Change Curve (Kubler Ross)
Transition Model (Bridges)
Transition Curve (Fisher)
- Emotional labour (Hochschild 1983)
Emotions during organisational change
- Individual and group resistance to change
Resistance to change
Complexity of emotions
ABC model of cognitive behavioral therapy
- Role of middle-managers in ‘emotional balancing’
The challenges of emotional balancing
- Emotional Intelligence (Goleman 1995)
Emotional Intelligence competencies
Interventions for change – Behavioural, Cognitive, Psychodynamic and Humanistic
- Interventions – link to emotions
- Reflect on your learning in the module in respect to your own responses to change, including strengths, defences, and development needs, and how these might impact your future role/s as a leader and/or manager of change. How has this module influenced your own attitude and responses to change? Your reflections should lead towards the identification of at least 2 SMART goals which will help you put your learning into practice when you go into the
25 Marks
Portfolio Presentation: 10 Marks will be allocated for layout, academic writing, and presentation of the work. In addition, the work is expected to include a list of references and/ or a bibliography.
10 Marks
An example of a structure you might want to follow when working on your portfolio assignment:
Cover page with a title Table of contents
List of Figures (if any) List of Tables (if any) Executive summary Introduction
Main body of text with sections to suit your material Summary
References Appendices
A note on word count:
The word count should be shown on the front of your assignment. Words in diagrams, tables or as part of an appendix do not count. A 10%-mark reduction may be applied where a submission does not meet the word count criteria.
Assessment Weightings
This 3,300-word portfolio assignment is weighted as 100% of the total module assessment. The Assessments for this module link to the learning outcomes as shown below:
| Assessment | Type | Learning Outcome a) | Learning Outcome b) | Learning Outcome d) | Learning Outcome d) |
| Formative | Case Study Presentations | x | x | x | x |
| Summative | Report | x | x | x | x |
Portfolio contents
Please consider the theories and practices studied during the module. Academic theory and practice should be included within the portfolio. In addition, there is an expectation that students will read around the subject and bring learning from wider reading and research into the portfolio.
Appendices: NOTE – these will not be marked but will add context to the work you have done above. You can include in your appendices any exercises you complete in class and any other information that you feel is relevant to parts of the portfolio above.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS ASSIGNMENT WILL BE SUBJECT TO ANONYMOUS MARKING. SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR ASSIGNMENTS CAN BE FOUND ON CANVAS.
1. Marking Criteria (These criteria have been based on the university marking criteria which can be found at the end of this module handbook).
| Elements of the
assignment |
University Assessment
Criteria |
Module assessment criteria – we will be looking for… |
| Parts 1 –
3 of the portfolio |
Subject Knowledge and Understanding | Is there a depth of understanding and appropriate application of theories, models and frameworks?
Have pertinent lessons been drawn from ‘real world’ case studies to illustrate and support points made?
Is there evidence of wider reading and engagement with the literature? |
| Research and Enquiry | Is there logical reasoning, critical analysis and evaluation throughout the portfolio?
What is the quality of the analysis? Does it progress significantly beyond the descriptive demonstrating an ability to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of theories and models used?
Is there evidence of drawing on material that has been independently researched? |
|
| Academic Skills | Is there a clear argument which is supported by robust and scholarly evidence?
How well is each element of the Portfolio presented, is it easy to read and does it make sense?
Is the work free of spelling and grammar errors?
Is there accurate Harvard Referencing throughout? |
|
| Reflective essay (part 4) |
Values Qualities and Attributes |
With reference to the literature and self-diagnostic tools that have been used, how self-aware are you of your own attitudes and values around change?
Is there evidence that you have analysed your own learning needs and used SMART goals – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timed? |
2. Grade Descriptors
The grade descriptors for this module can be found at the end of this module handbook and on the Business Management Homepage. University Criteria: Undergraduate Programmes
3. Feedback on your learning throughout this module
This module will allow plenty of opportunity for verbal and written feedback through the formative assessments and seminar activities. Please take the opportunity to discuss any questions you have about the module with your seminar tutor or other members of the module team.
The summative assessment will be marked and available online within 15 working days of the presentation. Marks will be published in Canvas.
If for any reason the feedback deadline is not possible (due to staff illness etc) you will be contacted by email, giving an alternative date.
4. Core text books
Carnall, C. (2007) Managing Change in Organisations. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited (available as an eBook)
Hayes, J. (2018) The Theory and Practice of Change Management (5th Ed.) Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Please note previous editions are equally acceptable and may be available more cheaply.
Additional Texts and Resources:
Balogun, J., Hope Hailey, V. & Gustafsson (2016) Exploring Strategic Change (4th Ed.), Harlow: Pearson Education Limited
Blakeley, K. (2007) Leadership Blind Spots and What to Do About Them, Chichester: Wiley
Burke, W.W. (2014) Organizational Change Theory and Practice (4th Ed.), Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Burnes, B. (2018) Managing Change: A Strategic Approach to Organizational Dynamics. Harlow: Pearson Education
Cameron, E. and Green, M. (2020) Making Sense of Change Management. London: Kogan Page.
Cawsey, T.F., Deszca, G. & Ingols, C. (2016) Organizational Change An Action-Orientated Toolkit (3rd Ed.), Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Hodges, J. (2016) Managing and Leading People through Organizational Change. London: Kogan Page
Hughes, M. (2010) Managing Change: A Critical Perspective, London: CIPD.
Kotter, J.P. (2012) Leading Change, Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press [this is a reprint of his earlier 1996 book which can also be used]
McCalman, J., Paton, R.A. & Siebert, S. (2016) Change Management – A guide to effective Implementation, (4th Ed), London: Sage
Scarlett, H. (2019) Neuroscience for Organizational Change: An Evidence-based Practical Guide to Managing Change, London: Kogan Page
Hickman, G.R. (2010) Leading Change in Multiple Contexts, Concepts and Practices in Organizational, Community, Political, Social and Global Change Settings, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Kotter, J. (1995) Leading change: why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review. 73, 2: 59-67
Kotter, J. P., & Cohen, D.S. (2002) The Heart of Change – Real-Life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. Some inspiring stories of how hearts and minds can be changed.
Lawrence, P. (2015) Leading Change – Insights Into How Leaders Actually Approach the Challenge of Complexity, Journal of Change Management, 15, (3), 231-252
5. Journals
In addition to other business management journals, you should browse through the following specialist module journals for relevant content to support your assignment writing:
Journal of Organizational Change Management Journal of Change Management
Journal of Management of Change
6. Harvard Referencing
All written work submitted for modules within the Business School require you to use the Harvard referencing system. Correct referencing shows academic and professional skill and protects the writer from accusations of plagiarism. For further details see the faculty’s guide to Harvard Referencing on the Learning Network.
Please also refer to the University Academic Misconduct Policy (available on the University Intranet), this policy defines the process for investigating allegations of any form of academic misconduct for all taught programmes of study and the penalties that may be imposed for proven cases. As part of the initial process of investigation, tutors may use an electronic academic plagiarism detector or may conduct an interview with the student in order to establish the contribution to, or originality, of the work submitted.
