3CO01 Business Culture and Change in Context CIPD Level 3 Assignment Example, UK

About this 3CO01 unit 

This is a sample of CIPD Level 3 Foundation of People Practice Unit 3CO01- Business, Culture and Change in Context. This unit provides basic information of businesses culture and change in the context of business. This unit will make you learn the impacts of business culture. This unit will discuss the impact external factors put in shaping business and its culture. Here you will learn how important people’s behaviour is to organisational culture and the ability to manage these changes effectively. 

This assessment is a test of what you have learned in this course. You will have to deal with several questions that you have to answer according to the given case study. Here, you will have to completely rely on the knowledge you have received in this course. In this sample, you can go through the assessment that you will get in your CIPD Level 3 unit. 

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Question 1: Examine two key external factors likely to impact BPE’s acquisition of Emrosu. (AC 1.1)

Answer:

Among the external factors that are likely to influence the acquisition of Emrosu by BPE, the regulatory and legal environment in the pharmacy industry is one of the key factors. The operation of pharmacy businesses is tightly controlled by the likes of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and NHS England. Being a minor local firm, BPE has dealt with a fairly simplified structure, where Shiva monitored compliance closely. The national operation of Emrosu with 100 stores will create a lot of complexity in terms of regulation that will necessitate more robust governance, policies and effective compliance mechanisms.

Legislation on employment, especially the TUPE, will also have an impact on the acquisition by guaranteeing the current terms and conditions of Emrosu employees. This can limit the capability of Shiva to harmonise contracts promptly, remuneration framework or working procedures, which can result in raising costs and reducing integration speed.

The second crucial external environment is technological change and changing expectations within the retail market of healthcare. Emrosu already has an internet pharmacy, and it is also a broader market trend to access healthcare services online using digital means, providing orders of prescriptions and delivery at home. The customers are becoming more demanding in terms of convenience and online interaction to be offered in addition to the conventional face-to-face services.

This is an opportunity and a challenge, as is the case with BPE. Although digital services may boost growth and competitiveness, they will need investment in technology, data security, and employee digital skills. Moreover, the rivalry with the big online drugstore and technologically-oriented healthcare providers is still growing. Unless BPE adapts well to such external market pressures, the acquisition could put strain on resources and weaken its reputation for being customer-focused.

Question 2: Discuss two business goals that BPE might set once the acquisition has been completed, explaining the reasons why they must plan to achieve these. (AC 1.2)

Answer: 

After the acquisition of Emrosu, one of the business objectives that BPE must establish is to effectively merge the two organisations without compromising the quality of the services provided and the confidence of the customers. The acquisition will transform BPE from a local small business into a national organisation with 100 stores and online services in a very short time. The chances of an operational derailment, lack of uniform standards of service and reputation tarnishing on the reputation of BPE as a provider of personalised care are real without any clarity in the integration planning. This is a goal that should be planned to attain since customer trust is paramount in the pharmacy industry, where patients need to rely on accuracy, confidentiality and professional recommendations. An integration plan would facilitate coordination of processes, policies and behaviours of the two businesses and also make sure that the current customers of Emrosu receive a reliable and safe service even in the process of transition.

The second major business objective is to establish a scalable people management and leadership framework, which will fulfil future growth. The current structure of BPE is flat, with all the managers of all the branches reporting to Shiva. Such a strategy will not last in a 100-store organisation. It will be necessary to set a target to develop a proper level of leadership structure, role and people policy to bring uniformity, accountability and legal adherence. It is worth planning to fulfil this since employees are core in the provision of healthcare services and customer experience. Lack of proper leadership and people management systems will cause problems in the form of poor communication, decreased engagement and increased employee turnover in BPE. A structured plan will also enable Shiva to leave the day-to-day management to day-to-day managers and concentrate on strategic leadership, which will contribute towards the long term success of the expanded organisation.

Question 3: Discuss: a) the products and services that BPE and Emrosu deliver and b) their main customers. (AC 1.3)

Answer:

BPE and Emrosu are both in the pharmacy industry, which provides a combination of healthcare goods and services, but their size and processes of delivery vary. The products of BPE are prescription medication and Health and beauty products that are marketed in its five local pharmacies. Among the retail sales, BPE offers pharmacy services which include health advice, blood pressure check, consultations and vaccinations. These services are provided through a face-to-face method and are closely associated with the focus of Shiva on personalised, community-based care.
Emrosu does have comparable core pharmacy products, such as prescription drugs and over-the-counter health products, but on a much larger, national level, with 100 stores. Besides in-store services, Emrosu has an online pharmacy where customers have an opportunity to order prescriptions online and have the drugs delivered at home or collected by themselves. This online service increases access to health services and broader tendencies toward convenience and remote service provision.

Another key aspect that supports Emrosu is the presence of a central warehouse and a distribution capability that allows the company to manage stock effectively and supply the rest of the country.

BPE has its primary customers in the local community members who believe in personal interaction, trust and continuity of care. These clients can be older patients, families and individuals with long-term health conditions that prefer physical contact with the pharmacy employees regularly. On the contrary, Emrosu has an even wider and more varied client base because of its online services and national coverage. Its consumers are convenience-seeking, speed and digitally accessible working professionals or limited-mobility individuals.

Question 4: Review the range of technology that could be available to the people professionals working at BPE and Emrosu, and how these could be utilised to improve working practices and collaboration after the acquisition. (AC 1.4)

Answer:

Since the acquisition, individual professionals in BPE and Emrosu will have an opportunity to utilise various digital technologies to enhance efficiency, consistency and cooperation within the expanded organisation. Among the major technologies is a Human Resource Information System (HRIS), which would enable the company to keep the information about employees (contracts, pay, absence and performance records) in one place. In the case of BPE, whose current structure is small and informal, an HRIS would help with adherence to employment laws and proper people management, and uniformity of all 100 stores. It would also lessen the workforce in administration and enhance the accuracy of data.
Digital communication and collaboration platforms, like Microsoft Teams or other platforms, are another valuable technology. These solutions may facilitate instant communication, teleconferencing and document sharing across stores, head office operations and warehouse departments.

This is especially significant considering that the operations of Emrosu are geographically dispersed. Proper utilisation of collaboration tools would assist in breaking down silos, knowledge sharing and ensuring that managers and employees feel a part of the acquisition process and after.

E-learning and learning management system (LMS) could also be used by people professionals to provide uniform training within the organisation. It would help onboarding Emrosu employees, solidify the values of BPE, and make sure that all employees comply with the regulations and professional standards. Online training is flexible and offers the ability to complete training, including data protection or clinical governance, and track these.

Question 5: Define what is meant by ‘organisational culture’ and why it will be important to foster an appropriate and effective workplace culture in BPE after the acquisition. (AC 2.1)

Answer:

The organisational culture describes the collective values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours that define the way of doing work in an organisation. It determines the way employees relate to one another, how decisions are taken and the organisational reaction to customers and change. Culture has been defined as the way things are done around here, and it is manifested in leadership style, communication, policies and other day-to-day working practices.

With BPE, the culture that is in place now has been developed under the leadership of Shiva, who emphasised hands-on leadership and personal service as well as trust and community relationships. This has led to a culture of family-finess whereby the employees are very close to the business and its customers. Emrosu, on the other hand, has a more conventional hierarchical structure, which is facilitated by formal systems and head office functions. After the acquisition, the threat of the culture clash exists when these two dissimilar approaches towards working are not well-balanced.

The importance of the acquisition is the promotion of the right and efficient workplace culture, which would guarantee employee engagement, retention, and service quality. It can result in less motivation in the employees who are confused or feel unconnected to organisational change, and this may adversely affect the customer care in a tightly controlled healthcare setting. The positive culture will be articulated and positive, and the employees will know what to expect, thereby contributing to the maintenance of the high standards of service and ethical and professional practice.

Moreover, the high level of shared culture will facilitate cross-store, head office and digital team collaboration that will enable the organisation to operate as a single business. Through the active management of culture, BPE will be able to maintain its fundamental values and adjust to the size and intricacy of a national organisation.

Question 6: Explain how organisations function as whole systems and how the work and actions of the people professionals at BPE, after the acquisition, could impact the organisation. (AC 2.2)

Answer: 
Organisations represent entire systems that consist of inter-relationships of elements such as people, processes, structure, technology and culture. All of the system parts affect and rely on each other, which implies that any changes in a particular aspect can directly or indirectly affect the overall organisational performance. The perception of an organisation as a system makes leaders realise that they cannot make decisions in isolation without taking into consideration the broad implications.

BPE will be a much more complicated system after the acquisition of Emrosu. The role of people professionals will be important in ensuring that the various components of the organisation collaborate. In a case, recruitment decision, reward or performance management will affect employee behaviour, service delivery and customer experience at all stores. When people's policies are not consistent or communicated in a bad manner, it may confuse, decrease engagement and lead to inefficiencies.

The organisational culture and compliance will also be affected by the behaviour of people professionals. HR can assist in aligning the behaviour of employees to the organisational values and to regulatory needs by formulating equitable policies, supporting the managers and providing training on a regular basis. This is more so in the case of a pharmacy, where incorrect actions can be life-threatening to a patient.
Also, people professionals also impact the process of managing change.

The morale, retention and productivity will be influenced by clear communication, consultation and employee support during the integration. The successful practices can hence make positive impacts on the whole system, whereas the poor decisions may cause havoc. In general, the contribution of people professionals to the work of BPE will be critical to making the organisation work effectively and collectively as a single entity following the acquisition.

Question 7: Explain the main reasons why it is important that any changes made following the acquisition are planned and effectively managed. (AC 3.1)

ANSWER:

BPE will undergo immense size, structure and ways of work changes after the acquisition of Emrosu. These changes should be well-managed and properly planned to minimise the disruption and enable a business to proceed smoothly and effectively. A pharmacy would be a good example of a hospital where poor change management would result in errors, compromised quality of services or risk of compliance, which would erode customer trust.

Lessening uncertainty and anxiety among the employees is one of the reasons why change should be planned. The fear of job security, new jobs and new working habits is another inevitable result of acquisitions. Without informing the employees or letting them understand, the morale might decline, and there will be more opposition to change. Effective planning and communication enable the employees to know what is going on, why changes are necessary and how they will be assisted during the transition.

The other reason is of maintaining consistency and performance. BPE and Emrosu are now functioning differently in terms of structure, system, and operation. Changes might be done without a strategic plan, and all stores might not be introduced to changes in a coherent manner, which will make the whole process confusing and inefficient. Change management assists in making sure that the introduction of new processes, policies and behaviours is done in an organised and uniform manner.

Lastly, change planning assists BPE in saving its reputation and values. Shiva has developed her business through personal service and trust. Proper change management will enable the organisation to expand, but at the same time, the standards of care offered, employee engagement and customer satisfaction will remain high.

Question 8: Consider the importance and role that the people professionals in BPE and Emrosu could play during the changes. (AC 3.2)

Answer:

People professionals will be instrumental in assisting the business and the employees during the transformations after the acquisition. Their participation is significant since acquisitions usually lead to uncertainty, and employees seek the assurance, clarity and equity through change.
Clear communication is one of the major roles of people professionals. They can aid in clarifying the changes which are taking place, why and how they are required to be implemented and how the employees will be impacted. Through close cooperation with senior leaders, people professionals have a chance to make sure that messages are consistent and honest, which will reduce rumours and anxiety. This is especially critical in the process of merging two organisations that differ in terms of their cultures and operational methods, like the family-style culture of BPE and the more formal structure of Emrosu.

People professionals are also significant in helping managers. Most of the line managers might be inexperienced in dealing with large-scale change. HR can offer advice, training, and resources to enable managers in dealing with challenging discussions, team wellbeing and resistance to change management. This assistance is useful in making sure that there is fair and constant implementation of changes throughout the organisation.

The other major duty is to maintain legal and ethical compliance, especially in employment and TUPE. Employee rights are also safeguarded by people professionals, not to mention that they assist in meeting the needs of businesses, which eliminates the risk of lawsuits or loss of trust.

Question 9: Discuss how the changes could impact people working at BPE and Emrosu. (AC 3.3)

Answer:

The new developments after the acquisition will most probably affect the staff of both BPE and Emrosu. Uncertainty and anxiety can be considered one of the most immediate effects. Employees can be concerned about their jobs, role modification, new managers or alternative working styles. This is especially applicable to the staff of BPE, which is accustomed to a small and tight organisation, and might be disoriented by the change to a large national structure.

Other effects might be the alterations of roles and responsibilities. Since systems and processes will be aligned, it will require some employees to assume new responsibilities, adopt new technology or work under the various reporting lines. Though this might be difficult initially, it can also lead to career advancement, particularly among the employees of Emrosu who might be exposed to the values and customer-oriented culture of BPE.

There is also the possibility that the workplace culture and relations would be influenced by the acquisition. The informal, family-style culture of BPE and the more hierarchical structure of Emrosu are likely to cause confusion or conflict, unless addressed with care. The employees will not easily adjust to new expectations, new ways of leadership or performance standards. Nevertheless, a hybrid culture may enhance cooperation and interaction if it is handled effectively.

Lastly, reforms can have an effect on workload and well-being. Transitional times are the times when employees tend to be more pressured as they embrace new systems and processes. In the absence of proper support, this may result in stress or lack of morale. All in all, the management of these changes will have a significant impact on whether the employees will feel valued and supported or disengaged and resistant.

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