Management Decision Making
Attention:I choose mode 1. About open problem statement , you can choose A or C. your conclusions should have evidences that come from your research. As a result, you need put your research in the appendix. Any researches are ok, but it must has some primary data.
Assessment : A management report- 2500 words
This assessment will assess learning outcomes (a and b).
(a) Identify objectively the nature of the problem/opportunity facing the organisation
(b) Apply a range of qualitative and quantitative problem solving techniques to reach reasoned and balanced recommendations about operational activities
You must chose one (1) of the following statements open statements (A, B, C or D) and analyse it using the 7 stage Checkland Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) in the Mode 1 OR the practitioner based Mode 2 method. You can use the original Checkland constructions and mnemonics (CATWOE) for this analysis or the Midgely & Reynolds (2001) mnemonic (BATWOVE) as appropriate.
In both submission cases, you MUST state your interpretation of PEArL (Stowell, 2009) and your FMA (Checkland & Howell, 1985) to help validate your research process.
Remember that PEArL refers to explicitly identifying in the conduct of your research the following:
P – participants – who was involved/why/for what reason/who was excluded…
E – engagement – how will the P engage? Who is and is not a P? What are the external factors shaping engagement?
A – authority – what is the ‘power’ associated with P? (resources? Reputation? Voice? etc). Are there any external influences (e.g. political)? Are some methods of E better than others?(i.e. do they have internal and external recognition)?
r – relationships – what are the key elements of power between the P? How are P managed and by whom?
L – learning – what are the intended and actual outcomes of the(your) intervention? What is the manager-as-analyst view of how this was achieved and who has ownership of these outcomes?
Similarly, FMA refers to stating the (F) framework of ideas that will be used in your work, what the (M)methodology of enquiry will be used in your work and what the (A)areas for concern are within the focus of your work. Stating these guiding framework elements, will make it clearer for a reviewer of the work and aid in its recoverability.
Word count for this submission is 2500 words. It is expected that you will evidence your awareness and understanding of the literature and best practice in other areas of management decision making within this assessment, to support your discussions about how individuals and groups make decisions within your chosen problem statement context.
Open problem statements:
A) ‘The University wishes to increase the value of its degrees to its students’
OR
B) ‘Employers would like to improve the value of their employees work contribution’
OR
C) ‘The Business School is seeking to improve student quality on its degree programmes’
OR
D) ‘An organisation that you are familiar with, is seeking to improve its reputation’.
In all problem statements – your task is to compile a referenced and detailed management report directed to the appropriate line manager (if you chose option (B) or (D)) or to the Head of Management Centre (for A and C), which proposes a reasoned set of recommendations for clarifying and achieving the goal outlined by the open problem statement under analysis, based upon an application of the holistic soft systems methodology (Mode 1 or Mode 2).
Assessment criteria are listed below and your report should (as a minimum) include:
• An outline of your rich picture(s) (as many or as few as you view appropriate) to fully present the situation as it is known and understood. This would also be supported by a clear research strategy and research methodology(ies) outlining and justifying your approach to generating these pictures. (Do not forget to clearly articulate your research methodology and your data collection within your report and this is NOT a list of the research data collection tools you used).
• Full discussion of the key stages used in your application of SSM (Mode 1 or mode 2) – including any holons you generate.
• Two Proposed ‘conceptual’ systems to help evaluate the problem issue(s) identified.
• A consideration of the investment, risk, resource and capability issues of one of these proposed notional/conceptual systems – given the information presented and gathered by you and your research into the problem statement / area.
• An outline of implementation options and an interventions process and schedule likely to be required by your developed conceptual model (this may for example include the time schedule of actions or other task list).
• A consideration of the cultural feasibility and/or desirability of your developed conceptual model (e.g.what barriers/ issues do you feel may arise when change is implemented?).(NOTE – your materials from Organisational Change (44214) will help you to achieve this).
• Any additional information and understanding which draws upon the range of decision making theories you are familiar with and where they will inform the operational and strategic considerations / implications of your report.
Grading criteria for Assessment 2 (based upon the information above and the University’s learning outcomes tool)
Theme and skill areas (all equally weighted) 0-34% 35-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80% and higher
1) Scholarly arguments
(this evidences knowledge and understanding ( a depth of understanding and an awareness of relevant literature (models)), cognitive skills (making judgements using information and building the argument for these judgements). The work will have no clear understanding of the main elements for the work – with no awareness of context. It will make no clear recommendations about the framework . The work will have a very limited understanding of the main elements for the work – with very vague and weak awareness of context. It will make probably no clear recommendations about the framework . The work will have a limited understanding of the main elements for the work – with a partial awareness of context. It will make very few recommendations about the framework . The work will have a reasonable understanding of the main elements for the work – with a competent awareness of context. It will make some recommendations about the framework and build an argument for their use. The work will have a good understanding of the main elements for the work – with a good awareness of context. It will make appropriate recommendations about the framework and build a solid argument for their use. The work will have a very good and clear understanding of the key analytical framework for the work – focusing on breadth of awareness and context. It will make appropriate, reasoned recommendations about the framework and build a solid argument for their use. The work will have an excellent and clear understanding of the key analytical framework for the work – focusing on breadth of awareness and context. It will make appropriate, reasoned recommendations about the framework and build a solid argument for their use. This is supported by a clear grasp of the foundations and variations, of SSM.
1st Marker
2nd Marker
2) Critical application of SSM framework
(this evidences cognitive skills (application of theory to practice), professional skills (use of academic conventions and referencing), transferable skills (working with numbers) An incomplete application of the SSM – major omissions apparent.It will be clear there is very limited grasp of the purpose /application of SSM. A methodology will be absent. There is no clear consideration of resources, capabilities and (likely) cultural considerations. An incomplete application of the SSM – major omissions apparent. A methodology will be absent. There is a very limited consideration of some of the requirements of resources, capabilities and (likely) cultural considerations – but not all. An incomplete application of the SSM – major omissions likely in these key steps. A methodology is likely to be absent and/or poorly developed.. There is a limited consideration of some of the requirements of resources, capabilities and (likely) cultural considerations – but not all. An incomplete application of the SSM – most (but not all) key steps will be presented. A methodology is presented and but may lack clear justification. There is a consideration of some of the requirements of resources, capabilities and (likely) cultural considerations – but not all. Good (although perhaps in incomplete) application of the SSM – all key steps are however likely to be presented. An appropriate methodology is presented and justified. There is a consideration of some of the requirements of resources, capabilities and (likely) cultural considerations. Full application of the SSM – all key steps are presented and considered. A detailed and appropriate methodology is presented and justified. There is an explicit consideration of resources, capabilities and (likely) cultural considerations and interventions outlined are considered in the work. Full and correct application of the SSM – all key steps are explicit and considered. A detailed and appropriate (in scale and scope) methodology is presented and justified. Final resources, capabilities and cultural considerations and interventions outlined are considered and warranted in the work.
1st Marker
2nd Marker
3) Critical formulation and recommendations from SSM
(this evidences transferable skills (communication and solving problems), knowledge and understanding (recognition of topics to context, cognitive skills (application of theory to practice)
The discussion will be very poorly presented. The discussion will identify no clear characteristics of the problem statement. The work will also make no recommendations.. The discussion will be poorly presented. The discussion will identify no clear characteristics of the problem statement. The work will also make some very limited and unjustified recommendations.. The discussion will be reasonably presented but will not be suitable for the audience of the set work. The discussion will identify a very limited number of the characteristics of the problem statement. The work will also make some (unjustified) recommendations.. The discussion will be accessible , use an appropriate format that is but which may not be suitable for the audience of the set work. The discussion will identify a limited number of the characteristics of the problem statement. The work will also make some recommendations.. The discussion will be accessible , use an appropriate format that is suitable for the audience of the set work. The discussion will identify some of the characteristics of the problem statement. The work will also make appropriate recommendations.. The discussion will be clear, use an appropriate format and style that is appropriate for the audience of the set work. The discussion will identify the characteristics of the problem statement analysed relevant to its context. The work will also clearly and with appropriate argument and evidence make recommendations.. The discussion will be clear, coherent, use an appropriate format and style that is appropriate for the audience of the set work. The discussion will identify the key characteristics of the problem statement analysed relevant to its context. The work will also clearly and with appropriate argument and evidence make reasoned recommendations..
1st Marker
2nd Marker
PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET AN AMAZING DISCOUNT 🙂