Alternatively, what you have experienced as a public service user may influence the change you want to propose. This coursework requires you to write in the third person (e.g., ‘it is suggested that’) and NOT in the first person (e.g. do not write ‘I’).

Method of Submission: Through Turnitin on Moodle

The coursework has the intention to assess the following Learning outcomes:

3. Appraise theories of effective leadership and evaluate the application of leadership approaches within a professional practice
4. Critically analyse the structure, culture and processes of introducing change in organisations
5. Evaluate the impact of government policy on the effectiveness of public service delivery
6. Critically discuss the importance of introducing change for quality improvement and making impact public service performance

Guidance for doing the coursework

The coursework has the intention to relate you closely to the reality of contemporary public service management. This gives you the opportunity to demonstrate the application of leadership principles and theories and change to real events.

A case study from your own experience

Either way, your Proposal for the Change draws from your own experience.

When writing the proposal, it is therefore helpful to consider a situation or problem that you would like to change.  This could be one in which you are playing (or have played) a part, or one in which you were (or have been) simply an observer. Alternatively, you could consider an issue that is likely to arise in the future as the focus for the Change proposal.

Situations suitable for analysis and change would be:

• Any problem you think needs resolving if it is not being properly handled
• A management decision that does not seem to have achieved the intended objective or involved full consideration of broader organisational factors.
• A change in work practices not yet adequately planned.
• The implementation of measures arising from government reforms.
• An occurrence that you have experienced as a user of a public service;

Those of you who do not have a workplace in which to base the proposal will consider an event or situation that you have experienced – a less than optimal experience that you would like to prevent happening again. If you have not had a specific personal experience, you could consider a change based on the experience of a friend or relative went through. A good proposal would clarify about what happened, before analysing the situation and proposing a change(s) that you think would stop the situation happening again.

Structure of the Proposal for Change

In order to address the coursework’s learning outcomes, the proposal should incorporate specific leadership and management theories and principles covered in the module. You are required to present the analysis in the form of a management report using the following subheadings.

Title of the Change Proposal – clearly identifies the topic and issue for changing

Executive Summary

Your report should have a summary of not exceeding 350 words (included in the word count).  The summary should give a brief outline of the main issues and the action points.  It should be able to ‘stand-alone’ for presentation to management at the organisation where the incident occurred. While you written this part last, it still presented at the front of the proposal.

1. Introduction: It should outline the issue and signal the reader to the main areas for discussion in proposal.
   • Background
     • Analysis of the change: It gives the background information about the topic of the change including analysis of the change needed. Using literature, clarify the theories, principles and developments surrounding the topic and the service of interest to your proposal – what it is about, how is it understood, what does it involve, and definitions of the key terms (all backed with literature).
     • Statement of the problem: It helps to provide a paragraph of no more than five short sentences clearly stating the problem driving your proposed Change immediately following your analysis of the change terrain (Background).
     • Aim of the Change: Having stated the problem, clarify what the aim of your proposal for change is. This should be a paragraph of no more than two short sentences. Remember, the AIM is not the same thing as the OBJECTIVE.
     • Objectives: Immediately following the aim, give specific indications of what you want to do in order to achieve the aim. It is advisable to have a minimum of THREE and a maximum of FOUR objectives that are SMART
     • Rationale: It is important for you to give a justification of why you want to undertake the Change. This may include the relevance of your change Objectives to achieve improvement in delivery or management of the concerned service.

• Implementation Method: This section of the proposal explains HOW you are going to do the proposed change following its analysis (subsection 1.2.1 through to 1.2.5). The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, for example is a helpful approach for consideration in implementing the proposed change. You are required to present a clear Action Plan with timelines.

• Evaluation Strategy: This section identifies and explains how you will know whether the change is a success or not. Clarify the evaluation question(s) that needed to be utilised and the measures to put in place in order to monitor progress with the change – i.e. state what you want to see that is different from your past experience and using the PDSA cycle may be helpful here.
• Conclusion: The conclusion should draw together the report, and include a reflection on any lessons you have learnt from the analysis.

Remember to show a logical structure, clear use of English and accurate referencing in this assignment.

Presentation of the coursework

You should appropriately reference the Proposal for Change using the Harvard Referencing style. You will get further guidance in the course of delivering the module.

• It must double spaced and written using an appropriate Font.

• Text aligned to both the Left & Right

• The word count does not include References. Keep within plus/minus 10% word count as exceeding this may incur penalty – 10% of the achieved mark deducted – even if it takes you below the threshold.

Marking criteria

The Proposal for Change (Coursework 2) will be also marked against the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Assessment Marking criteria for Undergraduate courses attached to these Guides.  

Getting Feedback on assessments

This module is organised on the promise that students get feedback on their assessments within two weeks after the date of submission. Generic and Individual feedback will be provided as   previously  explained .

What the final product will look Like:

• Introduction and background
  • Introduction
  • Background / Literature review (present situation)
    • Statement of the problem (problem  / opportunities)
    • Aims & Objectives

     1.2.2.1   Aims of the proposal

     1.2.2.2     Objectives. (means of the outcome)

• Rationale (Justification) for the proposal

• Options (possibilities for solving the problem or exploiting the opportunity)
• Proposed change (Proposition)
  • Description
  • Implementation

3.2    Advantage & Disadvantages

3.3    Expected and possible outcomes

4       Conclusion and budget summary

5       References