IOP3705 Assignment 2 2026 - Distinction | Due September 2026

IOP3705 Assignment 2 2026 - Distinction | Due September 2026 COMPULSORY ESSAY ASSESSMENT 2: SEMESTER 2 [2026] BASED ON LESSONS 1 TO 4 Important guidance for this assignment: You will be assessed on both your understanding of theory and your ability to apply it practically to the case study. When answering the questions, make sure that you explain the relevant concepts using the prescribed materials (the study guide lessons and/or the textbook) and then clearly show how these concepts apply to the case. All work submitted must be your own original writing. You may consult academic sources to inform your understanding, but you may not copy and paste from any source, including textbooks, articles, websites, or AI tools. All sources that informed your work must be properly cited, and ideas must be expressed in your own words. Using AI or any other source in a way that replaces your own thinking, or submitting copied text, will be regarded as plagiarism and may result in a mark of zero for this assessment. The following are specific requirements relating to the layout and technical presentation of assignments: • Cover page: The first page of your document should display information such as the module code, assignment number, and your name and student number. • Table of contents: Always include a table of contents on the second page, listing the headings and subheadings of your assignment. The titles and subheadings should describe the content of the sections, be numbered, and provide the page numbers. • Introduction: There should be only one introduction to the assignment, not one per question. • Discussion: Use the decimal classification system, for example, 1, 1.2, 1.2.1, 1.2.1.2. • Conclusion: There should be a conclusion at the end of your assignment which summarises the most important aspects. There should be only one conclusion and not one per question. • In-text references: All facts and theories should be substantiated with references. • Reference List: Provide full details in a list of references at the end of your assignment. Use the APA referencing method. 1 Read the following case study carefully and answer the questions that follow. Case Study: Planned Change at Ikhaya Health Supplies Ikhaya Health Supplies is a medium-sized, privately owned medical distribution company based in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Founded in 2015, the company initially grew rapidly due to strong relationships with local healthcare providers and a reputation for reliability. However, by 2025, the organisation faced significant challenges, including rising customer complaints about delayed deliveries and inconsistent service quality. Internally, employees experienced confusion regarding their roles, leading to task duplication and coordination issues among departments. Over time, these difficulties contributed to declining morale, increased absenteeism and a higher turnover rate, particularly within the logistics and sales teams. In response to various concerns, the managing director, Ms Pillay, hired an external OD consultant, Mr Khumalo, to help the organisation. During early discussions, senior managers expressed that they were facing significant external challenges, including increased competition and rising operational costs, while internal processes were overlooked. A consulting agreement was established, detailing the objectives, timelines, confidentiality, and the responsibilities of both the consultant and the organisational stakeholders. Mr Khumalo conducted an assessment of the organisation using employee questionnaires, individual and group discussions, and observations of daily operations. Although participation was voluntary, some employees were unsure how their feedback would be used, especially since the discussion took place during work hours. To address this, the consultant compared information from various sources before drawing conclusions. The findings revealed several key issues: unclear role expectations, lack of performance feedback, minimal employee involvement in decision-making, and poor communication between management and staff. These insights were presented to senior managers and later discussed in sessions that included employee representatives, facilitating a consideration of diverse perspectives. As discussions progressed, differing priorities became apparent. Management emphasised the need to improve efficiency and manage costs, while employees raised concerns about workload distribution, fairness, and consistency in decision-making. With the consultant's facilitation, a number of changes were introduced over time, including clarifying roles and reporting lines, structuring feedback discussions, creating regular opportunities for crossdepartmental information sharing, and offering development opportunities for supervisors and frontline staff. These initiatives were first introduced in one operational area before being extended more broadly. Several months later, the organisation assessed the impact of these changes through staff feedback, operational indicators, and customer responses. Improvements were noted in service reliability, increased employee engagement, and higher staff retention. Some practices were integrated into existing HR processes, while others became part of routine operational meetings. 2 QUESTION 1 Discuss the four activities involved in the general model of planned change and indicate whether you feel these steps were adhered to in the above case study. Substantiate your answer with relevant examples from the case study. (16) QUESTION 2 External consultants may have several advantages over internal consultants. Describe any four advantages of external OD consultants, specifically during the various stages of the planned change process. (4) QUESTION 3 Discuss the three critical areas in the contracting phase and indicate whether the essential aspects were addressed. Would you have done it differently? Please motivate clearly. (10) QUESTION 4 Describe the five ethical dilemmas that OD practitioners may encounter. Based on the case study, identify at least two ethical dilemmas that emerged and explain how these ethical challenges could be effectively avoided in future planned change initiatives. Support your answer with relevant examples from the case study. (10) TECHNICAL ASPECTS A further ten (10) marks are awarded for the technical presentation of your assignment, which includes the table of contents, introduction, headings and numbering, conclusion, in-text referencing and the reference list. (10) [TOTAL: 50] 3 SELF-EVALUATION CHECKLIST FOR COMPULSORY ESSAY ASSESSMENT 2 Use this checklist to evaluate your assignment critically before submission. Checklist Item Tick Structure and technical requirements (10 marks) 10 marks Cover page (first page) with correct details (module code, assignment number, name and surname, student number) 1 mark Table of contents with numbering and page numbers (starting on page 2) 1 mark One integrated introduction for the entire assignment (not per question, starting on page 3) 1 mark One integrated conclusion (not per question, at the end of the assignment) 1 mark Correct use of headings and sub-headings 1 mark Correct numbering of headings and sub-headings 1 mark Reference list included and formatted in APA (7th edition) 2 mark All in-text citations appear in the reference list. 2 mark Question 1: Planned change model (16 marks) Correct identification and theoretical discussion of all four stages (activities) of the planned change model. 12 marks Critical evaluation of whether and/or how well each stage was followed, supported by relevant examples from the case study. 4 marks Question 2: External OD consultants (4 marks) = ½ marks Clear explanation of any four advantages of external OD consultants. 2 marks Clear alignment of the advantages to specific stages of the planned change model. 2 marks Question 3: Contract phase (10 marks) Correct theoretical discussion of the three critical contracting areas. 6 marks Clear indication of the strengths and weaknesses in the contracting process, supported by relevant examples from the case study. 2 marks Relevant motivation of whether you would have approached the contracting phase differently. 2 marks Question 4: Ethical dilemmas in OD (10 marks) Correct identification and theoretical discussion of the five ethical dilemmas in OD. 5 marks Identification of at least two ethical dilemmas from the case study, supported with concrete examples. 2-3 marks Relevant explanation of how each dilemma could have been avoided or managed in future OD interventions. 2-3 marks 4