UMODFH-15-M

Leadership, Complexity and Change (LCC)

Bristol Business School /

Villa College

MODULE PROGRAMME & STUDY GUIDE

September 2022 intake

University of the West of England, Bristol / Villa College

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Contents

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................ 3
MODULE AIMS ............................................................................................................................................... 4
TEACHING AND LEARNING APPROACH ............................................................................................... 4
SCHOLARSHIP AND RESEARCH .............................................................................................................. 5
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW ......................................................................................................................... 6
SUGGESTED USE OF STUDENT TIME ..................................................................................................... 7
ASSESSMENT.................................................................................................................................................. 7
ASSIGNMENT BRIEF .................................................................................................................................... 8
APPENDIX 1 - MASTERS LEVEL GRADE DESCRIPTORS ................................................................. 11
READING ....................................................................................................................................................... 15
APPENDIX: MASTERS LEVEL GRADE DESCRIPTORS ..................................................................... 16

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Introduction
Welcome to the Leadership, Complexity and Change module. The purpose of this guide is
to provide an overview of the module and its session content, teaching approach, assessment
strategy and reading/study requirements. Alongside this guide you should also ensure you
visit Villa College Moodle for the module as all relevant material covered and additional
information will be available on this site.

I look forward to working with you,

Ahmed Shahid
Module leader

Contact Details

If you have any queries or problems, please approach me directly at a session or

alternatively contact us as follows:

Module Leader:

Name: Dr Ahmed Shahid

e-mail: [email protected]

Telephone: + 960 9696426

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Module Aims
The module covers three interrelated areas that are fundamental for students of
management and management practitioners: Leadership, Complexity and Change. The
module deals with analysis and implementation moving between both theory and practice.
We hope that you will have an enjoyable time and that you will develop new creative
insights into leadership and management practice.

Learning outcomes:

On successful completion of the module students will be able to:

• understand key aspects of the leadership of organisational complexity and change in

national and international contexts with a greater appreciation of the implications of
risk and unpredictability
• recognise opportunities to engage proactively with change and adopt an
entrepreneurial attitude, working with others, in order to achieve enhanced group
and organisational performance
• build collaborations across organisational boundaries and to support inter-
organisational learning within diverse partnerships
• understand the value of diversity in organisations, including its impact upon
leadership style, individual contributions to groups, and cross-cultural working
• demonstrate critical self-awareness in relation to the ethical dilemmas inherent in
leadership and reflecting an appreciation of the significance of CSR (corporate
social responsibility), sustainability and political activity
• creatively and critically reflect on their own practice, experience and self-
development
• communicate professionally through the clear and well-articulated presentation of
complex ideas and arguments

Teaching and Learning Approach

The module is studied through a one-week block of lectures/seminars, with pre and post-
module reading, activities and reflections. This provides an opportunity to work with a
range of learning methods (student reading, tutor/student inputs, small and large group
discussions, questionnaires, case studies, videos and exercises) designed to achieve the
learning outcomes. It is supported by VC Online Learning Management System – Villa
College Moodle.

For each topic basic reading is identified in the main core textbook and list of readings.
This should be supplemented by additional reading in relevant journals, books, newspapers,
media reports and internet sources. Additional reading is essential for the successful
completion of the module.

Students are encouraged to share relevant personal work experience and engage in a co-
operative approach to learning. Within the scheduled learning sessions of the module
students are expected to play a major role in leading and developing learning, taking a
facilitating role, guiding fellow students and stimulating class discussion. The group itself,
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as an organisation, will be used to explore theory. Students are expected to take a reflexive
approach to their praxis and space is devoted for this in the programme.

Critical Thinking

A very important aspect of the teaching and learning approach is an emphasis on critical
thinking. Thinking critically is about being sceptical. It involves moving from surface
description and knowledge to deeper analysis, synthesis and evaluation. In writing in an
academically critical manner theory from the literature should be used to frame your
answers and examples from experience used to show how you have arrived at your
conclusion.

When you are asked to critically review an article you need to initially clarify what the
article is attempting to communicate how it develops and supports a particular proposition
or argument. You should go beyond a surface analysis and expose the particular
perspective from which the article is written. Finally, you need to reflect on the
implications of the article - how does it change your thinking and practice in organisations.

Scholarship and Research

This module is delivered by staff associated with Bristol Leadership and Change Centre
(BLCC), one of a number of centres of excellence at Bristol Business School. It builds on
our University’s long history of research, education and business/community engagement
in leadership and change to offer new insights and approaches to leading, managing and
mobilising social influence.

Our research demonstrates that developing ‘good leadership’ is about more than just
identifying ‘good leaders’ – it requires careful consideration of the complex relationship
between leaders and followers, as well as the organisational and cultural contexts in which
they find themselves. Identity, ethics, language and power are just some of the factors that
shape and influence leadership processes, outcomes and interpretations.

For further details visit: https://www1.uwe.ac.uk/bl/research/bristolleadershipcentre.aspx

Seminars and events

We run a series of events throughout the academic year, many of which are directly
relevant to this module. For further details please visit:
https://www1.uwe.ac.uk/bl/research/bristolleadershipandchange/events.aspx and
https://www1.uwe.ac.uk/whatson/bristoldaseries.aspx.

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Programme Overview

Sessio Date* Theme Teaching Staff

n
1 Study Unit 1 - Introduction to the Module: Leadership Shahid
in a changing world
2 Study Unit 2 – Leading and Managing People: Basic Shahid
concepts
3 Study Unit 3 - Transformational and Charismatic Shahid
Leadership

4 Study Unit 4 - Strategic Leadership, Boards and Risk Shahid

5 Study Unit 5 - Leadership, Identity and Context Shahid

6 Study Unit 6 - Distributed and Shared Leadership- and Shahid

‘Friendly Consulting
7 Study Unit 7 – Management of Change Shahid

8 Study Unit 8 - Leading Change in Complex Systems Shahid

9 Study Unit 9 – Leadership, Power, Politics and Shahid

Diversity
10 Study Unit 10 – Leadership, Ethics and Authenticity Shahid

11 Study Unit 11 – Leadership and Culture Shahid

3 January Assignment Submission

2023

Students are expected to attend all scheduled sessions in order to cover the full range of
topics included in the programme. If a session is missed students should arrange to collect
handouts and notes from fellow students in the group.

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Suggested use of Student Time
This is a 15-credit module, which requires 150 study hours. Suggested use of time is
outlined below.

Pre-block reading and making notes on core text, journal articles, etc 30 hours

Pre-block online activities 4 hours

Involvement in teaching sessions 32 hours

Post-block online activities 4 hours

Reflections in Learning Log 10 hours

In depth study and note taking on a personal selection of journal articles that 20 hours
relate to your interests in leadership, complexity and Change

Background skim reading from other textbooks 20 hours

Assignment – further reading, thinking, analysis and writing up 30 hours

Total 150 hours

Assessment
The module is assessed by means of a 3,500 word written assignment that includes a
critical analysis of an organisational change event and personal reflection on learning from
the module and future development needs. The assessment must be submitted via Villa
College Moodle on or before 3 January 2023, by 11:59pm. It is your responsibility to be
sure you have access to Villa College Moodle and you are familiar on how to submit on
line.

The aim of the assessment is to determine whether you can apply relevant leadership theory
and/or perspectives to provide critical insight into managerial and organisational issues and
situations. The assessment is grounded in your own experience. Although knowledge and
understanding will be assessed the emphasis is on higher order postgraduate academic
skills of analysis, synthesis, evaluation and creativity. We will be assessing how you
"make sense" of leadership and management practice in context and how effectively you
articulate and defend your argument.

The assignment should be submitted via Moodle by the time/date confirmed. It is your
responsibility to ensure you have access to Moodle and you are familiar with how to submit
online. Please contact the Moodle Support team if you need advice.

Re-assessment will be based upon a re-working of the content in the original submission.

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Assignment Brief

Question

The essay question has two parts, as outlined below:

a. Critically analyse the leadership of change in a specific organisation with which you are
familiar.
b. Building on this analysis, plus learning and insights from your Personal Learning Log,
critically reflect on your own leadership practice and development needs.

Equal weighting is given to both aspects in marking/assessment.

Additional and useful details related to the assessment are included in the separate
Assessment Brief available on Moodle.

Structure/format

As with all Masters-level assignments the essay should have a clear and coherent line of argument
throughout, drawing on relevant theory and evidence to illustrate points, support and interpret
analyses and develop conclusions and recommendations for leadership and management practice.

This assignment requires you to demonstrate a good depth of critical reflection and analysis, which
means that you will need to make informed choices about what to include and what to leave out. It
should NEITHER be a descriptive summary of concepts, case studies and/or module content NOR a
one-sided attempt to legitimise your own perspective on the issues. Instead, we are looking for a
careful and considered evaluation of the issues, that synthesises and integrates a range of
perspectives on theory and practice, in order to make balanced and informed judgements.

Given the focus on your own experience, alongside a range of other sources of evidence, we expect
the essay to include a combination of first, second and/or third person perspectives on the issues
considered. References and examples should be used throughout in order to illustrate/support the
points that are being made. We are keen to see evidence of good integration of theory and practice,
along with practical and realistic suggestions for your future development and leadership practice.

We encourage you to choose a structure/format that suits the argument you are making, however, at
a minimum we would expect to see:

• Introduction – a clear articulation of the aims and purpose of the essay, which sets out the
structure, focus and key arguments so that the reader knows what to expect.
• Critical analysis of an organisational change – analysis of a specific and discrete
organisational change event, using relevant theories/concepts as well as appropriate
evidence/examples, to reveal insights into the nature, processes and/or outcomes of leading
change in complex situations.
• Critical reflection on own leadership practice and development needs – building on the
earlier argument, combined with insights from your Personal Learning Log, to demonstrate
self-awareness in relation to your previous experience, current role and/or future
development as a leader.

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 • Conclusion and recommendations – an integrated synthesis of key points from the essay
that highlights key insights for the leadership of change and recommendations for
leadership practice and/or development.
• Appendix – a copy of your Personal Learning Log should be included as an appendix (this
is not included within the word count for the assignment).

Overall, the assignment should demonstrate:

• Good engagement with a range of relevant theories/concepts in order to critically analyse

the organisational change event and the implications for leading change (learning
outcomes 1, 4 & 5);
• Thoughts, experiences, feelings and reflections that have emerged from your Personal
Learning Log that are relevant to the case analysis and/or your own leadership practice
(learning outcomes 2, 3, 4 & 6);
• Consideration of what you have learnt from the module and the implications for your own
personal and professional development (learning outcomes 2, 3, 4 & 6);
• Engagement with a range of sources of evidence from which to draw a balanced and
informed set of conclusions and recommendations (learning outcomes 1, 4 & 5).

Note: whilst learning outcomes are specified against each aspect it is possible to demonstrate
any/all throughout the assignment. In preparing your essay be sure that each of the six learning
outcomes is addressed at least once.

Choosing an organisational change

You are expected to identify a suitable organisational change, which allows you to explore the
challenges and complexities of leading change in the real world. This should be in an organisation
that you have some direct experience of engaging with as a leader/manager, employee/partner
and/or client/customer.

The change event should be distinct and discrete – with a clear timeline, boundaries and an
identifiable set of key actors. Ideally this should be a change in which you have been directly
involved, which should enable you to draw on a range of evidence and perspectives (including your
own experience) to reveal the multifaceted dimensions of leadership and change in organisations.
You do not need to have held a formal leadership responsibility for the change but should be in a
position to comment in an informed way on the processes and outcomes of the change and how it
has been experienced by a range of different stakeholders.

Should you not have any direct organisational experience to draw on we will consider an analysis
based on an organisation that you have some knowledge of as a client/customer or via
family/friends. Given the requirement for you to demonstrate personal reflection as well as critical
analysis it is NOT acceptable for you to base the assignment on a published case study or other
third party sources (although these may provide useful supplementary evidence that you can refer to
if they relate to the organisation and/or change you choose to study).

It usually takes some time for people to decide on an organisational change event to analyse as they
weigh up the options - considering the available evidence, fit with theory/concepts and relevance
for personal leadership practice and development. Opportunities will be provided during the module
to discuss your ideas with the tutors and other students and you are strongly encouraged to start
thinking about this as early as possible within the programme. Experience shows that essays tend to
require a number of revisions in order to reach the levels of critical analysis required to achieve the
highest grades.

Further guidelines include:

• Identify a specific change event – bounded in both time and place – in order to focus on the
interpersonal and organisational dynamics of leadership and change in context.
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 • Briefly outline the nature and context of the change (organisation, key actors and
stakeholders, reason for the change, etc.) but avoid unnecessary description. Where further
detail is required this may be added as an appendix, which is not included in the word
count.
• Critically analyse the change event drawing upon relevant organisational, leadership and
change literature to highlight key factors. You will need to demonstrate how/why you have
chosen to focus on particular concepts/theories and how you have applied them to provide
insights into the practice(s) of leadership and change.
• Clarify the sources of evidence you are drawing on and the implications in terms of
potential bias and/or generalisability. Whilst we expect you to reflect on personal
experience for changes you have been directly involved with you should complement this
by also considering other perspectives and/or evidence sources.
• Draw on the insights from your analysis to provide conclusions on the nature/process(es) of
leading change and to identify recommendations for leadership/management practice both
in the specific example and more widely.

Assessment Criteria

Assignments will be assessed against the standard UWE marking criteria for Masters-level work in
business and management (see Appendix 1). A tailored framework has been developed for the
allocation of marks against different aspects of the assignment brief, as outlined below.

Criteria Grade
Research and selection of appropriate literature (25%) A B C D E
Breadth and depth of reading; reference to a wide range of relevant materials
and resources; knowledge and understanding of theories and concepts.
Application of theories/concepts to practice (25%) A B C D E
Sophisticated use of theory/concepts to explore and make sense of situations
and experiences; critical synthesis of theory and practice; working at the
boundary of theory and practice.
Reflective approach to experience and learning (20%) A B C D E
Perceptive and creative reflection on personal/professional experience; good
engagement with Personal Learning Log; self-awareness and insights for
personal/professional development.
Managerial conclusions and recommendations (20%) A B C D E
Development of strong, coherent set of recommendations and conclusions
based on analysis; considers implications for leadership and/or management
practice; recognition of the limitations and generalisability of findings.
Ability to communicate using an academic format (10%) A B C D E
Clearly structured, good use of English, coherently argued, good scholarship
(no plagiarism) and fully referenced.
Overall grade A B C D E

A more detailed template that will be used by markers is given in the Appendix 2.

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Appendix 1 - Masters Level Grade Descriptors
80-100% Student has met the Learning Outcomes (LOs) of the assessment with:
Distinction Knowledge and Clarity of Reasoning
A Exceptionally comprehensive knowledge base. Ability to discriminate and justify key issues
and relate them to the wider context. Lines of thought are innovative and transparent and the
arguments are confidently expressed to develop and synthesise compelling and novel
conclusions. Conclusions drawn make a new contribution to the knowledge base of the
discipline and there is clear evidence of originality in the work Innovative thinker.
Interface between Theory and Practice in the Professional Context
Exceptional critical analysis of the interface between theory and practice, which evaluates
and challenges theoretical adequacy and synthesises the development of practice.
Exceptional evidence of self understanding which leads to creative and novel use of
multiple frameworks for evaluation and synthesis and challenges current practice in context.
Use of literature
Exceptional, discerning and balanced range of key and peripheral primary and secondary
sources demonstrating a very high level of critical evaluation and synthesis and the ability to
challenge received wisdom in the subject.
70-79% Student has met the LOs of the assessment with:
Distinction Knowledge and Clarity of Reasoning
A Excellent, comprehensive knowledge base. Ability to discriminate and justify key issues and
relate them to the wider context. Lines of thought are transparent and the arguments are
confidently expressed to develop and synthesise compelling conclusions.
Interface between Theory and Practice in Context
Rigorous critical analysis of the interface between theory and practice, clearly elaborated to
evaluate theoretical adequacy and synthesise the development of practice. Excellent,
creative use of multiple frameworks for evaluation and synthesis of own stance.
Use of literature
Excellent, wide range of key and peripheral primary and secondary sources, demonstrating
critical evaluation and synthesis within the professional context.
Organisation of Material
Excellent, coherent organisation and structure which enhances comprehension. Excellent
presentation of all material. Referencing is accurate to a high degree.
60-69% Student has met the LOs of the assessment with:
Good pass Knowledge and Clarity of Reasoning
B Substantial knowledge base. Ability to discriminate key issues and establish some links to
the wider context. Arguments are confidently expressed through clear, logical lines of
thought. Conclusions are firmly articulated, comprehensive, relevant and arise directly from
the premised arguments.
Interface between Theory and Practice in Context
Excellent critical analysis/evaluation of the relationship between theory and practice.
Substantial use of multiple theoretical frameworks to in context with wide ranging synthesis
to show how each is informing the other. Clear, critical evaluation of their usefulness.
Use of literature
Substantial selection of key primary and secondary literature sources demonstrating analysis
and critical evaluation of a wide range of relevant issues for the professional context.
Organisation of Material
Organisation is comprehensive and structure coherent.
Well presented, with considerable attention to detail which facilitates effortless
comprehension.
Supporting material is well presented and ordered with accurate referencing and minimal
errors of detail.

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50-59% Student has met the LOs of the assessment with:
Satisfactory Knowledge and Clarity of Reasoning
Pass
Sound knowledge base. Ability to discriminate key issues. Arguments are confidently
C expressed through clear, logical lines of thought. Conclusions are firmly articulated, relevant
and arise directly from the premised arguments.
Interface between Theory and Practice in Context
Good, critical analysis/evaluation of the relationship between theory and practice. Some use
of multiple theoretical frameworks to evaluate professional practice. Demonstrable synthesis
to show how each is informing the other. Some evaluation of their usefulness.
Use of literature
Good selection of key primary literature sources with critical evaluation of significant issues
in context.
Some limited analysis of related, secondary material.
Organisation of Material
Organisation and structure is coherent.
Well presented, facilitating comprehension.
Supporting material is well presented
40-49% Student has not met all the LOs of the assessment with:
fail Knowledge and Clarity of Reasoning
D Some defended knowledge of current, relevant issues. Limited development of arguments
where lines of thought are discernible. Limited conclusions arising from premises.
Interface between Theory and Practice in Context
Some articulation of the relationship between and critical analysis/evaluation of the
significance of relevant theory to specific professional practice with some awareness of how
each may be informed by the other.
Use of literature
Range and choice of evidence/literature marginally inadequate. Some recognition and
critical analysis of issues of significance in context.
Organisation of Material
Organisation and structure does not adequately support the work. Presentation includes
supporting material but is somewhat disorganised in places. Most referencing is sound and
appropriate but limited in scope.
30-39% Student has not met the LOs of the assessment with:
Fail Knowledge and Clarity of Reasoning
E Some evidence of relevant knowledge base but little argument and lines of thought are
poorly expressed and often demonstrate confused thinking. Conclusions drawn but often not
related to discussion.
Interface between Theory and Practice in Context
Some use of relevant theory but lack of awareness of relationship to practice. Little
integration of the articulation between theory and practice
Use of literature
Narrow but mainly relevant selection of evidence/literature demonstrating
0-29% Student has failed to meet the majority of the LOs of the assessment.
Fail
E

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Research and selection of MARK Application of MARK Reflective approach to MARK Managerial conclusions and MARK Ability to communicate using MARK
the appropriate literature (25%) theories/concepts to practice (25%) experience and (20%) recommendations (20%) an academic format. (10%)
learning

Excellent evidence of breadth 25 Insightful analysis that 25 There is a deep 20 Strong, coherent set of 20 Adept handling of the material, 10
and depth of reading. highlights and exposes key reflective interrogation recommendations and well-reasoned, with a clear line
Extensive reference to a wide issues. into learning. conclusions that clearly emerge of thought.
22 22 18 from the analysis. 18 9
range of relevant materials Excellent use of examples to Extensive engagement The writer’s voice or signature
and resources. illustrate/support argument. with Personal Learning Nuanced consideration of the is clearly present.
Demonstrates an excellent 20 Excellent evidence of critical 20 Log. 16 implications for practice. 16 References are accurately and 8
knowledge and thinking and synthesis of Excellent evidence of Critical awareness of the appropriately recorded.
understanding of theories and 18 theory and practice. 18 self-awareness. 15 limitations and generalisability 15 7
concepts. of findings.
Good evidence of reading. 17 Perceptive analysis that 17 Perceptive self- 14 Coherent and consistent set of 14 Material is well-handled, with [7]
Reference to a wide range of explores important issues. reflection that explores recommendations and clear evidence of reasoning and
relevant materials and Good use of examples to important issues from conclusions based on analysis. narrative thread.
16 16 the analysis. 13 13 6
resources. illustrate/support argument. Considers implications for The writer’s voice or signature
Demonstrates a good Good evidence of critical Good engagement with practice. can be seen and heard.
knowledge and 15 thinking and synthesis of 15 Personal Learning Log. 12 Considers limitations and 12 References accurately and 6
understanding of theories and theory and practice. Good evidence of self- generalisability of findings. appropriately recorded.
concepts. awareness.
Adequate evidence of [15] Reasonable analysis that [15] Reasonable self- [12] Clearly identifiable set of [12] Satisfactory handling of the [6]
reading. reveals some relevant reflection from the recommendations and material, but the reader may
Some reference to relevant insights. analysis. conclusions. sometimes have to work to
14 14 11 11 follow the line of thought. 5
materials and resources. Adequate use of examples to Reasonable engagement Some consideration of
Demonstrates an adequate illustrate/support argument. with Personal Learning implications for practice. The writer’s voice or signature
knowledge and 13 Evidence of some critical 13 Log. 10 Some awareness of limitations 10 is sometimes lost. 5
understanding of theories and thinking, but sometimes Reasonable evidence of and generalisability of findings. References adequately recorded
concepts. lapses into description. self-awareness. but may contain minor errors.
Limited evidence of reading. 12 Poor judgment with some 12 Limited self-reflection [10] Recommendations and [10] Poor handling of the material [5]
Little reference to relevant unsupported assertions. from the analysis. conclusion are made but they and the reader has to work to
materials and resources. Little/poor use of examples to Limited engagement are sometimes difficult to follow the line of thought.
11 11 9 follow. 9 4
Demonstrates a weak illustrate argument. with Personal Learning The writer’s voice or signature
knowledge and Little evidence of critical Log. Limited consideration of is weak.
understanding of theories and 10 thinking, overly descriptive. 10 Limited evidence of 8 implications for practice. 8 Referencing may contain errors 4
concepts. self-awareness. Limited awareness of
limitations and generalisability
of findings.
Little or no evidence of 9 Little or no analysis. 9 Little or no self- 7 Few or no coherent 7 Handling of the material is 3
reading. Irrelevant or no examples to reflection. recommendations and weak, with little/no obvious
Little or no reference to illustrate argument. Little or no engagement conclusions are made. line of thought.
6 6 5 5 2
relevant materials and with Personal Learning Little or no consideration of The writer’s voice or signature

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resources. No evidence of critical Log. implications for practice. is faint or missing.
3 thinking. 3 Little or no evidence of 3 Little or no awareness of 3 Referencing very weak. 1
0 0 self-awareness. 0 limitations and generalisability 0 0
of findings.

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 Reading
The core text for this module is:

• Schedlitzki, D. and Edwards, G.P. (2017). Studying Leadership: Traditional and

critical approaches, second edition. London: Sage.

Additional references will be provided during each session. It is essential that you keep on top
of your reading in order to keep up with the programme. This is particularly important as the
topics build upon each other as the module progresses. A part of learning how to study
involves acting like a detective and working through various references in order to pursue a
particular issue. Follow the trail of references used by authors that you read, perhaps starting
with the core text. You are strongly advised to read additional material to further enhance
your level of understanding.

Additional books that reflect the module’s key themes include:

• Atkinson, J., E. Loftus & J, Jarvis. 2015. The Art of Change Making. London, UK:
Leadership Centre.
• Bolden, R., Hawkins, B., Gosling, J. and Taylor, S. (2011) Exploring Leadership:
Individual, organizational and societal perspectives. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Bolden, R., Witzel, M. and Linacre, N. (eds) (2016) Leadership Paradoxes: Rethinking
leadership for an uncertain world. London: Routledge
• Cameron, E. & Green, M. (2012) Making Sense of Change Management - A Complete
Guide to the Models, Tools and Techniques of Organisational Change, third edition.
Kogan Page.
• Carnall, C. & Todnem, R. (2014) Managing Change in Organisations, fifth edition.
Prentice Hall.
• Carroll, B., Ford, J. and Taylor, S. (2019) Leadership: Contemporary Critical
Perspectives. Sage: London.
• Heifetz, R. A., A. Grashow & M. Linsky. (2009) The Practice of Adaptive Leadership:
Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World, Boston, MA:
Harvard Business Press.
• Hughes, M. (2016) The Leadership of Organisational Change, Abingdon: Routledge.
• Jackson, B. and Parry, K. (2018) A Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably
Cheap Book about Studying Leadership, Third Edition, Sage: London.
• Stacey, R. 2010. Complexity and Organizational Reality, 2nd Edition. Abingdon:
Routledge.
• Western, S. (2013) Leadership: A critical text, 2nd edition. London, UK: Sage.

Key journals related to this module include:

• Academy of Management, Learning and Education

• Harvard Business Review
• Human Relations
• Leadership
• Leadership Quarterly
• Management Learning
• Organization Studies

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Appendix: Masters Level Grade Descriptors
The following table outlines generic assessment criteria for Masters-level study at UWE.
More detailed, module-specific guidance is given in the section on assessment and will be
discussed during the module.

80-100% Student has met the LOs of the assessment with:

Distinction
Knowledge and Clarity of Reasoning
Exceptionally comprehensive knowledge base. Ability to discriminate and
justify key issues and relate them to the wider context. Lines of thought are
innovative and transparent and the arguments are confidently expressed to
develop and synthesise compelling and novel conclusions. Conclusions
drawn make a new contribution to the knowledge base of the discipline
and there is clear evidence of originality in the work Innovative thinker.

Interface between Theory and Practice in the Professional Context

Exceptional critical analysis of the interface between theory and practice,
which evaluates and challenges theoretical adequacy and synthesises the
development of practice. Exceptional evidence of self understanding which
leads to creative and novel use of multiple frameworks for evaluation and
synthesis and challenges current practice in context.

Use of literature
Exceptional, discerning and balanced range of key and peripheral primary
and secondary sources demonstrating a very high level of critical
evaluation and synthesis and the ability to challenge received wisdom in
the subject.
70-79% Student has met the LOs of the assessment with:
Distinction
Knowledge and Clarity of Reasoning
Excellent, comprehensive knowledge base. Ability to discriminate and
justify key issues and relate them to the wider context. Lines of thought are
transparent and the arguments are confidently expressed to develop and
synthesise compelling conclusions.

Interface between Theory and Practice in Context

Rigorous critical analysis of the interface between theory and practice,
clearly elaborated to evaluate theoretical adequacy and synthesise the
development of practice. Excellent, creative use of multiple frameworks
for evaluation and synthesis of own stance.

Use of literature
Excellent, wide range of key and peripheral primary and secondary
sources, demonstrating critical evaluation and synthesis within the
professional context.

Organisation of Material
Excellent, coherent organisation and structure which enhances
comprehension. Excellent presentation of all material. Referencing is
accurate to a high degree.

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60-69% Student has met the LOs of the assessment with:
Good pass
Knowledge and Clarity of Reasoning
Substantial knowledge base. Ability to discriminate key issues and
establish some links to the wider context. Arguments are confidently
expressed through clear, logical lines of thought. Conclusions are firmly
articulated, comprehensive, relevant and arise directly from the premised
arguments.

Interface between Theory and Practice in Context

Excellent critical analysis/evaluation of the relationship between theory
and practice. Substantial use of multiple theoretical frameworks to in
context with wide ranging synthesis to show how each is informing the
other. Clear, critical evaluation of their usefulness.

Use of literature
Substantial selection of key primary and secondary literature sources
demonstrating analysis and critical evaluation of a wide range of relevant
issues for the professional context.

Organisation of Material
Organisation is comprehensive and structure coherent.
Well presented, with considerable attention to detail which facilitates
effortless comprehension.
Supporting material is well presented and ordered with accurate
referencing and minimal errors of detail.

50-59% Student has met the LOs of the assessment with:

Satisfactory
Pass Knowledge and Clarity of Reasoning
Sound knowledge base. Ability to discriminate key issues. Arguments are
confidently expressed through clear, logical lines of thought. Conclusions
are firmly articulated, relevant and arise directly from the premised
arguments.

Interface between Theory and Practice in Context

Good, critical analysis/evaluation of the relationship between theory and
practice. Some use of multiple theoretical frameworks to evaluate
professional practice. Demonstrable synthesis to show how each is
informing the other. Some evaluation of their usefulness.

Use of literature
Good selection of key primary literature sources with critical evaluation of
significant issues in context.
Some limited analysis of related, secondary material.

Organisation of Material
Organisation and structure is coherent.
Well presented, facilitating comprehension.
Supporting material is well

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40-49% Student has not met all the LOs of the assessment with:
fail
Knowledge and Clarity of Reasoning
Some defended knowledge of current, relevant issues. Limited
development of arguments where lines of thought are discernible. Limited
conclusions arising from premises.

Interface between Theory and Practice in Context

Some articulation of the relationship between and critical
analysis/evaluation of the significance of relevant theory to specific
professional practice with some awareness of how each may be informed
by the other.

Use of literature
Range and choice of evidence/literature marginally inadequate. Some
recognition and critical analysis of issues of significance in context.

Organisation of Material
Organisation and structure does not adequately support the work.
Presentation includes supporting material but is somewhat disorganised in
places. Most referencing is sound and appropriate but limited in scope.

30-39% Student has not met the LOs of the assessment with:
fail
Knowledge and Clarity of Reasoning
Some evidence of relevant knowledge base but little argument and lines of
thought are poorly expressed and often demonstrate confused thinking.
Conclusions drawn but often not related to discussion.

Interface between Theory and Practice in Context

Some use of relevant theory but lack of awareness of relationship to
practice. Little integration of the articulation between theory and practice

Use of literature
Narrow but mainly relevant selection of evidence/literature demonstrating

0-29% Student has failed to meet the majority of the LOs of the assessment.
Fail

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