BUS7016 Leading People Organisational Leadership Audit Part 1 : Case Study Assignment Brief 2025-26 | AU

BUS7016 Assignment Brief   

As part of the formal assessment for the programme, you are required to submit a Leading People assignment. Please refer to your Student Handbook for full details of the programme assessment scheme and general information on preparing and submitting assignments. 

This module is assessed by a two-part assessment. You will conduct a case study of an organisation and produce a consultancy presentation. 

Part 1: Organisational Audit Report (50%, Word file, 1500 words) 

Part 2: Individual Sway/Prezi Consultancy Presentation (50%, maximum 7 min presentation, no presenter’s note is required) 

This assignment is Part 1. 

BUS7016 Learning Outcomes: 

After completing the module, you should be able to: 

1. Critically evaluate major theoretical perspectives of leadership. 
2. Critically analyse leadership situations through engagement with real-life scenarios at the workplace 
3. Assess the impact of disruptive technologies in the workplace and the emergence of disruptive business models from unexpected competitors, leading to change. 
4. Audit an organisation to identify challenges to successful transformation. 
5. (GA) Socially intelligent and proactively inclusive: able to effectively navigate complex (working) relationships with others from any background or culture using teamwork, communication, and leadership skills.

All learning outcomes must be met to pass the module.

BUS7016 Guidance 

Your assignment should include: a title page containing your student number, the module name, the submission deadline and the exact word count of your submitted document; the appendices if relevant; and a reference list in the AU Harvard system(s). You should address all the elements of the assignment task listed below. Please note that tutors will use the assessment criteria set out below in assessing your work. 

You must not include your name in your submission because Arden University operates anonymous marking, which means that markers should not be aware of the identity of the student. However, please do not forget to include your STU number. 

Maximum word count: 1500 words 

Please refer to the full word count policy, which can be found in the Student Policies section here: Arden University | Regulatory Framework 

The word count includes everything in the main body of the assessment (including in-text citations and references). The word count excludes numerical data in tables, figures, diagrams, footnotes, reference list and appendices. All other printed words ARE included in the word count. 

Students who exceed the wordcount up to a 10% margin will not be penalised. Students should note that no marks will be assigned to work exceeding the specified limit once the maximum assessment size limit has been reached. 

BUS7016 Case study: Amazon Inc. 
Leader: Jeff Bezos (1964–present) 

In 2012, Amazon cleared $61 billion in sales within its 17th year of existence, placing it on a trajectory to become the fastest retailer to surpass $100 billion. Beginning as an online seller of books, Amazon enjoyed the rise of the dot-com proliferation in the late 1990s while extending its wares to music, movies, electronics, and toys, becoming an unstoppable force in many industries (Stone, 2013). 

Further, Jeff Bezos has been called the “ultimate disrupter” by Fortune magazine due to his abilities to not only turn the book industry upside down, but displace electronic merchants by selling books initially, then developing (and selling) everything from electronic books to inexpensive software (Lashinsky, 2012, para. 5). Ultimately, he is willing to take enormous risks, sometimes resulting in losing money. Many of his competitors admire his tenacity as well. According to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, “Jeff is a manic competitor, a delightful human being, and a trusted supplier” (Lashinsky, 2012, para. 6). Netscape co-founder Marc Andreesen is impressed with Bezos’ “staying power and willingness to withstand beatings” (Lashinsky, 2012, para. 6). 

The company has nearly perfected the idea of instant gratification for its customers by delivering digital products in mere seconds and physical items within a few days of purchase. Shortly after establishing itself as the foremost Internet retailer, Amazon redefined itself as a technology firm offering a Cloud computing infrastructure under the name Amazon Web Services. Additionally, Amazon offered an inexpensive option for an electronic reader, the Kindle, along with the Kindle Fire tablet. Bezos is a dedicated problem-solver with a penchant for competitive challenges. His near-obsessive drive for customer satisfaction and extreme approaches to delighting consumers are legendary, and among his top organizational priorities. Moreover, Bezos’ visions and ambitions are limitless, funding his own rocket developer, Blue Origin, and purchasing the struggling Washington Post for $250 million in 2013. 

Although ambitious and possessing an extraordinary vision for the possibilities of innovation, many employees have reported that Bezos is extremely difficult to work under. Despite his booming laughter and public persona, he has been described as someone who frequently delivers sardonic eruptions, often compared to the late Steve Jobs. Further, he has been referred to as a micromanager that often reacts harshly to any failed attempts to meet his meticulous performance standards (Stone, 2013). 

Amazon’s organizational culture boasts a few unique customs. One of them is banning the use of PowerPoint slide presentations during meetings. Bezos requires employees to write a six-page narrative describing their main points in a press release format, allowing them to frame their initiatives in customer-friendly compositions. To stimulate a critical thinking approach among the team, each meeting opens with a Page 5 of 11 [3704] – Part 1 Arden University © reserves all rights of copyright and all other intellectual property rights in the learning materials and this publication. No part of any of the learning materials or this publication may be reproduced, shared (including in private social media groups), stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or means, including without limitation electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Arden University. To find out more about the use and distribution of programme materials please see the Arden Student Terms and Conditions. Template: V5 silent reading session before rich discussions begin. Additionally, Bezos has all senior executives read The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a 2007 book illustrating the “narrative fallacy,” a term the book uses to describe the inclination of humans to turn complex realities into simplified stories (Stone, 2013, p. 12). Customer focus is a foundational consideration ingrained in the Amazon culture as well. Bezos makes a point to remind everyone inside and outside the organization that their dedication to customers is what sets them apart from all others. While other companies are considering how to get ahead of their competitors, Amazon is focusing on new products and services for its customers (Lashinsky, 2012). Although Bezos has the respect of his managers, the figurehead that intimidates the most is known as “the empty chair” (Anders, 2012, p. 79). Periodically, a seat at the conference table is deliberately left empty under Bezos’ direction to represent the customer, “the most important person in the room.” Another inanimate object with a voice at Amazon is what Bezos calls the culture of metrics, a system that tracks and measures performance against 500 goals. Over 80 percent of Amazon’s metrics are focused on customer objectives. Complex algorithms calculate the future buying habits of new customers from shoppers’ histories. Hourly bestseller lists are generated, while weekly tabulations track other trends and identify where corrective actions are required. Additionally, Bezos is even tougher about wanting to know what the customer does not want, like delays, out-of-stock items, or defective products – all identified for process amelioration. Bezos is interested in the most infinitesimal details of his processes: for example, a 0.1 second delay in Web page rendering translates into a 1 percent drop in customer activity (Anders, 2012, p. 80). Further, Amazon provides a list of customer-based leadership principles for all employees to incorporate into their daily routines (Amazon Website, 2018). How does one describe Amazon’s mission, and what is its vision? During a 60 Minutes interview in December 2013, Bezos explained: “I would define Amazon by our big ideas, which are customer centricity, putting the customer at the center of everything we do, and invention” (Stone, 2013, p. 348). 

In a heartfelt letter written by Amazon’s first Chief Financial Officer, Joy Covey, to an interviewing author regarding Bezos, she noted a few behaviours. She described how effective Bezos was as a leader and marvelled at his level of clarity, vision, potential, and values. Additionally, Covey lauded Bezos’ ability to stay true to his vision from the early days and execute with boldness, risk-taking, and innovation while maintaining a long-term perspective. Further, she described how Bezos could progress forward by leveraging clarity, intensity of focus, and the skill to prioritise his goals. Moreover, ensuring that the right people were in place to blaze trails for the future, he ensured that bright, high-growth, and fluid-minded people possessing the right values were developed within the organisation. He searched for those employees who prioritised gaining customers’ trust and delight while focusing on long-term projects and having the courage to be bold and creative (Stone, 2013, pp. 345–346). 

On the morning of Friday, October 27, 2017, Amazon stock opened up 8 per cent higher than it had closed on Thursday, adding almost $7 billion to Bezos’ net worth. However, Page 6 of 11 [3704] – Part 1 Arden University © reserves all rights of copyright and all other intellectual property rights in the learning materials and this publication. No part of any of the learning materials or this publication may be reproduced, shared (including in private social media groups), stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or means, including without limitation electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Arden University. To find out more about the use and distribution of programme materials, please see the Arden Student Terms and Conditions. Template: V5 A 7 per cent spike in Microsoft’s stock meant that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates continued to lead the Forbes Real-Time Billionaire Rankings. With a net worth of $89.7 billion at the beginning of Friday morning’s trading, Bezos trailed behind Gates at $90.1 billion. By mid-morning, a 2 per cent climb contributed an additional $900 million to Bezos’ funds, at $90.6 billion, placing him in front of Gates at $90.1 billion. In October 2017, Jeff Bezos was declared the richest man in the world for the second time (Vinton, 2017, para. 1). In addition to wealth, Bezos has achieved notoriety as one of a select few world leaders to have been chosen for Fortune magazine’s annual list of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders. These leaders are celebrated as inspirational and visionary, driving their organisations and their followers to new levels of excellence (Colvin, 2017). 

The culture of Amazon has been carefully and deliberately designed around its customers. These loyal patrons continue to enjoy the near-instant gratification that is part and parcel of Amazon’s massive buffet of products and services. Unhappy suppliers of Amazon are encouraged to sell their products elsewhere, while disgruntled employees are free to leave. The character of any company is usually a perplexing mystery for most researchers and analysts. Amazon has continued to satisfy millions of dedicated customers for more than two decades by focusing on a set of values that “stress constant innovation and customer orientations,” according to Joy Covey (Stone, 2013, p. 354). Is Amazon the new era for business models?

BUS7016 Part 1- Assignment Tasks: 

Organisational Leadership Audit Report 

Students will be required to analyse the case context, diagnose key leadership issues and change levers to answer the following questions: 

1. How has Jeff Bezos’ vision shaped Amazon’s leadership and organisational culture? 
2. How do transformational and situational leadership theories apply to Jeff Bezos and Amazon’s leadership practices? 
3. How does Amazon’s leadership foster innovation and adaptability to maintain its competitive advantage? 
4. How do disruptive technologies and emerging competitors challenge Amazon’s leadership practices? 
5. What key lessons can other organisations learn from Amazon’s leadership practices? (1500 words) (100 marks) (LOs: 1, 2 & 3) 

Formative Feedback 

You have the opportunity to submit one A4 page draft plan of your assignment to receive formative feedback. 

The feedback is designed to help you develop areas of your work, and it helps you develop your skills as an independent learner. If you are a distance learning student, you should submit your work by email to your tutor no later than 2 weeks before the actual submission deadline.

 If you are a blended learning student, your tutor will give you a deadline for formative feedback and further details. 
Formative feedback will not be given to work submitted after the above date or the date specified by your tutor, if a blended learning student 

Submission Guidance 

Assignments submitted late will not be accepted and will be marked as a 0% fail. 

Your assessment can be submitted as a single Word (MS Word) or PDF file, or as multiple files. 

If you choose to submit multiple files, you must name each document as the question/part you are answering, along with your student number, ie Q1 Section A STUXXXX. If you wish to overwrite your submission or one of your submissions, you must ensure that your new submission is named the same as the previous for the system to overwrite it. 
You must ensure that the submitted assignment is all your own work and that all sources used are correctly attributed. Penalties apply to assignments that show evidence of academic unfair practice (see the Student Handbook, which is available on the A-Z key information on iLearn). 

BUS7016 Assessment Criteria (Learning objectives covered – all)