MMH356 – Change Management

Group work:

You are required to form a group for Ass 2. This reflects one of Deakin University’s Graduate Learning Outcomes of Teamwork. Sometimes, when doing group assignments, you may run into problems with group members. These problems may result from different levels of experiences, expectations and attitudes to work, or other commitments that group members have, etc. It is strongly recommended that the group contribute to and agree to a team charter to address issues/contingencies as they arise. The Unit Team expects that all group members will contribute equally to all assignments; in your third year of study there should be no social loafing. 

Pre-work 

The key to a great group outcome in this setting (tertiary education) is to engage your prospective team members in early discussion about expectations, constraints and contingencies. When choosing a team consider whether you have appropriate diversity in your team as this will add to the depth and richness of your discussions and increase your learning. The more informed everyone is the better the selection process. If you have worked with others in the cohort before and know their standard of work and level of communication, you should proceed. If you don’t, then perhaps set a small task with a deadline to assess integrity (they do what they say they are going to do) and ask to review a sample of previous work (no surprises then down the track) for transparency. The more your expectations can be thrashed out in the earlier stages, the easier it may be to work through competing deadlines and challenges as this submission deadline comes closer.

Enrolling in your group

Once you have worked out your team members, please enrol into a group, using the Groups function under Tools. Students are required to self-select into teams of three. On the odd occasion, a group may have a reduced membership of two (the numbers just fall that way), or groups may experience an issue which is better addressed by removing one group member – but there will be no change to the assignment brief. If a group has not been formed by a date to be advised, the Unit Chair will allocate remaining students into a group and post group membership in a News Item. 

Working on your group assignment

Identify the best platform on which to collaborate on such as Microsoft tools Office 365, OneDrive and Teams. Exchange a range of contact options with each other to stay in touch regularly – it’s not only a common courtesy but also reassures everyone is working to the benchmarks set. Keep in mind the line that separates collaboration with collusion. Do NOT use assignments from previous trimesters as a “reference” because the assignment brief will be different. And based on my past experience as Chair of the Academic Integrity Committee it often becomes too easy to use when you have other deadlines to meet and the pressure of submission is building. If you need some support, seek help from library staff, or the Unit Chair. This is the better option rather than appearing before an AI committee to face allegations of plagiarism or collusion.

Countdown to the deadline

Once formed, if group members run into problems or believe that a group member is underperforming, not responding to messages, or has not made an equal contribution, advise the Unit Chair as soon as possible (which doesn’t mean the day before the due deadline!!). This will enable the UC to take appropriate steps to ensure the problem does not continue. Some remedies include the Unit Chair contacting and counselling the underperforming group member (first and preferred approach), and/or potentially applying a reduction in marks to the group member based on their reduced contribution (via a combined group member’s peer review/unit chair moderation). 

However all groups will be required to email the UC, three progress reports (please note that progress reports have marks attached):

• Three weeks before Ass 2 is due;
• One week before Ass 2 is due;
• Two days before Ass 2 is due.

This should outline progress, any issues encountered, and what solutions the group adopted.

The report should have all students’ Deakin emails which indicates all group members are in agreement with the contents. If there are issues an individual report can be submitted. The reports cannot be submitted retrospectively.

Assignment task:

Locate and read the Ardent Leisure Group (ALG) case study, in the Assignment 2 folder. The organisation is Dreamworld, which is owned by ALG. Noting the past events surrounding and contributing to Dreamworld’s situation, you have now been appointed by Dreamworld as a change management team to complete the following tasks:

1. Identify a significant change initiative that will enable Dreamworld to regain the trust of its shareholders, employees and most importantly, the public. In providing a rationale for this initiative, you must clearly explain why it has been chosen and what the outcome will be once the initiative has been successfully implemented (ie.  what value will be generated).

1. A successful change implementation can only be achieved if those parties impacted by the change (ie. stakeholders) are convinced that the change is worthwhile and that the resultant benefits outweigh the costs involved.  In relation to the change selected, you must clearly state who the stakeholders are, how they are impacted and what their level of interest, power and influence is.  (Tip:  The stakeholder grid was covered in the unit and remember that stakeholders could comprise individuals and teams). 

1. The successful implementation of your change initiative is a critical undertaking for Dreamworld and its parent company Ardent Leisure Group. 

1. Dreamworld has stipulated that you must utilize the PROSCI ADKAR methodology to guide your implementation project. Drawing from the unit content and further research, you must explain and apply each phase of the methodology in detail.
2. Within the above discussion, how will you know the outcome of each phase has been achieved, ie how will you know all stakeholders are aware of the change? Desire the change?

(N.B The ADKAR model stipulates that you cannot move to a subsequent phase until the outcome relating to the previous phase has been achieved).