Establish knowledge and understanding of the main strategic approaches and change management theories and relate them to the external/internal environment that shapes a business.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

In this assessment, you will be required to play a Venture game – online simulation game. The report produced will consist of the results of an analysis of relevant strategic decisions taken whilst playing the game. You are expected to carry out research and discuss relevant strategy models when posting your diaries on BREO. You are expected to also reflect and connect your experience in the formative simulation activity to the literature on strategy. The final report should reference those findings and include a reflective account of learning from a formative in-class strategy simulation exercise.

Business Simulation evaluation and reflective report guidelines:

Step 1: You need to contact the Unit Coordinator or your tutor to help you gain access to an online venture game via your BREO shell.  You will work in groups playing the game, but remember the report must be individual. The game needs to be ran for 8 quarters.  

Step2: The report should be focused on your self-awareness and understanding of the strategic decisions you undertook on behalf of the “company” and analyse how those decisions affected the outcome of the game.  You are expected to utilize theories and frameworks from the strategy and the change management body of knowledge (academic journals and books) to underpin your decisions.

Step3: You need to also include a reflective element in your analysis where you report on your performance within the industry.  You will utilise your experience in writing reflective learning and your acquired knowledge on strategy and change management theory in order to dissect the simulation experience and account for your success (or not) within the simulation exercise. 

Step4: You need to keep an on-going log of all the actions and outcomes of the game and include those in the appendices. The word count of the logs will not be included in your word count and is only for reference. Good reports will be written clearly and concisely with good structure with links to page numbers in the appendices. The appendices will include referenced relevant theory.

Your report must be referenced and contain a Harvard reference list + appendices

Your appendices should include:

• Initial strategic plan
• Performance print out per quarter (print out from the game online platform)
• Reflective log

More specifically the report will

•        Review your initial strategy and the decisions you took to implement it. What performance criteria informed you of the success of your strategy and how successful were you. Consider proposals as to how the strategy might have been stronger in light of the retrospective analysis. Also consider the theory on change management and its relevance to the simulated experience.

•        Demonstrate your knowledge of reflective learning theory and demonstrate its application by assessing and justifying your own contribution to the success or not of the team taking account of your behaviour and activity and justify your insights from the evidence. Draw conclusions about your future behaviour and practice. This should draw from your reflective learning log. 

•        Relate your experience to existing theory and explain how theoretical models and strategic tools could have helped your “company” do better. Then review and evaluate what you learnt from the simulated experience and how the theory has informed your practice.

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

1.      Evidence application of at least two strategy models in a business context

2.      Provide theoretical underpinning for strategic decision-making process using relevant literature

3.      Demonstrate critical reasoning using Harvard Referencing style

4.      Write a reflective report evidencing your preparedness to state a position on an issue but limited use of supporting evidence and limited reflection on own behaviour in relation to outcomes.

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

Please make sure to make use of academic skills support services provided to you at the University of Bedfordshire some of which are listed below:

·         Referencing support https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/a-guide-to-referencing/

·         Academic study and assessment writing skills https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/studyhub

·         Studiosity: Login in to your account to get writing and referencing feedback in just hours, services available 24/7 https://studiosity.com/connect/partners/the-university-of-bedfordshire/student_home

·         Reflective writing style

·         Process logs:  Make sure to complete the process log documenting the various steps you have taken on your learning journey. Process logs will help you identify gaps in your learning and seek help where needed. You can find the template for process logs in your BREO shell in the Assessment & Feedback folder.

What should I be aware of when preparing my and how and where should I submit my work? (May need wiseflow info for exams)

The aim of the unit is to develop independent strategic assessment skills using appropriate techniques and resources and demonstrate an understanding of and an ability to appraise strategy. This unit will help to prepare a well thought out plan for change based upon analysis and to formulate, justify and evaluate a range of actions for promoting an effective and strategic approach to change. The unit has a number of approaches to ensure deep learning as the lectures centre on fundamental concepts and frameworks in strategy. The exposure to case studies in seminars ensures grounding to real world strategic issues and provides instances of analytical skills development.

Initially the unit introduces the range of strategic management paradigms and approaches; it then focuses on specific change issues and strategic challenges that affect contemporary business. A strong emphasis will then be placed on the management of change, and importantly the strategic and organisational impact of change all of which are global business issues.

Furthermore, it will consider how concepts of strategy and change management overlap, and the importance of these processes to a contemporary business manager working anywhere in the world. Thus, this unit will enable you to understand the broader context of the business environment and the underlying drivers of change as well as to make informed decisions once you enter the professional environment. Therefore, an important aspect of the formative development is the business simulation where you will have the opportunity to experiment with strategic concepts and situations in a group setting and then write a reflective and analytical report of the experience and its relevance to the particular industry or business sector.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

In this assessment, you will be required to play a Venture game – online simulation game. The report produced will consist of the results of an analysis of relevant strategic decisions taken whilst playing the game. You are expected to carry out research and discuss relevant strategy models when posting your diaries on BREO. You are expected to also reflect and connect your experience in the formative simulation activity to the literature on strategy. The final report should reference those findings and include a reflective account of learning from a formative in-class strategy simulation exercise.

Business Simulation evaluation and reflective report guidelines:

Step 1: You need to contact the Unit Coordinator or your tutor to help you gain access to an online venture game via your BREO shell.  You will work in groups playing the game, but remember the report must be individual. The game needs to be ran for 8 quarters.  

Step2: The report should be focused on your self-awareness and understanding of the strategic decisions you undertook on behalf of the “company” and analyse how those decisions affected the outcome of the game.  You are expected to utilize theories and frameworks from the strategy and the change management body of knowledge (academic journals and books) to underpin your decisions.

Step3: You need to also include a reflective element in your analysis where you report on your performance within the industry.  You will utilise your experience in writing reflective learning and your acquired knowledge on strategy and change management theory in order to dissect the simulation experience and account for your success (or not) within the simulation exercise. 

Step4: You need to keep an on-going log of all the actions and outcomes of the game and include those in the appendices. The word count of the logs will not be included in your word count and is only for reference. Good reports will be written clearly and concisely with good structure with links to page numbers in the appendices. The appendices will include referenced relevant theory.

Your report must be referenced and contain a Harvard reference list + appendices

Your appendices should include:

• Initial strategic plan
• Performance print out per quarter (print out from the game online platform)
• Reflective log

More specifically the report will

•        Review your initial strategy and the decisions you took to implement it. What performance criteria informed you of the success of your strategy and how successful were you. Consider proposals as to how the strategy might have been stronger in light of the retrospective analysis. Also consider the theory on change management and its relevance to the simulated experience.

•        Demonstrate your knowledge of reflective learning theory and demonstrate its application by assessing and justifying your own contribution to the success or not of the team taking account of your behaviour and activity and justify your insights from the evidence. Draw conclusions about your future behaviour and practice. This should draw from your reflective learning log. 

•        Relate your experience to existing theory and explain how theoretical models and strategic tools could have helped your “company” do better. Then review and evaluate what you learnt from the simulated experience and how the theory has informed your practice.

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

1.      Evidence application of at least two strategy models in a business context

2.      Provide theoretical underpinning for strategic decision-making process using relevant literature

3.      Demonstrate critical reasoning using Harvard Referencing style

4.      Write a reflective report evidencing your preparedness to state a position on an issue but limited use of supporting evidence and limited reflection on own behaviour in relation to outcomes.

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

Please make sure to make use of academic skills support services provided to you at the University of Bedfordshire some of which are listed below:

·         Referencing support https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/a-guide-to-referencing/

·         Academic study and assessment writing skills https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/studyhub

·         Studiosity: Login in to your account to get writing and referencing feedback in just hours, services available 24/7 https://studiosity.com/connect/partners/the-university-of-bedfordshire/student_home

·         Reflective writing style

·         Process logs:  Make sure to complete the process log documenting the various steps you have taken on your learning journey. Process logs will help you identify gaps in your learning and seek help where needed. You can find the template for process logs in your BREO shell in the Assessment & Feedback folder.

What should I be aware of when preparing my and how and where should I submit my work? (May need wiseflow info for exams)

The aim of the unit is to develop independent strategic assessment skills using appropriate techniques and resources and demonstrate an understanding of and an ability to appraise strategy. This unit will help to prepare a well thought out plan for change based upon analysis and to formulate, justify and evaluate a range of actions for promoting an effective and strategic approach to change. The unit has a number of approaches to ensure deep learning as the lectures centre on fundamental concepts and frameworks in strategy. The exposure to case studies in seminars ensures grounding to real world strategic issues and provides instances of analytical skills development.

Initially the unit introduces the range of strategic management paradigms and approaches; it then focuses on specific change issues and strategic challenges that affect contemporary business. A strong emphasis will then be placed on the management of change, and importantly the strategic and organisational impact of change all of which are global business issues.

Furthermore, it will consider how concepts of strategy and change management overlap, and the importance of these processes to a contemporary business manager working anywhere in the world. Thus, this unit will enable you to understand the broader context of the business environment and the underlying drivers of change as well as to make informed decisions once you enter the professional environment. Therefore, an important aspect of the formative development is the business simulation where you will have the opportunity to experiment with strategic concepts and situations in a group setting and then write a reflective and analytical report of the experience and its relevance to the particular industry or business sector.