Assessment Title

Critically evaluate the implementation of a specific case of organisational change. Building on this, reflect on what you can personally learn from this case analysis about organisational change and suggest how you might benefit from these insights in the future.

Module learning outcomes assessed by this task:

1. Understand and critically evaluate different conceptual frameworks of the management of organisational change.
2. Appreciate the range of approaches to organisational change and the challenges of working with uncertainty.
3. Systematically understand the interrelationship of organisation theory and organisational practice.
4. Reflect critically on the ethical dilemmas and challenges of organisational change.

Completing your assessment

What am I required to do on this assessment?

This assignment incorporates two interrelated elements: critically evaluating organisational change and reflecting on its implications with reference to your own experiences of change.

First, you are required to critically evaluate the implementation of a specific case of organisational change. To do this, you must select a case study suitable for organisational analysis and draw on academic ideas (e.g. theories, models, and frameworks) and relevant literature from two or three study units. This should include at least one of the later study units (e.g. ‘SU05 – participatory approaches’, ‘SU06 – processual approaches’, ‘SU07 – politics, identities and emotions’; ‘SU08 – leadership’) which develop a more complex understanding organisational change. This element equates to about 2/3^rd of your assignment.

[The case study you select can be one of the six published case studies you work with throughout the module. Other choices should be discussed with your seminar tutor to ensure they are suitable for organisational analysis.]

Second, you are required to reflect on what you can learn from your critical evaluation of the case study and how you might benefit from these insights in the future. To do this, you must demonstrate personal learning (e.g. by reflecting on your own experience/s of organisational change) and build on academic ideas (e.g. theories, models, and frameworks) and relevant literature used in the preceeding organisational analysis. This element equates to about 1/3^rd of your assignment and enables you to show achievement across all three of the marking criteria – demonstrating, in particular, knowledge and understanding, analysis, and critical evaluation.

Where should I start?

You should start by watching the video ‘Final assignment guide’. There are also key videos relating to ‘how to do case study analysis’, ‘writing the reflective element’, ‘advice on structuring your assignment’.

You will find extensive materials supporting the assessment embedded in every study unit. In particular, study units 10 and 11 focus on understanding the task and completing the assignment. This guidance is collated within the ‘Assignments’ tab on Blackboard (LH menu) – specifically, in the ‘Final assignment’ folder.

Your seminar tutor is your first point of contact for questions about your assignment – from getting started all the way through to submission. Your module leader will schedule further drop in sessions to support your assessment journey.

What do I need to do to pass?

To be successful, you need to give careful thought to demonstrating the module learning outcomes. Meeting these assessment criteria will require the following:

Theory and literature – knowledge and understanding (T)

You need to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of different conceptual frameworks, evidence your wider reading of relevant literature and engagement with different academic ideas, and support this with appropriate academic referencing (UWE Harvard).

Application and analysis – linking theory and practice (A)

You need to demonstrate understanding of the interrelationship of theory and practice through analysis (e.g. relating to case study and your own experience/s) that highlights and exposes key issues, thereby showing how you can critically evaluate and reflect on evidence and different possible explanations.

Critical engagement with the challenges of organisational change – the coherence of your response (C)

You need to demonstrate a full and coherent understanding of the assignment task, which will include the critical evaluation of uncertainty and ethical dilemmas (e.g. implicit or explicit in the case study and your own experience/s) and needs to be conveyed through clear, well-reasoned argumentation. 

What do I need to do achieve higher marks in this assessment?

To secure higher marks in this assessment, and to demonstrate ‘good’, ‘excellent’, and ‘outstanding’ knowledge and understanding, you will need to use more than the lectorial materials and core reading. You should explore the further reading suggested in the reading list and look for ways to extend your understanding across different study units.

Your assignment should be led by the case study and your experience/s, and not driven by a review of academic ideas. Make sure that you are critical rather than descriptive in approach – this means uncovering evidence, evaluating implications, and reaching judgements. The emphasis should be on analysis, evaluation, argumentation, and reflection informed by theory and literature.

The best assignments have something to say. The assignment task asks you to write an essay, which requires a form of argumentation that shows that you have thought deeply about the issues. Typically, the argument is described early in the essay and then builds throughout the essay with relevant conclusions. A strong argument clearly addresses the two purposes of the assignment, has a clear line of thought, and demonstrates sound judgement, critical thinking and is well-reasoned.

How does the learning and teaching relate to the assessment?

Case study analysis, using the four question method, is incorporated into each seminar and you will become familiar with the task of critically evaluating organisational change through different learning and teaching activities.

Reflecting on the implications of organisational change is a key feature of the four question method, which asks ‘what else can I learn from this?’. This directs you to consider how the lessons learned from critically evaluating organisational change might help you better understand your own experience/s of change and inform your own future practice.

Every study unit includes assignment support to help you to understand what is expected of you and to perform well (including, a step-by step guide to completing your assignment, and focused writing activities helping you present analysis and develop arguments).

You will receive continuous formative feedback in seminar discussions which provides opportunities for you to check your progress and from which you can build your final assignment.

What additional resources may help me complete this assessment?

In addition to the resources produced by the module team, you should explore:

• UWE Library Study Skills pages – for online support and bookable workshops

You can also access support relating to specific study skills pages relating to this module assessment:

• How to plan and structure your writing
• Writing skills
• Reflective writing
• How to write critically
• English language support

What do I do if I am concerned about completing this assessment?

UWE Bristol offer a range of Assessment Support Options that you can explore through this link, and both Academic Support and Wellbeing Support are available.

How do I avoid Assessment Offences on this module? ²

Use the support above if you feel unable to submit your own work for this module.

To avoid Assessment Offences on this module, you should not copy work from any source, including your own previous assessments, and present it as your own work for this assessment, or to provide your own work to others.

You should not work with others on the final assessment in any way that materially impacts what you present as your own, or for anyone to make amendments on your work. (This includes proof-readers, who may highlight issues but not edit the work.)

You should not change individual words but keep, essentially, the same sentences and/or structures from other sources: this will be detected by text-matching software. Please write in your own words and style to convey your own learning.