1 BPP University School of Business and Technology
MSc LBO Academic Year 2019 – 2020 Coursework
MSc Management with Streams
Leading Business Organisations
Student Guidelines
Coursework Assessment Brief
Submission deadline: 28th April 2020 by 23.59
Submission mode: Turnitin online access
2 BPP University School of Business and Technology
MSc LBO Academic Year 2019 – 2020 Coursework
1. General Assessment Guidance
| | Your summative assessment for this module is made up of this Coursework submission which accounts for 100% of the marks The deadline for submission is 28th April 2020 by 23.59. Please note late submissions will not be marked. You are required to submit all elements of your assessment via Turnitin online access. Only submissions made via the specified mode will be accepted and hard copies or any other digital form of submissions (like via email or pen drive etc.) will not be accepted. For the written coursework, the submission word limit is 3,500 words. You must comply with the |
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word count guidelines. You may submit LESS than 3,500 words but not more. Word Count
guidelines can be found on your programme home page and the coursework submission page.
| | Do not put your name or contact details anywhere on your submission. You should only put your student registration number (SRN) which will ensure your submission is recognised in the marking process. A total of 100 marks are available for this module assessment, and you are required to achieve minimum 50% to pass this module. You are required to use only Harvard Referencing System in your submission. Any content which |
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is already published by other author(s) and is not referenced will be considered as a case of
plagiarism.
You can find further information on Harvard Referencing in the online library on the VLE. You can
use the following link to access this information: http://bpp.libguides.com/Home/StudySupport
BPP University has a strict policy regarding authenticity of assessments. In proven instances of
plagiarism or collusion, severe punishment will be imposed on offenders. You are advised to
read the rules and regulations regarding plagiarism and collusion in the GARs and MOPP which
are available on VLE in the Academic registry section.
| | You should include a completed copy of the Assignment Cover sheet. Any submission without this completed Assignment Cover sheet may be considered invalid and not marked. |
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MSc LBO Academic Year 2019 – 2020 Coursework
2. Assessment Brief
This assessment is in two parts.
2.1. Part 1 – Reflection on Leadership for Aspiring Leaders 1000 words (30 Marks)
You are required to reflect on the following questions and then to produce short answers for each of
the sub-questions together with four Powerpoint slides using the format provided within the
proforma document.
| Questions | Reflection Specifically you need to answer the following questions by providing short answers. |
| 1. Why is a systematic understanding of leadership theories and organisations beneficial for aspiring leaders? 5 marks |
a. What are the two fundamental questions that leaders need to ask themselves? b. What are the two key aspects of leadership? c. What is a leadership theory (style)? d. Name two very different leadership styles that are appropriate for the current volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) business environment. e. Why do aspiring leaders need an in-depth understanding of a range of leadership styles? (1 mark per question) |
| 2. Why is an ability to evaluate the contribution that individuals, leaders and stakeholders make in creating and executing the mission and vision of an organisation important for aspiring leaders? 5 marks |
a. What is an organisational mission and vision? b. What contribution do individuals typically make in executing the mission and vision? c. What contribution do leaders typically make in executing the mission and vision? d. What contribution do stakeholders typically make in executing the mission and vision? e. Why do aspiring leaders need to be able to evaluate the contributions of the above? (1 mark per question) |
| 3. Why is an ability to apply appropriate leadership strategies (including change management) in order to maximise organisational potential in a variety of different business contexts important for aspiring leaders? 5 marks |
a. What is a leadership strategy? b. What is change leadership? c. What is organisational potential? d. What is a business context? e. Why do aspiring leaders need to understand a broad range of leadership strategies that can be applied in in a variety of different business contexts? (1 mark per question) |
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| 4. Why is an ability to critically evaluate a range of motivational) theories (employee engagement) within a specific organisational context important for aspiring leaders? 5 marks |
a. What is a motivation theory? b. What are the two categories of motivational theories? c. What is the contemporary term for employee motivation? d. What is the ‘appreciative inquiry technique’? e. Why do aspiring leaders need to be able to critically evaluate a range of motivational theories within a specific organisational context? (1 mark per question) |
| 5. Complete the ‘Potential Leadership Style’ Questionnaire and present the following on the PowerPoint presentation slides provided: 10 marks |
a. How would you define your potential leadership style? (2 marks) b. What are your key strengths? (2 marks) c. What are your key challenges? (2 marks) d. What personal development do you need to undertake in order to develop your leadership ability? (4 marks) (Marks as indicated above) |
You MUST use relevant concepts, models and/or theories of contemporary leadership to justify
your answers.
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MSc LBO Academic Year 2019 – 2020 Coursework
2.2 Part 2 – Management Report based on a critical evaluation of the President & Chief
Executive Officer of Starbuck’s Leadership Style 2500 Words (60 Marks)
You are required to prepare a management report based on the following insight into Kevin
Johnson’s current leadership style and the business context in which he is currently operating.
| Kevin Johnson’s Leadership Style Kevin Johnson is president and chief executive officer (CEO) for Starbucks. A passionate servant leader he proudly carries on Starbucks legacy of human connection, driving the company’s core strategies for growth and being of service to the more than 330,000 partners who wear the green apron around the world. He graduated from New Mexico State University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. His career spans more than thirty years, scaling global businesses, including sixteen years at Microsoft and five years as CEO of Junipexteenr Networks. In 2008, he was appointed to the National Security Telecommunication Advisory Committee where he served presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama. His commitment to innovation and following his heart extends beyond the world of business. He was a founding board member of NPower, an organization that provides nonprofits with access to technology and the skills needed to fulfill their social missions. He is also involved with Catalyst (a leading nonprofit focused on expanding opportunities for women in business) and supports Youth Eastside Services, one of the largest providers of youth and family counseling in the Seattle area. Johnson joined Starbucks in 2009 serving on the company’s board of directors during a period of record-setting transformation and growth. He was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in April 2017 succeeding Howard Schultz the man credited with creating Starbucks’s global brand. He is currently responsible for leading the global operating businesses as well as core support functions such as marketing, human resources, technology and mobile and digital |
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| platforms. During his first few months as CEO he would often preface meetings by saying: “I’m not Howard I’m Kevin” and he has since set about revitalising the company’s financial performance as well as tackling some challenging ethical issues. Business Strategy Starbucks had been under pressure in an increasingly crowded coffee market. Whilst it had regularly achieved a quarterly sales growth of 5% or higher in the United States (US) it began to miss its targets in 2016. Business Analysts suggested that this was a result of the acceleration of new store openings by other high-end coffee shops and lower-priced rivals offering better-quality coffee. Schultz was convinced that opening one thousand upscale Reserve and Roastery stores (i.e. : new luxury coffee shops where baristas would brew more expensive coffee using the latest techniques, serve artisanal baked goods and even mix cocktails) would offset the drop-in foot traffic to regular Starbucks cafes. He maintained that the profile of the stores he was proposing would give customers a worthwhile reason to leave home. Johnson is taking a more measured approach to the roll out of the Reserve and Roastery store. In a recent interview he said that “One thousand was an aspiration. Starbucks will test whether six to ten Reserve stores can meet the returns needed before building more.” It is the latest move in his two-year tenure to bring more financial discipline to the business and return more cash to shareholders. He has sought to portray himself as more data-driven and analytical than his predecessor. “Certainly I tend to bring a much more disciplined approach to picking the priorities,” he said at a conference two weeks after taking over from Schultz. That discipline has also extended to general store growth in the USA. He is also working to improve customer service pushing the company to develop more innovative beverages and expanding its reach in China. In addition Starbucks has opened up its mobile order app to people who aren’t members of its rewards program and is expanding its delivery service to nearly 25% of its 8,000 company-operated stores in the US. Some business analysts such as Andrew Charles (Cowen & Co) are questioning whether some of his plans will work. “We are skeptical of coffee delivery gaining traction as, simply put, it defeats the purpose of a coffee break.” Johnson has also closed all 379 Teavana stores in the US as a result of underperformance. Having |
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| acquired the Atlanta based tea retailer Teavana Holdings Inc in 2012 Starbucks had invested in the rights to develop and operate new Princi Italian bakery locations outside Italy and to sell its products in the Roastery and Reserve stores. Schultz had planned to open one thousand stand alone Princi bakeries around the world. A Starbucks spokesman has said that Messrs Johnson and Schultz share the same goals for the future of Starbucks but that Johnson has laid out a more disciplined approach for testing them. “The company is in great hands with Kevin” Mr. Schultz said in an email. “Kevin and I speak often and he knows he has my complete support.” Johnson’s approach is showing signs of progress. Starbucks has now posted progress in every operating metric it tracks including sales. Investors appear to be bullish about Johnson strategy and the value of Starbucks shares rose by nearly 15% in 2018. Business analyst Peter Salehus analyst (BTIG) commented as follows: “This management team is moving to a more asset-light, cash-generating business model versus the previous management’s pedal to the metal on unit growth.” The company has said that it expects same-store sales to grow by 3% to 4% over the long-term globally. Although business analyst Matthew DiFrisco (Guggenheim) has said that he believes the new target is “still somewhat optimistic.” Under Schultz’s leadership Starbucks had stablished a long-term, earnings-per-share growth target of 15% to 20%. Having recently hired a new finance chief Johnson has set a new target of at least 10%. Tony Scherrer (portfolio manager at Smead Capital Management) which holds Starbucks shares has recently said: “This guy is methodical and the things he’s doing seem to be good for shareholders.” Ethical Considerations In addition to creating a stronger financial performance for Starbucks Johnson has been admired for his ethical approach to leadership as indicated in the following examples: Support for Customers to make informed and improved nutritional choices Starbucks is committed to help customers to make informed and improved nutritional choices, as part of a foundational change to the global business. It has made good progress in reducing sugar, |
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| simplifying ingredients, increasing healthy options and improving how it communicates with customers so they can make the right choices for them. It has led the way by making a commitment to reduce added sugar by 25% in its indulgent beverages by 2020 and to reduce sugar by 20% in any new syrups that it uses when developing new drinks. It is highlighting how to ‘Go Lighter’ on its menu boards. Its baristas will make customers any drink they want from over 80,000 different drinks combinations available. It is also currently evolving its food menu to offer healthier choices and working towards sugar reduction in its bakery portfolio. It is fully transparent with customers on the nutritional values of its food & drink offering. The nutritional and calorie content of its food and drink is displayed on its website, menu boards and display cases. Response to Racial Discrimination Incident On 13 April 2018 Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson (both 23 year old black men) were waiting for a friend at a Starbucks café in Philadelphia. Staff members became suspicious and called the police when they didn’t order any food or drink. As a result they were arrested on suspicion of trespassing but released without charge after eight hours in custody. They told ABC correspondent Robin Roberts that they had not been asked to leave the café by a member of the Starbucks team at any point before being arrested. A video recording of the arrest was released and went viral. The hashtag #boycottstarbucks started trending on Twitter and protests against the company sprung up in Philadelphia and all over the US. Johnson was very quick to respond. He immediately issued an apology on Twitter and then instructed the company to work on an extensive plan to deliver implicit bias training as soon as possible. Twitter apology … “First, to once again express our deepest apologies to the two men who were arrested with a goal of doing whatever we can to make things right. Second, to let you know of our plans to investigate the pertinent facts and make any necessary changes to our practices that would help prevent such an occurrence from ever happening again. And third, to reassure you that Starbucks stands firmly against discrimination or racial profiling.” |
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| A press release was shared two days later outlining the company’s plan for implicit bias training … “Starbucks Coffee Company today announced it will be closing its more than 8,000 company owned stores in the United States on the afternoon of May 29 2018 to conduct racial-bias education geared toward preventing discrimination in our stores. The training will be provided to nearly 175,000 partners (employees) across the country and will become part of the onboarding process for new partners. The curriculum will be designed by nationally recognized experts and Starbucks is planning to make it available for other companies to use.” In a video accompanying the press release Johnson acknowledged that the arrest was one in a series of incidents of implicit bias that required ongoing attention … “Closing our stores for racial bias training is just one step in a journey that requires dedication from every level of our company and partnerships in our local communities … It’s an important step that reflects our mission and our core values. We work to be a different kind of company, a company that believes in using our scale for good. A company that believes that the pursuit of profit is not in conflict with doing social good. And we are doing this on a topic that I believe affects all of America. And this is the first step in our journey forward.” In an ABC News exclusive the same interviewer that had interviewed both men interviewed Johnson Kevin about the incident. She asked him if he believed that this was a case of racial profiling. He responded by stating: “Well Robin, Starbucks was built as a company that creates a warm, welcome environment for all customers. That didn’t happen in this case. That I know. And so it’s my responsibility to ensure that we review everything.” Working for Starbucks : The Management Perspective In 2018 Starbucks was named the fifth most admired company worldwide by Fortune. It has also appeared on Forbes’ lists for Best Employers for Diversity, Top Regarded Companies of 2018, and Best Employers for Women, among others. According to Starbucks there are thirteen reasons why it is a great place to work… 1. 70 Percent of Starbucks Employees Are Students Or Aspiring Students When you’re working at Starbucks, you’ll be surrounded by like-minded coworkers and managers. Starbucks is dedicated to the academic and career success of its employees. See #2 to see how far our dedication goes. 2. Starbucks Provides Full Tuition Coverage Through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan (SCAP) Starbucks offers full tuition coverage to all full- and part-time employees in partnership with Arizona State University. Employees can choose from over 70 online degree programs, and you are not required to stay with Starbucks after you earn your degree. 3. SCAP Students Have A Support Team Ready To Help Them Get Through School This includes a dedicated enrollment counselor to guide you through the process of joining, success coaches, academic and career advisors, and 24/7 tutoring on a variety of subjects as well. This |
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| interactive program keeps you connected with campus at all times. 4. More Than 80 Percent of Starbucks Employees Approve Of Their CEO Starbucks employees are happy with the leadership of the company. And according to Glassdoor, 77 percent of them would recommend the company to a friend. 5. There Are More Than 87,000 Drink Combos It’s no shock that customization of drink orders at Starbucks is intense, so much so that there are 87,000 possible drink orders (and counting) at any given Starbucks — and baristas can make most (if not all) of them. 6. You Can Take Home A Free Bag Of Coffee Each Week And Choose One Free Food And Drink Item Per Shift Amazing, right?! 7. Employees Get A 30 Percent Discount On All Food And Beverage Items Once you’ve claimed your free food, drink, and weekly bag of coffee, you’ll still save some serious cash on everything else you buy. 8. You’ll Smell Like Coffee All The Time That basically means you’ll be everyone’s favorite person. 9. Starbucks Employees Are Called “Partners” Starbucks believes in calling all employees partners because the term fosters a sense of equality and shared vision. In the company’s words: “we are all partners in shared success.” 10. Every Partner At Any Level Is Eligible To Receive An Annual Grant Of Company Stock Unifying the team isn’t the only reason Starbucks refers to employees as partners. The Starbucks Bean Stock program allows partners to share in the financial success of the company through an annual Starbucks stock grant. 11. Starbucks Employees Who Work At Least 20 Hours/Week Are Eligible For Medical Benefits This includes 100 percent coverage for preventive care. 12. You Will Learn Key Career Skills Like Great Customer Service, Teamwork, And Working Efficiently Under Pressure Nothing will test your endurance like a long line of customers ordering extremely specific drinks at 8am. But you won’t be alone. The whole team will be in it together working in synch at each station. It’s an experience that develops trust, time and project management skills, and most of all, your confidence. 13. You’ll Probably Never Burn Your Coffee Again Because you’ve made thousands of amazing cups of coffee for thousands of happy customers. Working for Starbucks : The employee perspective (as identified by an article in Business Insider in May 2017) ‘It’s frowned upon if I stop to have a conversation with a regular.’ A current employee of seven years “They’d rather us be machines. They are, whether they like it or not, a fast-food chain with lousy food that I am required to push on people. When I started in 2010, we had partners who had been there for eight-plus years. The customers were like family. We had seen their children grow. Now |
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| it’s frowned upon if I stop to have a conversation with a regular I haven’t seen in a while. ‘We’re running around like crazy.’ A current employee of more than five years “I don’t know how many times I’ve heard that we’re the most important part of the company. I almost wish they would read that same letter they read to us to the board so they could know why they need to change the pay scale. If we’re the most important part of the company and our connection is that important they shouldn’t be paying as little as they can get away with paying. Managers say … we need to do a better job at connecting. Obviously, we’re not connecting, because we have mobile here and we have drive-thru here, and we’re running around like crazy.” ‘It’s a cult that pays $9 per hour.’ A former Starbucks employee who recently left the company after a year “At first, you watch all these videos about how wonderfully you’re treated and all the great benefits. Your manager will tell you that your store is like another home, your partners are your family, and you should always feel comfortable there. First Taste, the initial coffee tasting, definitely makes you feel like you’re valued and welcomed. It all also feels genuine and unique when you’re going through it. The problem is that it’s not unique. Managers literally have a guide on how to onboard new hires in such a way that they learn to love the brand and feel valued. The First Taste experience is not a unique experience between you and your store manager — it is a carefully detailed and structured activity with a checklist and steps the manager follows, given to them by corporate. Every single thing you experience that makes you love the company is designed to manipulate you into doing so. It’s not a company; it’s a cult that pays $9 per hour.” ‘My team wants to be able to afford rent and groceries.’ A current Starbucks employee The company tries to sell the total pay package to partners, but that does not speak to the younger generation, which is what most of our teams primarily consist of. My team wants to be able to afford rent and groceries. The company offers free college which at a base level, is an amazing benefit, but I can guarantee you that if you had asked partners if they could have the option for higher pay or the college achievement program, somewhere around 90% of all partners would have asked for increased pay.” ‘The stress is overwhelming.’ A current employee It’s exhausting being the only one on the floor and having to do register, hot bar and customer support while you’ve got a medium-volume drive-thru and your drive-thru person is taking orders, paying people out, and running cold bar. Nothing gets cleaned. Nothing gets stocked. We’re getting screamed at by customers for not being fast enough, so we try to go fast and then we mess up the money, or we mess up the drinks and then we get yelled at for messing up the money and messing up the drinks. It’s all incredibly tiresome. Just one more person on the floor in the afternoons and evenings would be incredible. … There is no customer connection when we’re as busy and understaffed as we are. Again, put another person on the floor, and we can talk. I’ve had people call the store to complain that we seemed rushed and upset. The stress is overwhelming. A four-hour shift is too exhausting at this |
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| point, because there’s nobody to help us. Starbucks demands that we do several tasks at once. A current employee Most stores are understaffed, and I believe that’s the way corporate wants it. Store managers would rather be shorthanded rather than pay a penny of overtime. As far as connecting with customers, what do they want? Do they want to ring as many customers through as fast as possible (yes!) or do they want us to chat (yes!). Impossible to do both at the same time. Customers want their latte 30 seconds ago, and they’re irate when they have to wait or wait while we’re making small talk. The glares we get are not friendly ones. Starbucks demands that we do several tasks at once, so how can we be expected to ‘connect with customers’? When I’m making drinks, I barely make eye contact with customers when handing off drinks; I’m just calling names out. ‘It’s just hard to tell the truth.’ A current employee Starbucks has this website called ‘partner perspectives.’ It’s basically a website where they survey their partners about their experiences. I and so many other baristas don’t feel secure in our roles enough to tell them how we actually feel, because it is not anonymous. You have to log in with your partner numbers and name, and it’s just hard to tell the truth when you don’t know how they could retaliate. ‘Starbucks has a tendency to use people up and spit them out.’ A former Starbucks employee who worked for the company for three and a half years Stores were being slowly and carefully de-staffed, creating real problems during peak business hours. Customers would comment on the hurried, frantic pace behind the counter and managers were instructed to respond with a cheery retort and then berate the staff to work faster with less space, more products, and smaller time windows. Timing devices were added to the drive-thru lanes so that everybody could see how long it was taking orders to move out of the window … For all the bluster and braggadocio, Starbucks has a tendency to use people up and spit them out. Fair compensation, appropriate staffing, and true cooperate support would be wise problems to fix before attacking other problems that have been solely created by those three shortcomings. Schultz’s View of Johnson’s Performance In a wide ranging interview with Yahoo Finance former CEO Howard Schultz recently commented on Johnson’s performance as follows: “He deserves all the credit in the world. He is doing extraordinary. I mean, I’m so proud of him. He is bringing a level of innovation and transformation to the company. He’s doing it his way. I have no engagement, no involvement operationally in the company whatsoever. That’s the way it should be. I’ve removed myself from the board of directors, not only because I was considering running for president but because I didn’t think it was fair to Kevin [Johnson] to have a shadow in the room. He needs to be his own man. I take great pride in his success. I’m cheering him on every day. Starbucks’s best days are ahead of them. And mainly because of the leadership team, because of Kevin. And I love what I’m seeing.” |
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| He went on to describe Johnson as “a true servant leader” who is “admired and trusted.” Watch the following interview of Howard Schultz and Kevin Johnson back in April 2017 when Johnson took over as President and CEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gUgN-zfk74 Watch the following most recent interview with Kevin Johnson in August 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh8gT3nsM34 |
Your management report should contain the following:
a. A short introduction explaining the contents of the report (5 Marks)
b. A succinct overview of the ‘servant’ leadership style and the challenges associated with
practicing it in the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment typical of
the 21st Century. (10 Marks)
c. A critical evaluation of Kevin Johnson’s leadership style (using the appreciative inquiry
technique) focusing on Starbucks improved financial performance, its ethical challenges and the
views being expressed by some of its current and former employees. (20 Marks)
d. Why does Johnson have such a strong personal brand as an effective global leader? (10 Marks)
e. Provide two recommendations as to what you believe Johnson could do to build on his current
success and maintain Starbuck’s sustainability and competitive advantage. (10 Marks)
f. A short conclusion expressing your view as to whether Johnson is an effective role model for
aspiring leaders. (5 Marks)
You MUST use relevant concepts, models and/or theories of contemporary leadership to justify
your observations, comments and recommendations.
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2.3 Presentation (10 Marks)
The presentation of your portfolio document containing both your reflective statement and your
management report should contain the following:
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A BPP Assignment Cover Sheet (including SRN & Word Count) A Portfolio Document Title Page |
| | A Contents Page |
| | A Reflective Statement |
| | A PowerPoint Presentation |
| | A Management Report (Including Introduction, Main Body and Conclusion) Reference Listing Glossary (optional) Appendices (optional) |
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Marks will be awarded for:
| | A management report appropriate for both an academic and senior level business audience, presented in a professional manner. |
Correct grammar and punctuation used throughout the report.
Appropriate use of table and diagrams, if needed.
Evidence of broad reading and independent research.
Evidence of Harvard referencing skills used throughout the report.
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3. Student Guidance
The assessment is marked out of 100. The following table shows the mark allocation and the
approach required.
| Content |
| Guidance : Part One Reflective Statement (30 Marks) You are required to reflect on the following questions and then to produce short answers for each of the sub-questions together with four Powerpoint slides using the format provided within the proforma document. You should aim for around 200 words overall in your answers for each question. Each question is worth five marks made up of five sub-questions worth one mark each. 1. Why is a systematic understanding of leadership theories and organisations beneficial for aspiring leaders? (5 marks) a. What are the two fundamental questions that leaders need to ask themselves? b. What are the two key aspects of leadership? c. What is a leadership theory (style)? d. Name two very different leadership styles that are appropriate for the current volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) business environment. e. Why do aspiring leaders need an in-depth understanding of a range of leadership styles? 2. Why is an ability to evaluate the contribution that individuals, leaders and stakeholders make in creating and executing the mission and vision of an organisation important for aspiring leaders? (5 marks) a. What is an organisational mission and vision? b. What contribution do individuals typically make in executing the mission and vision? c. What contribution do leaders typically make in executing the mission and vision? d. What contribution do stakeholders typically make in executing the mission and vision? e. Why do aspiring leaders need to be able to evaluate the contributions of the above? 3. Why is an ability to apply appropriate leadership strategies (including change management) in order to maximise organisational potential in a variety of different business contexts important for aspiring leaders? (5 marks) a. What is a leadership strategy? b. What is change leadership? c. What is organisational potential? d. What is a business context? e. Why do aspiring leaders need to understand a broad range of leadership strategies that can be applied in in a variety of different business contexts? 4. Why is an ability to critically evaluate a range of motivational theories (employee engagement) within a specific organisational context important for aspiring leaders? (5 marks) a. What is a motivation theory? b. What are the two categories of motivational theories? c. What is the contemporary term for employee motivation? d. What is the ‘appreciative inquiry technique’? e. Why do aspiring leaders need to be able to critically evaluate a range of motivational theories within a specific organisational context? 5. Complete the ‘Potential Leadership Style’ Questionnaire and be prepared to answer the following questions (10 marks) |
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| a. How would you define your potential leadership style? (2 marks) b. What are your key strengths? (2 marks) c. What are your key challenges? (2 marks) d. What personal development do you need to undertake in order to develop your leadership ability? (4 marks) You need to download the questionnaire from the VLE. You need to use this questionnaire as the starting point for Identifying your potential leadership style. It will help you to identify whether you are likely to be more task or relationship focussed in your leadership style. You should use your knowledge of contemporary leadership styles to identify which one appears to be the closest fit for you. You should identify what you perceive to be your key strengths in terms of your knowledge, skills and behaviours. You should identify what you perceive to be your key challenges in terms of your knowledge, skills and behaviours. You should identify the specific areas of personal development you need to undertake to develop your leadership ability. Specifically what additional knowledge to you need, what additional skills do you need and what behaviours do you need to adopt? You MUST utilise relevant concepts, models and/or theories to justify your answers. |
| Guidance Part Two : Management Report (60 Marks) a. Introduction Indicative Word Count : 100 Words Marks Available : 5 Marks A very short introduction in which you explain the contents of your management report. b. A succinct overview of the ‘servant’ leadership style and the challenges associated with practicing it in the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment typical of the 21st Century. Indicative Wordcount : 500 Marks : 10 Marks You need to define the term servant leadership. You need to provide an example of good practice servant leadership within a contemporary organisation (other than Starbucks). You need to provide a succinct overview of the potential difficulties and specific challenges of practicing servant leadership within the current volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) business environment. c. A critical evaluation of Kevin Johnson’s leadership style (using the appreciative inquiry technique) focusing on Starbucks improved financial performance, its ethical challenges and the views being expressed by some of its current and former employees? Indicative Wordcount : 800 Marks Available : 20 Note : 2 Marks (10%) will deducted if you do not use the ‘appreciative inquiry’ approach to structure your answer. You need to identify Johnson’s leadership style providing evidence from the case study, his recent interviews |
Potential Leadership
Style Questionnaire.pdf
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| and/or your independent research to support your observations. You need to identify the positive elements of Johnson’s leadership style in terms of what is working well for him currently. You need to identify the negative elements of Johnson’s leadership style in terms of what is not working so well for him currently. You need to identify Starbucks’ key stakeholders and comment on why some groups are likely to view his leadership style positively and others negatively. d. Why does Johnson have such a strong personal brand as an effective global leader? Indicative Wordcount : 500 Marks Available : 10 You need to comment on why you believe that Johnson’s leadership style and the decisions he has made during his two year tenure as President and CEO appear to be having a very positive impact on his personal brand as a global leader at the moment? You need to justify your comments with reference to information contained within the case study, his recent interviews, interviews and/or presentations made by his critics and your own independent research. e. Provide two recommendations as to what you believe Johnson could do to build on his current success and maintain Starbuck’s sustainability and competitive advantage. Indicative Wordcount : 500 Marks Available : 10 You need to make two clear recommendations based on what you would advise Johnson to do in order to build on his current success and ensure Starbuck’s sustainability and competitive advantage going forward. You need to justify your recommendations with reference to information contained within the case study, his recent interviews, interviews and/or presentations made by his critics and your own independent research. e. Conclusion Indicative Word Count : 100 Words Marks Available : 5 Marks A short conclusion in which you express your view as to whether Kevin Johnson is an effective role model for aspiring leaders. This is a management report and should be written in the third person. You MUST utilise relevant leadership concepts, models and/or theories to underpin your views, opinions and critical evaluation and recommendations. Elements of each section can be presented in bullet-points and/or a table format. |
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BPP Coursework Cover Sheet
Please use the table below as your cover sheet for the 1st page of the submission. The sheet should
be before the cover/title page of your submission.
| Programme | MSc Management with Streams |
| Module name | Leading Business Organisations |
| Schedule Term | Autumn 2019 |
| Student Reference Number (SRN) | |
| Report/Assignment Title | Leading Business Organisations Portfolio |
| Date of Submission (Please attach the confirmation of any extension received) |
02 January 2020 |
| Declaration of Original Work: I hereby declare that I have read and understood BPP’s regulations on plagiarism and that this is my original work, researched, undertaken, completed and submitted in accordance with the requirements of BPP Business School. The word count, excluding contents table, bibliography and appendices, is ___ words. Student Reference Number: Date: |
|
| By submitting this coursework you agree to all rules and regulations of BPP regarding assessments and awards for programmes. Please note, submission is your declaration you are fit to sit. BPP University reserves the right to use all submitted work for educational purposes and may request that work be published for a wider audience. BPP School of Business and Technology |
19 BPP University School of Business and Technology
MSc LBO Academic Year 2019 – 2020 Coursework
Appendix A – General Grading Criteria (Level 7)
| Criteria | Pass Grades | Referral/Fail Grades | ||||
| High Distinction 85-100% |
Distinction 70-84% |
Merit 60-69% |
Pass 50-59% |
Referral/Fail 30-49% |
Referral/Low Fail 0-29% |
|
| The work displays: | The work displays: | The work displays: | The work displays: | The work displays: | The work displays: | |
| Knowledge & Understanding (a) Systematic Understanding (b) Emerging Thought |
(a) Strong evidence of a comprehensive and systematic understanding of an extensive range of appropriate issues, concepts, theories and research |
(a) Clear evidence of a comprehensive and systematic understanding of a considerable variety of issues, concepts, theories and research |
(a) Clear evidence of a comprehensive and systematic understanding of all major – and some minor – issues, concepts, theories and research |
(a) Evidence of a systematic understanding, which may contain some gaps, of all major – and some minor – issues, concepts, theories and research |
(a) Evidence of an understanding of an appropriate range of issues, concepts, theories and research but has significant gaps or misunderstandings. |
(a) Evidence of a limited understanding of issues, concepts, theories and research either major and/or minor. |
| (b) Sustained excellence in the application of thoughts and practices at the forefront of the discipline |
(b) Precise and well-judged application of thoughts and practices at the forefront of the discipline |
(b) Some clear evidence of the application of thoughts and practices at the forefront of the discipline |
(b) Clear evidence of an understanding of thoughts and practices at the forefront of the discipline. |
(b) Unclear or imprecise understanding of thoughts and practices at the forefront of the discipline. |
(b) Significant gaps in the understanding of the debates at the forefront of the discipline. |
|
| Argument (a) Analysis, Synthesis & Evaluation (b) Numerical Analysis (c) Argumentation (d) Independent Research |
(a) Consistently precise, accurate and reasoned analysis, synthesis and/or evaluation; addressing issues with insight or originality |
(a) Consistently precise, accurate and reasoned analysis, synthesis and/or evaluation addressing all issues, some with creativity |
(a) Precision, accuracy and clear reasoning throughout the analysis, synthesis and/or evaluation addressing all issues appropriately |
(a) Broad levels of precision, accuracy and reasoning in analysis, synthesis and/or evaluation, and addresses all key issues |
(a) Errors which affect the consistency of the analysis, synthesis or evaluation and/or key gaps in the issues addressed |
(a) A lack of precision, accuracy or reasoning in analysis, synthesis or evaluation with significant gaps in the issues addressed |
| (b) Numeric analysis that is complete and free from errors with application of methods that may be insightful or original |
(b) Numeric analysis that is complete and mostly free from errors with fluent and appropriate application of methods. |
(b) Numeric analysis that is complete and mostly free from errors with relevant and effective application of methods. |
(b) Numeric analysis that is mostly complete and free from significant or critical errors with appropriate application of methods. |
(b) Numeric analysis that is mostly complete but contains errors with significant effect, or methods that are applied inappropriately |
(b) Numeric analysis that is incomplete or contains errors which have critical effect, or methods that are applied inappropriately |
|
| (c) Extremely strong and consistent argument making a convincing whole with evidence of originality. Impressive dexterity in the use of information gathered to support the argument. |
(c) Extremely strong and consistent argument that convincingly addresses issues including uncertainties and conflicts. Excellent use of information gathered which to support and further the argument |
(c) Evidence of an argument that is generally convincing with a good internal consistency and addresses most issues. Very good use of information gathered to support the argument. |
(c) Evidence of an overall convincing argument but may have weaknesses, gaps or inconsistencies. Clear use of information gathered but may have some weaknesses in the integration into the argument. |
(c) Evidence of a consistent argument but may have weaknesses, significant gaps or be unconvincing. Clear use of information gathered but may not be sufficient to sustain the argument. |
(c) Lack of consistency or structure in the argument. Serious weaknesses in the integration of evidence and/or no awareness of the limitations or weaknesses of the research. |
20 BPP University School of Business and Technology
MSc LBO Academic Year 2019 – 2020 Coursework
| Criteria | Pass Grades | Referral/Fail Grades |
| High Distinction 85-100% |
Distinction 70-84% |
Merit 60-69% |
Pass 50-59% |
Referral/Fail 30-49% |
Referral/Low Fail 0-29% |
| The work displays: | The work displays: | The work displays: | The work displays: | The work displays: | The work displays: | |
| Argument (continued) (d) Independent Research |
(d) Evidence of an innovative or original use of extensive personal research which has been thoroughly critically evaluated both conceptually and methodologically |
(d) Substantial research and evidence of an innovative use of a wide range of personal research with clear and consistent critical evaluation both conceptually and methodologically |
(d) Clear evidence of considerable personal research and the use of a diverse range of appropriate sources but may contain problems with consistency in the conceptual and methodological critical evaluation |
(d) Appropriate use of a wide range of personal research which is critically evaluated for key conceptual and methodological issues although this may not be consistent throughout |
(d) Evidence of a range of personal research but evidence of methodological or conceptual evaluation may be limited, inconsistent or inappropriate |
(d) Over reliance on very restricted range of personal or secondary research much of which may not be evaluated and may not be directly related to the question or area |
| Presentation (a) Structure (b) Referencing (c) Use of Language |
(a) Excellent structure and presentation |
(a) Excellent structure and presentation |
(a) Good structure and presentation |
(a) Adequate structure and presentation |
(a) Adequate structure and presentation |
(a) Poor structure and presentation |
| (b) Precise, full and appropriate references and notes. |
(b) Precise, full and appropriate references and notes. |
(b) Full and appropriate references and notes with minor or insignificant errors |
(b) Good references and notes with minor or insignificant errors or omissions |
(b) Competent references and notes but may contain inconsistencies, errors or omissions |
(b) Poor references and notes with multiple inconsistencies, errors or omissions |
|
| (c) Subtle use of language expressing highly nuanced thought with clarity and precision to a level appropriate for submission for publication. |
(c) Precise use of language expressing complex thought with clarity, accuracy and precision which furthers and enhances the argument |
(c) Clear and precise use of language allowing a complex argument to be easily understood and followed |
(c) Generally clear use of language sufficient for arguments to be readily understood and followed |
(c) Generally understandable use of language but significant errors in expression affecting overall clarity |
(c) Serious errors in the use of language which makes meaning unclear or imprecise |
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