Short Answer Questions
Answer all the questions below. All answers will be based on your learning to date, including the topic overview, textbook, relevant required readings, online material, and any wider reading you have done.
N.B. Word counts are indicative of the length of the response. Overall, the word count for this assessment should be 3600 words (+/- 10%).
Please refer to the marking guide for guidance and mark distribution.
All of the questions relate to each other, that is, they build upon each other, so your response to one will inform how you respond to the others. Hence, please be certain to read all five elements of this assessment before you begin, to clearly understand how they are interconnected.
Questions:
1) Identify the two, different, theoretical perspectives (ontologies or world-views) used in this subject, which underpin how we understand organisational change, and explain and critically discuss their key ideas and features, drawing from the topic materials (overview, textbook, the required academic readings) provided and from your wider reading. Go on to write two different definitions of organisational change, one based upon the first theoretical perspective (ontology) discussed above, and the second based on the other theoretical perspective (ontology) discusssed above. Briefly explain the link between each definition and its underlying theoretical perspective. (c.500 words).
2) Using an organisation that you are familiar with (you may use information in the public domain, i.e. from organisational websites and other forms of media to assist you):
a) Briefly introduce the organisation
b) Identify and describe a change that is happening, or has previously happened, within it (including what the change is, how it is implemented, who the change agent'/s are, who is involved and how, and how employees are engaged and affected).
c) Go on to explain how your definitions (from Question 1 above) related to the change occurring in this organisation. (c.650 words in total).
Please note: In selecting a suitable organisation you will need to ensure that you can access the required relevant information about the organisation to be able to answer the above questions.
3) a) Draw up a SWOT analysis, as a table, to assess what has caused the need for the organisational change which you identified in question 2 above, then explain, discuss and integrate your analysis, including a conclusion that summarise the current state of the business and connects this to why the change was (or is being) implemented. b) Then, in your own words, (but using references to support you) identify and critically evaluate the benefits and drawbacks (from both the objectivist and social constructionist perspectives) of using business SWOT analyses in general to determine the need for organisations to change. (c.700 words).
4) Using the subject materials (overview, textbook, required readings, online material), as well as your wider reading, identify, explain and critically assess the key conceptualisations of role of the change agent, and then apply this analysis to the change in organisation described above. (c.750 words).
5) Using the subject materials (topic overview, textbook, relevant required readings) as well as your wider reading, define and critically discuss both problem-centric and dialogic approaches to change. Briefly identify which theoretical ontology of organisational change (which you discussed in question 1) underpins each. Critically assess the benefits and drawbacks of each of these approaches to change management. Go on to identify which of these approaches you would prefer to use to manage the change you identified in 2a and explain why. (c.1000 words).
Rationale - This assignment has been designed to:
- Assist you to develop your analytical and critical thinking skills
- Apply your knowledge of the key concepts, ideas and debates about organisationall change to a practical example
- Assess learning outcome 1 - Identify and define organisational change
- Assess learning outcome 2 - Assess and explain reasons for organisational change and explain why these are contested
- Assess learning outcome 3 - From a range of theoretical perspectives, identify, examine and critically analyse approaches to organisational change, and assess the outcomes.