BUSI55715: Managing Process Improvement

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• This module helps the students stand back from the task and examine the current processes within their organisation and to see how systematised they really are.
• The operations within any organisation involve key and sub-processes that involve inputs an outputs across business areas/functions. It is important to be able to identify what these are and how their efficiency and effectiveness can begin to be measured. This module aims to help the participants identify core processes and be able to map their flow through the organisations operations, highlighting where critical decisions are made and where performance should be measured.

• The content of this module is set within a medium sized organisation or department perspective and covers the following areas:
• The concept of control and management control systems;
• Quality management including concepts such as TQM, EFQM and learning organisations;
• business process analysis, mapping and improvement;
• the changing world of work;
• organisational development and structures;
• the management of organisation crises;

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• By the end of the module, students should:
• Be able to characterise aspects of organisational development and recognise the stages of transition appropriate to their own organisation;
• Critically review quality initiatives, their merits and purpose in benchmarking performance from which to build;

Subject-specific Skills:

• By the end of the module, students should:
• Be able to critically evaluate the impact of cross functional issues within key business processes;
• Show a critical understanding of techniques for mapping process activities using the knowledge and involvement of staff and live documentation;
• Be able to design a process map with employees to agree current sub-process ownership and the factual, and more sensitive issues about process inefficiencies/ineffectiveness (duplication, multiple communication lines, lack of knowledge, poorly managed sub-activities);
• Be able to set appropriate performance targets for processes and assess performance against these;

Key Skills:

• Be able to critically review, identify and analyse the underpinning key processes of business redesign and of how to gain involvement, participation and commitment of staff.

• Through the management profiling feedback and discussion, there should be increased understanding and knowledge of generic management challenges facing everyone in the group (although practical examples will obviously differ). Experience exchange may have provided options for networking and collaboration.
• Lectures and seminars, supported by guided reading, will be used to introduce and explore the key concepts and theories.
• Established questionnaires will be used to help people identify organisational stage of development.
• Case studies and groups exercises will help them develop their own synthesised models which the assignments and mentor support will then help them adapt and apply to the specific needs of their own organisation.
• A major role play exercise allows students to develop the process mapping techniques from prime documents to final flow chart. It reinforces some of the learning from the Leading Your Team module concerning the importance of communication skills in extracting the appropriate information from staff.
• A formative assignment will enable students to think about the impact of stage of development on organisational performance.
• The summative assignment will require the student to analyse their current internal processes in relation to the modules discussed and their own stage of organisational development. This will be compared with best practice examples within the Medium Enterprise sector. They will also consider how what they are and what they do, impacts on the performance of the people they work with. This assignment allows students to consider the practical application of the subject covered.

A practice assignment covering issues in this module plus the module Leading Your Team develops relevant assignment writing skills for senior managers returning to study

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