You are asked to write a Case Study Report on the following topic: 

You have very recently been appointed as an Assistant Manager of a retail outlet of a national fashion chain called ‘Posh Togs’. The outlet is located in a medium sized town in the West Midlands. In total the outlet employs approximately 100 staff, these are split into teams each specialising in different areas of the store. You have worked for the company for 18 months as a member of one of the teams. The Store Manager recognised that you have the potential to become an effective team leader, hence your promotion.  The outlet has not performed well over the last 18 months partially due to recent closure of a number of companies in the area, and the impact of this on the retail businesses in the town. As a result, profits are down compared to the figures over the last five years.  Concerns have been raised by the Regional Manager about the way that the teams within the outlet have being managed. She feels that members of teams are conflicting with each other and that this is contributing to the poor performance of the teams and this is impacting on the performance of the outlet.

In your interview for your new role, the fact that you were studying for your HND in Business was discussed, and in particular your knowledge relating to the importance of teamwork in organisations. In an attempt to turn the business around you have been asked by the Store Manager to improve team working. The rationale for this approach is to improve the service and boost sales by enhancing the relationships within and between the teams.

Your brief is to produce a Report for your Store Manager outlining the main ways in which the ‘Posh Togs’ store you work for can improve teamwork in order to assist the company reverse its recent poor performance. Your Report should have three main sections which addresses the following:

Section 1: Discuss the main benefits of group working  

Section 2: Analyse the main stages in team development

Section 3: Identify and evaluate barriers that can impact on team working Within your Report should you should reflect on how the theories we have discussed in lectures and seminars can be applied to ‘Posh Togs’ to improve teamwork.

Present your answers to the assignment in a Report format. A guide to Report structure is available on Canvas in the useful documents section for the module.

• Your Report should answer the three questions using the main relevant theories 
• You may work on the assignment in groups but the assessment will be individually assessed
• Read round the topic and include a range of academic sources
• Care should be taken to use reputable academic sources and not general websites such as: Wikipedia, Brainy Quote, Essay sites, or similar. 
• • The submission is your own work
  • Any material you have used has been acknowledged and appropriately referenced
  • You have not allowed another student to have access to your work
  • • Preparing for your assignment
    • Checking your work before you submit it
    • Interpreting feedback on your work after marking.  he work has not been submitted previously. he Report must be fully referenced using the Harvard Referencing System Refer to the attached performance criteria so that you are clear about what is assessed in relation to this essay.Helpful Hint 1: Think about our discussions in lectures in relation to the benefits of working in groups. Consider some of the theory that we have discussed, and the work based examples that we have talked about where group working has benefitted the businesses. How did it benefit them and why? Try to use examples of where you have worked in groups to illustrate your discussion.Helpful Hint 2: Consider the theories that we have discussed in lectures, what do these demonstrate about how a team develops, and the stages that can be identified? What does theory suggest about how to develop a successful team? Demonstrate how this could be used to help Quickstop improve their teamworking.Helpful Hint 3: Think about some of the barriers that we have discussed that prevent teams working together effectively. Consider also some of the teams you have been part of, what obstacles were there that prevented the team working effectively and being successful? Again, look at what the literature says about the problems associated with teamworking.

      Helpful Hint 4: Make sure that you provide clear links to the case study, remember your report is to your Regional  Manager and she is interested in your suggestions to improve teamworking within the outlet.

      Helpful Hint 5: Throughout your report, make sure that you evidence that you have read around the topics by making clear references to literature. When choosing literature you must use appropriate academic sources. Please avoid using websites such as Wikipedia.

      Additional information for students

      The University’s Learning Information Services have produced a series of guides covering a range of topics to support your studies, and develop your academic skills.

      Your module guide and course handbook contain additional and important information regarding; 

      Whilst many modules require referencing in accordance with the Harvard Referencing convention, some modules – for example those within the School of Law – require Oxford Referencing. Please familiarise yourself with the requirements of your module. 

      • Submission of your work
      • Marking, feedback and moderation in accordance with the University of Wolverhampton Assessment Handbook  Extensions on submission dates *
      • Additional support *
      • Academic conduct with regards to cheating, collusion or plagiarism *
      • Links to appropriate sources of relevant information *

      * Further information regarding these and other policies can be accessed through your student portal on wlv.ac.uk.

      Always keep a copy of your work and a file of working papers

      The requirement to keep a file of working papers is important.  There may be circumstances where it is difficult to arrive at a mark for your work. If this is the case, you may be asked to submit your file and possibly meet with your tutor to answer questions on your submission.  

      When you submit your work you will be required to sign an important declaration confirming that:  

      The following information is important when:

    • Module Learning Outcomes

    • Module Learning Outcomes are specific to this module, and are set when the module was validated.

    Assessment Criteria

    The module Learning Outcomes tested by this assignment, and precise criteria against which your work will be marked are outlined in your assessment brief. 

    Performance Descriptors

    Performance descriptors indicate how marks will be arrived at against each of the assessment criteria. The descriptors indicate the likely characteristics of work that is marked within the percentage bands indicated.  

    To help you further: The required referencing style for your assignment.*

    • Re-sit opportunities are available for students who are unable to take the first sit opportunity, or who need to re take any component.
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