Unit title Leading and managing for the future

Unit title Leading and managing for the future

Learning time

200 hours

ABP qualification framework level

7 (Postgraduate)

Unit description
The aim of this unit is to develop competencies in business and service planning and to appreciate the critical role of information
in facilitating this process. Due to technological and political change in the external environment, management at all levels must
learn how to adapt to these new opportunities and threats. In order to proactively respond to environmental change managers
need to adopt appropriate business plans and strategies that build on internal strengths and external opportunities whilst
overcoming external threats and internal weaknesses. This can only be achieved in a large service organisation through the
efficient management of information and effective decision-making.

Learning outcomes
1 Understand the importance of the external environment to the organisation
2 Know how to identify current strengths and weaknesses of an organisation
3 Understand the importance of an organisation's key stakeholders
4 Know how to develop an information strategy aligned with an organisations corporate strategy
5 Understand the importance of decision-making techniques

ABP Extended Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership and Management in the Health and Social Care Sector
November 2010

Unit title Leading and managing for the future

Learning outcomes, content and assessment criteria

The learning outcomes describe the abilities that learners will possess after they have completed the unit. The content identifies
the breadth of knowledge, skills and understanding needed to design and deliver a programme of learning to achieve the learning
outcomes. The assessment criteria provide a list of achievements sufficient to demonstrate that a learner has met the learning
outcomes. The learner should be given the opportunity to cover all of the content but it is not a requirement that all of the content
is assessed.

Learning outcome
To achieve this unit a learner
must:

Understand the
importance of the
external environment
to the organisation

Content for learning outcome

Analysing the macro-environment DEEPEST:

Demographic; Epidemiological; Ethical & Legal;
Political; Economic; Social; Technological
Analysing the micro-environment: Porters Five Forces
framework (health sector version) new ways of
providing services; user involvement and
empowerment; possible transfer of responsibilities;
ability to develop and sustain enduring partnerships

Assessment criteria
Assessment of this outcome will require a
learner to demonstrate that they can:
1.1 Evaluate why these issues (1.3) are of strategic
importance
1.2 Identify key macro and micro environmental
issues
1.3 Apply recognised environmental frameworks to
given organisations
1.4 Analyse the impact of external factors on
organisational decision-making

Positioning strategies: Porters Generic Strategies

(1979) of cost leadership, differentiation and focus
adapted by Kaplan and Norton (2000)

ABP Extended Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership and Management in the Health and Social Care Sector
November 2010

Unit title Leading and managing for the future

Learning outcome
To achieve this unit a learner
must:

Know how to identify

current strengths and
weaknesses of an
organisation

Content for learning outcome

SWOT analysis
Resource analysis (adapted from Richardson: 1989):
managers and decision makers; personnel;
organisation; systems; premises; market; finance;
image; contacts and linkages
Needs analysis: appropriateness of services; equity
and accessibility of services; evaluation of service
effectiveness; service improvement plans and the
development of new services

Assessment criteria
Assessment of this outcome will require a
learner to demonstrate that they can:
2.1 Evaluate an organisation's ability to meet
stakeholder expectations now and in the future
2.2 Analyse the implications these factors have for
the strategic position of the organisation
2.3 Analyse the key internal and external factors
impacting on an organisation using SWOT
analysis

Segmentation: geographic, demographic, life stage,

lifestyle and social exclusion
Service audits i.e. `best value` reviews (Piggott: 2000)

ABP Extended Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership and Management in the Health and Social Care Sector
November 2010

Unit title Leading and managing for the future

Learning outcome
To achieve this unit a learner
must:

Understand the
importance of an
organisation's key
stakeholders

Content for learning outcome

Identifying stakeholders the stakeholder framework
Stakeholder mapping power, interest, influence,
urgency and legitimacy
Sources of Stakeholder Power (Morgan: 1986)
The Stakeholder Power Matrix (Winstanley et al., 1998)
Salience of Stakeholder Claims (Agle et al., 1997)

Assessment criteria
Assessment of this outcome will require a
learner to demonstrate that they can:
3.1 Analyse the power and influence of key
stakeholder groups using stakeholder concepts
3.2 Identify the information requirements of the
organisation's key stakeholders
3.3 Identify an organisation's key stakeholder
groups

Stakeholder analysis and understanding the role of

information in power relationships

ABP Extended Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership and Management in the Health and Social Care Sector
November 2010

Unit title Leading and managing for the future

Learning outcome
To achieve this unit a learner
must:

Know how to develop

an information
strategy aligned with
an organisations
corporate strategy

Content for learning outcome

IT and information strategies

The relevance and role of information (Lucey, 1991);
hard versus soft data; classifying data and information;
the qualities of good information and data collection
methods
The aims and functions of management information
systems: input-process-output model
Improving efficiency Fishbone Diagram

Assessment criteria
Assessment of this outcome will require a
learner to demonstrate that they can:
4.1 Assess the contribution of information
management systems to improving the efficiency
and effectiveness of the organisation
4.2 Analyse relevant data sources (hard/soft,
primary/secondary)
4.3 Understand the importance of the role of
information in the delivery of health and social
care

ABP Extended Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership and Management in the Health and Social Care Sector
November 2010

Unit title Leading and managing for the future

Learning outcome
To achieve this unit a learner
must:

Understand the
importance of
decision-making
techniques

Content for learning outcome

Assessment criteria
Assessment of this outcome will require a
learner to demonstrate that they can:

Adopting a planning culture: Four stage approach to

planning: where are we now; where do we want to go;
how are we going to get there; when do we know we
have arrived?

5.1 Evaluate how effective decision-making enhances

future performance

The Public Sector Scorecard (Moullin: 2000)

5.3 Identify effective decision-making techniques

which will enhance future performance

Mission statement and SMART objectives

5.2 Analyse the role of decision-making techniques in

an enterprise

Assessing productivity: internal and external

benchmarking; best practice benchmarking (inputsprocesses-outputs/feedback and feed-forward control).
Formulating a business/service plan: 12 key steps

ABP Extended Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership and Management in the Health and Social Care Sector
November 2010

Unit title Leading and managing for the future

Delivery and assessment

It is expected that students will be self-motivated to enquire into the topics under discussion, to question traditional theory, and
compare and contrast theory with their own professional knowledge and practice. For some students this will mean building upon
existing knowledge and earlier studies, whilst for others it will mean drawing upon practical experience.
Programme delivery can include class-based teaching and learning, such as lectures, tutorials and seminars, including discussion
groups where professional practice can be shared and discussed. The use of real and simulated cases studies, using external
organisations with guest facilitators is encouraged.
Students are assessed against the learning outcomes of the unit. One possible assessment strategy could include the
completion of a 4000 word report based on an organisation with which the student is familiar. Students could be asked to
assess and critically evaluate the organisations environment and identify the key internal and external factors that are likely
to impact upon the organisations ability to meet its service objectives. The development of an information strategy that is
aligned with the organisations corporate strategy and an explanation of how this will enhance competitive performance
could also be a relevant task.

ABP Extended Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership and Management in the Health and Social Care Sector
November 2010

Unit title Leading and managing for the future

Indicative reading
Texts

Audit Commission (2000) Getting Better All the Time Audit Commission
www.audit-commission.gov.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/Downloads/archive_mpgettin.pdf

Department of Health (2000) Better Care, Higher Standards: A Charter for Long Term Care
www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4051415.pdf

Smale G (1998) Managing Change Through Innovation Stationery Office ISBN: 9780117020443

Journals

Health Services Management Research, Royal Society of Medicine Press

Journal of Health Organisational Management, MCB

British Journal of Social Work, BASW

Kaplan R S & Norton D P (2000) Having Trouble with Your Strategy? Then Map It Harvard Business Review SeptemberOctober pp 167-176 Key Texts

Wilkin Y & Heywood R (1997) Managerial Effectiveness: the Wiltshire example, in G Meads (ed.) Health and Social Service
in Primary Care pp 107-117 Financial Times Healthcare

Websites

www.skillsforcare.org.uk Skills for Care

www.gscc.org.uk General Social Care Council

www.ihm.org.uk Institute of Healthcare Management

www.nhsleadershipqualities.nhs.uk Leadership Qualities Framework

ABP Extended Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership and Management in the Health and Social Care Sector
November 2010