Business Paper Writing | Custom PHD Thesis

1.1 MODULE AIMS:

The module aims to equip students with theories and critical thinking in strategic management and strategic change as well asto develop the

academic and professional skills necessary to make judgements and proposals for present and future personal development andvalue creation in

contemporary business. Areas covered in the module includethe theoretical background to strategic analysis, developing corporate strategy,

global strategic management, changemanagement, and systems thinking. The module will also equip students to reflect on their career positioning

and introduce the students to strategies and skills to enhance this for their future. The required readings in this module expose students to a

broad range of strategic and change management issues and research insights, providing a foundation for their on-going journey through their

strategic thinking and personal value creation management skills.

1,2 MODULE LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of this module, you should be able to:
L1. Understand and demonstrate how to operationalise and synthesise a range of theoretical and conceptual approaches pertaining to strategy and

strategic change to build professional credibility.
L2. Using a systematic approach, critically reflect on how a theoretical knowledge of strategic and management approaches can be used in a

career context.
L3. Critically appraise, evaluate and summarise the literature pertinent to their chosen programme of study.
L4. Identify areas of professional self-development within their area of professional practice. Prepare and develop a self-reflective report on

what they learned from the module and how they intend to develop their strategic management skills to apply themselves in business, taking

cognisance of ethical considerations.
L5. Learn to understand and apply principles of Action Research and thematic analysis in ‘everyday’ life.

1.3 TEACHING METHODS:

The module will be taught primarily in a workshop format, combining formal lectures with seminars. A variety of participative teaching methods

will be used to enable students to develop their knowledge and understanding of strategic thinking and changemanagement.It is expected that

students will participate fully during classes and contribute towards class discussion and debate.
1.4 ASSESSMENT:
1.4.1 BRIEF
There will be two written reports, one of which will be assessed. The assessed part consists of an individual written report of 4500 words

critically analysing (applying the theory of the module) a real life industry scenario in which strategy is put into action. It may relate to a

management or leadership dilemma or a crisis (e.g an overall problem in an organisation experiencing low profitability, loss of market share,

lack of innovation, sustainability or ethical problems causing poor organisation image, loss of competitive strength or poor leadership etc).

The report must be theorised and ideally include evidence from other modules within the DBA (e.g. leadership, strategy, values, and operational

contexts for organisations within the business and management field)

This report accounts for 100% obtainable marks for this module.
You should note that to pass this module, you must obtain at least 50% overall

Deadlines for submission will be announced by your Module coordinator in accordance with your cohort

Word count: 4,500 words.
The usual 10% plus or minus rule applies to assignments

The other part, which will not be assessed, is an updated personal portfolio with a reflective report (1000 words) on how they have used

strategic thinking learned from the module to develop their understanding.

(An alternative assessment is available in extenuating circumstances where a student is not yet in a management position and this will entail

critically analysing a scenario from a published source).

Your assignments must be submitted via turnitin no later than the dates and times specified, unless an extension has been obtained from the

module coordinator in advance of the submission date. Extensions will only be given for reason of illness. In all cases a medical

certificate/letter signed by a doctor must be submitted. Marks will be deducted for late submission of work without permission, according to the

University regulations. Please plan your work carefully.
1.4.2 Details of assignments
The assignments require you to consider all aspects (strategy process, organizational culture and strategic change) of the module. It is

advisable to work in groups for the purpose of gathering materials and academic brainstorming. You will however, write and submit two individual

assignments. You must be aware that plagiarism is academic misconduct and is therefore not allowed.
1. Your coursework assignment will be combining Academic with a Consultancy Report style. This has been designed to help you to demonstrate

your understanding of the topics you have covered in this module and its application to practice.
You will select a real life industry scenario you are familiar with and in which strategy is put into action. You will examine a management or

leadership dilemma or a crisis (e.g an overall problem in an organisation experiencing low profitability, loss of market share, lack of

innovation, sustainability or ethical problems causing poor organisation image, loss of competitive strength or poor leadership etc).
Your selection might be a previous employer or current employer. However, you may, if you wish, do your own research and select some other

appropriate organization as long as you are satisfied that it underwent a cultural/strategic change process. This means that you are free to use

secondary data and literature to select a well-known case example of an organization that undertook a process of strategic change.
– You will research and write a critically evaluated consultancy report for your organization of choice. Your report will be based on

astrategic/cultural change management scenario that occurred in the organization. You may seek the advice of your lecturer on your choice.
– Your report will identify and articulate a progressive/strategic resolution to the problem posed by the scenario, based on theoretical

models and evidence based research. You are expected to combine both theoretical and practical perspectives of your module in this consultancy

report.
The following might help you to structure your assignment:
1. Identify an appropriate organisation
2. Highlight the key strategic/cultural issues in the organisation
3. Identify the rationale behind the initiation of the change process.
4. Outline the key stages involved in the change process.
5. What challenges, if any, threatened to derail the change process?
6. What Theoretical/Strategic model/models are the most appropriate to apply
7. What was the end result? Successful cultural change or otherwise?
Additional things you may wish to consider could include the extent of your own role, if relevant, in the cultural/strategic change process and

how leaders managed the whole process.
Word count: 4,500 words

Part two, not assessed, but obligatory and must be submitted with part one.This is an updated personal portfolio with a reflective report (1000

words) on how they have used strategic thinking learned from the module to develop their understanding.

Word Count: 1000 words

1.4.3(a)Submission Deadline: Teaching Week 12 of your cohort (This might be flexible according to circumstances). This will be indicated on your

weekly lecture schedule. It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit your assignment to meet the deadline dates.
You are expected to build up your coursework as your semester progresses. Please do not keep your work to the tail end of the lecture block.

1.4.3(b) TURNITIN HANDLE: The University requirement is that your coursework must be submitted on-line via the Moodle turnitin. The submission

handle for your cohort will be set up for you anytime before the deadline week. Please ensure that you do not delay your work until the turnitin

handle is set. We advise that you start to work on your assignment well ahead of your submission deadline.

1.4.3 (C) PLEASE NOTE: It is your responsibility as a student at this Doctoral level to ensure you adopt the appropriate academic writing

standard in your coursework. Poor presentation (i.e. sentence construction, spelling, punctuation and grammar as well as inappropriate citations

and referencing styles), and other poor writing practices may attract a deduction of 10% from your marks. You are therefore expected to present

your work to meet the high standard of writing at the doctoral level.

1.4.3 (d) Plagiarism:This is a serious academic misconduct and the University of the West of Scotland takes it very seriously. Any issue of

plagiarism will be picked up and forwarded to the plagiarism panel.You are therefore advised to avoid committing this act by ensuring that you

do not engage in any form of plagiarism.

1.5 Assessment criteria
Report will be assessed according to the following criteria

Gr. Knowledge:understanding of theories, and analytical methods applied appropriately. Adequate/appropriate citations and referencing

Academic discourse:Structured, sequential and logical argument, supported by rationale and evidence.
Critical evaluation:analysis, evaluation and development of creative insights. Communication
Organisation, grammar, spelling,

A+

Excellent understanding of theory throughout. Good use made of theory & models to evaluate.

Content is adequately and appropriately referenced throughout. Identify key issues clearly with logical argument and points of view systematic

and fully supported. Assessment questions/brief fully addressed. Demonstrates ability to apply concepts & principles to the assessment

brief. Good use models to evaluate the issues identified. Ability to synthesise the arguments presented. Spelling is accurate and

standard conventions of punctuation & grammar are adopted.

Demonstrates sound basic knowledge & understanding of theory and strategic models/tools.
Content is generally referenced throughout. Solution responds to the assessment questions/brief. Use of supporting evidence, illustration &

argument is relevant but not necessarily sufficient. Ability to apply theory to tackling the assessment brief. Satisfactory use made of

theory and models to evaluate issues identified. Spelling is generally accurate. Standard conventions of punctuation & grammar are

usually followed.
C

Exhibits adequate basic understanding of theory and strategic tools.
Content is generally referenced although not always. A point of view is presented, but is sometimes confusing. Attempts to include

supporting evidence, illustrations or argument are made. Attempts to apply relevant theories and ideas. A reasonable understanding of

theory is demonstrated. Although evaluation is limited. Generally able to spell commonly used words & usually follows standard

conventions of punctuation & grammar.
Fail

Apparent knowledge & understanding of relevant theory and use of strategic tools is limited.
Content is lacking in references. Little evidence of knowing the relevant theory and lacks application of strategic tools.
Lacks referencing. Argument does not progress smoothly. Main points and supporting material are not clearly distinguished from each other.

Ideas or facts presented apparent relation have little to each other or to the assessment brief An attempt is made to address the assessment

brief but little satisfactory analysis or evaluation. Theories are not adequately understood or applied to the assessment brief. Little

ability to spell commonly used words & standard conventions of punctuation & grammar. Poor spelling, punctuation and use of grammar

Grades/Marks indicator
Grades A
70% + above B
60 – 69 % C
50 – 59% Fail
0 – 49% Overall Grade and Mark
Marks 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd Agreed marks

1.6 MODULE REVIEW:

Various opportunities are given for student feedback on the module. If you have any problems then please raise them, in the first instance, with

the module coordinator. A module review questionnaire will be circulated before the end of the course.

1.7 MODULE READING:

In addition to the core texts, this module booklet provides additional required readings, students are therefore strongly advised to consult the

reading lists for each lecture.

The module will cover a series of topics related to strategic thinking, organisation culture, change management and value management, with the

aim of ensuring that the learning outcomes for the module are met.

Each week, a specific topic will be covered in class. Classes will be in the form of workshops combining formal lectures with seminars. Details

of workshop tasks will be provided on a week-by-week basis in class and via Moodle.

2.1 DBA Strategy into Action Module
Indicative Weekly Schedule

Programme: Doctor of Business Administration
Module: Strategy into Action (SIA)
Module Co-ordinator: Dr Adebisi Adewole (PhD)
Indicative Module Contents

Weekly Topics Theme Contents Sources /Bibliography
Week 1 Induction Registration and Enrolment etc School Administration
Week 2

Topic 1

Module Orientation and Introduction

Introduction to Strategy into Action

Exploration of module booklet explaining requirements; contents, assignments and expectations etc

Strategic Management: Context, content and processes;
Strategy and the Business Landscape

SIA Module Booklet (Students to ensure they are familiar with their booklet)

Richard Lynch (2015) Strategic Management; Ch 1

Ghemawat Pankat Ch 1,2 &3.
Week 3

Topic 2

Theories of Strategy

Prescriptive Vs Emergent Theories of Strategy

Richard Lynch, (2015) Strategic Management; Ch 2
Week 4

Topic 3

Organisational DNA: Strategic Analysis and Purpose ; Analysing the strategic environment

The Strategic Environment;
The Competitive industry environment – Analysing customer and market segments;
Market growth ;
Role of Govern

Richard Lynch (2015) Strategic Management; Ch 3
Richard Lynch (2015) Strategic Management; Chs 8,9 10, 11 and 12 .

Week 5

Topic 4

Analysing Resources and Capabilities

The Value Chain and Value system; Resource analysis and adding value; the make-or-buy-decision.

Richard Lynch (2015) Strategic Management; Ch 4
Week 6

Topic 5

Models of Strategic Change and Strategic Management Tools

Application of models

Lecture

Workshop: Application of models

Week 7

Topic 6

Implementing and Controlling strategic Plan

Role of Technology and Innovation

The Balanced Score Card (Kaplan and Norton)
Communicating the Strategy

Knowledge Creation and Competitive advantage

Richard Lynch (2015) Strategic Management; Ch 13

Richard Lynch (2015) Strategic Management; Ch 7
Week 8

Topic 7

Organisational Culture

Cultural influence

OD approach to Strategic Change

Schein – Organisational Culture
Hofstede – National Culture
Deal and Kennedy – Organisational Culture

Influence of culture on strategy Development

Planned change process
Open systems thinking
Entering and contracting
Diagnosis
Interventions
Evaluation

Lecture

Workshop
Application of models
Working on assignment preparation

Johnson G, Whittington R, & Scholes K (2012) Fundamentals of Strategy; Ch 4

Cummings T.G & Worley C.G (2015) Organisation Development and Change; Part 1 Ch 2 and Part 2 Chps 4-9.

Workshop: Application of models

Week 9

Topic 8 Managing Strategic Change

Student-led

Student-led workshop

Week 10

Topic 9

Managing Recipients of Strategic Change and Influencing Internal Stakeholders

Application of models

Lecture
Causey T.F Deszca G & Ingols C (2012) Organisational Change; Ch 7

Workshop: Application of models

Week 11

Topic 10

Navigating Strategic Change through Formal Structures and Systems AND the Informal Organisation

Application of models

Lecture
Causey T.F Deszca G & Ingols C (2012; Ch 5

Workshop: Application of models.

Working on assignment preparation

Discuss First draft of courseworkreport
Week 12

Topic 11

Implementing and Action Planning in Strategic Change

Application of models

Lecture
Causey T.F Deszca G &Ingols C (2012; Ch 9

Workshop: Application of models

Week 13

Topic 12

Students to submit a reflection report with assignment during this week

Students are expected to submit a reflective report with their coursework at the end of this week

Coursework assignment.

Turnitin submission deadline.

Week 14 Module evaluation and reflection Interactive session
Assessment
Week 15 Drop- sessions Interactive
Assessment

Bibliography
Lynch Richard (2015) Strategic Management; Pearson, UK
Cawsey T F , Deszca G and Ingols C ( 2012), Organisational Change: An Action Oriented Toolkit; Sage, UK
Cummings T G, and Worley C G (2015) Organisation Development and Change, Cengage Learning, UK
Knights D and Willmott H (2017) (Ed), Introducing Organisational Behaviour and Management; Cengage Learning, UK
Martin J and Fellenz M (2017), Organisational Behaviour and Management, Cengage
Johnson G, Whittington R, & Scholes K (2012) Fundamentals of Strategy; Prentice Hall
Ghemawat Pankaj ( 2010) Strategy and the Business Landscape, Pearson Publishers

2.2 Additional information

This is a Doctor of Business Administration module. Students at this level of university study are expected to be capable of independent

learning. Your module tutors will deliver the weekly lecture schedule and take you through the workshops. You are however expected to be aware

that you are responsible for your learning.
Your module Coordinator and your module tutors will deliver quality of service and teaching to you and they will be prepared to assist in case

you run into difficulties. You must however understand that you will not be treated as undergraduates who are just experiencing university

education for the first time in their life. Professional Doctorate is one of the topmost level of academic attainment and requires you to behave

maturely and study diligently with minimum supervision.

In addition to your module delivery booklet, you are given access to the Doctor of Business Administration Programme Handbook where you will

find detailed information relating to problems you are likely to encounter. You are advised to read your Programme Handbook thoroughly and

understandably. Your Handbook is available on your DBA Moodle on the University webpage.

Here are some useful hints:
2.2.1 Extenuation: How to apply for extenuating circumstances: NOTE your lecturer or your module coordinator cannot authorise this for you, it

will be a waste of time sending endless emails to them requesting an extenuation. What you need to do is to consult your DBA Programme Handbook

where the details of the procedure for extenuation are explained. Basically you will need to go on to the appropriate university website,

download the appropriate forms, complete the forms and send off to the appropriate university team who will process your form for assessment. It

is however expected of you to inform both your module coordinator and your module tutor what you may have done.

2.2.2 Short extension: this facility is available for a few days extension. Should you need a few extra days to complete your assignment, your

module coordinator is the appropriate personnel to contact. You will make your request to your module coordinator with credible evidence (e.g

Medical) to support your claim. Your Module coordinator will assess your situation and decide whether or not to grant you an extension.
Note that extensions without credible evidence will normally carry a penalty of 10% markdeduction from the total mark you may have been awarded

in the module.

2.3 Technical problems relating to enrolment, inclusion on turnitin or other IT problems must be directed to ITDS ( you will find ITDS contact

details in your DBA handbook). They are in the best position to resolve your technical problems. Your module lecturer or module coordinator does

not have the technical expertise to resolve IT problems for you.

2.4 Assignment submission and results: if you have submitted an assignment and you have not received your result whilst your colleagues had

already received theirs, your module coordinator will be able to provide you with information. So contact your module coordinator

2.5 Personal Tutor: if you have a personal academic tutor, he/she will be happy to listen to you if you have personal problems bothering you

which may affect your performance. Personal tutors will be able to direct you to the appropriate university department who can help you.