Leading and Managing People – assignment 2 (Making the case for LMP)

Context:

You receive an Email from a senior manager in your organisation (has no formal qualifications) who has been told he has to send three members of his junior management team on an MBA course. He has received information about the course from the local university but needs clarification on the content of one of the units being offered in year one. He knows you have completed this course.

The email says:
“I have been reading about this unit, Leading and Managing People. The course information says it is not a subject like Financial Management or Quantitative Methods in Business, but I am not convinced of its purpose. What value will such topics as: motivation, team-working, ethics and social responsibility and organisational change really add to my staff’s development and how will they ever use any of the concepts learned? The brochure says there are really no right or wrong answers so far as the leadership and management of people are concerned. Are you able to explain to me why this is the case and what this all means please?”

Your Task:
Formulate a critical and constructive response to this manager in the form of a short report on ONE of the topics mentioned above (motivation; team-working; ethics and social responsibility; organisational changes) incorporating evidence-based argument to support your views and to advise what he should do.
Assignment Guidance
Section / Title Details / Guidance
University Coversheet Include name, student ID number, unit title and code, assessment title, date of submission.
Title page Title of short report. Address (to/from) and date the report.
Introduction Short introduction to the discussion initially clarifying why Leading and Managing People is a relevant unit to study and also identifying the topic you intend to discuss in making the business case for this assignment. (approximately 250 words)
Task
Discussion of topic
Provide a detailed and critical discussion of the topic chosen. Ensure you define the area clearly and include relevant academic literature, theories and current thinking about the topic. Evaluate the merits and disadvantages of this topic area to a business. How well does it work and what causes it to go wrong? Citations from or references to research and/or other sources of evidence is expected. It will also be useful to include examples of this topic in action in current organisations to show how knowledge about leadership and management has been systematically applied to improve individual and corporate outcomes. You may also wish to challenge the manager’s view that there are no ‘right’ answers in the people leadership/management arena: even if the answers aren’t absolutely ‘right’, are there some answers which are better than others? (around 1000 words)
Conclusion and recommendations Summarise the main findings from your discussion and make your final suggestions to this manager. (around 250 words)
Reference List A list of the third-party sources you have consulted and which are cited directly in the text. All these sources should be properly identified. Harvard style (see the Learning Resources website: lrweb.beds.ac.uk/help/guide-to-ref).
Appendices No appendices are necessary
Word Limit 1500 words +/- 10%
Submission Deadline for submission is 12th May by Noon Oman time. You should submit your report electronically via Turnitin on BREO.
Assessment Criteria As illustrated below
Poor Academic Practice Please see appendix A at the end of this brief for guidance on this issue.