Assessment:

Overview

The aim of this assessment task is to enable students to develop an appreciation of their client organisation's strategic objectives; to develop an understanding of the client's activities:and to explore some of the complexities of business management practice.

Details

The real-world purpose of the benchmarking report is to enable the client organisation to better achieve its strategic objectives. The report should compare the client organisation's strategies, initiatives, goals and targets (or some specified components of these) with the strategies, initiatives, goals and targets of at least two other organisations which are considered appropriate and suitable for benchmarking. The report will draw on your research of the client organisation, as well as comparable organisations which you consider suitable for benchmarking: the report should justify your selection of comparable organisations. The research data will be sourced from web sources including (but not limited to) the client organisation's website and those of similar or comparable organisations, as well as appropriate academic literature.

In compiling the report, students will be required to undertake the following:

1. Develop at least two matrices to use as research tools to assist in the comparative processes - both matrices should be attached as appendices to the report but should not be included in the word count.

- The first matrix should be used to scope out a range of possible benchmark organisations to assist in your choice of the organisations that you will ultimately use to benchmark your client organisation against. The report should substantiate your choice of the organisations considered appropriate for benchmarking against the client organisation.

- The second matrix should be used to compare your client organisation's strategies, initiatives, goals and targetsagainst those of the organisations selected for benchmarking. This should form the basis for your recommendations to your client organisation.

2. Identify and analyse the client organisation's strategies, initiatives, goals and targets, as well asany relevant gaps when these are compared with the benchmark organisations.

3. With reference to the client organisation's strategies, initiatives, goals and targets, recommend (and justify) appropriate actions and processes for the client organisation.