Higher Nationals

Assignment Brief – BTEC (RQF)

Higher National Diploma in Business

Student Name ID
Unit Number and Title 4 Management and Operations

Academic Year 2018-19 Cohort Jan 19 Term 2

Unit Leader Rahima Khatoon Assessor Sean Barrett

Assignment Title Leadership and Management Concepts

Issue Date 08/04/2019

Submission Start Date 13/05/2019

IV Name

Deadline for assignment 07/06/2019

submission

Learners Declaration: I certify that the work submitted for this unit is my own and the
research sources are fully acknowledged.

Learners Signature: Date:

Plagiarism:
Any act of plagiarism will be seriously dealt with according to the colleges and awarding
bodies’ regulations. In this context the definition and scope of plagiarism are presented below:
Submission
Plagiarism Format:
is presenting someone’s work as your own. It includes copying information
directly from
Assignment the web or books without referencing the material; submitting joint coursework
Guidelines:
as an individual effort; copying another student’s coursework; stealing coursework from
 another studentreport
Use a standard and structure,
submittingWord-process
it as your the own work.
report andSuspected
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investigated and if found to have occurred will be dealt with according to the College
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details addressing
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procedure; 5.j.ii Academic Misconduct Student Guide; 5.n.v Plagiarism Student Handbook, all
 Complete the title page and sign the statement of authenticity (format attached). This sheet
available
should beon HELP.) in the front of your assignment.
attached
 All work should be comprehensively referenced and all sources must be fully acknowledged, such
as books and journals, websites (include the date of visit), etc.
 Include a References/Bibliography at the end of the assignment. Use the Harvard referencing
system.
 In order to pass you need to address all Pass criteria.
 In order to get a merit you need to address all the merit criteria along with pass criteria.
 In order to get a Distinction you need to address all the distinction criteria along with pass and
merit criteria.
Use a common report format in writing, for example:
  Introduction (analyse the question.)
 Underpinning Knowledge (write about the relevant theory/points)
 Applied knowledge (Application to a business scenario and supported by applicable data)
 Conclusions and Recommendations (summarizing the whole scenario keeping in view pass,
merit, distinction criteria.)

Unit Learning Outcomes:

LO1 Differentiate between the role of a leader and the function of a manager
LO2 Apply the role of a leader and the function of a manager in given contexts
LO3 Demonstrate an appreciation of the role leaders and managers play in the operations function of
an organisation
LO4 Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between leadership and management in a
contemporary business environment

Assignment Brief and Guidance:

Introduction
The aim of this unit is to help students understand the difference between the function of a
manager and the role of a leader. Students will consider the characteristics, behaviours and
traits which support effective management and leadership. In addition, this unit will introduce the
concept of operations as both a function and a process which all organisations must adopt to
conduct business.
Students will be introduced to contemporary and historical theories and concepts which will
support their learning for this unit.
On successful completion of this unit students will have developed sufficient knowledge and
understanding of how management and operations make a positive, efficient and effective
contribution to an organisation at a junior level.
This could be in the role of a team leader or managing a specific aspect of an operation function
and/or process. Underpinning all aspects of the content for this unit you will consider topics
under two broad headings: management and operations.

Task 1

Scenario and activity:

You are working as a human resources intern at your college /or an organisation that you can gain access
to /an organisation of your choice – your own place of work if appropriate and have been asked by the
Principal/CEO to investigate the impact of leaders and managers on the operations of the company. You
will conduct a number of interviews within the organisation to compare and examine the role of a leader
and the function of a manager.

You will conduct at least one interview with a member of the leadership team and one with a line
manager to discuss their roles and how they respond to different situations that may arise.

You are to produce a report based on your findings for the senior leadership team that includes the
following:

1. An introduction to the college/ chosen organisation management structure

2. Definition and roles of both managers and leaders, highlighting the differences between
management and leadership
3. Analysis of the different roles of management and leadership in application to different
organisational situations, supported by theories and concepts.
 4. Evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to leadership and
management to draw conclusions that support theories of leadership.
5. Conclusions on how managers and leaders have made an impact on the organisation and
recommendations for future improvements.

Task 2

Since reporting on the role of management and leadership within your chosen organisation, the Principal/CEO
have now asked you to feedback on best approaches and practices with regards to operations management.
This will take the form of an informal report to the leadership team that will address how the leadership and
management team can improve overall operations within the company.

To assist with this you will need to investigate external business factors that influence operational management
and the decisions the management team makes.

The report should cover the following areas:

1. An introduction to the key operations of the organisation.
2. Details of each of the key operational functions, identifying the roles and responsibilities of
managers in the key operational functions.
3. Explanation of the key operational approaches to operations management and their value.
4. An evaluation of the impact of external business environment factors that affect decision-making by
leaders and managers.
5. How operational efficiencies can be improved to successfully meet business objectives using
appropriate management and leadership approaches.
6. Conclusions and supported recommendations for future improvements to be taken by the
organisation.

The module will be assessed and graded against the Pass, Merit and Distinction criteria
as specified in the assessment grid below issued by the awarding body, Pearson
Edexcel.
 Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Pass Merit Distinction

LO1 Differentiate between the role of a leader and the function of LO1 & 2
a manager
D1 Critically analyse and
P1 Define and compare the M1 Analyse and differentiate evaluate the different theories
different roles and between the role of a leader and approaches to leadership
characteristics of a leader and a and function of a manager by in given contexts.
manager. effectively applying a range of
theories and concepts.

LO2 Apply the role of a leader and the function of a manager in

given contexts

P2 Examine examples of how M2 Assess the strengths and

the role of a leader and the weaknesses of different
function of a manager apply in approaches to situations within
different situational contexts. the work environment.
P3 Apply different theories and
models of approach, including
situational leadership, systems
leadership and contingency.

LO3 Demonstrate an appreciation of the role leaders and

managers play in the operations function of an organisation

P4 Explain the key approaches
to operations management and
the role that leaders and
managers play.
P5 Explain the importance and
value of operations
management in achieving
business objectives.
M3 Evaluate how leaders and
managers can improve
efficiencies of operational
management to successfully
meet business objectives.
LO3 & 4
D2 Critically evaluate
application of operations
management and factors that
impact on the wider business
environment.

LO4 Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between

leadership and management in a contemporary business
environment

P6 Assess the factors within the M4 Analyse how these different

business environment that
impact upon operational
management and decision-
making by leaders and
managers.
factors affect the business
environment and wider
community.
Higher Nationals –
Summative Assignment Feedback Form
Grade Awarded:

Student Name/ID
Unit No /Title 4 Management and Operations

Cohort Jan19 Term / Group 2

Assignment Number Assessor
Date 1st
Submission Date
submission
Date 2nd
Re-submission Date
submission
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* Please note that grade decisions are provisional. They are only confirmed once internal and
external moderation has taken place and grades decisions have been agreed at the assess