Assignment 1: Understand and Work with a Wide Range of Stakeholders and Organisational Structures

Assignment brief:

In order for you to meet the Assessment Criteria (AC) for Assignment 1, amend this template. The detail
that is required for your submission to Onefile is laid out below each AC. Please ensure you have covered the
assessment Guidance.

At Level 7 there is an expectation that you write concisely, and all work should be Harvard referenced.
Once you have completed this assignment all guide notes (in Italic) can be deleted.
Word count: (500 words (Avg) per AC) */2000 (+/- 10 %)
Describe how to work within and across company boards and organisational structures (AC 1.1/ K14

In order for your submission to meet the AC for 1.1:

– You must describe three examples of how to effectively interact with organisational structures.

– You must describe for each structure:

– Purpose/function and scope.

– Stakeholders.

– Organisational requirements.

– Company board or executive structure.
To help you understand how to answer this question, consider the following:

This question is asking you to explain how to effectively work within and across different company boards
and organizational structures by providing three examples of how you interact with them.

Provide Three Examples of Interaction with Organizational Structures

1. You need to describe three different situations where you worked with or navigated an
organisational structure.

a. These could involve decision-making, reporting, collaboration, or governance processes.

b. For Each Example, Explain the Following:

a. Purpose/Function & Scope –

b. What is the role of this structure in the organization?

c. Does it manage strategy, operations, compliance, or innovation?

d. What is its scope—local, national, global?

c. Stakeholders –

a. Who are the key people involved? (e.g., board members, executives, managers, employees,
external partners).

b. What are their interests and responsibilities?

c. Organisational Requirements –

d. What policies, regulations, or frameworks must be followed?

e. Are there governance, compliance, or ethical considerations?

d. Company Board or Executive Structure –

a. How does the board or executive leadership fit into the structure?

b. Do they approve decisions, set strategy, or provide oversight?

e. Example Organisational structures you might use:

a. Flat

b. Matrix

c. Hierarchical
Essentially, you need to give three real-world examples of how you have interacted with different
organisational structures, explaining their purpose, stakeholders, rules, and governance.
Evaluate internal and external factors that impact working within leadership structures (AC 1.2/ K16

In order for your submission to meet the AC for 1.2:

– You must evaluate the impact of at least three internal and three external factors when working
within leadership structures, in terms of:

– The markets the organisation operates in.

– Roles and responsibilities.

– Sustainability agenda.

– Leadership styles and application.
To help you understand how to answer this question, consider the following:
The question is asking you to evaluate (or assess) how certain internal and external factors influence the
way leadership works in your organization. You need to look at these factors and explain how they impact
leadership in four specific areas:

1) The markets the organisation operates in

2) Roles and responsibilities within the organisation

3) The sustainability agenda (i.e., environmental or social goals)

4) Leadership styles and their application (how leadership is applied in practice)

5) You will need to evaluate at least three internal factors (things that happen within the organisation) and
three external factors (things outside the organisation that influence leadership). Then, for each of these
factors, you should explain how they affect the four areas mentioned above.

6) Internal Factors (Things Inside the Organisation)

a) These factors represent how the organization itself behaves or makes decisions:

i) Strategic Direction

ii) Informed Decisions

iii) People Empowerment

iv) Learning and Innovation

v) Management Incentives

7) External Factors (Things Outside the Organisation)

a) These factors include things that the company cannot directly control, but that affect how it
operates:
i) Markets & Cross-Sector Partnerships
ii) Sustainable Products & Services
iii) Sustainability Awareness
iv) Context Transformation
v) Stakeholder Transparency

8) What You Need to Do:

a) You need to:

i) Identify and explain at least three internal factors (e.g., strategic direction, informed decisions,
people empowerment) and three external factors (e.g., market partnerships, sustainable
products, stakeholder transparency).

ii) For each of these factors, you need to explain how it affects:

(1) The markets the organisation operates in (does it help the company compete or adapt?).
(2) The roles and responsibilities of leaders (how do these factors change what leaders do?).
(3) The sustainability agenda (how do they contribute to sustainability goals or challenges?).
(4) Leadership styles and their application (do these factors influence the way leadership is
applied in practice?).

Essentially, Think about how the internal and external factors you have listed impact how leaders in your
company make decisions and manage their teams. Then explain how these decisions or actions affect the
company’s markets, roles and responsibilities, sustainability efforts, and the leadership style the company
uses. You will want to show how these factors help or challenge the company in these areas.
Critique the impact of their leadership upon stakeholders (AC 1.3/ S103

In order for your submission to meet the AC for 1.3:
– You must explain at least three different leadership styles and subsequently critique the impact that
your own leadership style has had upon a range of diverse stakeholders.
To help you understand how to answer this question, consider the following:

1) Explain Three Different Leadership Styles:
2) Leadership styles are different ways that leaders approach guiding and influencing others. You should
choose three distinct styles and explain them. For example:

a) Authoritarian (autocratic)Leadership
b) Participative (democratic) Leadership
c) Delegative (laissez-faire) Leadership
3) Critique the Impact of Your Leadership Style:
a) After explaining these styles, you will then need to reflect on your own leadership style and critique
how it has affected different stakeholders. The critique should focus on both the positive and negative impacts your leadership has had.

b) You need to:
c) Identify your leadership style (it could be one of the ones above, or something else that you believe
fits you. Complete the following leadership style quiz https://www.mindtools.com/azr30oh/whatsyour-leadership-style screen shot the results).
d) Then explain how your identified leadership style has affected a range of stakeholders (e.g.,
employees, customers, suppliers, investors, etc.).

i) For example, if you are a transformational leader, you might explain how you have inspired
employees to work toward a shared vision or how your style has motivated innovation.

ii) If you tend to be more autocratic, you might discuss how quick decision-making benefits certain
situations but can leave employees feeling undervalued.

e) Be honest and reflective in your critique. Don not just list the good things about your leadership
style, but also mention any challenges or areas where your style may not be as effective with certain
stakeholders.

Essentially, you need to explain three leadership styles (like how some leaders make decisions, some
involve others, and some inspire big changes). Then critically reflect on how your own leadership style has
impacted different groups of people you work with (like employees, clients, or investors). Talk about both
the positive and negative effects of your leadership on these groups.

Evaluate how a strategic business proposal takes account of stakeholder engagement (AC 1.4/ K14, K16,
S194 In order for your submission to meet the AC for 1.4:

– You must explain the importance of stakeholder engagement in relation to a strategic business
proposal and evaluate at least four of the elements that contribute to the effective management of
a diverse range of stakeholders.

– You do not have to produce a strategic business proposal for this AC.
To help you understand how to answer this question, consider the following:
This question is asking you to evaluate how stakeholder engagement is considered in a strategic business
proposal. In simpler terms, you need to explain how involving stakeholders (people or groups affected by
the business decision) plays a role in the success of a business proposal.
You need to:

1. Explain the importance of engaging stakeholders when creating a strategic proposal.
2. Evaluate four elements that help manage a diverse range of stakeholders effectively. These
elements are listed below, and you need to discuss how each one contributes to managing
stakeholders in a strategic proposal.
3. Explain the Importance of Stakeholder Engagement.
4. Evaluate Four Key Elements for Managing Stakeholders:
5. You will need to explain four of the following elements and how they contribute to managing
stakeholders in a strategic proposal:
1. Assign Internal Responsibility for Stakeholder Engagement Action:
2. Identify All Stakeholder Groups
3. Take Account of Leadership Structures:
4. Consult with Stakeholders:
5. Set the Parameters of Stakeholder Involvement:

6. Communicate, Negotiate, and Manage Conflict:
7. Ongoing Measurement and Reporting.

Essentially, you are being asked to explain why engaging stakeholders is important when making a
business proposal. Then, evaluate four key steps that help manage stakeholder relationships effectively:
Assessment terminology – Knowledge verbs:

Describe – What does it look like? An account of the principal features of the topic. Involves
some element of selection of the more important features. Again, context and possible
variation is significant, as is the degree of detail required in the description.

Evaluate – How well does each part of this work, and what needs to be done to make it
work better? An evaluation is an examination of complex issues, requiring higher level
cognitive skills, that is more focussed (narrower area, but in more detail) than a review. An
evaluation is normally detailed and provides a solution or conclusion and/or
recommendation (perhaps for further exploration). An evaluation could include a
comparative element and will ascertain the usefulness or contribution of each part to the
whole.

Critique – What are the reasons for my views and conclusions on this? To critique is to analyse
something in detail in order to draw conclusions and provide reasons for your opinion as to its
worth or value.

Answer

Request Answer of this Assignment