module specification

This module introduces students to strategic planning and change management in the public service and to how these relate to leadership in decision making in public sector and non for profit organisations. It requires students to focus on the strategy making process in an organisation of their choice.
The module overviews the design, formulation and implementation stages of organisational strategies and assesses the role of political and administrative leaders in the process of innovation and change.
The module places great emphasis on the strategic management analysis of public organisations. Key tools will be presented and applied on a series of case studies that will inform the teaching and learning process. These include:
• SWOT and PEST analysis
• Scenario Planning
• Brainstorming
• Cost-Benefit analysis
• Stakeholders analysis

An introduction to concepts of strategy, policy, leadership, innovation and change management is followed by an analysis of contexts, core values, problem identification, options analysis, models of decision-making, and implementation. Strategies, leadership and management of change are a key focus. The evaluation of the success of strategic decisions and an appraisal of ethical issues are also considered.

This module aims to introduce you to the concepts of public services strategy and change management and to develop your understanding of the role of leadership in the strategy process in the public sector context. You will also develop core skills linked to the strategy and decision-making process in the public and non-profit sectors.

The modules learning objectives are:

 to introduce the concepts of strategy and change management
 to promote awareness of current developments in strategy and policy making in the health and social care sector
 to demonstrate their importance in the local contexts that students have experience of
 to critically explore the importance of leadership in successful strategic planning and in managing change in organisations.

 Strategic Management and the Public Sector [LO1]
 Leading strategy and change in organisations [LO5]
 Organisational research [LO1; LO2; LO3; LO4, LO5]
 Positioning and re-positioning the organisation [LO1; LO2]
 Strategic Analysis Tools [LO1; LO2; LO5]
 Problem Identification and Option Analysis [LO1; LO2; LO5]
 Strategic formulation and the role of engagement and evidence [LO3; LO4, LO5]
 Strategic implementation in local contexts [LO3; LO4, LO5]
 Change Management Models [LO3; LO4, LO5]
 Evaluation, Monitoring and Review [LO1; LO2; LO3; LO4, LO5]

Students will have the opportunity to engage with a variety of learning activities that will be supported by a blended learning approach throughout the module. The main teaching and information delivery will take the form of weekly 1-hour lectures that will be recorded and made available to students. Additionally, the lectures will be complemented by online learning materials in the form of podcasts and additional reading. Following the lectures, students will have the opportunity to engage in weekly 2-hour interactive workshops (after the lecture) that promote small group work: simulations, hands on exercises, directed group research, in class presentations and discussions. These in class learning activities will be followed up by online activities via an online discussion forum that will be open from week 4. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to meet practitioners in the field via one guest lecture session. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their personal and academic development, on the relevance of the module to their practice and on how they might be able to transfer some of the learning into practice. The summative assessment offers students an opportunity to engage in real world strategic analysis as well as in reflective learning.

By the end of the module, you should be able to:

1. Apply differing concepts of strategy to the management of public services and non-for profit contexts demonstrating systematic understanding and critical awareness of strategic issues faced by public sector organisations [LO1]

2. Critically evaluate strategic management techniques in local public service contexts  [LO2]

3. Apply strategic management tools and models in the process of change management demonstrating systematic understanding and creative approach to change management [LO3]

4. Critically evaluate the significance of change in and for public service organizations and plan change strategies [LO4]

5. Demonstrate systematic understanding of the importance of leadership in the strategic planning process and in managing change in organisations [LO5]

Summative Assignment: STRATEGY REPORT - Change management (100%)

This assignment requires you to identify a strategic change in a public sector or non-for- profit organization (you can relate this to a strategic transformation process) and preform a strategic analysis that will support a implementation plan. 

Your response will be in the form of a professional strategy report, that includes a 500 words self-reflection section at the end exploring your personal academic development in terms of transferable knowledge and skills gained.

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Format: Report
Word length: 4,500 - 5,000 words

The summative assessment simulates a complex workplace task that invites students not only to engage in organizational research (understanding the organizational strategic context and the need for change – LO1; LO4), but also in real life strategic analysis, critical evaluation of strategic tools and application of change management models (LO2, LO3; LO5). The self-reflection requirement (500 words) encourages students to reflect and engage in reflective learning.

Formative Assessment: External and Internal Strategic Analysis exercise
On week 6 students will present individual work on organizational environmental appraisal and on planning the rest of the report.

The formative assessment take a discursive approach and support students in planning and critically engaging with the assessment and the learning materials provided.

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