1. Critically analyse and evaluate alternative approaches to organisational change, drawing on both theoretical and practical perspectives.

University Learning Outcome: Enquiry, Analysis

2. Evaluate the value and appropriateness of a range of change-management tools and explain how they can be applied to support innovation.

University Learning Outcome: Problem-Solving, Application

3. Assess and evaluate the consequences of change for people in your organisation and present well-reasoned discussions on the management and leadership of change initiatives.

University Learning Outcome: Communication, Reflection

4. Establish and justify the fundamental importance of leading innovation as a route to competitive advantage within your organisational context.

University Learning Outcome: Knowledge and Understanding, Learning

As part of this module, you will submit a single, integrated assessment that combines a work-based report with naturally occurring evidence from your day-to-day role.

As part of this module, you will demonstrate your understanding of organisational innovation and change while applying your occupational competency within your organisation. You will analyse your organisation’s approach to change and provide workplace evidence that showcases your senior leadership capabilities in implementing, leading, and reflecting on innovation and change strategies.

Work-Based Report (3,500 words 100%):
* Critically examine your organisation’s approach to change.
* Evaluate the tools and frameworks used to manage or support innovation.
* Assess the consequences of change on people and the organisation.
* Discuss how change and innovation can be leveraged to enhance performance, deliver greater public value, or achieve competitive advantage, depending on your organisational context.
* Use theory, models, and research evidence to support your discussion.
* Reflect on your role and leadership practices within this context.
* This section should demonstrate Learning Outcomes 1–4

Work-product evidence (appendix, ungraded)
Provide naturally occurring documents that underpin your analysis. Provide artefacts of workplace evidence that directly support your discussion in the work-based report. Evidence must come from normal duties rather than being created solely for assessment.

Evidence may include:
Products from you own own work – which are completed documents not blank templates
Records of team minutes/agendas
Direct observations of your performance (e.g. witness statements, testimonials)
Outcomes from oral or written questioning
Personal statements and or reflective accounts
Professional discussions/Authentic statements/witness testimony
Records of External Customer communications
Where relevant documents should be dated and signed

This assessment addresses Learning Outcomes 1,2,3,4

The aim of this module is to analyse situations that face leaders and managers when responding to the needs of the organisation/marketplace. It will investigate a range of workplace situations where creativity and innovation are essential to achieve competitive advantage. This level will be considered in the context of what may be appropriate for individual organisations and the requirement to respond to the needs of the organisation or the demands of the marketplace.

Key themes include:
* Comprehensive coverage of the significant ideas and issues associated with change at all levels of the organisation
* Consideration of effective People Management initiatives and practices to ensure the ethical and appropriate management of people through change.
* Creativity, innovation and continuous improvement

Learning within this module maps to the following Sustainable Development Goals:
* 4 Quality Education
* 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
* 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Learning within this module maps to the following principles of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:
* Ethical and inclusive approaches to innovation and change
* Recognising the impact of change on diverse groups and embedding equity in practice
* Ensuring fair access to innovation opportunities and supporting inclusive participation in change processes

This module enables experienced managers to explore how purposeful change sparks innovation and improves organisational performance. Using a live initiative from their own workplace, learners examine the methods used to plan and implement change, judge their effectiveness, and shape recommendations that build agility and competitive advantage. Classroom discussion is underpinned by current research yet tested against day-to-day practice. By the end of the module, you will be able to evaluate critically your organisation’s approach to change, apply suitable tools across the full change cycle, and demonstrate reflective, ethical leadership that supports people and sustains results.

Delivery follows the blended pattern adopted across the Executive MBA:

* Face-to-face sessions – group work, formal teaching, case-study analysis and guest speakers; participants share workplace experience to enrich peer learning.
* Online live webinars – tutorials featuring discussion, flipped-classroom tasks, further case work and student presentations.
* Guided independent study – additional online content (videos, presentations), independent reading, formative tasks, assessment preparation and evidence gathering.

Change Management & Leadership
* Burnes, B. (2017) Managing Change. 7th ed. Harlow: Pearson.
* Cawsey, T. F., Deszca, G., Ingols, C. and Atanassova, E. (2025) Organisational Change: An Action-Oriented Toolkit. 5th ed. London: SAGE.
* Dawson, P., Andriopoulos, C. and Pattinson, S. (2024) Managing Change, Creativity and Innovation. 5th ed. London: SAGE.
* Hayes, J. (2022) The Theory and Practice of Change Management. 6th ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Note: 7th edition scheduled for release November 13, 2025
* Kotter, J. P. (2012) Leading Change. Rev. ed. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
* Pixton, P., Gibson, P. and Nickolaisen, N. (2014) The Agile Culture: Leading Through Trust and Ownership. 1st ed. Indianapolis, IN: Pearson.
* Yukl, G. A. and Gardner, W. L. (2020) Leadership in Organizations. 9th ed. Harlow: Pearson.

Creativity, Innovation & Design Thinking
* Brown, T. (2019) Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation. Rev. ed. New York: HarperBusiness.
* Christensen, C. M. (2024) The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail. New ed. with foreword. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
* Kelley, T. and Kelley, D. (2013) Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All. 1st ed. New York: Crown Business.
* Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y., Smith, A. and Etiemble, F. (2020) The Invincible Company: How to Constantly Reinvent Your Organization with Inspiration From the World's Best Business Models. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
* Proctor, T. (2018) Creative Problem-Solving for Managers: Developing Skills for Decision Making and Innovation. 5th ed. Abingdon: Routledge.
* Tidd, J. and Bessant, J. R. (2024) Managing Innovation: Integrating Technological, Market and Organisational Change. 8th ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. ISBN: 9781394252060
* Van der Heijden, K. (2005) Scenarios: The Art of Strategic Conversation. 2nd ed. Chichester: Wiley.
* Morgan, A. and Barden, M. (2015) A Beautiful Constraint: How to Transform Your Limitations into Advantages, and Why It's Everyone's Business. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Journals: Journal of Management Studies, Journal of Business Research, Strategic Organisation, Strategic Management Journal, Global Strategy Journal, Journal of Global Strategic Management
Harvard Business Review: www.hbr.org
McKinsey: https://www.mckinsey.com/
Deloitte: https://www2.deloitte.com