Faculty of Business Studies Arab Open University Managing Organizational Change SYS380 Tutor Monitoring Assignment Fall 2022 MANAGING CHANGE IN SMEs The challenges of sustaining local Small and Medium Enterprises ( SMEs) continues despite the economic and

Faculty of Business Studies
Arab Open University
Managing Organizational Change
SYS380
Tutor Monitoring Assignment
Fall 2022
MANAGING CHANGE IN SMEs
The challenges of sustaining local Small and Medium Enterprises ( SMEs) continues despite the economic and governmental support obtained for setting and developing SMEs within economies. Reflecting on SMEs in your context, analyse the challenges faced in the business and pressures in the business if you are appointed as a change agent to improve the SMEs.
As a change agent, you are required to present a professional report to the owners of the business. The report submitted is about 2500 words that evaluates change and resistance to change. Your evaluation as a change agent should focus on the following:
Background of the SME local sector you have chosen being it a restaurant, a convenience store, a local service provider, boutique , café or any local form of SME that needs to consider change to sustain growth or maintain its market niche (15 marks).
Explain the environmental pressures for change (fashion, demography, external mandate, etc.) and critically analyse the SME sector you have chosen in this context and what were the main drivers towards change (25 marks).
Explain how change can take place and what challenges can a change manager face and how s/he should deal with them. Reflect in your answer on the SME sector you have chosen by analysing the nature of changes that took place and challenges faced and how it was dealt with (45 marks).
Explain resistance to change and how such resistance can be managed. Analyse the case you have chosen from this perspective by reflecting on the most appropriate approach to manage resistance to change in the SME sector you have chosen (15 marks).
Guidance
Assignment to be done in groups of minimum 3 students , maximum of 4 students is allowed
Research about the SME you are to choose as your case study before you start your assignment to ensure that you have the needed information.
You should present your discussion in an essay format with an introduction and a conclusion.
You are to think outside the box. You might find out new pressures or challenges pushing the case you have chosen to change.
Ensure to provide a list of references ( at least three should be from the e-library)
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS
Cut-off date: Specific date to be specified later by deanship. If you feel that you are unable to meet the cut-off date of the TMA because of unusual circumstances, please contact your tutor as soon as possible to discuss a possible extension to the cut-off date. The exact cut-off date will be assigned in due course.
TMA weight: 15 % of total course grade- ( the grade will be divided into weightage of presentation that will count 30% and report 70% of the total grade ( 20%)
Course material:
Chapters 3, 4, 5 and 8.
Format: Write your answers in essay format. Failing to do so could result in grade deduction from presentation marks up to 5 marks. You may, however, use bullet points, diagrams, tables, or any graphs to support your arguments.
Plagiarism: Write your answers using your own words. Plagiarism will be penalized depending on its severity and according to AOU plagiarism policy (Enclosed after these instructions you will find the Arab Open University Rules of Cheating and Plagiarism).
Word count: Answers are expected to be within +/- 10% of the word limit. Answers that fall below or above this range can lose up to 5 marks.
Referencing: Use Harvard referencing style for in-text citation and make a table of references at the end. Failing to do so could result grade deduction of referencing marks up to 5 marks.
Research: Use a minimum of two additional sources of information. It is strongly recommended that you use scholarly articles found in the E-library at LMS. You can lose up to 5 marks if you do not use at least two external sources. In addition, although text books assigned in the course may be used freely as references, you are required to use a minimum of three external sources. It is recommended that you use scholarly studies found in the E-library link at the LMS. Failing to do so could result in grade deduction of referencing marks up to 5 marks. If you do not find required additional information at the e-library, you can always refer to Google scholar.
PT3 Form: Attach PT3 form to the assignment, named and signed.
The Arab Open University Rules about Plagiarism
The Arab Open University Definitions of cheating and plagiarism
According to the Arab Open University By-laws, “The following acts represent studies of cheating and plagiarism:
Verbatim copying of printed material and submitting them as part of TMAs without proper academic acknowledgement and documentation.
Verbatim copying of material from the Internet, including tables and graphics.
Copying other students’ notes or reports.
Using paid or unpaid material prepared for the student by individuals or firms.
Utilization of, or proceeding to utilize, contraband materials or devices in examinations.”
Examples of Plagiarism
Copying from a single or multiple sources, this is where the student uses one or more of the following as the basis for the whole, or a good part, of the assignment:
Published or unpublished books, studies or reports
The Internet
The media (e.g.TV programmes, radio programmes or newspaper studies)
An essay from an essay bank
A piece of work previously submitted by another student
Copying from a text which is about to be submitted for the same assignment