Appreciate the organisational and environmental factors that drive organisational change.

Module Name:              Strategy, Change and Leadership

Module Leader:

Coursework Title:

1. 1.   Individual Assignment – Strategy & Change

1. 2.   Individual Assignment – Leadership Case Study Portfolio

1. 3.   Individual Assignment – Leadership Skills Portfolio

Task Details/Description:

1.  Individual Assignment – Strategy & Change

The aim of this assignment is to provide students with an opportunity to consider a potential intervention related to introducing an inclusive procurement initiative in Corporation ALPHA, using the theories/concepts, tools and techniques covered in the first part of the module (Strategy and Change).

Corporation ALPHA - Inclusive Procurement and Supplier Diversity

In the US, the last four decades saw a number of government and private sector initiatives actively targeting small firms (employing fewer than 50 workers) owned by underrepresented groups that face some form of disadvantage - women, ethnic minorities, disabled, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people - with varied results. More recently in the UK, there has been a discussion in policy making circles about the increasing importance of such businesses as underrepresented suppliers, in socio-economic terms (Ram, Theodorakopoulos and Worthington, 2007; Theodorakopoulos et al., 2013, 2015), and the necessity to ensure that they can access the supply chains of large purchasing organisations (LPOs). Some of the latter, in line with their commitment to HR diversity and inclusion, have initiated programmes aiming to ease access for small/diverse suppliers to their procurement systems.

Notably, there are also considerable benefits for the LPOs involved in supplier diversity initiatives. It is perceived that there are added-value/innovative input gains obtained by LPOs willing to engage with underrepresented suppliers (small firms run by women, ethnic minority, disabled and LGBT people). It is also argued that there are other benefits accruing for such LPOs by being good corporate citizens, i.e. positive reputation. This can be an important factor in securing access to markets constituting these underrepresented groups. Given prevailing demographic and social changes in the UK, the latter becomes increasingly significant. Moreover, although preferential procurement and positive discrimination is illegal in EU, the advent of the Equality Act (2010) provides an additional stimulus for procurers to engage with supplier diversity, as it gives public authorities a statutory duty to promote equality in all functions, including procurement.

Corporation ALPHA specialises in infrastructure projects, construction and maintenance of facilities, mainly for the public sector. It is based in Buckinghamshire since 1988 and has recently expanded its activities abroad. Ruth Smith is responsible for Organisational Development and deals mostly with the business unit that delivers construction projects, maintenance and related services to the public sector. Ruth is currently considering alternatives to make the company’s supplier base more diverse. She believes that Corporation ALPHA should be aiming at levelling the play field for smaller/underrepresented suppliers, so that they have the opportunity to access Corporation ALPHA’s procurement system on a competitive basis. She sees that smaller suppliers can offer new perspectives and that they tend to be more flexible and focused on purchasing requirements. Beyond that, as Corporation ALPHA deals mainly with the public sector, there is a need to demonstrate their commitment to diversity and inclusion at different levels, including procurement. However, this is something that she has not dealt with before, and she is well aware that any inclusive procurement initiative in Corporation ALPHA is destined to face some serious challenges:

• the culture of the organisation is not particularly conducive to change – new organising modes are usually viewed with scepticism
• the formulation/implementation of diversity policies is not viewed as a top priority issue at any level

• buyers are reluctant to consider new suppliers and ‘old boy’ networks prevail
• there is some covert prejudice against underrepresented suppliers, over their capabilities

• supplier diversity efforts go against current orthodoxy in procurement that seeks cost efficiency gains through balk purchasing from few suppliers

• there are cost implications for developing the infrastructure for supporting a supplier diversity initiative (e.g. organising meet-the-buyer events, supplier-base monitoring systems, making trade opportunities more visible to underrepresented/smaller suppliers through a variety of channels).

• conventional thinking favours consolidation of the supplier base to achieve economies of scale and reduce administrative costs

However, besides the ethical argument, inclusive procurement is seen as way to develop positive reputation and benefit from the capabilities and commitment of underrepresented/small suppliers.

“I am going to call John and see what they’ve managed to do about that” she thinks to herself. John King has been the Purchasing Director of a local authority. She met John in one of the Diversity and Inclusion conferences she attended and ever since they often draw on each other’s experience. “I am facing the same problems here Ruth…I think we ought to bring in an external. Like a consultant…that sort of thing…” says John. “Where are we going to find that person John?” says Ruth. “Let’s meet and work it out” says John. “Yeah, good idea - let’s just do that” says Ruth.

Task:

In the form of a 1,250-word essay, critically discuss:

1. Whether Corporation ALPHA should undertake an inclusive procurement initiative

1. How Corporation ALPHA could go about inclusive procurement and supplier diversity, considering potential driving and constraining forces.

The argumentation must be coherent and substantiated and must use relevant theory/conceptual underpinnings in a critical fashion, demonstrating analysis, synthesis and evaluation skills. Sources of information must be referenced appropriately.

The task for referrals and students re-taking the course remains the same.

Module Learning Outcomes Assessed:

1.  Individual Assignment – Strategy & Change

1. Appreciate the organisational and environmental factors that drive organisational change.

1. Understand different approaches and tools that can be used to implement change in organisations.

1. Address individual and group processes which lead to adaptation and resistance to change.

1. Appreciate management approaches used to mitigate adverse effects of organisational change situations.

2. Individual Assignment – Leadership Case Study Portfolio

1. Appreciate leader, follower and situational characteristics that determine leadership effectiveness at work.

1. Identify conditions and processes that facilitate or undermine leadership effectiveness at work.

1. Understand different approaches and tools that can be used to select and develop effective leaders in organisations.

1. Identify their own and other people’s leadership potential and address how it can be improved.

3. Individual Assignment – Leadership Workshop Skills Portfolio

1. Demonstrate effective people management skills around leadership, influencing, supervision, delegation and coaching.

1.  Individual Assignment – Strategy & Change

Word Count: 1250 (Includes citations in the main text of the essay but excludes the list of bibliographic references at the end of the essay, any tables, graphs and schemas/frameworks. Essays that exceed the word limit by more than 10% will be penalised.)

Font Size: Times New Roman 12

Line Spacing: Single or 1.5

Margins should be normal (2.54 cm all around). The word count must be stated on the cover page.

A word count must be provided on the cover page.

2.  Individual Assignment – Leadership Case Study Portfolio

Word Count: 1250 (Includes citations in the main text of the essay but excludes the list of bibliographic references at the end of the essay, any tables, graphs and schemas/frameworks. Essays that exceed the word limit by more than 10% will be penalised.)

Font Size: Times New Roman 12

Line Spacing: Single or 1.5

Margins should be normal (2.54 cm all around). The word count must be stated on the cover page.

A word count must be provided on the cover page.

3. Individual Assignment – Leadership Workshop Skills Portfolio

Word Count: 500 (Includes citations in the main text of the essay but excludes the list of bibliographic references at the end of the essay, any tables, graphs and schemas/frameworks. Essays that exceed the word limit by more than 10% will be penalised.)

Font Size: Times New Roman 12

Line Spacing: Single or 1.5

Margins should be normal (2.54 cm all around). The word count must be stated on the cover page.

A word count must be provided on the cover page.

Submission Date & Time:

1.  Individual Assignment – Strategy & Change

Date for referrals and students re-taking the course TBC

2. Individual Assignment – Leadership Case Study Portfolio Thursday 15^th March 2018 at 12 midday

Date for referrals and students re-taking the course TBC

3. Individual Assignment – Leadership Workshop Skills Portfolio

Date for referrals and students re-taking the course TBC

Assessment Weighting for the Module:

1.  Individual Assignment – Strategy & Change

50%

2.  Individual Assignment – Leadership Case Study Portfolio

50%

3. Individual Assignment – Leadership Workshop Skills Portfolio

Assessed on a Pass/Fail basis

A satisfactory completion of the Skills Portfolio (Pass) will be a prerequisite for achieving CIPD accreditation