BN4440 L7 Strategic Project Management Assignment Brief | UCLan

BN4440 Assignment

This assessment is worth 100% of the overall module mark

This Assessment Pack consists of a detailed assignment brief, guidance on what you need to prepare, and information on how class sessions support your ability to complete successfully. You’ll also find information on this page to guide you on how, where, and when to submit. If you need additional support, please make a note of the services detailed in this document.

When how and where to submit:

• Assessment Release Date and Time: Tuesday 23rd January 2024
• Assessment Deadline Date and Time: Friday 12th of April 2024 by 12.00hrs.
• Please note that this is the final time you can submit – not the time to submit. You should aim to submit your assignment in advance of the deadline.
• This assignment is to be submitted via Turn-It-In not later than the date specified above (Friday 12th of April 2024 by 12.00hrs).
  Feedback//feed forward will be provided by: Tuesday 7th of May 2024.

Mitigating Circumstance: If you have any valid mitigating circumstances that mean you cannot meet an assessment submission deadline and you wish to request an extension, you will need to apply online, via MyUCLan with your evidence prior to the deadline. Further information on Mitigating Circumstances via this link.

Pass grades: in order to pass this assignment, you need to obtain a minimum mark of 50%. You should check that you fully understand the assessment criteria for the module as a whole since there may well be other assessable components which you are required to pass.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is regarded by the University as a very serious offence. Please ensure that you read the relevant academic regulations concerning what constitutes plagiarism and ensure that what you submit as an individual or as a group is clearly all your own work and that the source of any information or material is fully identified and properly acknowledged/referenced

I wish you all success in completing your assignment. Please read this guidance carefully, and any questions, please discuss with your Module Leader.

Additional Support available:

All links are available through the online Student Hub

1. Optional: Academic support for this assessment will be provided by contacting the module tutor – Dr. Adebayo Oladapo via aaoladapo@uclan.ac.uk
2. Our Library resources link can be found in the library area of the Student Hub or via your subject librarian at nmarshall7@uclan.ac.uk.
3. Support with your academic skills development (academic writing, critical thinking and referencing) is available through WISER on the Study Skills section of the Student Hub.
4. For help with Turnitin, see Blackboard and Turnitin Support on the Student Hub
5. If you have a disability, specific learning difficulty, long-term health, or mental health condition, and not yet advised us, or would like to review your support, Inclusive Support can assist with reasonable adjustments and support. To find out more, you can visit the Inclusive Support page of the Student Hub.
6. For mental health and wellbeing support, please complete our online referral form, or email wellbeing@uclan.ac.uk. You can also call 01772 893020, attend a drop-in, or visit our UCLan Wellbeing Service Student Hub pages for more information.
7. For any other support query, please contact Student Support via studentsupport@uclan.ac.uk.
8. For consideration of Academic Integrity, please refer to detailed guidelines in our policy document . All assessed work should be genuinely your own work, and all resources fully cited.

Preparing for your assignment.

• There are written and video materials on Blackboard to assist you write the report-materials on organisational performance management as well as traditional and innovative performance measurement. You could also draw from materials from the Reading List on Blackboard.
• The module tutor is also available to discuss the assignment when you book an appointment through Microsoft Teams.
• Refer to the Module Information Pack to understand the Learning Outcomes and Marking Criteria.
• This is a 4000-word assignment. This is subject to a + or – 10% compensation. In other words, if the assessment length is 2000 words, submissions between 1800 and 2200 words would be acceptable. You will need to be careful in the way you use the word count to support key arguments and facts in your report. Where possible, supplement information with material contained in the appendices. You must use the Harvard referencing style in both in-text citations and the reference list.
• It is important for you to use relevant literature to support your arguments and facts.
• The assignment must be submitted through Turnitin that would allow the module tutor to check for improper use of sources or potential plagiarism by scanning through numerous databases.
• You need to complete and attach the Coursework Cover Sheet as first page of your submission. This can be found on Blackboard.

Presenting coursework for assessment

Your written assignments must be presented in the following format:

• It must be word-processed in 12-point Arial font. Line spacing should be 1,5 lines
• It must be black text on a white background
• All pages must be numbered
• Margins must be as follows: Top: 2.54 cm, Bottom: 2.54 cm, Left: 2.54 cm, Right: 2.54 cm
• It should not contain your name(s)
• The number of words (excluding the front cover, title page, contents page, executive summary, reference list, bibliography or appendices) should be stated at the end of the submission.
• The following file-naming convention should be used for the submission of the BN4440 assignment. [Module code] [Assignment title] [Student number] i.e. [BN4440] [Organisational Performance Measurement] [xxxxxxx]

The Brief /Instructions

Choose an industry and a specific product.

SBK is a traditional company (you are required to choose a business type with a specific product) with a combined workforce of 350 staff. Due to increased levels of competition, this company is now increasingly finding it difficult to compete – especially as the larger companies seem to be a little more innovative, agile and responsive to customer requirements. The management board has noticed that staff (especially the good ones) are now leaving the company to seek work elsewhere. This has meant employing new staff and undertaking a considerable amount of re-training (to replace those that have left), which has had a negative impact on SBK’s core business operations. Given this position, senior management at SBK has decided to implement a performance management and measurement tool that would allow them to align the strategic,
management and operational requirements of the business. Senior management is therefore considering the adoption of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) to improve on the overall business performance. However, this is completely new to the organisation as it has never done this before.

As the newly appointed business improvement consultant working for SBK, you are required to prepare a report for the board of directors involving the following tasks:

1. Provide a critique of the traditional performance measurement approach used by SBK in its business (provide examples of traditional performance measurement tools) and make a case for the adoption of a non-traditional approach.

2. Critically discuss how SBK could use the BSC to align its strategic, managerial and operational requirements.

Learning Outcomes 

Learning Outcomes Assessed (from the Module Descriptor, available on Blackboard):

• LO1 Demonstrate critical knowledge and understanding of core business drivers and strategic decision-making processes with respect to project problems in complex and unpredictable situations (and their potential impact on the core business), including the application of robust, viable, and defendable solutions.
• LO2 Critically appraise Organisational and project environments, and be able to demonstrate advanced project management competence using innovative applied techniques to assess, manage and control project variables (micro and macro) throughout the project lifecycle.
• LO3 Demonstrate in depth understanding of internal and external information management systems and processes, and be able to apply advanced cognitive skills to provide considered solutions, especially in contextually diverse collaborative environments.
• LO4 Critically evaluate the concepts and theories of project financing and funding, cognisant of: bidding strategies and global business drivers, fiscal drivers and KPI’s, decision-making techniques, procurement routes and production/project planning methodologies.