PDP: A Well-Structured Document for Managerial Development

The assignment for 7MG001 requires students to create a Professional Development Plan (PDP) that relates academic content to their professional goals as managers. The PDP will be developed in four phases: Phase 1 involves writing an introduction, Phase 2 is on-going reading of core text chapters and completing 'How Do You Fit the Design' tests, Phase 3 requires selecting three chapter tests for a critical reflection (1000-1200 words), and Phase 4 involves reviewing and revising earlier components to create a well-developed snapshot of current and future professional plans and goals. The PDP must be innovative, well-structured, and well-written, with clear presentation.

Assessment Briefing for Students
Assessment brief number 7BE002 Strategic Management: (20 credit)
Module leader:
Academic Year: 2016 /17
Module assessment detail (approved at validation as amended by module modification)
Module code &
title
7BE002 Strategic Management
Module Learning outcomes:
LO
1
Critically evaluate the underlying concepts and theories of strategic
management and the relationship between strategy, stakeholder
aspirations and governance

LO
2
Demonstrate understanding and awareness of current and
emerging Economic, Political, Legal and Cultural factors and
critically evaluate those which will have an impact on strategic
management in an international context

L03 Formulate business strategies in a systematic way , and develop
criteria in order to evaluate and select those most likely to prove
successful for a particular organisation

LO
4
Develop plans for the implementation of business strategies,
presenting strategic proposals to stakeholders in a persuasive and
authoritative manner.

Assessment types
1 – Strategic Management Project
2 – Strategic Professional Development Plan
Weightings
70%
30%
Submitted as a Portfolio 100% 
Important requirements
Mode of Working: Individual
Presentation Format: Portfolio
Assessment limits (in accordance
with UWBS assessment tariff)
6000 words, excluding appendices
Do clearly state your name, student number and supervisor when submitting work.

Always keep a copy of your work.
Always keep a file of working papers (containing, for instance, working notes, copied
journal article and early drafts of your work, etc.) that show the development of your
work and the sources you have used. You may need to show this to the tutor at
some point so notes should be clear and written in English. This is an important
requirement. There may be circumstances where it is difficult to arrive at a mark for
your work. If this is so you may be asked to submit your file within 3 working days
and possibly meet with your tutor to answer questions on your submission.
Explanation of submission requirements and further guidance
 Assessments are subject to a word limit to ensure consistency of approach across all
modules. Your work should not exceed the limit indicated (excluding appendices). Do
not feel that you have to “achieve” this word count in your work. What is important
is that the work satisfies the stated learning outcomes which are articulated through
the assessment criteria (see following page).
 Care is taken to ensure that work has been marked correctly. Dissertations are
double marked and an independent expert from outside the University on batches of
work.
 Your work will not be returned to you but you will receive detailed feedback
explaining how your mark has been arrived at and how your work could have been
improved upon.
 Always use the Harvard style referencing system. The University’s Learning
Information Services have produced a series of guides covering a range of topics to
support your studies and develop your academic skills including a guide to Harvard.
 Expensive or elaborate bindings and covers for submissions are not required please
refer to guidelines in the dissertation resources topic on presentation.
 The Business School has a policy of anonymous marking of individual assessments
which applies to most modules.
Avoid academic misconduct
Warning: Collusion, plagiarism and cheating are very serious offences that can result in a
student being expelled from the University. The Business School has a policy of actively
identifying students who engage in academic misconduct of this nature and routinely
applying detection techniques including the use of sophisticated software packages.
Please note: Turnitin folders have been set up for draft and final submissions for you to
check your work 2 week prior to submission. You then have time to revise any suspect areas
of the work prior to formal submission. All students must submit work to these folders and
your tutor will check that you have done so.

Assessment Brief/ Task
The detailed requirements for this task are as follows:
The portfolio is comprised of the following sections
• A Strategic Management Project- 4000 words excluding appendices and references
• A Strategic Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) – 2000 words excluding appendices and
references
At the due date you will submit both parts of the portfolio together, as a single document. Appropriate cover
sheet should be used. Presentation should be of professional quality. Referencing and citations must adhere
to version of Harvard Referencing style. File Size is maximum 10MB
Assessed task No 1, Strategic Management Project
The purpose of the strategic management project is to apply the concepts and techniques learnt in the
module to the analysis of real-world situations or problems, and to critically evaluate different approaches
to addressing managerial problems.
Context
Your boss has asked you to craft a restructuring strategy [around some identified business problem(s)]for
the company you work for. (If your company is a large one, then focus on a strategic business unit or
department. The structure will be aimed at your designation level ie supervisor, team leaders, unit head,
head of strategic business unit, CEO etc. Frame the issue at your level so that you are familiar with issues.
For example if you are a supervisor it would be inappropriate for you to look at International diversification
but this might be something for the CEO.
If you are not employed in a company, exceptionally select a well-known local company and use the same
criteria. Delve down to the lowest level commensurate with your designation. The organisation must be
approved by your tutor.
Not for profit organisations are fine too. Your tutor will need to approve the company chosen. Your remit, in
the form of a strategic management project will be to propose a new design, approach (solution) to
restructuring that would make the company more efficient and competitive.
The project is to be undertaken in a number of formative phases, culminating in a final written report.
In phase 1 you will write proposal for your boss (tutor) to set the parameters and scope of the restructuring.
You will discuss this with your classmates in seminars and get feedback.
Phase 2 will be a critical literature review. Your task will be to review research from a range of scholarly
articles that relate to organisational structure design issues you are addressing. This is an opportunity to
strengthen the project rigour with further theoretical insights. The core text book and supplied articles will
form the backbone of the literature review but other strategy literature can supplement this too.
You will have learnt from the research methods classes in 7MG001, a literature review is a discussion of the
published information on your topic area. It is also a critical, evaluative synthesis, showing the relationships
between various writings and how they relate to your own work. A literature review is not a simple
summary of a series of articles. A good literature review will look at the research that has been done and
synthesise or pull together those elements that are similar or most pertinent to the themes you have
chosen.

Phase 3 will be the start of the analysis. You will analyse your chosen company’s internal structures and its
external environment using a minimum of two of the frameworks studied that you consider most relevant
to your particular situation e.g. Daft’s structural dimensions, Daft’s contingency framework, Porter’s five
forces model or any other model etc.
Your tutor will ask you to present your findings at interim points during the seminar sessions (details will
vary depending on iteration and delivery format. The presentations will not be part of the assessment.
Phase 4 will the final Project Report.
The final report should take the form of a maximum 4000 word business report to the organisation’s
management team. A business report is a functional piece of writing usually written to communicate a
recommendation for change with the appropriate rationale, illustrations and evidence.
Your report should be written in standard business English that favours ease of comprehension. In general,
your sentences and paragraphs will be shorter compared to academic English. It is also acceptable to use a
limited number of bullet points in your report.
Use the literature review as well as the theoretical foundations given in the core text and additional
readings to strengthen your arguments and move beyond subjective opinions. You are also encouraged to
support your arguments and analyses with visuals, such as charts and diagrams.
Business reports do not have a set number of sections, nevertheless guidelines are provided in a separate
document to aid you. Make sure you do clearly delineate and label your sections with appropriate headings.
As a guide, some sections that most reports tend to include are Executive Summary, Introduction, Findings,
Recommendations and Conclusion. Use the Business Report Help Sheet from University of Melbourne
provided for you under resources.
Advice: Make it concise, to the point and convincing. Try to write with a specific audience in mind, and try as
best as you can to generate a genuine buy-in from your boss..
Assessed task No 2 A Strategic Professional Development Portfolio (PDP)
You may have already done a personal development plan as part of your course (e.g. for 7MG001). This PDP
is different and focuses on your development and goals as a manager – hence this is professional
development plan. The purpose is to relate the academic content of the module to your professional
(managerial) goals.
To help you to reflect and craft your PDP it will be useful to complete the “How Do You Fit the Design” self-
assessment exercises included in each chapter of your textbook (Daft, 2015) and incorporate your reflection
on these self-assessments into your PDP.
As with the project (see above), The PDP will be incrementally developed over the course of the module,
with completion near the end when you have assimilated the core text book chapters and taken all the
“How Do You Fit the Design” test.
You will craft interim components (which you may be asked to present or discuss in some form during the
seminars).
In Phase 1 you will prepare a brief introduction (~500 words) about how the module content will help you
advance your professional (strategic) development (and goals), focusing on topics of particular interest to
you.

Phase 2 is on-going over the course of the module in that you read the core text chapters and you undertake
the “How do you fit the design” tests at the end of each chapter. You will also select 3 of these for phase 3
(below).
In phase 3 you will write a critical reflection (1000-1200 words) that will address both your perspectives on
organisational design based on your personal and professional experiences/Interests as well as what the
“How Do You Fit the Design” are showing you about yourself as manager.
Phase 4 is the Professional Development action Plan. Review and revise the earlier components in light of
feedback. In updating your PDP try to make it so that what emerges is a well-developed snapshot of your
current and future professional plans and goals. The action plan will state your goals (one short-term, one
medium term, one long-term), how you will achieve them, by when and what challenges you will face in
achieving them. You may present this is a table format, with columns for above areas. Use portrait paper
format and smaller size font so that you capture everything on 1 page.
The following information is important when:
 Preparing for your assessment
 Checking your work before you submit it
 Interpreting feedback on your work after marking.
Performance descriptors
Performance descriptors indicate how marks will be arrived at against each of the above criteria. The
descriptors indicate the likely characteristics of work that is marked within the percentage bands indicated.
Criteria 70-100%
Work of an
outstanding,
standard
60-69%
Work of a good
standard.
Pass 50-59%
Work of a pass
standard.
40-49%
FAIL
0-39%
FAIL
PDP: An innovative,
well-structured
document
which
synthesises all 3
phases in line
with above.
Well-written, &
well-presented.
A balanced, well-
structured
document. The
PDP may not be
innovative but will
be sound overall.
The pdp will be
well-written, well
presented
The pdp is
cohesive, but
may be
hindered by
insufficient
synthesis and
reflection. The
pdp reasonably
well-written,
well presented
Whilst some of the
characteristics of a
pass have been
demonstrated, the
work does not
address the
requirements of the
task brief.
Structure and
presentation are of
a poor quality
Significant failings in
the pdp balance,
structure or writing
style. Significant flaws
in reflection. Lacking
in coherence, the plan
is unstructured and/or
badly presented.
Project The project
demonstrates
originality,
innovation and
depth in the
In the main the
project is
insightful and has
an appropriate
selection of
Key theories and
ideas are
included in the
report in an
appropriate
Appropriate selection
of content/theories
but some key aspects
missed/misconstrued.
Lack of theory in most
Does not address
the assignment
brief. Uses
Inaccurate or
inappropriate

content and
theory. It is
reflective of a
professional
consultancy
report. The
work clearly
demonstrates
application of
theories and
provides an
overwhelmingly
convincing case
to
management.
content and
theory in key
areas identified in
the brief.
The work
demonstrates
application of
theory and gives
management
some good
insights.
manner
although not
consistently
across all area.
The work
demonstrates
basic application
of theories
worthy of
presentation to
management
but has low
credibility
areas. The work does
not sufficiently
demonstrate basic
application through.
The work is not worthy
of presentation to
management in its
current form
content/theory.
The work does not
create a link
between theory
and practice.
The complete
portfolio -
Presentation
and Harvard
Referencing
Presentation
standard of the
portfolio is
excellent.
Extensive
referencing
which is clear,
relevant and
consistently
accurate using
the Harvard
system
The
bibliography is
comprehensivel
y annotated.
Content is
formatted for
easy reading
with a clear
structure
delineated by
subheadings
and paragraph
structures
Presentation
overall of good
standard with few
errors in grammar
and syntax.
Referencing is
relevant and
accurate using the
Harvard system.
Good evidence of
reading round the
subject. The
bibliography
contains
appropriate
annotations.
Content is
formatted for easy
reading with clear
paragraph
structures.
Presentation has
limitations
including some
errors in
grammar and
syntax Minor
inconsistencies
and inaccuracies
in referencing
using the
Harvard system.
Evidence of
reading round
the subject
other than just
set texts and
websites.
The bibliography
contains few
annotations
Content may not
be formatted,
but still readable
Presentation is poor in
structure and includes
errors in grammar and
syntax. Referencing
present
having many
inconsistencies
and inaccuracies.
Little evidence of
reading other than set
texts & websites
The bibliography
contains no
annotations.
No attempt to format
for readability.
Structure and
presentation is not
of an acceptable
standard including
faulty grammar
and syntax.
Referencing mainly
from set text.
inaccurate
references or
bibliography
absent.
Presentation is
slapdash