Thinking about the BMG158 assignment

Arthur McKeown

The first assignment on this programme may be a challenge to
different people in different ways for several reasons: 

·               
Some people will be returning to academic work
for the first time in a number of years

·               
Others may have studied recently but in subject
areas that are very different from business and management

·               
And there may be some who develop a mental block
when it comes to putting pen to paper.

Remember: this is all about processes and ‘how we do
things in our organisation’ – and how you can do things better.

The following thoughts are intended to help you get to grips
with the requirements:

·               
Spend a few minutes, at least, looking again at
the material that provided a basis for activities and discussion at the
workshop.

·               
Look again at the requirements that appear on
page 2 (at the bottom), plus the assignment guidance provided on page 30.

·               
You should be able to compose a short response
to the first part of the assignment, to describe the organisation, its
activities and your role in it; this should get you going.

·               
In the next part you have an opportunity to
identify some important factors that are significant for your particular
organisation. You may find it helpful to think about a few important changes that have occurred in the last
few years and see if you can identify how they are likely to change again in
the next few years. Other people in your organisation can help: talk to some of
your colleagues who can give you an opportunity to discuss and apply some of
the principles and how they can be used or related to the needs of your
organisation.

·               
In the next section you need to think about ONE of these:

o      What
is good in how your organisation recruits, selects and inducts paid workers or
volunteers, and how this could be improved

o      Motivates
and reward staff, and how this could be improved

o      Provides
training  for staff, and how this could
be improved

o      Provides
development for staff, and how this could be improved.

What you provide here should be
real-world and realistic in the context of your own organisation. It is in this
section of the assignment that you have an opportunity to make references to
some of the academic reading; for example, think about how you can demonstrate
your knowledge of gurus such as Belbin, Tuckman, Fayol, Mintzberg, Maslow. You
are not expected to mention all of these; choose the ones that are most useful
or relevant. Use tables, charts or diagrams where you can.

·               
At the end of the assignment write a few
sentences about what you have gained from the process of creating this piece of
academic work: things you know more about, people you have been able to
contact, benefits that you have been able to identify that will make your
organisation more effective or successful.

·               
You should now have a first draft of the
assignment. You need to proofread and check it, so that there are no spelling
mistakes or places where the meaning is on unclear to another reader. A
colleague in your organisation or a family member could read it for you and
make sure that what you have written is clearly and appropriately expressed.

Finally: remember that you can contact me if there are any
problems or ways in which I can provide further support and guidance. 

Arthur McKeown  ae.mckeown@ulster.ac.uk

Blog Attachment: 

CLP First assignment newsletter.doc