BSBMGT615: Organisational Development Assessment Solution (Part A & B)

This document presents a comprehensive solution to a BSBMGT615 assignment, focusing on organisational development. The assignment is divided into two parts, with Part A addressing theoretical questions on organisational behavior, culture, and change, and Part B applying these theories to practical workplace scenarios. The solution explores key concepts such as Lewin's change management model, action research, team effectiveness, and communication processes. It also delves into the meaning of interventions in organisational development and identifies intervention strategies to enhance organisational performance. The assignment thoroughly covers topics including organisational culture, its impact, and communication methods. This resource aims to provide students with a clear understanding of organisational development principles and their practical application.

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UNITS: BSBMGT615 Contribute to organisational development
Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Did not submit
Assessment 1 – Part A
Assessment 1 – Part B
Assessment 2
Assessment 3
ASSESSOR to complete this section

Oral testing (if applicable)
Assessors may ask the candidate oral questions to gather further
supporting evidence, where written evidence is deemed to be
incomplete or insufficient.
Comments:
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grade in the unit.
 In case you are not able to achieve a ’Satisfactory’ grade in any assessment task, you will be given three
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difficulty. Please discuss the assessment with your trainer to seek advice on how you can achieve
competency in the unit.
 Where relevant, oral questions may be asked to gather more information on your knowledge, skills and
competence in the unit.
 A holistic approach is used to assess your skills relevant to this qualification. The skills are assessed across
the different units offered within this qualification. Where a skill relevant to this unit is not assessed
within this assessment pack, please note that the skill will be assessed in another unit.

Assessment 1- Theory Questions
This assessment has TWO parts.
PART A: Theory Questions
Answer the following questions in your own words (20-50 words each)
1. What do you understand by the term ‘Organizational Behavior’?
Organizational behavior plays and important role in every business enterprise. It can be defined as study
of human behavior in which it is determined that how they interact within groups. With the help of this,
Arnott's Biscuits can increase its efficiency and effectiveness. Organizational behavior also helps in
maintaining industrial relations.
2. Why is it important to study ‘Organizational Behavior’?
It is highly essential to study organizational behavior because it gives clear understanding about people
and why they behave as they do within work place. Also it helps in studying complex nature of individual
by determining causes and effects of that behavior. The study of organizational behavior is most essential
part of administration science because it helps management department in understanding each and every
aspect of organizational culture. (Lengnick-Hall, Beck and Lengnick-Hall, 2011). With the help of this,
Arnott's Biscuits can determine different skills and abilities of its workers. Specially it helps in determining
in extrovert skills of employees.
3. What are the different forces that impact on ‘Organizational Behavior’?
Every organization is surrounded by its business environment, which includes various internal as well
as external forces. Some internal factors are industrial conflicts, employ-ability skills, perception, modifications in
management staff, organizational culture. Apart from this, some external factors are market trends,
technology, social, political and legal modifications. But the most important fores which influence huge
impact on organizational behavior is group behavior and group functioning.
4. Explain the meaning of ‘Organization Culture’ in your own words?
Organizational culture are those business values and behaviors which contributes in unique social and
psychological environment of a company. In simple words, it is a key concept through which
organizational principles, values and beliefs of work force can be evaluated. It also helps in determining
business strategy, product, technology, employee strength, administration style and national culture of
company (What is Organizational Culture? - Definition & Characteristics, 2017). Culture of
corporation involves mission statement, vision, system, environment, location, values, objectives, habits and
beliefs of organization.
5. How is ‘Organizational Culture’ communicated in the workplace?
Their are various ways of communicating organizational culture within work place and these are
celebrating values, creating traditions, holding virtual meetings, sending encouraging emails and so on.
This is very much important for business enterprise that its organizational culture and communication will
align together. Organizational culture is communicated by top management to lower management
within work place. By taking help of symbols, sign and ritual, company can easily communicate its
organizational culture.
6. What is the difference between ‘dominant culture’ and ‘sub-culture’?
Dominant Culture Sub-Culture

This culture express those core values which are
shared by a majority of business's members. This
aspect covers culture of whole business enterprise.
It is also known as mini cultures of company which
is designed by department designations and
geographical separation. This type of culture is
divided into different departments of organization.
This culture provides distinct personality to
company. It gives its central attention to shared
values of company.
This culture not provide distinct personality to
organization. It gives central attention to share
similar problems, situations and experiences.
This helps organization in making socially
responsible.
This helps organization in operating some different
function which other staff members cannot
perform.
7. How can ‘Organizational Culture’ have an impact on an organization?
With the help of great organizational culture company can attract new and talented people. In simple
words, highly skilled individual wants to go in that organization which offers more opportunities for
advancement. If enterprise will have strong and powerful culture then it can make its employees more talented
and effective (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014).
8. How can you create and maintain a culture in an organization?
This is very much important for business managers to make and maintain a great organizational
culture within work place. To create an effective culture, it is essential to have good communication between all
department. Along with this, if company will hire highly talented and qualified people then it can also help
in creating and maintaining strong and successful organizational culture. In order to maintain organizational
structure company should examine the roles and responsibilities of its leader as well as reward systems, which
helps in shaping and maintaining organizational culture in most effective manner.
9. What are some of the reasons that cause organizational change?
External Internal
Modifications in economic conditions largely affects
organizational and force it to make some changes
within work place.
Due to less coordination among all the employees
company attracts toward organizational change.
In modern world, there is no stability In political
issues which also became cause of organizational
change because without cooperating with political
factors company can not survive in market place.
Whenever company wants to expand its business
then it have to make some changes within work
place.
Due to Globalization and high use of technology
companies are changing their working
Also, when there is needs of training and
development programs, company to make changes

environment. in its work place.
10. In your own words explain what you understand by the term ‘Organization Development’ (OD)?
Organizational development can be refer as effort planned which is manged by top managers to enhance
company's efficiency, effectiveness and health by taking help of interventions in the business processes and also
using behavioral science knowledge. It can be defined as a study which helps in organizational change and
performance. This concept helps in aligning corporate with its current environmental changes and complexities.
For this, it uses business learning, knowledge administration and transmutation of company's values and norms.
So, it can be said that, organizational development is an important concept which involves effective process
so that organizational change can be implemented in systematic way.
PART B: Theory Application Questions
11. You have looked at several theories of change. Identify one that makes the most sense to you and explain
it in your own words.
Lewin's change management model is one of the most important and effective theory of change. It
involves three stages which are unfreeze, change and refreeze. In first stage, new modification is explained by
organization which is highly necessary. Some changes are decreasing sales figure, poor financial results and so
on. In second stage, business managers start to find solutions for uncertain results. After identifying solutions in
third stage, modification take place and force organization to take help of new ways of working so that change
can be managed in most effective manner.
12. Give an example of how you would apply this theory to a workplace situation.
Arnott's Biscuits is facing various problems due to its poor financial results. Its financial profit has been
declining because its competitors are attracting more customers due to their promotional activities. To get rid
of this problem organization can make better promotional strategies or can copy their contender's strategies, it
can be considered as unfreeze stage (Powell and DiMaggio, 2012). After identifying new strategies this company
can apply them in effective manner so that it can attract more customers as compare to its contenders, this can
be considered as refreeze stage.
13. What are the steps that you would follow in an ‘Action research’ model?
With the help of Action research model, organization can identify its different problems and also can
discover appropriate solutions for resolving them. This concept involves various steps which are problem
identification, contracting, diagnosis, feedback, planning change, intervention and last but not the least is
evaluation (Action Research Model of Organizational Development, 2017). With the help of these
steps, organization can solve its each and every problem or situation

14. How would you identify team effectiveness in a small subsystem in an organization?
Subsystems can be defined as smaller group of employees within organization. It is very much
important for mangers to identify effectiveness of his team members. It can be done by evaluating performance
and behavior of each and every individual of group. Also, company can take help of result driven structure in
which organization can determine team effectiveness by comparing actual results with standard results.
With the help of this concept, company can easily measure team effectiveness in a small subsystem
in an organization. Result driven structure is most effective and easy method of evaluating group effectiveness.
15. How would you work out the communication processes being used in an organization?
Being a senior manager of Arnott’s Biscuits, it is responsibility of mine to develop effective
communication process. With the help of open meetings, emails, presentations, listening team problems,
creating receptive atmosphere I can increase efficiency of communication process within work place. The most
effective method of communication are speaking and writing. But writing method is considered as more
powerful. Main written communication techniques are email and social media. In organization, I
can work out on communication process by writing an email to my senior manager so that I can easily
communicate with him on a specific matter.
16. What do you understand by the term ‘intervention’ in the field of Organizational Development?
To survive in competitive market place, it is very much important for organization to use and
implement most effective organizational development interventions. Basically, it is a structured activity or
practice which is used by people to improve and develop organizational performance (Choi and Ruona, 2011).
With the help of OD interventions managers can improve performance of groups, individuals and
organization.
17. List 4 types of interventions you feel could work the best for Organisational Development and why?
Intervention Why could it work the best
Strategic intervention
With the help of this kind of intervention mangers can align their
organization with its business environment. It also helps company in
getting knowledge about current position and its environment.
Techno structural
interventions
This kind of intervention help managers to improve human development
and organizational efficiency by giving importance to structure and
technology. This type on intervention is rooted in engineering, technical
systems and job analysis.
Management and leadership
development interventions The most important function of this kind of intervention is to enhance
business performance through increasing efficiency and effectiveness of
leaders.
Individual process
intervention
In this kind of intervention, organizational performance is improved by
increasing skills and abilities of people employed in organization.
18. It is suggested to use a structured approach to change management within an organization. Explain what
steps you would put into action and why?
Steps I would use Why could it work the best

Create urgency
First of all, it is very much important to create an urgency for change. With
the help of this company can enhance initial motivation so that things can
moved.
Form a powerful coalition
With the help of this, company can find powerful leaders within it. For
change management, it is very much important to have strong leadership
within organization.
Create a vision for change
With the help of clear vision every employee can understand why they are
asked to do something. This can make more effective sense for workers to
work with change administration.
Communicate the vision
As per this step mangers should communicate change vision to their
employees so that that can be achieved in most effective and systematic
manner.
Remove obstacles
In this step, change is managed by taking help of change leaders. For
removing obstacles, organization can provide reward system to its
employees to make change happen.
Create short term wins
By making short term goals, organization can provide taste of victory to its
employees. So, to manage change, company should make short term goals
instead of long term.
Build on the change
After achieving short term goals, organization can realize that what went
wrong in change management process. Through this, company can identify
what improvements are still required.
Anchor the changes in
Corporate culture
If company wants to make change stick, then it should evaluate whole
process on continuous basis. Through this, organization can manage
change in most effective and systematic manner (Albrech, 2011).

Assessment 2- Workplace based scenario
Scenario:
You are working in a customer service centre that provides a number of services for an insurance company. To
save on costs management has introduced a new work arrangement over the past 2 years. Staff are finding the
system is not being really effective and customer service levels have dropped as they are now getting more
customer complaints than they were 2 years ago.
The system at the moment includes:
Set Up
There are 80 staff in total who work on roster system 7 days a week
The floor plan is an open system with no walls
Staff do not have a personal desk and share with other staff between shifts
They may have a different desk every day they work
Each staff member has
o A lap top computer
o A personalised head set
o A locker to store their computer, other paperwork and case files
Staff are not allowed personal items such as photos in their work areaStaff who work on complex tasks are allowed a resource library but it is in one section of the room and other
staff use it as well
The Work
75% of the work is answering customer questions and solving their problems over the phone
The other 25% is to do any follow-up or background research work to solve the problems
Each customer is given a case number and the information is recorded on the computer database so they can
be tracked and signed off when completed
Some problems are complex and will go to specialist case managers who have more experience and access
to complex procedure manuals and supporting documentations
The staff were surveyed and given the opportunity to provide feedback with the following results:
It can take up to ½ an hour at the start of a shift to set up before they can answer the phone or provide
customer service
It takes 20minutes to pack up at the end of the day
Complex jobs are harder to follow up because the resources are not near the work station
Because other people are using the resources, paperwork and support material is going missing so it can take
longer to find what they need
They are having more computer problems because the laptops sometimes do not connect to the system
properly
It can get really noisy in the open plan office at the busy times of the day, making it hard to hear and work with
the clients
The staff feels uncomfortable and frustrated over not having their own personal work space and in sharing the
desks
The staff feels the workplace has become impersonal and not caring because they are no longer allowed to
have personal items on their desks or in their workspace
There is a drop-in worker satisfaction because of these problems.

Your task is to write a proposal to management outlining the current problem and your proposed solution. In
your proposal, cover the following points:
1. Background:
a. What is the current system/ process?
For organisational development, it is very much important to have good working system. Suncorp Group
provides various insurance and banking services. In present time, this company is facing various
problems because it has introduced new work arrangement. Its employees have determined that its current
working system is not effective and also not providing best customer services. All this is happening
because of ineffective work place, less staff members and current employees are not satisfied with
organisational services. This company have 80 staff members, 75% workers works on answering
customer questions and resolving their problem, and other 25% employees works on background research
so that they can find out appropriate solution for customer problems. But these working system is not
providing proper results to company.
b. How can it be improved?
Without appropriate working environment and system, no organisation can accomplish its desired goals
and objectives. Current status and working method of Suncorp is not effective which is resulting in high
customer complaints. To improve its performance, it should implement good reward system for its
employees and also provide them some extra facilities so that they get motivated and contribute more in
achieving organisational goals and objectives. By developing these improvements this company can
enhance its organisational performance. Also, it should distribute its 80 workers in appropriate ratio so
that they can operate business activities in most effective manner. For better improvements, 50% workers
should work on answering customer complaints and other 50% should find out the appropriate solutions
to resolve their complaints. By doing this, company can improve its working system. Also, company can
provide them better training and development programs so that they can increase their existing skills.
c. What will be the benefits of improvement?
By taking some development initiatives, Suncorp can get various benefits. Good working conditions can
provide satisfaction to its employees. Highly satisfied workers can help organisation in increasing
profitability and productivity (Di, Paola and Tschannen-Moran, 2014). Positive development can lead
organisation to higher level of success. Also, it can build strong position in competitive market place. So,
it can be said that organisational development is the most important aspect which can help business
enterprise in accomplishing its goals and objectives in most effective manner. If company will distribute
its work force in 50-50% then it can easily resolve the customer complaints in less time period. By doing
this, company can minimise the work load of background research team which will help organisation in
operating its business activities and operations in systematic and effective manner.
d. Explain the consultation process you would use to gather feedback on the proposed
change.
After implementing new changes, it is very much important for organisation to gather feedback from
employees. For this manager can use informal way of consultation, through which he can communicate
with his workers about change management. With the help of this, company can give importance to
worker's point of view. Also, can consider different interests of them. For consultation and
communication process mangers can engage in face to face meeting, by which they can interact with their
employees and also can gather their feedback about current state. So, it is very much important for
organisation to increase efficiency of their leaders.
2. Implementation and Change Strategy:
a. What goals do you want to achieve in your change strategy?

Suncorp is desiring to make changed strategy to achieve its many goals and objectives. First motive is to
develop change leaders, as modification is a leadership practice which are required at all levels of
company. Other objective of change strategy is to manage organisational performance. Hence, these are
major goals, which Suncorp wants to achieve by developing change strategy. So, it can be said that
different strategies of modification can help organisation in accomplishing its goals and objectives. With
the help of change strategy company wants to mange its current system and also want tom improve it in
best possible manner so that it can operate its business activities and practices in most effective manner.
b. Who are the key people you would use to support the changes you propose?
For developing organisational change, Suncorp needs help of some key people. These are managers, team
leaders, and employees. These are the individual who play important role in change management. They
all have their own roles and responsibilities. Managers are responsible for making effective change
strategies and its goals. Team leaders have to lead and guide employees so that they can contribute their
efforts in accomplishment of desired goals and objectives (Welch, 2011). For making changes within
workplace, company needs helps of expert person and high skilled leader who can provide appropriate
training and development programs to its employees. And expert person can give goo advice to
organisation that what hot it can implement change within work place in most effective and systematic
manner.
c. How will you encourage people to accept the changes?
For managing change, it is very much important for organisation to encourage their employees to accept
change. By determining the reaction of workers, Company can make effective decisions by which they
can introduce change. By increasing employee involvement, Suncorp can encourage its human resources
to accept organisational modifications. Company can also motivate their workers by providing them
reward system so that they would accept change. Hence, these are two methods which can help in
encouraging employees. Company can encourage its employees to accept that changes by telling them
the future benefits of that modification. For an example if employees will engage in training program then
they can improve their existing skills which can help them in their current and future professional life.
Also, by enhancing their skills they can get better position within work place.
d. How will you work out the success of the changes?
To get high success in change management, organisation should make some effective strategies.
Whenever modifications get introduced in company it involves some kind of information. Then leaders
communicate with their team members about the effectiveness of change. It is a mistake, because
employee wants to analyse by themselves that what are advantage and disadvantage of change. The
responsibility of leaders is to encourage people not force them to accept change. If mangers will do the
same then they can get success in organisational modifications. By implementing new changes within
work place company have improved its current working system, also work load of background research
team has been decreased which encourages them to perform their given tasks in most effective and
systematic manner so that organisation can lead to high level of success.
e. How will you make the changes a part of the organisations culture?
For making changes part of organisational culture, organisation should introduce the needs of that change
within work place. So that it can encourage people to bring that change. Also, company should create
urgency of modifications which can provide various benefit to organisation. Through this, mangers can
make changes a part of organisational culture. To make changes a part of organisational structure
company should implement training program within work place so that employee can increase their skills
and abilities. Also, company can start change process with those people who have disproportionate within
work place. Also, by redistributing available resources organisation can make large change in work place.
3. Training Schedule:

a. What training do you think will be needed for the staff to understand the changes?
Change management is not an easy task. For this organisation have to modify its current strategies and
policies. For effective administration of change, company should provide various training program which
are highly required. To achieve goals of modification strategies, organisation can provide technical, skills,
quality, professional, managerial, safety and some other kinds of training program to its employees and
managers. By providing training and development plan, company can increase efficiency and
effectiveness of business enterprise. To make staff members aware about changes, company should
provide theoretical classes to its staff members so that they can determine the differences between current
organisational system and future working system.
b. Develop a simple training schedule for staff affected by the change.
Organisation should provide an effective employee training plan schedule to those staff members who are
affected by organisational change. There are various steps which are involved in training session first is
defining need and goals of modifications, second is planning ad identifying required employees, third is
implementation of trainees and their efforts in change management process (Santos-Vijande, López-
Sánchez and Trespalacios2012). Besides from working hours, company can provide theoretical classes to
its staff members which will be carried out for 2 weeks in which there will 3 mentors and 2 senior
managers who will evaluate the effectiveness of training program and staff members.
4. Budget:
a. What are the potential financial losses of the current system?
Current system of Suncorp is not effective, because its employee turnover is very high. This type of cost
is arising because it has less workers and it hires new employees but they do not stick with organisation
for long time period, due to its poor working conditions. This is the main reason of financial losses of
Suncorp. The current working system of company is not effective because background research team
have huge work pressure because there are only few workers for resolving customer customer complaint.
This Woking system provide huge financial profit to company which is approx around 10,000 American
dollars.
b. What may be the relevant costs of the proposed changes?
Above mentioned insurance company wants to make changes in its current working style. To improve
and develop existing work place, it can provide good reward system and some other facilities to its
workers so that they will get motivate to contribute more in achieving desired results. But to provide
financial reward company needs approx. 100000 American dollars, and to provide training and
development program company needs 5000 American dollar more.
c. Over the long term how will the costs benefit the organisation?
If organisation will invest 100000 American dollars to provide rewards and other facilities, then it will
help in retaining employees for long period. Because employees like to work at that place, from where
they are getting more facilities and advanced future opportunities. So, it can be said that new changes of
Suncorp can get long lasting benefits, which can help organisation in improving and developing its
performance in competitive market place. By investing in training and development programs, and reward
system company can satisfy its customer which will encourage them to contribute more in organisational
success and growth.

Assessment 3- FINAL ASSESSMENT
You are a newly appointed manager in a workplace which has clear problems which have been in way of
life for more than 12 months. These problems are standing in the way of you turning the company into
the best-performing unit that you are aiming for. Until you can fix the situation, the business, and you
personally will not be successful. Amongst the workplace problems are:
 A number of experienced staff, who have valuable workplace knowledge, no longer seem
willing or able of maintaining the needed work ethic.
 Supervisors and middle managers do not have the leadership and motivation skills to
encourage employees to do their best.
 Junior staff feels frustrated by the lack of direction and opportunities the organisation is
giving them to succeed.
 There is a clear lack of communication and trust between the different levels of staff and
management.
 One of the key weaknesses is the Payroll Officer, who
o gives inaccurate financial reports in the key areas of wage costs,
o the reports are hardly ever given to management when they are due
o has made costly mistakes with superannuation and payroll tax.
 The two managers before you tried unsuccessfully to improve his performance and replace
him. To make the problem worse, the Payroll Officer is the husband of the business owner.
You need to plan the Organisational Development strategies, interventions and actions that you can
use to overcome these problems? Think about the following issues to plan your OD strategies:
 Tactics/strategies for each level of staff
 How will you get each group to begin working with, and for each other?
 How will you handle those staff that are resistant to changing the current work practices?
 The existing staff are well aware of the previous managers’ failed attempts to improve Payroll,
and will be judging you on how you deal with the delicate situation
Write a report about how you will fix the problems within this organisation. Use the following
headings to structure for your report.
1. Background:
a. What are the key issues?
Current working environment of organisation is not effective because there are many problems which are
affecting working environment. A huge number of experienced people who have great knowledge about
work place are not performing their task ethically, which is becoming most important issue of company.