303LON and 308LON An Introduction to Workplace and Workbased Projects Unit: 1

Welcome LECTURER NAME Qualifications Academic Experience Professional Experience Research Consultancy

On completion of this module you will be able to: Work independently within an organisation, demonstrating initiative and commitment Review the literature relating to a business issue Analyse valid and reliable evidence to draw sound business conclusions Write a coherent project report communicating a solution or response to the business issue Reflect on your working practices in relation to your Personal Development Plan Module Learning Outcomes

Module Overview: 303LON and 308LON Week 6 Unit 1 An Introduction to Workplace and Workbased Projects Unit 2 Business research methods: an introduction Unit 3 Business research methods: data sources Unit 4 Business research methods: questions and active listening Week 7 Unit 5 Business research methods: project management skills Unit 6 Business research methods: using reflection in research Unit 7 Business research methods: writing professional reports Unit 8 Making a successful impact on your Workplace and Workbased project Week 8 Workplace or Independent Research Week 9 Workplace or Independent Research Week 10 Unit 9 Project Updates – Individual Presentations Unit 10 Individual Progress Review Unit 11 Individual Progress Review Unit 12 Module Review

On completion of this unit you will be able to: Define the purpose of business and management research Identify the requirements of the End of Module assessment, specifically the project brief and marking criteria Establish a set of Ground Rules and Working Practices for your work group Create an individual module learning plan based on your own skills audit and your module learning goals Unit Learning Outcomes

Why is project work important in organisations? Growing working practice in organisations Specific and non-routine work Complex and discrete nature of work Clearly defined goals within a specified timescale Require a range of self-management skills including control Source: Cameron (2009: 375) Business Skills: Project Work

Why do business research? …because there is an aspect of our understanding of what goes on in organisations that is to some extent unresolved (Bryman & Bell, 2007) The purpose of Business and Management Research is: 1.To improve organisational performance though increased effectiveness and efficiency 2.To increase our understanding of how organisations work, and their impact on individuals and society Purpose of Business and Management Research

Regular Assignment 1 (40%): Produce a Reflective Diary that demonstrates evidence of learning, as a result of carrying out your project, about: The subject of your research Your research skills Your professional and business skills Word Count: 1000 End of Module Assessment (60%): Produce a Project Report that investigates a current issue facing your selected organisation and presents a clear set of recommendations. Word Count: 4000 Assessment: 303LON Workplace Project

End of Module Assessment (100%): Produce a Project Report that investigates a current issue facing your selected organisation or industry and presents a clear set of recommendations. Word Count: 5000 Assessment: 308LON Workbased Project

Source: Cameron (2009: 378) Business Skills: Project Stages

Key Project Skills required include: Source: Cameron (2009: 376) Business Skills: Project Work Self-managementPlanning skillsInterpersonal skillsProblem solvingCreativityResilience

Being a Reflexive Practitioner ‘An acknowledgement of the implications and significance of a researcher’s choices as designer, observer and writer.’ The aims of reflexivity include: -Examine your unconscious reactions to the research methodology -Explore the dynamic between the researcher and the researched -Understand the role of the researcher in the construction of knowledge -Acknowledge the links between your learning goals and the research process Based on: Bryman & Bell (2007)

Choose Your Own Mindset Fixed MindsetGrowth Mindset Intelligence is innate, unchangeable and fixed at birth Intelligence can be developed through effort and persistence Choose courses and assignments that are safe options Actively seek out new challenges Worry about the possibility of failure Welcome opportunities for developing themselves Concerned they are seen as less intelligent Respond positively to feedback Find it difficult to ask for help or feedback Feel comfortable asking for help Based on Mindsets – The New Psychology of Success (Dweck, 2007)

Unit 1 Priority Actions: 1.Form your Work Group and set your Ground Rules 2.Create your Individual Learning Plan and Learning Log 3.Share your Skills Analysis 4.Produce your Individual Action Plan for developing key skills before Week 8 Be ready to present back in Unit 2 Business Skills: Project Work

Define the purpose of business and management research Identify the requirements of the End of Module assessment, specifically the project brief and marking criteria Establish a set of Ground Rules and Working Practices for your work group Create an individual module learning plan based on your own skills audit and your module learning goals Knowledgecast Summary

Seminar: Team Development FORMINGNORMINGPERFORMINGSTORMING Polite Impersonal Guarded Watchful Confronting people Dealing with conflict Opting out ‘not for me’ Lose team members Getting organised Developing skills Establishing systems and procedures Tackling challenges Getting Feedback Closeness/friends hip Flexible Supportive and trusting Sharing ideas Tolerant of members ADJOURNING Based on Tuckman and Jensen (1977)

1.Hold a team meeting to discuss ground rules. All team members should have a chance to input. 2.Team members share prior group experiences. What worked well? What created problems? 3.As a group, describe what you’d like to happen when you work together. 4.Write down the agreed ground rules. Each member should have a copy. 5.Ground rules should be reviewed periodically. Seminar: Teamworking Team Deliverables Managing Team Performance Ways of Working

Effective Teams set Ground Rules Managing our Team Performance What are the standards for meeting attendance, being on time, and participating? What roles need to be filled (time keeper, note taker, facilitator) and how will they be assigned? How will the group gather data and feedback from team members and other stakeholders? What is the flow of communication? How will team members be held accountable? Seminar: Teamworking Source: University of Minnesota (2010)

Effective Teams set Ground Rules Ways of Working Together How will we make decisions? How will we problem-solve? How will we handle conflicts? How does the team define respectful behavior? How will people be held accountable? How will we communicate with each other (face-to-face, , Skype…)? Seminar: Teamworking Source: University of Minnesota (2010)

Workplace and Workbased Skills Assessment Audit Seminar: Skills Audit Self-managementManaging risksCommunicationGood working relationshipsApplying knowledge and skillsUsing initiativeReflection

Unit 1 Priority Actions: 1.Form your Work Group and set your Ground Rules 2.Create your Individual Learning Plan and Learning Log 3.Share your Skills Analysis 4.Produce your Individual Action Plan for developing key skills before Week 8 Be ready to present back in Unit 2 Business Skills: Project Work

In our next Unit, we will: Share the key themes from your Skills Audit Revisit the key stages in the production of business and management research Appraise and use a range of methods to identify an area of interest to research for your Project Report What are we going to cover next?