Context:

Benchmarking is the process by which organisations measure themselves against their competitors. There are different types and forms of benchmarking, different purposes, different measures and different outcomes. Your first assessment asked you to demonstrate your understanding of benchmarking by providing a benchmarking analysis of an organisation of your choice against its competitors or lead competitor in the field (depending on the form of benchmarking you choose to undertake). This assessment asks you to future proof the organisation by presenting a range of alternative futures and what appropriate benchmarks and milestone would be to ensure the organisation is maximising opportunity in those given future states.

Instructions:

For the organisation that you completed assessment 1, you now need to present a range of alternative futures that could occur for this organisation in response to different environmental changes. For each of these futures, identify key benchmarks and milestones you would recommend adopting to ensure your organisation is maximising the opportunities that each of the futures potentially holds.

Your report should outline the following elements:

1.A minimum of 3 possible future states within which your organisation could find itself operating in the next 10 years.

2.For each of the 3 futures states, outline how the organisation will need to adapt if it is to be successful in that future state.

3.For each of these adaptations, outline what the benchmark measures and milestones ought to be to ensure the organisation is adapting appropriately as the environment changes.

Output/deliverables and parameters of the assessment:

You should submit a report for the attention of the CEO/Managing Director of the organisation of your choice which should be no more than 12 pages in length, including references and appendices, and should include a minimum of 3 alternative future states in the discussion.

Marking Criteria

• Selection of appropriate benchmarks, measures and data for the organisation to future proof the organisation in the selected future states.
• Appropriate analysis of industry data, trends and scenarios to define the futures states selected as plausible.
• Critical reasoning skills, including ethical and moral consideration.
• Presentation of the report including referencing and use of appendices, and use of academic ?conventions.
• Effective communication of the need to benchmark and set milestone in an organisation to ?future proof operations and strategic intent.

Learning Outcomes

• Examine the role of best practice and its relationship to organisational competitiveness and develop an effective plan for benchmarking best practice which can practically be applied to an organisation.
• Evaluate organisational performance against best practice benchmarks and apply these benchmarks to establish organisational improvements.
• Critically analyse the role of qualitative and quantitative tools which support the improvement of key processes in an organisation.
• Critically evaluate organisational culture, team structures and the effective management of human resources and how these can contribute to the achievement of organisational best practices.