MANAGEMENT AND LAW

ASSIGNMENT FRONT SHEET – Complete in full before submission

Student Name:

Certification : I certify that the whole of this work is the result of my individual effort and that all
quotations from books, periodicals etc. have been acknowledged.

Student Signature: Date:

Student Registration Number:

Student email address :

Programme : MBA – full-time Year/Level : 7

Academic Year : 20010/11 Semester : 2
Module title : Strategy / Management of Change Assignment no. : 2
Module code: BUS725 Word guide: 3000
Percentage Weighting of this assignment for the module: 50%
Issue date : 14 March 2011 Return date : 13 May 2011
Lecturer : Jan Green Second marker : Les Davies

Notes for students :

1. Hard copy of assignment should be stapled in the top left corner and submitted to the Graduate Office.
2. Electronic copy of assignment should be submitted through the Turnitin software.
3. 10% of marks are awarded for satisfactory use of language and/or good presentation.
4. 5% of marks are awarded for satisfactory referencing and/or presentation of a bibliography where either
is required. Note that all referenced work should be obtained from credible sources.
5. Students should ensure that they comply with Glyndwr University’s plagiarism policy.
6. Students should make correct use of the Harvard referencing method.

Learning Outcomes Tested in this Assignment :

1. To undertake critical assessment of change management processes
2. To understand and appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of change models and tools of
analysis, both theoretical and applied, prior to application.
3. To analyse and critically evaluate the principal causes of organizational change and range of
organizational responses available to successfully manage and learn from the change

Overall Comment :
 Mark (%)

Would students please note that achievement of the learning outcomes for this assessment is
demonstrated against the assessment criteria shown below (which are not necessarily weighted
equally). All marks/grades remain indicative until they have been considered and confirmed by the
Assessment Board

Marks Marks
Assessment Criteria
Awarded Available
Assignment introduction
Field force analysis – incorporating full range of factors with clear
1 priorities and extent of force upon the case-study organisation 15
Evidence of academic content

Presentation of change agency theories drawn from fully

referenced academic sources. Application to case-study
2 25
organisation to clearly demonstrate proposals and solutions to
the change issues identified.

Selection and explanation of academic change management

models.
3 30
Feasible proposals to support the change manager’s plans for
the case-study organisation

The impact of change on people performance

4 15

Professional, business standard presentation and layout

5 throughout the submission. Use a academic English throughout. 10
Assignment structure includes an introduction and summary

Complete and correct use of Harvard references throughout the

6 05
submission

Additional Comments from Second marker or External Examiner (if required) :

MBA – Change Management module – Assignment – March 2011

“A complacent background is constructed on the basis of historical success: the organization that has
been successful, whether by innovation or by persistence, has established a background conversation
that is a variant of ‘we will succeed in the future the way we have in the past’”
(Ford Ford and McNamara 2001:110)

Case Study

SET is a privately-owned business that enjoyed steady and sustained growth throughout after it was
formed in 1997 by recognising a niche in the market using specialist knowledge put forward one
member of staff. After a five-year period the company reached a plateau and performance began to
decline, following the product life cycle projections.

The company had become dependent on one major customer and was chaired, part-time by a local
dignitary with significant outside interests; he was looking to withdraw his capital from the business.
“This company has run its course, it should be sold, then we can all get out with some return, I want to
concentrate on my family business and personal interests,” was a board meeting comment from the
chairman.

Other senior staff had failed to secure additional business as the tender period to bid for retention of
the core business approached. “This situation is outside my experience, I feel we are very dependent
on one customer, nobody goes out selling, we are a re-cycling business and that is a growing area,
people expect it to happen – but we are not making it happen,” said the environmental technician.

One manager had previously worked for SET’s dominant customer before taking early retirement. He
said: “I helped in the original tender, but it is up for renewal. The processes have become more
automated and sophisticated and I think we will have to present and negotiate next time round. We
need a recognised industry standard to support our bid, we need a senior manager with authority and
credibility, the company has grown – it’s not just a husband and wife operation anymore – it won’t
survive in the present format for long – it’s alright for me, I’ve got my pension.”

Operations staff had been recruited without a formal interview held in the office, by the field manager.
Induction and training were limited and contributed to recording errors and subsequent invoicing
errors. The field manager said: “I need to replace staff quickly, at times other staff will recommend a
friend or relative, it’s an easy way to get someone into the vacancy.”

Administration and finance were headed up by the managing director’s wife who had previously
worked in clerical positions and as the company developed it was a classic case of position power,
with erractic time-keeping and retaining the sole authorized cheque signatory. Her management style
oscillated from being close and friendly, to distant and remote and the office staff gauged her
approach on a daily basis, reacting accordingly. There was no training and development for the staff
and the systems management resulted in duplication and poor record-keeping.
Turnover in 2000 had peaked at €5 million and the company employed 25 staff all working from an
outdated though spacious site on Seyhead docks containing office accommodation, parking, tank
washing equipment and separation tanks. Very limited resources had been allocated to company
branding and marketing and there was no expertise in this area within the company.

Operating in the disposal of marine-related wastes, the sector was becoming increasingly regulated
as the Environment Agency. The regulations required more-sophisticated separation and disposal
techniques which in turn had led to innovative practices and readily available sources for re-cycling
the majority of wastes. Traceability and audit trails were a pre-requisite throughout the business
process and government agency inspections were becoming a regular occurrence as legislation was
introduced and expanded in response to public reaction. High-profile media reporting of oil leaks
resulted in the local community becoming more vocal when tankers were required to collect and
remove the on-site wastes for re-cycling.

A widely reported court case following a suspected contamination resulted in the Environment Agency
requesting an in-depth inspection into the processes and procedures. In addition the local community
demanded to know the contents of the tankers that were travelling past their front doors and several
letters from high-profile residents appeared in the local press. This resulted in reporters contacting
the company for further information.

As a result of a merger a new shipping terminal adjacent to the SET site was announced. Amid a
flurry of activity, 200 new jobs were expected, multi-million pound investment from an Brazilian-based
consortium had been secured to provide a route for the lucrative waste metal market. Initially 12
regular sailings per week from the terminal were planned, each docking would require a waste
disposal service. Tanker lorries using the shipping service would also require the washing service

At a Board meeting in 2001 it was proposed by the managing director that to protect the future of the
company and take advantage of the potential opportunities from the new terminal that a change
manager should be appointed.

Two months later the new change manager presented plans to the Board – see notes on next page.
The proposals were all agreed by the board – though the change manager decided to discuss point
12 with the managing director outside the board and present the plan at a subsequent board meeting.
Following the board meeting, the change manager met the existing customer to provide a formal
expression of interest and prepare a tender bid in line with the customer’s requirements. Three
months after the appointment of the change manager the SET bid, valued at €4m per annum, was
accepted for a three-year period with an opportunity to extend for a further two years. The chairman
accepted an exit package.

Initial Notes for Board Meeting - Many areas of the company require considerable attention

1. Priority - Preparation of tender documents to bid for continuation of existing business – use
customer format – not an update of previous submission
2. Have a conversation with all staff – establish their thoughts and ideas – what is SET good at
doing?
3. Make contact with – new terminal manager, local environment agency manager, local council
– join local business networking groups
4. Agree a growth and diversification strategy
5. Accredited quality management system to be implemented
6. Actively go out and sell SET services
7. Write business contract – terms and conditions
8. Revise and implement recruitment and selection processes
9. Create SET brand and values, develop website
10. Refurbish office
11. Design appraisal system and training needs analysis
12. Devise exit strategy for chairman
13. Plan regular management meetings – frequency to be discussed
14. Consult Board members - ask what they believe should be changed.
15. Revise internal systems to reduce duplication and adopt TQM practices
16. Utilise change management practices to project manage a company wide strategic change in
practices and procedures

The proposals were all agreed by the board – though the change manager decided to discuss point
12 with the managing director outside the board and present the plan at a subsequent board meeting.
Following the board meeting, the change manager met the existing customer to provide a formal
expression of interest and prepare a tender bid in line with the customer’s requirements. Three
months after the appointment of the change manager the SET bid, valued at €4m per annum, was
accepted for a three-year period with an opportunity to extend for a further two years. The chairman
accepted an exit package.

12-months after the appointment of the change manager the new terminal became operational and
appointed SET as the sole provider of waste disposal services for a five-year period. The contract
value was estimated to be worth €12m per annum. The managing director’s wife retired and was
replaced by a qualified accountant/office manager at the same time the change manager was
appointed to the board as Commercial Director and the company achieved ISO9000 status, enabling
SET to bid for additional business.
MBA – Change Management Assignment Details March 2011

Briefly introduce the case-study organisation

Present a field force analysis to illustrate the drivers and restrainers of change.
Identify the typology of change that SET was facing at the time the change manager was
appointed.

Critically evaluate the change agency theory, using academic sources and making reference
to the traits and characteristics that would assist the newly-appointed SET change manager.

Select a recognised change management model and operationalize the stages of the model
with the context of SET to support the change manager’s plans. Incorporate a section in
your plan that makes reference to the impact of change on the performance of people when
change is imposed within the workplace.

Briefly summarize your key points and proposals for future developments.

100 marks

Reference:
Ford JD Ford LW and McNamara (2001) Resistance and the background conversations of
change Journal of Organizational Change Vol 15 No 2 105-121

Marking Criteria – Masters Level

No work has been submitted in the time allowed, or the work submitted Fail:
demonstrates little or no understanding of the task or the subject matter. This Marks
may be evident where the work is substantially incoherent, irrelevant or below
lacking in factual content, or where these shortcomings are present in 30%
combination such that the work as a whole is unsound. Major errors of fact, or
evidence of substantially poor cognitive or other relevant skills will also lead to
a fail.
The work shows some knowledge and required skills are present to a Fail:
degree. There may be appreciable error or omission of facts, poor Marks in
structure, misdirection to the task, or poor conceptualisation or the range
illustration of the work. Evidence of analysis and evaluation is weak. 30% –
There will be indications in the work that the candidate is capable of 39%
improving it by further application to the task
The work contains sufficient descriptive information. There is some Pass:
analysis and explanation with appropriate illustration and example, and Marks in
some attempt to evaluate. The work will generally be coherent and the range
relevant, it will contain some useful proposals or solutions related to of
familiar solutions and there will be some attempt at originality. It will be 40% –
communicated clearly. 49%
The work contains all the necessary contextual information. There will Pass:
be adequate analysis, explanation and conceptualisation, with Marks in
appropriate illustration and example, and sound attempts to evaluate the range
and judge. The work will be substantially coherent and will contain of
relevant and feasible proposals or solutions related to familiar 50% –
situations, some responses to uncertainty or ambiguity and some 59%
acknowledgements of the implications of change.
The work will contain complete explanations using most available Pass:
information. There will be substantial analysis; the ability to recognise Marks in
evidence, use ideas, conceptualise, evaluate and judge in familiar the range
situations will be clearly demonstrated. Proposals or solutions will be of
contextually relevant and useful, with substantial evidence of the skill 60% -
necessary to operationalize them in a variety of situations, including 69%
those in which uncertainty, ambiguity or change are present. The work
will provide evidence of originality and of useful knowledge transfer to
novel situations. It will be coherent and convincing.
The work will clearly demonstrate the ability to analyse accurately, Pass:
reliably and fully, all relevant information; to use evidence; to Marks in
conceptualise, evaluate and judge; to propose and operationalise the range
effective solutions, and to show substantial originality and creativity in a of 70%
variety of familiar situations or in the face of ambiguity, uncertainty or and above
change. It will demonstrate valuable knowledge transfer and propose
feasible solutions for a wide range of situations. Evidence of the ability
to innovate will be present.