7LD01 Organisational Design and Development 7LD01 Organisational design and development
Student Assessment Brief
Assessment ID / CIPD_7LD01_24_01
Level 7 Advanced Diploma in
Strategic Learning and Development Version 1 – Released June 2024 Introduction Your knowledge and understanding of the material covered in this specialist unit will be assessed through your answers to four questions.
You will write four answers of approximately 1000 words to the questions posed and submit them together in a single document. This constitutes your assessment for this unit. The total word count for the assessment will therefore be 4000 words, plus or minus 10%. The bibliography, list of references and essential appendixes (if applicable) are not included in the total word count – but the latter must be kept to a minimum.
You must demonstrate within the submitted evidence (through headings and sub-headings) which learning outcomes and assessment criteria have been cited. We are unable to moderate your work if this is not included.
As this is an Advanced Diploma, it is important that you are able to demonstrate not only good knowledge and understanding of the material associated with each learning outcome, but also the ability to develop an original argument and justify it persuasively with reference to wider reading. Examples of approaches taken in a range of organisations are also an effective means by which to justify your arguments.
The six main criteria that CIPD requires centres to use when marking your assessment are outlined below, but it may be that not all these criteria are present in every question.
(1) focus
(2) depth and breadth of understanding
(3) strategic application and professional advice
(4) research and wider reading
(5) persuasiveness and originality
(6) presentation and language
Assessment questions You receive the following message from your organisation’s Head of People Management:
‘There is an increasing need for us to review our organisational design and development practices to ensure that the organisation is operating effectively to achieve its desired levels of performance.
I am aware of your interest in this area, so would value your contribution to this project. Can you respond to the following questions and join me to discuss these points with the board at their next meeting?’
For the purpose of this assessment, you need to apply your answers to either your own organisation or one with which you are familiar.
It is essential that your reading of the published literature is used to inform your responses to all questions.
Question 1 (AC 1.4) In addition to the external drivers for change, it is important that we consider the organisational specific factors that are likely to impact our organisational design and development.
Evaluate three of the key contextual variables, such as the organisation’s existing structure, culture, sector etc outlining how these can impact the organisation’s design and development.
Question 2 (AC 2.3) I’ve read about the importance of ‘a change ready culture’ when changing an organisation’s design.
If the organisation were to adopt a different organisational design, discuss the key factors that would need to be considered when planning to implement this.
Question 3 (AC 3.2) Evaluate two organisational development frameworks, recommending which would be appropriate for the organisation. Justify your recommendation.
Question 4 (AC 4.3) The success of any changes made to the organisation design or development will be reliant on the buy-in from its employees.
Examine two distinct strategies to encourage the engagement of employees to any future changes made to the organisational design or development.
Marking Grid The student 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.
To pass the unit assessment the student must achieve a 2 (Pass) or above for each of the learning outcomes. The overall mark achieved will dictate the grade the student receives for the unit, provided NONE
of the learning outcomes have been failed or referred.
Overall mark
Unit result
0 to 7
Refer / Fail
8 or 9
Pass
10 to 13
Merit
14 to 16
Distinction
The student results should be recorded in a marking grid similar to the example below.
Marking grid: Learning outcome
Mark
LO1
2
LO2
3
LO3
3
LO4
2
Overall mark
10
Unit Result
Merit
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.