BTEC Unit 4: Leadership and Management Assignment Brief 1 2025-26, City of London College

Assignment Brief 1

Submission Format

The assignment submission is in the form of:

Task 1: A professional blog post ,1,000–1,200 words, submitted as a Word document- named correctly as [Your Full Name]_[Student ID]_Task 1

Task 2: A slide deck with recorded audio narration and speaker notes (maximum of 10 slides, submitted as a ppt-named correctly as [Your Full Name]_[Student ID] Task 2

Task 3: A structured briefing paper (800–1,000 words, submitted as a Word document- [Your Full Name]_[Student ID]_Task 3

You must use Harvard referencing style for all citations and include a reference list. Reference any information sourced from AI content. Inaccurate use of referencing may lead to issues of plagiarism if not applied correctly. Ensure your work is proofread for spelling and grammatical errors before submission.

Unit Learning Outcomes

LO1: Examine leadership and management theories and principles, and their impact on the effectiveness of an organisation 

LO2: Review the influence of different leadership and management styles on the culture of organisations

Transferable skills and competencies developed

• Critical thinking and analysis – applying leadership and management theories to realworld business challenges.
• Professional communication – presenting ideas clearly through written blog posts, presentations, and reports.
• Digital literacy – using tools such as PowerPoint, Canva, and online platforms to communicate effectively.
• Research and referencing – sourcing relevant academic and business materials, and citing them accurately using the Harvard system.
• Time management – completing multiple tasks to deadline across different formats.
• Decision-making – evaluating styles and approaches in relation to organisational performance and effectiveness.
• Adaptability – tailoring outputs to different audiences (e.g. executives, team leaders, nonprofit managers).

Self-management – working independently to complete tasks that require initiative and accountability.

Vocational scenario 

Organisation and Role

You have recently been appointed as a Junior Business Consultant at NextWave Consulting, a progressive UK-based business advisory firm that specialises in helping organisations improve their leadership capability, team performance, and internal culture. The company provides tailored leadership and management consultancy services to a diverse client base, across sectors, including retail, non-profits, and the public sector, offering tailored consultancy, training, and strategic planning support. Known for its practical, evidence-based approach, NextWave helps clients bridge the gap between theory and practice by translating academic models into actionable strategies that drive real organisational impact.

As a Junior Consultant, your responsibilities include:

• Conducting research into leadership and management theories and applying them to different organisational contexts.
• Producing client-facing content in different formats such as blog posts, briefing documents, and presentations.
• Supporting senior consultants in analysing organisational problems and recommending evidence-based solutions.

Translating complex theories into practical advice and communication suitable for varied audiences.

As part of your induction and development programme, you have been assigned a portfolio of three clients, each with distinct organisational challenges. Your manager has asked you to produce a series of outputs that not only demonstrate your understanding of leadership and management theories but also show your ability to apply these concepts in real-world settings.

Assignment activity and guidance

Client Contexts and Tasks

Client A: Local Social Enterprise – “Bright Path”

This small but fast-growing nonprofit supports youth employment and vocational training. The leadership team wants to understand how leadership and management theories can help improve their internal operations and guide future strategic planning.

Task 1: Leadership and Management Blog Post- “Theory in Action: What Business Leaders Can Learn from Leadership and Management Models”

Prepare a professional blog post aimed at business readers that introduces and explains a range of relevant leadership and management theories. The client wants it to be accessible, practical, and thought-provoking, aimed at nonprofit leaders with limited management training. Discuss at least three leadership theories and their relevance to management activities in different types of organisations. Explore at least three management theories and how they support leadership and managerial practices.

Client B: Multinational Retailer – “MetroMax”

MetroMax is experiencing challenges with staff morale, inconsistent decision-making across departments, and a growing disconnect between the leadership and frontline teams. Their executive team has asked for insights into how leadership style and organisational culture affect day-to-day decision-making and team performance.

Task 2: Presentation – Impact of Leadership and Culture- “Leadership Styles and Organisational Culture: How They Influence Decisions and Performance”

Create and deliver a professional presentation outlining different leadership and management styles, how these influence organisational culture, and the impact this has on decision-making and business performance. Your presentation will be shown at their upcoming team leader development seminar. Your presentation should explore various leadership and management styles across different organisations, analysing the factors that influence organisational culture. It should compare how these styles affect decision-making processes and assess the significance of organisational culture in driving performance

Client C: Public-Sector Organisation – “CivicWorks UK”

CivicWorks is a large, regional council-run organisation under pressure to improve efficiency, transparency, and employee engagement. The Chief Executive is particularly interested in how leadership and management theory can be used to drive effectiveness at scale.

Task 3: Briefing Paper – Organisational Effectiveness

Write a structured 800-1000 words internal briefing paper for CivicWorks’ leadership team that analyses how the application of selected leadership and management theories can enhance the overall effectiveness of a large organisation. The paper should be concise, well-structured, and supported with real-world examples

Recommended Resources 

Please note that the resources listed are examples for you to use as a starting point in your research – the list is not definitive.

Websites www.bbc.co.uk 

BBC Learning English “The Handy guide to the gurus of management”(Podcast)

www.businessballs.com                

 Business Balls “Likert’s management systems” (Article)

https://www.mindtools.com/a4wo118/leadership–styles

MindTools: Leadership Styles (Overview of major leadership styles and when to use them)

https://www.businessballs.com/leadership–models/

BusinessBalls: Leadership Theories (Detailed summaries of classic and modern leadership models such as Lewin, Tannenbaum & Schmidt, and transformational leadership)

https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership–styles–2795312

VeryWellMind: Leadership Styles and Frameworks

(Easy-to-understand summaries of different leadership approaches with examples)

Journals and articles

Harris, A. and Jones, M. (2018) ‘The dark side of leadership and management’, School  Leadership & Management, 38(5), pp. 475–477. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2018.1509276.

Liphadzi, M., Aigbavboa, C.O. and W.D. Thwala, W.D. (2017) ‘A theoretical perspective on the difference between leadership and management’, Procedia Engineering, 196, pp. 478–482.

Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.07.227.

Sobratee, N. and Bodhanya, S. (2018) ‘Leading in a global context: The balancing act between leadership and management’, Journal of Business and Retail Management Research, 12(4),

Available at: https://doi.org/10.24052/JBRMR/V12IS04/ART-06.

Textbooks

Kelly, P. and Cole, G. (2020) Management: Theory and Practice. 9th Ed. Andover, Hants: Cengage Learning EMEA.

Mullins, L.J. and Rees, G. (2023) Management and Organisational Behaviour. 13th Ed. Harlow: Pearson.

HN Global

Reading Lists. Available at: https://hnglobal.highernationals.com/learningzone/reading-lists

Student Resource Library. Available at: https://hnglobal.highernationals.com/subjects/resource–libraries Textbooks. Available at: https://hnglobal.highernationals.com/textbooks

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