The unit is providing you an opportunity to demonstrate skills required for managing and implementing a small-scale business project. You will undertake independent research and investigation for carrying out and executing a business project that meets appropriate business aims and objectives. On successful completion of this unit, you will have the confidence to engage in decision making, problem solving and research activities using project-management skills.
You will have the fundamental knowledge and skills to enable them to investigate and examine relevant business concepts in a work-related context, determine appropriate outcomes, decisions or solutions and present evidence to various stakeholders in an acceptable and understandable format.
The Pearson-set theme for use with this unit is “Corporate Social Responsibility and its importance for sustainability and competitive advantage.”
In the dynamic landscape of modern business, the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has emerged as a powerful force driving positive change. Beyond profit generation, today`s businesses are expected to contribute to society and the environment, paving the way for long-term sustainability and gaining a competitive edge. This unit will enable students to examine the multi dimensions of CSR within the context of business operations applied to a small-scale project. This will provide the
opportunity for students to contextualise the principles of CSR.
As we explore the theme of CSR and its impact on sustainability and competitive advantage, we delve into how businesses can align their objectives towards sustainability and competitive advantage. Together with the rise of globalisation, companies now employ CSR managers, experts and consultants to produce comprehensive CSR policies and programmes, to give them a competitive edge and build stakeholder trust and loyalty. As we explore real-world examples, case studies, and best practices, we will equip you with the knowledge and insights needed to harness the transformative potential of CSR in driving both business excellence and social progress.
The impact of CSR on a functional area (e.g., HR, Marketing, Finance) within an organisation to promote profitability and financial sustainability
You have been appointed as an assistant manager in a small hospitality firm. You are required to discuss the impact of CSR on a functional area (e.g., HR, Marketing, Finance) within an organisation to promote profitability and financial sustainability. These discussions will be recognised in the project work which is reliant on gathering information/data that can be analysed in order to increase firm’s revenue and meet the organisational objectives
The assignment has been divided into two parts. Part 1 will be covering learning outcome 1 and 2; Part 2 will be covering learning outcome 3 and learning outcome 4. The submission format for each part is provided below:
Part 1: Project Log book and Project Management Plan (3000-3500 words) – covering LO1 & LO2
By the end of this unit a student will be able to:
LO1: Explain the key stages of the project lifecycle that should be considered when project managing
LO2: Produce a Project Management Plan (PMP) for a business project using primary and secondary research methods
- Having a clear concept of project life cycle, project planning and project management
- Examining a range of research methods, strategies and factors and evaluating their importance to project management
- Critically evaluating the stages of project lifecycle and research methods for data collection
- Critically evaluating the project management & planning processes
- Acquiring the skills to produce a detailed project management plan
- Utilizing appropriate resources and research methods to gather data and to present valid and meaningful conclusions and recommendations
- Justifying conclusions and recommendations through valid and reliable data
- Critically reflecting on the learning and value gained from undertaking the project management and project implementation processes
As you are appointed as an assistant manager in a small-scale website consultancy firm who offers services to clients from business, education, hospitality and health care sector. Produce a project plan to increase the clientele, increase the firm revenue and meet the organisational objectives successfully. Justify the strategies you choose to transform the work place innovative and digital.
Through the project management plan address the diverse clients’ needs while protecting the rights of the almost 50% of the firm’s workers who prefer to work from home.
Explain, examine and critically evaluate the key stages of the project lifecycle from initiation, planning and execution and closure stage, the factors to be considered in project planning and the importance of research methods and strategies to project management.
Produce a detailed project management plan (PMP), work breakdown structure, project stages, and timeframe and completion stages. Justify the choices you made in the project management design and the research methods selected in the PMP.
Also explore and provide details of the roles in managing project e.g.as an assistant project manager and their responsibilities to drive through the project and achieve required outcomes. You must also provide critical evaluation of the skills required for project
management, good planning, organizing including leadership and communication skills. Compare different organisational approaches to project management using case studies.
Provide sufficient detail of the project lifecycle through explaining and evaluating the scoping of a project. Also provide details of different types of software and application used to support project management, e.g., Microsoft Project for tracking, managing and analysing projects and Asana for holistic project management and integration of workload, inbox, calendars and tasks. Use of project-planning tasks and tracking tools, e.g., Trello, Smart sheet and Excel spreadsheets must also be evaluated that includes tools and techniques used to create activity plans, work breakdown structure (WBS) and Gantt charts for effective planning.
Critically analyse the research methods used in the project management planning. This should include purpose of research in a project, research ethics, reliable research and valid research from selecting appropriate sample population and methods for information gathering, data collection and material resourcing and the use of secondary research to inform a primary study.
Use research methods and strategies for primary and secondary research and data collection. Define qualitative and quantitative methods by selecting an appropriate strategy for the research, e.g., questionnaires, interviews, observation and using monitoring tools, including WBS and Gantt charts. See the following for field work:
Different strategies that can be used to conduct research, e.g.:
● interviews, questionnaires, experiments
● selecting a sample of the consumer market, businesses or individuals
● sampling approaches and techniques, including probability and nonprobability sampling.
Factors to consider, including:
● aim and objectives
● deliverables
● quality
● risk
● stakeholder communication
● resources
