Assessment questions
There is considerable evidence that management and leadership capability are paramount to organisational performance. Considering the social, economic and digital upheaval that we have all to some extent experienced over the last few years, the Learning and Skills at Work Survey 2021 concludes that if learning is to positively impact business performance, it must get much closer to the business. As such, the L&D strategy should be aligned with the business priorities and be clear about the way learning adds value to the organisation. The survey reports that the need for learning and development is greater than ever putting the L&D professional in the spotlight. CIPD (2021).
In view of this you recognise the need to review the development of managers and leaders, updating your knowledge in this area, as a way of contributing to your organisation’s success. To demonstrate this capability, you are required to answer the following questions, fully justifying all points and recommendations made.
Question 1 (AC 1.2 & 1.3)
Critically analyse with two different organisational examples, to what extent the structure and culture of an organisation can impact the role of managers and leaders and how this can influence their learning and development needs.
Question 2 (AC 2.2 & 2.3)
Critically evaluate informal as opposed to formal learning interventions, that can be used to develop managers and leaders, recommending one formal and one informal technique that could be used to develop specific managerial and leadership competencies within your organisation or one with which you are familiar.
Question 3 (AC 3.2 & 3.3)
Critically evaluate two evaluation models that could be used to measure the impact of leadership and management development within your organisation, or one with which you are familiar, considering the challenges associated with impact measurement.
Question 4 (AC 4.3 & 4.4)
Critically analyse what additional competencies are required for managers working internationally, discussing the challenges that might arise when delivering leadership and management development across cultural and geographical boundaries.
Marking Grid
Learners will receive a Pass, Merit, Distinction or Refer/Fail result at unit level.
Assessors must provide a mark from 1 to 4 for each Learning Outcome in the unit. Assessors should use the generic grade descriptor grid as guidance so they can provide comprehensive feedback that is developmental for learners. Please be aware that not all of the generic grade descriptors will be present in every learning outcome for all the assignments, so assessors must use their discretion in making grading decisions.
To pass the unit assessment learners must achieve a 2 (Pass) or above for each of the learning outcomes.
The overall mark achieved will dictate the Grade the learner receives for the Unit, provided NONE of the learning outcomes have been failed or referred. A detailed marking grid will be released once the 4 questions are published.
Overall mark
Unit result
0 to 7
Refer / Fail
8 or 9
Pass
10 to 13
Merit
14 to 16
Distinction
Generic grade descriptors
REFER/FAIL / 1
PASS / 2
MERIT / 3
DISTINCTION / 4
Focus
Fails to address all the questions either sufficiently fully or directly.
An adequate attempt to address all the questions fully and directly.
A good attempt to address all the questions relatively well and directly.
An excellent attempt to address all the questions very well and directly.
Depth & breadth of understanding
Inadequate knowledge and understanding in respect of one or more of the questions. Limited depth and breadth of analysis.
Adequate knowledge and understanding across the questions. Satisfactory breadth and depth of analysis.
Full and solid knowledge and understanding across all the questions. Good breadth and depth of analysis.
Very full knowledge and understanding across all the questions. Excellent breadth and depth of analysis.
Strategic application & professional advice
Fails to provide appropriate or well-justified advice and/or recommendations. Lacks a strategic approach.
Provides adequately justified advice and informed recommendations Some strategic application.
Provides solid and thoughtful advice and well-informed recommendations. Clearly strategic in orientation.
Provides excellent advice and very well-informed recommendations. Strategically oriented in all respects.
Research & wider reading
Limited original research and/or appropriate wider reading for the assignment. Limited or no referencing.
Evidence of sufficient research and appropriate wider reading for the assignment. Satisfactory in- text referencing.
Evidence of significant research and thoughtful, appropriate wider reading for the assignment. A good standard of in-text referencing.
Evidence of considerable research and excellent, appropriate wider reading for the assignment. An excellent standard of in-text referencing
Persuasiveness & originality
Limited development of persuasive and original arguments.
Inadequate use of examples.
An adequate attempt to develop original arguments and to justify these persuasively. Includes appropriate examples.
Some strong original arguments are presented which are mainly justified persuasively. Good use of examples.
Mostly strong original arguments are presented and justified very persuasively. Excellent use of examples.
Presentation & language
An inadequate standard of presentation or language. The assignment is poorly written and/or poorly structured. It is not at the level required for a management presentation.
A solid standard of presentation and use of language. The structure and ideas are satisfactory for a management presentation.
A strong and professional standard of presentation and use of language. The structure and ideas are well crafted for a management presentation.
An outstanding standard of presentation and use of language. The structure and ideas are very well crafted for a management presentation.
