Assessment Description
Becoming an active learner involves reflection and critical reflection. ‘Reflection’ requires you to closely observe, describe and explain experiences. ‘Critical reflection’ requires you to take this a step further — to analyse, reconsider and question your learning experiences, and to relate these experiences to your previous knowledge, skills and experience to gain deeper and broader understandings. Whilst engaging with this subject you will have contributed to a range of Discussion Forums, undertaken a range of projects and activities plus reading and reflected on a number of texts and articles. This assessment requires you to reflect on all of these activities and describe how they have changed your attitudes and perceptions. What major learning on designing, improving and implementing processes have you experienced?
You are required to write a 1500 word essay that captures your thoughts following a critical reflection on your experience whilst completing this subject. The essay must be submitted through Turnitin by the due date. This list of questions below may be useful in your critical reflection. These are suggestions only. You can certainly address issues that are not in this list.
I. How has your understanding of designing, implementing and improving processes changed as you progressed through the subject?
II. Has what you have learned in this subject created an increased awareness of the importance of managing processes to ensure organisational success? Explain your reasons.
III. How you will use your learning from the subject in your workplace?
IV. Are there any other aspects you have reflected on that are not included above?
V. You have participated in a number of activities and discussions. How have these discussions influenced your views and/or knowledge on designing, implementing and improving processes?
These are my past discussion activities:
1. In this week’s discussion, think about your current employer or a past employer and reflect on what change means to you in the workplace. Do you accept it well? Are you the type of person who helps others transition to a new way of doing work, or do you look for others to take the lead? What concepts have you learned in Week 1 that will assist you and your colleagues adapt to change?
Change comes in different ways and may have both positive and negative effects to an organization. It all boils down on how people embrace it and what the organization does to convince its employees to adapt to it. As an employee of Bangkok Bank, the organization had to transition to a new banking system from its old system. Bangkok Bank software provides business functionality for all sections of banking (such as retail, corporate, security, and investment) and this was a major reason as to why it was implemented (Hooper & Chester, 2009). Thus, change is the process where an organization implements new way of doing things and in particular through the execution of technological applications (Linley, Harrington & Garcea, 2010). In other words, it is a transition process where an organization embraces a new system by deeming the older one ineffective. Personally, I do embrace change positively as it facilitates the running of an organization operations thereby increasing productivity and efficiency in terms of customer service as well as integrating various departments together. Above all, I make sure I stand out and lead others in the implementation process because it avails one a chance to learn and work as a team in ensuring that every function is up and running.
During the first week, I learnt business process change that entailed value chains, competitive advantage, and strategy linking and all the concepts related in one way or another. Business strategy encompassed how a business competes, its goals, and the policies required to institute the goals. On the other side, value chain involves how an organization creates value and the measure it uses to add more value (are the key constituents in creating a competitive strategy). This was well brought out through the Porter’s Theory of Competitive Advantage.
2. In this week’s discussion, reflect on your ability to persuade others when presenting topics. What made you effective in the workplace? How did you overcome the anxiety normally associated with business presentations? How does this relate to the material you have learned this week? How would you present a management plan to your colleagues?
According to Whelan and Meaden (2012, 1-4), a business architecture is the design or framework of an organization that enhances cooperation and understanding in order to align the business with its strategic goals. A good business structure focuses on customers, the dynamic market and finances, and their effects in realizing the strategic goals and objectives. On the other hand, Reynolds (2010, 7-10) argued that the primary objective of a business architecture is to enhance the motivation of employees, business operations and the general framework of the business.
Understanding the different perspectives of the business was significantly helpful. The business framework develops different views of a business; strategic view, capabilities view, stream view, knowledge view, and organizational view (Whelan & Meaden 2012, 19-24).
Facing fears is the first step to overcoming anxiety (Walker 2010, 15). The source of the fears should be understood and addressed. Further, adequate preparation for the presentation is paramount. It helps familiarize with the presentation and visualize the audience. Before and during the presentation, the body and mind should be relaxed to avoid distractions and stimulate adrenaline to fight the fears.
The topic learned during the week is persuading others. Therefore, understanding the scope of the business organization helps in establishing the audience during the presentation and enhance the presentation skills. Further, it improves the efficiency of an employee.
According to Walker (2010, 13-14), many people get distracted during lengthy presentations. Therefore, it is advisable to keep the presentation short and clear to get maximum attention. Further, it is wise to increase visual aids. Also, to avoid unnecessary tension, it is in order to engage you audience. By doing so, the audience does not appear new anymore, and the tension goes away.
3. In this week’s discussion, consider how you make decisions. Do you change your decision-making style or process depending on the perceived importance of the decision? How do you get good information to help you make your decisions? What is your normal reaction when you find that you have made the wrong decision? How can managers prepare themselves to make the right decision more often?
Different decisions require different approaches depending on the complexity of the problem. I determine the method of decision making process depending on various issues affecting the problem at hand. When I make a decision, the most important thing is to understand the outcome of the decision. It easy to make some decisions, but there are some complex decisions that require research and analysis. Although the importance of a decision influences the process of decision-making, there are other factors that influence decisions such as past experiences, technical skills, timing of a decision, stakeholders involved and resources (Oliver, 2005, p.19).
There are many sources where I get information necessary for a decision. I select a source of information depending on the nature of the problem at hand. One of the sources is the printed material. The printed materials include books, journals, and magazines. Another source of information is Internet. The internet is the most convenient because it has broad categories of information. Another source of information is people you interact. Some decisions require professional advice, and this information can be obtained from consultants, workmates or friends (Sadler, 2003, p.19).
When I realize that I have made a mistake in decision making, I react differently depending on the nature of the decision I made. My typical reaction, when I realize that I have made the wrong decision in the organization I work for, is feeling disappointed because I can lose my job. I review my decision and analyze where I made a mistake. After analyzing the mistake of my decision, I come up with a new decision that will correct the initial decision that was wrong (Oliver, 2005, p.27).
Decision making is an important activity and managers must prepare so that they make correct decisions. Managers should prepare when making decisions because their decisions are complex and involve many stakeholders. One of the strategies to prepare when making a decision is defining the problem facing the organization. The manager should also have adequate information about the operations of the organization. Managers should also analyze the potential outcomes of various decisions that are available at their disposal (Peter, 2002, p.29).
4. In this week’s discussion, reflect on how ‘comfortable’ you are with using ICT in your work, your study and your personal life. Are you always looking for ways to use technology to make your work and life better or easier? Are you challenged by having to use technology? Do you prefer to find your own way around technology or do you prefer formal instruction with interactive feedback?
ICT has brought about great benefits not only in the education sector, but also in other sectors including transport, agriculture, and tourism among others. The use of computers and related applications has become part and parcel of our daily existence. Hardly can a day pass without most individuals using a computer, be it a laptop, tablet or smartphone. The increased importance of ICT in our daily lives has made it necessary for individuals to be tech savvy. More sophisticated ICT technologies are being invented each day knowledge of how to use these technologies is essential in making our lives better by facilitating easier undertaking of tasks. I am very comfortable with the utilization of ICT at my work, studies as well as personal life. ICT at the work place has made performance of tasks much easier and organizations that adopt ICT technologies at various levels have always reported increased efficiency of their labor force.
ICT also forms a core element of my education. I am comfortable with using ICT technologies to find internet based sources when doing assignments, access online libraries, reading e-books and other digital based texts as well as typing assignments and taking class notes. The personal activities in which I comfortably utilize ICT technologies include communicating with friends and relatives, online shopping, reading news articles and blogs as well as streaming online media content. ICT is ever developing and with this comes increased ways and situations in which the technologies can be used. This means that I always endeavor to look for new technologies and new ways through which existing technologies can be utilized to better my life. I am not always challenged to use technology, especially if its application relates to the day to day activities I engage in. I prefer formal instructions with interactive feedback when learning to use technology. This approach not only enhances understanding through interactive discussion, but it also facilitates supervision during the learning process.
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Assessment Marking Rubric
Critical reflection on learning
Comprehensively describes learning events and experiences related to business processes.
Demonstrates a high degree of insight and makes an excellent attempt to draw meaning from these events and experiences
Practical application of the learning
Adds depth and breadth to the derived meanings by skilfully and sophisticatedly analysing, reconsidering and questioning these meanings and relating these meanings to previous knowledge, forum participation, skills and experiences, and to current and future practice
Structure of the critical reflection
Clear and logical structure and organisation with a clear and well integrated introduction, body and conclusion. Conclusion is clear, convincing and logical and clearly and skilfully draws from the body of the reflection. Adheres to the word limit. Accurately applies Harvard referencing standard
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