Assessment Type: Individual Assessment Weighting: 100%

Deadline: 20 December at 15:00 via Turnitin on Blackboard

Wordcount: 3000 words (+/-10%) excluding references, appendices, charts, diagrams, etc.

Academic Year: 2023/24

Assignment Brief 

Case studies provide you with real-life examples of issues and problems found in particular workplaces or organisations.Case study assignments give you the opportunity to relate theoretical concepts to practical situations.They require you to use analytical and problem-solving skills to examine what has happened and why it has happened.

You are asked to write an effective answer in response to ONE of the following case study- based questions.

References 

Mason, B. (1998) Switchboard. People Management 29 October, 46-48.

NHS Leadership Academy (2013) Healthcare Leadership Model: The nine dimensions of leadership behaviour. NHS Leadership Academy.

Raufflet, E. and Le Chene, M. (2017) The Smell of Power. In E. Raufflet and A. J. Mills (Eds.), The dark side: Critical cases on the downside of business, pp. 126-137. Routledge.

Transferable Skills 

Transferable skills are skills that are developed in one scenario and can be transferred to another, such as communication, teamwork or analytical skills.

The main transferable skill covered in this assessment is Choose an item.

The following skills are also covered in this assignment

Communicating 

Team working ☐ Leadership & Supervising ☐ Researching & Analysing ☒

Problem solving & Decision making ☒

Planning & Organising 

Learning, Improving & Achieving 

Resilience, Adaptability & Drive

Enterprising Skills

Further Guidance 

a) There are three typical processes involved in successfully answering case studies:

1. identify the issues and problems

2. evaluate potential solutions for the issues and problems in terms of their advantages and disadvantages

3. explain how your solution brings a resolution to the issues and problems (implications or recommendations)

b) Perhaps the most straightforward implications or recommendations are those derived from a logical interpretation of a study’s issues, problems and solutions:

· what do the results tell us about underlying theoretical constructs, principles, and their relationships?

· when do these patterns emerge in the specific situation at hand?

· how do they refine appreciation of the underlying theory?

· More interesting and valuable are insights that delve deeper into observed relationships to address the question why?

c) In exploring this dimension, you begin to examine more fully underlying mechanisms and processes that enrich understanding, concepts and theories, create an effective means for dealing with the specific situation at hand,and allow readers to make greater sense of complex organisational phenomena.

d) Critical here is a bridge between your insights and the larger literature.It is only through a connection to a broader understanding that the “value added” – both theoretical and practical – of a given analysis can be interpreted and, indeed, appreciated.

a)Remember,stronger answers will also demonstrate awareness of the connectivity between different perspectives and theories, especially when these closely relate to the main topic areas or themes.

b)Be careful not to spend too much of your assignment simply describing concepts, models or frameworks.You should wear your thinking hat and provide evidence of critically evaluating, comparing or contrasting and analysing.

c)You should demonstrate in your writing that you can make application of relevant literature to construct valid and strong arguments and provide sound reasoning for what you argue, and also demonstrate logical progression of thoughts.Don’t become so engaged in describing prior studies without using them to illustrate your own argument

d) It is important that you start searching for literature (relevant, reliable and recent) to address the assignment task well ahead of time and in case you have any queries or want to discuss the structure of your essay, feel free to check with me during online office hours.

e) Please do follow the Harvard referencing format correctly to cite sources both in-text and in the reference list.

f) Assignment Submission: It is your responsibility to ensure that your work is submitted successfully and on time. Do not leave submission until just before the deadline, as this doesn`t leave time to sort out any problems with the submission.

g) Make sure you are submitting the correct file, as you usually only get one attempt.

h) Check the guidance for the assessment to make sure you are submitting the correct file type.

i) The essay should have an introduction, main body (made up of connected paragraphs and sub- sections) and conclusion.The paragraphs in the main body should start with a topic sentence which states the point of the paragraph clearly.

 Use of appendices

You are advised to be cautious when including appendices in this assignment.There are no specific criteria for marking or mark allocation available for appendices, so the assessment process focuses on the appropriate use of appendices.When deciding whether or not to include other appendices, consider the following points:

· Appendices should add value or detail to the discussion and analysis undertaken in the main body of the assignment.

· They offer students the opportunity to give greater relevant and appropriate detail to support the main analysis and discussion.

· Models, theory and discussion that demonstrate critical evaluation and analysis of issues related to the module being assessed should always be presented within the main body of the text. This discussion should make sense without referring to the appendices.

·Using bullet points in the text (which does not constitute analysis) and putting the detailed analysis in the appendices is not acceptable practice and could result in failure.

· The inclusion of appendices should not be viewed as an opportunity to include anything that cannot fit in the word count.

· Assignments that make excessive use of appendices suggest inappropriate use. As a guide, we would not normally expect appendices to exceed one third of the length of the assignment.

· Appendices should always be referenced at the appropriate point within the discussion in the main body of the text.

 Marking criteria 

This assignment will be assessed based on the following criteria: These contain guidance to you regarding the level of quality expected from assessed work within each marks band.

High Distinction (85, 90, 100%) 

Exceptional work – showing evidence of the following:

· Highly original or insightful work.

· Evidence of formulated and sustained strong arguments with sophisticated distinctions in analysis, drawing inferences, synthesising material and identifying flaws in published work

· Demonstrates creativity and initiative in scholarship and a range of contexts for professional practice.

· Could not be improved upon given the experience level and the conditions under which the assessment was conducted.

· Demonstrates one or more of the following: autonomy, expert judgement, adaptability, responsibility and academic integrity as a scholar or practitioner (i.e., the quality of published academic and business texts).

Distinction (72, 75, 78%)

Excellent work – showing evidence of the following:

· Demonstrates a comprehensive knowledge that includes advanced and integrated understanding of recent developments in the              subject or areas of professional practice.

· Shows sophisticated awareness of significant issues of debate in a complex body of knowledge.

· Shows ability to apply cognitive, technical and creative skills to analyse critically, reflect on and synthesise complex information,              problems,concepts and theories.

· Clearly structured and communicated and convincingly supported by appropriate evidence, argument or illustration.

· Reflective statements provide thoughtful commentary on the task, including insights into interaction with others and own learning and      development.

· Demonstrates critical evaluation of theories of learning and reflection on own role in the reproduction of current practice and theory.

· Solid and thorough written work with a high level of personal autonomy and academic integrity.

Merit (62, 65, 68%) 

Good work – showing evidence of the following:

· Shows understanding of the subject matter and has read widely in relation to main issues, underlying principles and concepts but without the comprehensiveness found in the Distinction range.

· Reading demonstrates competent theoretical understanding and ability to research, review critically, and apply established theories to a body of knowledge or area of professional practice.

· Well-developed critical arguments and appropriate use of terminology.

· Displays competence in developing an argument and ability to evaluate and synthesise the various cases made within the established literature.

· Shows coherent arguments supported by evidence from the work of other authorities or by direct empirical analysis, but without the intellectual independence found in the Distinction range

· The work is well structured and the use of evidence, argument and illustration is clear and competent.

· Shows critical evaluation and identification of weaknesses as well as strengths in research principles and methods applicable to the field of work.

· Reflective statements provide a thoughtful commentary on the task, learning and relationships with others, ability to reflect critically on relevant theories of learning or group, but without the self-awareness and self-questioning found in the Distinction range.

· English, including spelling, grammar, vocabulary, referencing and/or use of sources, and literary style is good.

Pass (52 55, 58%) 

Satisfactory work – showing evidence of the following:

· Covers the subject or area of practice satisfactorily but with gaps and the volume of reading is not sufficient to achieve the breadth or depth found in the Credit range.

· Reasonable coverage of relevant literature but does not review critically,analyse, consolidate and synthesise this material in great depth or with great insight.

· A factual and descriptive rather than carefully argued and analytical style of writing.

· Argument and the use of evidence and illustration, while clear, are somewhat limited. Conclusions are limited in scope.

·Reflexive statements articulate a nuanced insight into own behaviour e.g. “I did this because… and…” Relates own habitual learning preferences and approaches to relevant theories about learning.

·Grasp of English, including spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and literary style is competent, with only minor lapses in referencing and/or use of sources, but investment of greater care and thought in organising and structuring work would be required to improve.

Fail (42, 45, 48%) 

Deficient work – showing evidence of the following:

· Knowledge, skills and application are elementary and sometimes incomplete or irrelevant.

·Poorly argued and presented, and lacking supporting evidence to show initiative in judging, planning, problem solving and decision-making.

·Summaries of the relevant body of knowledge are not thorough or detailed and are often incomplete.

·Inability to review critically, to analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge and draw relevant conclusions.

·Reflexive statements provide a basic description of the task with no insight into own,or others’ behaviour;e.g. “I did this”. Demonstrates limited insight into own habitual learning preferences and approaches.

·Case studies, when presented, are badly evaluated and analysed and not suited to the subject or area of practice.

·Demonstrates one or more of the following: poor grasp of the required scholarly standards in relation to presentation, required level of knowledge for the course level, errors, bad spelling or grammar, lack of organisation, assertions with insufficient arguments, late submission, poor referencing and use of sources, etc.

Serious Fail (15, 30%)

Flawed work – showing evidence of the following:

· Inadequate in terms of knowledge, skills and application in the subject or area of practice.

· Minimal reading and understanding of established concepts and theories.

· Justification of research principles and skills are vague and incomplete.

· Lacks evidence of cognitive skills to review critically, analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge.

· Unstructured answers including frequent factual or serious factual errors.

· Little evidence of reading to support the work and/or lacking appropriate support from the relevant literature.

· Reflexive statements provide an incomplete or inaccurate description of the task with little or no insight into learning preferences and ability to reflect critically.

· Work failed for one or more of the following: non-submission, academic misconduct, answering a different question from the one asked, consistently poor or incoherent writing, inappropriate vocabulary, not knowing how to use sources or reference work properly, or not meeting the other requirements for a pass as described above.