Lincoln International Business School (LIBS)

LIBS Vision:

To provide an innovative, scholarly learning environment based on a commitment to responsible management practices and a global community mind-set.

LIBS Mission:

To develop socially responsible leaders ready to meet the challenges of 21st century business.

Contents

Contact Details

Module Synopsis

Module Learning Outcomes

AACSB

Learning and Teaching Approach

Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME)

Module Delivery

Formative Feedback Strategy

Assessment

Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body Requirements

Learning Resources

Schedule of Activity

Assessment Briefing: Business Report

Assessment Criteria Grid: Business Report

Assurance of Learning Core Competencies 

The importance of principles-led, evidence-based and outcomes-driven people profession practice is at the core of this module.

This module aims to provide learners with a rigorous framework of knowledge and understanding concerning people management and development. The module seeks to familiarise learners with major contemporary research evidence on employment and effective approaches to the management of people at work.

Research focusing on the links between people management practices and positive organisational outcomes is covered, as is research that highlights major contemporary changes and developments in practice.

Learners are also introduced to major debates about theory and practice in the specific fields of leadership, flexibility and change management, the aim being to help them become effective managers as well as effective HR specialists.

Module Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

LO1 Critically evaluate major theories relating to motivation, engagement and commitment at work, their impact upon decision making and how they are put into systemic practice within the organisation.

LO2 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of organisational culture and the psychology of change and their impact on the development of effective change management methodologies, practices, and processes for sustainable change in organisations.

LO3 Evaluate models and theories on how HR professionals can, through commitment to [and practice of] compassion, humanity and fairness at work, create meaningful voice for others in the organisational decision-making process.

LO4 Analyse the major trends in inclusive HR working practices and processes, considering the role of collaborative relationships and their impact upon organisations and people management practices and cultures. 

AACSB

In addition to module learning outcomes, selected modules within Lincoln International Business School are required to deliver and assess core competencies associated with our mission as an AACSB Accrediting Business School; and as such reflect core skills and knowledge sets associated with being a graduate in business management.  There are twelve core competencies, and these are distributed across modules associated with each programme.  Each core competency is assessed through the assessment(s) for a module and is identified on relevant the Assessment Rubric. 

The assessment of these core competencies is not weighted (they don’t contribute to your grade) but is assessed based on proficiency/non-proficiency.  If you find yourself not achieving proficiency, then this will not directly affect the outcome for a module but is an opportunity for you to reflect on your own development and how you can work towards proficiency at a later opportunity.  We will also reflect on the overall outcomes for modules and programmes and seek to enhance our teaching, learning and assessment as a result.  

The Core Competencies assessed in this module are as follows:

CC7 Evaluate teamworking and leadership effectiveness, respecting individual and cultural diversity.

CC12 Appraise trends and their potential impacts on own agency and effectiveness in the context of sustainability.

Learning and Teaching Approach

This module will encourage learners to reflect on and critically evaluate the practice of people management and development. The Module will adopt evidence based, principles led and student-centred approaches to learning and teaching. Discussions, presentations, and case studies will be used throughout. Theory and practice will be critically analysed and evaluated by means of directed reading, class debates and discussion. Skills development will be an objective in attaining the learning outcomes, and case studies, projects, role plays, individual and small group learning will be encouraged to allow for feedback and reflection.

Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME)

Lincoln International Business School is committed to the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) to develop future leaders that are socially responsible who will create sustainable environmental and economic value.

As institutions of higher education involved in the development of current and future managers, we declare our willingness to progress in the implementation, within our institution, of the following Principles, starting with those that are more relevant to our capacities and mission. We will report on progress to all our stakeholders and exchange effective practices related to these principles with other academic institutions. 

This module contributes to the PRME agenda by enabling students to develop responsible and sustainable leadership skills in the field of human resource management by undertaking activities that align with the i5 characteristics below.

The i5 Characteristics aim to:

1. Make learning Meaningful.
2. Facilitate Active Engagement
3. Design for Iteration
4. Develop supportive Social Interaction

Module Delivery

Formative Feedback Strategy

Receiving formative feedback during your learning is essential to ensure you are prepared for your final assessments. To support your learning throughout the module the following formative feedback strategies are used:

• Midterm formative assessment
• Feedback on draft writing
• Peer Feedback

Assessment

Assessment comprises a written assignment of 3,500 words (+/- 10%). The work must demonstrate conversance with academic literature and be applied to practical situations.

Assessment Method: Individual written assignment

Weighting: 100% 

Full assessment details are available in the Assessment Briefing(s) at the end of the module handbook. This module uses Assessment Criteria Grids to provide feedback via Turnitin.

Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body Requirements

This module contributes to a programme of study which maps and aligns to the CIPD Profession Map standards at Chartered level for a membership outcome. To qualify for a CIPD accredited overall programme, each module must achieve an overall minimum 50% pass mark.

Learning Resources

The key text(s) for this module are: 

Armstrong, M. (2020) Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. London: Kogan Page

Hodges, J.  (2016) Managing and Leading People Through Organizational Change: The Theory and Practice of Sustaining Change Through People. London: Kogan Page 

Other recommended reading for the module is:

Denning, S. (2018) The emergence of Agile people management, Journal of Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 46 (4) pp. 3-11, 

Hannes, L., Segers, J., van Dierendonck, D and den Hartog, D. (2018) Managing people in organizations: Integrating the study of HRM and leadership. Human Resource Management Review, Vol. 28 (3), pp. 249-258.

Hayes, J. (2018) The theory and practice of change management London: Palgrave

Hayward, S (2018) The Agile Leader: how to create an agile business in the digital age. London: Kogan Page

Other more specific references are provided on the module Blackboard site and will be signposted in class.  You are also expected to read independently for this module, in particular the CIPD articles that are regularly posted on the Blackboard site for the module.  This module requires that you follow the Harvard System of referencing.

Schedule of Activity

 Assessment Briefing: Business Report

Module Title:People Management and Development

Module Code:HRM9051

Assessment:Business Report

Weighting:100%

Deadline: 8^th January 2025 Midday

Description of Assessment Task and Purpose:

You are required to submit a Business Report (see format and additional information below), in no more than 3,500 words, in which you are to imagine that you are the HR Business Partner in an organisation that is preparing for large-scale organisational change.  The report should critically discuss the theories associated with the management of change in response to major trends in inclusive HRM, working practices and processes. The purpose of this assessment is to judge your knowledge of the subject area, an ability to find and evaluate accurate and reliable information/evidence and present it in a clear, and concise way using business language. 

Learning Outcomes Assessed:

LO1    Critically evaluate major theories relating to motivation, engagement and commitment at work, their impact upon decision making and how they are put into systemic practice within the organisation.

LO2    Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of organisational culture and the psychology of change and their impact on the development of effective change management methodologies, practices & processes for sustainable change in organisations.

LO3    Evaluate models and theories on how HR professionals can, through commitment to [and practice of] compassion, humanity and fairness at work, create meaningful voice for others in the organisational decision-making process.

LO4    Analyse the major trends in inclusive HR working practices and processes, considering the role of collaborative relationships and their impact upon organisations and people management practices & cultures. 

Knowledge & Skills Assessed:

Please note that the assessment of this module contributes to the following programme outcomes:

IS7 Enhance professional practice in HRM.

IS8 Employ a wide range of critical problem-solving techniques to HRM issues.

KU1 Identify key concepts and models in the areas of HRM and apply best practice/best fit solutions to a range of organisational issues.

KU2 Demonstrate an intensive and critical appreciation of relevant literature and theory.

KU3 Employ a theoretical framework for the analysis and selection of key business themes which may be applied to work-based learning experiences.

KU4 Identify major problem areas within organisations and develop critical appraisal of solutions within their business arena.

PS11 Make informed judgements on a range of performance issues and organisational challenges and advise appropriately.

PS12 Apply a range of specialist skills to an organisational context.

TS13 Display a comprehensive and integrative appreciation of the theoretical and applied perspectives acquired within their investigation of practice.

The module and assessment also contribute to development of the following:

Subject Specific Knowledge, Skills and Understanding: e.g., Literature searching, Referencing, Numeracy, Health and Safety, Project Planning, Techniques and Skills Subject-specific knowledge.

Professional Graduate Skills: e.g., independence and personal responsibility, adaptability, verbal communication, written communication, creativity, critical thinking, IT skills, self-reflection and life-long learning, problem solving, group or team skills, effective time management, working under pressure to meet deadlines, negotiation skills, leadership.

Emotional Intelligence: e.g., self-awareness, self-management, awareness of others, managing and supporting others, motivation, resilience, self-confidence.

Career-focused Skills:  An understanding of the range of graduate careers, skills and attributes required by employers, a range of strategies to present skills and attributes to employers.

Assessment Submission Instructions:

You are required to submit your assessment before 12pm (midday) on Wednesday 8^th January 2025 using the online assessment submission facility on the Module Blackboard site. Pay careful attention to instructions provided at the time of submission.

Date for Return of Feedback:

Wednesday 29^th January 2025

Format for Assessment:

 Please follow the instructions below for the correct format of the business report.  No other formats will be accepted.

The REPORT is a maximum of 3500 words, a reference list is required.  Appendices are permitted and will not form part of the overall word count. Please follow the formatting guidelines below:

• Format: Microsoft Word (PDF documents will NOT be marked)
• Font/Size: Arial 12
• Lin spacing 1.5 with equal justification at both margins.
• Pagination required: Yes.
• Referencing: Full compliance with Harvard protocols
• Reference list: Required
• Table of Contents: Required
• Abstract/ Executive Summary: NOT required.

The specific format should be as follows:

Each section should begin on a new page and headings should be used to guide the reader, please note the following sections of the business report.

Title page

Table of Contents

Introduction

Findings and Discussion – split into sections according to the requirements of the task and learning outcomes.

Recommendations

Appendices 

Please note that this assignment is limited to 3,500 words. The word count includes everything in the main body of the text (including headings, tables, citations, quotes etc). It does NOT include your reference list.

The word count should be clearly stated on the front cover page. Please note that the word limit for this assignment is an absolute maximum. Misrepresentation of word counts to gain an unfair advantage in assessment may be referred as an academic offence.

Students should be aware that the marker will not include any work after the maximum word limit has been reached within the allocation of marks. Students may therefore be penalised for a failure to be concise and for failing to conclude their work within the word limit specified. Likewise, a failure to meet the maximum word limit may result in lower marks based on the quality of the work because they may not have included the necessary information required for the assessment and met the intended learning outcomes. 

Marking Criteria for Assessment: 

Please see attached marking rubric.

Please note that all work is assessed according to the University of Lincoln Management of Assessment Policy and that marks awarded are provisional on Examination Board decisions (which take place at the end of the Academic Year.

Feedback Format:

Formative feedback and feed forward comments will be provided on part one of the findings and discussion section of the report by submitting a draft copy of the section to the Turnitin link provided in week seven.  This process is designed to guide your progress during the rest of the assessment.

Summative feedback will be provided using a marking rubric (see below) and brief comments on the final submission.

Additional Information for Completion of Assessment:

Change Management is a major challenge in terms of leading, managing and developing people.  It can be a difficult process to achieve successfully, or even adequately; it is often met with resistance as people face uncertainty.

You are required to imagine that you are a HR Business Partner working for an organisation which is preparing for a large-scale structural change.  Your HR Director has asked you to advise the organisational leadership team on how they can prepare for and implement this change 

Using the standard business report guidance provided, you must prepare a report to outline the importance of preparation for the change and make THREE recommendations to the senior leadership team.  These recommendations must be clearly justified and articulated to create a credible, persuasive, and well-informed plan.

The introduction section of the report should provide a brief analysis of the major trends in HR practices and processes and acknowledge the impact of potential change for organisations 

The findings and discussion part of the report should be split into sections according to the requirements of the learning outcomes of the assessment and should critically discuss and evaluate the theories associated with the management of change in response to major trends in inclusive HRM, working practices and processes. The findings and discussion part of the report should also identify and critically analyse the process of change management, using theoretical models and demonstrate knowledge of the psychology of change. 

The recommendations part of the report should identify the three recommendations and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the impact of organisational culture on the change management process.  As a HR Business Partner, your role will be to recommend changes to the organisation that demonstrate your ability to practice fairness and compassion during a change management process.

Further information and discussions on this task will take place during seminar sessions during the module.

Important Information on Dishonesty & Plagiarism:

In submitting your work for assessment, in accordance with the University Regulations, you are certifying that this is entirely your own work without input from either commercial or non-commercial writers or editors, or advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence services, unless explicitly allowed and referenced, beyond that permitted by the proof-reading policy (web). You also confirm all sources have been correctly attributed or referenced. You may be required to evidence that the work submitted is indeed your own, through making available drafts and data to any integrity investigation. Should such misconduct in assessment be detected prior to or following the final examination board, then the penalties imposed could be severe; including the revoking of any degree awarded. Academic offence proceedings initiated by the University may delay graduation and/or extend beyond the time frame of an academic year. For further information, see plagiarism.org 

Assessment Criteria Grid: Business Report

Assurance of Learning Core Competencies

 PG Template for AoL Core Competencies