PEARSON BTEC
Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 17: Understanding and Leading Change
Assignment Front Sheet
| Awarding Body | Pearson BTEC |
| Qualification | Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Business |
| Unit Number and Title | Unit 17: Understanding and Leading Change |
| Assignment Title | NovaMesh Retail Group: Navigating Strategic Change in a Competitive E-Commerce Landscape |
| Assignment Number | Assignment 1 of 1 |
| Date Issued | 01 March 2026 |
| Submission Deadline | 22 May 2026 |
| Assessor Name | |
| Student Name | |
| Student ID |
Learner Declaration
I certify that the work submitted for this assignment is my own and that all research sources are fully acknowledged in accordance with the Pearson BTEC academic integrity policy.
Student Signature: _______________________________ Date: ___________________
Unit Overview
Unit 17: Understanding and Leading Change sits at the centre of any serious study of business management at Level 5. Organisations today — regardless of sector, size or ownership structure — operate in environments that are constantly in flux. Technological disruption, shifting consumer expectations, regulatory pressures, and global supply chain volatility all demand that managers not only respond to change but lead it with deliberate strategy and confidence.
This unit equips learners with the analytical and practical frameworks required to understand why change happens, how it affects organisations at a strategic and operational level, and how effective leadership can determine whether change initiatives succeed or fail. Drawing on seminal models — including Lewin’s force field analysis, Kotter’s 8-step process, and McKinsey’s 7-S framework — learners develop the capacity to assess real-world change scenarios, propose structured management responses, and critically evaluate the leadership behaviours that drive or hinder organisational transformation.
Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria
| Learning Outcome | Description | Assessment Criteria |
| LO1 | Understand the key drivers that cause change in an organisation | P1, M1, D1 |
| LO2 | Understand the ways in which change impacts an organisation’s strategy and operations | P2, M1, D1 |
| LO3 | Understand how to lead and manage change | P3, M2, D1 |
Purpose of This Assignment
The purpose of this assignment is to assess your ability to apply change management theory to a realistic UK business context. You will analyse the forces driving strategic change within a retail and e-commerce organisation, evaluate the impact of those forces on business strategy and operations, and propose a justified, evidence-based approach to leading and managing that change effectively.
Upon successful completion of this assignment, you will be able to:
- Identify and critically evaluate the key internal and external drivers of change within a contemporary retail and e-commerce organisation.
- Analyse and assess the impact of change on an organisation’s strategic direction and operational structure.
- Apply recognised change management models and leadership frameworks to develop and justify a coherent change management strategy.
- Communicate complex strategic analysis in a professional business report format, using appropriate academic referencing.
Submission Requirements
Word Count: 3,000–4,000 words (excluding references, appendices and front sheet)
Format: Written Business Report
Referencing Style: Harvard (minimum 8 credible academic sources)
Font and Spacing: Arial 11pt, 1.5 line spacing, pages numbered
Submission Method: Electronic submission via your centre’s VLE portal
Date Issued: 01 March 2026
Submission Deadline: 22 May 2026 by 23:59 (GMT)
Work submitted after the deadline without an agreed extension will be subject to your centre’s late submission policy. Word count must be clearly stated on your cover page. Work exceeding 4,000 words (excluding references and appendices) will be assessed only up to that threshold.
Scenario: NovaMesh Retail Group
NovaMesh Retail Group is a mid-sized UK-based retail and e-commerce company founded in 2009 by two former marketing executives, Priya Sharma and Daniel Osei. Headquartered in Manchester, with regional distribution centres in Birmingham and Glasgow, NovaMesh operates across two principal channels: a chain of 38 physical retail stores selling lifestyle and home goods across England and Scotland, and an e-commerce platform — novamesh.co.uk — that currently accounts for approximately 41% of total annual revenue.
Over the past three years, NovaMesh has faced mounting pressure on multiple fronts. Foot traffic to its physical stores has declined steadily, dropping by an estimated 23% since 2022, a pattern mirrored across the UK high street sector (British Retail Consortium, 2024). Meanwhile, competition in the online space has intensified, with consumers comparing NovaMesh’s platform unfavourably against larger rivals in terms of delivery speed, personalisation features and mobile user experience. Rising energy and logistics costs have squeezed margins, and a growing number of suppliers have restructured their terms, creating further operational uncertainty.
In response, the company’s board of directors, chaired by Priya Sharma, approved in January 2026 a Strategic Transformation Programme (STP) — a phased three-year plan to restructure the business around a digital-first operating model. The STP includes the planned closure of 12 underperforming stores over an 18-month period, investment of approximately £4.2 million in platform technology and logistics automation, the creation of a new Customer Experience and Digital Innovation team, and the retraining of approximately 340 affected retail staff for redeployment in digital operations roles.
Daniel Osei, who serves as Chief Operating Officer, has raised concerns internally about the pace and scope of the transformation. A significant proportion of NovaMesh’s workforce has been with the company for more than eight years, and early staff surveys suggest considerable anxiety about job security, skill relevance and cultural change. Union representatives have requested formal consultation, and two senior managers have already tendered their resignations, citing uncertainty about the organisation’s direction.
The board has retained a small management consultancy to support the programme, but the primary responsibility for designing and delivering the change management strategy rests with NovaMesh’s own leadership team. The board has requested a comprehensive report that analyses the change drivers NovaMesh faces, assesses their strategic impact, and proposes a structured, theoretically grounded approach to managing and leading the transformation.
You have been appointed as a Strategic Change Analyst working within NovaMesh’s Senior Management Team. Your task is to produce the business report requested by the board.
Assignment Tasks
Your report should be structured logically, using clearly numbered sections that address each of the following tasks. All tasks must be completed in order to be eligible for a Pass grade or above. Each task maps directly to the unit’s learning outcomes and assessment criteria.
Task 1 — Drivers of Change (LO1: P1, M1, D1)
P1 — Identify and Explain the Key Drivers of Change
Identify and explain the key drivers of change currently affecting NovaMesh Retail Group. Your analysis must address both internal drivers (such as leadership decisions, financial pressures, and workforce capability gaps) and external drivers (such as economic conditions, technological change, competitive market dynamics and consumer behaviour shifts).
You are required to:
- Identify a minimum of three internal and three external drivers of change relevant to NovaMesh’s situation.
- Explain how each driver is affecting or is likely to affect the organisation’s need to change.
- Apply at least one recognised theoretical framework to structure your analysis — for example, PESTLE analysis for external drivers, or McKinsey’s 7-S framework to map internal pressures.
M1 — Critical Evaluation of How Drivers Interact and Create Strategic Tension
Building on your P1 analysis, critically evaluate how the identified drivers of change interact with one another within NovaMesh’s specific context. Consider where drivers may be mutually reinforcing and where they may create competing strategic priorities or tensions for the leadership team.
For example: how does the financial pressure to reduce costs interact with the commitment to reskill and retain staff? How does the urgency of digital investment sit alongside the cultural resistance identified in staff surveys? Your analysis at this level should demonstrate independent critical thinking rather than simply summarising theoretical models.
D1 — Evaluate the Relative Significance of Change Drivers
At Distinction level, evaluate the relative significance of the drivers you have identified. Not all drivers carry equal weight or urgency. Produce a reasoned, evidence-supported argument for which drivers present the most critical strategic challenge for NovaMesh and why. Your evaluation should draw on academic literature and, where appropriate, relevant industry data to support your position.
Task 2 — Impact of Change on Strategy and Operations (LO2: P2, M1, D1)
P2 — Explain the Impact of Change Drivers on NovaMesh’s Strategy and Operations
Drawing on the drivers identified in Task 1, explain how the Strategic Transformation Programme is affecting NovaMesh’s overall business strategy and its day-to-day operations across both its physical retail and e-commerce channels.
Your response should address:
- The impact on NovaMesh’s strategic positioning — how is the company’s value proposition and competitive strategy shifting as a result of the STP?
- The operational impact — how are changes to store numbers, staffing structures, technology investment and supplier relationships altering how the business functions on a daily basis?
- The impact on people — how is the transformation affecting employee morale, organisational culture and stakeholder confidence?
- The impact on organisational structure — consider whether the current structure supports or hinders the change programme.
M1 (continued) — Critical Evaluation of Strategic Implications
At Merit level, your analysis of impact should go beyond description. Critically evaluate the short-term and long-term strategic implications of the STP for NovaMesh. Consider the risks associated with the pace of transformation, the trade-offs between financial goals and people management obligations, and the potential consequences of inadequate change leadership. Use relevant models and academic theory to support your evaluation.
Task 3 — Leading and Managing Change (LO3: P3, M2, D1)
P3 — Apply a Change Management Model to Propose a Structured Change Plan
Apply at least one recognised change management model to propose a structured change management plan for NovaMesh’s Strategic Transformation Programme. Your plan should be practical and clearly mapped to the organisation’s current situation as described in the scenario.
Suitable models include, but are not limited to:
- Lewin’s Three-Step Change Model (Unfreeze – Change – Refreeze)
- Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change
- McKinsey 7-S Framework
- ADKAR Model (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement)
For each stage or component of the model you apply, explain specifically what NovaMesh’s leadership team should do, who should be responsible, and what outcomes should be expected. Generic descriptions of the model without contextual application will not meet the Pass standard.
M2 — Critical Evaluation of Leadership Styles in the Context of Change
At Merit level, you are required to critically evaluate the leadership styles and approaches most relevant to managing the change programme at NovaMesh. Compare at least two distinct leadership styles — for example, transformational leadership (Bass and Avolio, 1994) and transactional leadership, or servant leadership and directive leadership — and critically justify which approach, or which combination of approaches, is most appropriate for NovaMesh given the specific challenges described in the scenario.
Consider how the leadership approach may need to adapt across different phases of the transformation and for different stakeholder groups — including operational staff, senior managers and union representatives.
D1 — Develop and Justify a Comprehensive Change Management Strategy
To achieve a Distinction, you are required to synthesise the analysis developed across all three tasks into a single, coherent and comprehensive change management strategy for NovaMesh. This strategy should:
- Integrate your assessment of change drivers, strategic impacts, change model application and leadership approach into a unified narrative.
- Propose clear, actionable recommendations with a realistic timeline and identified responsibilities.
- Acknowledge limitations, risks and potential points of failure, with mitigating strategies identified.
- Demonstrate originality of thought, going beyond summarising existing models to apply them creatively and critically to the specific NovaMesh context.
- Be supported by a minimum of eight credible academic and professional sources, correctly referenced in Harvard format.
Merit and Distinction Grade Descriptors
| Grade | Descriptor | Contextualisation |
| P1 | Understand the key drivers that cause change in an organisation | You have correctly identified and explained at least three internal and three external drivers of change affecting NovaMesh, using relevant frameworks such as PESTLE and/or Kotter’s model to support your analysis. |
| P2 | Understand the ways in which change impacts an organisation’s strategy and operations | You have explained the impact of the identified drivers on NovaMesh’s overall business strategy and its day-to-day retail and e-commerce operations, with clear links between cause and effect. |
| P3 | Understand how to lead and manage change | You have applied at least one change management model (e.g. Lewin, Kotter, McKinsey 7-S) to propose a structured change management plan appropriate to NovaMesh’s context. |
| M1 | Critical evaluation of the impact of change on organisational strategy | To achieve M1, your analysis goes beyond description. You critically evaluate how change drivers interact and consider conflicting priorities within NovaMesh’s strategic choices, using evidence and theory to justify your conclusions. |
| M2 | Critically evaluate leadership styles and approaches in the context of change | To achieve M2, you compare at least two leadership styles (e.g. transformational vs transactional) and critically justify which approach is most appropriate for leading change at NovaMesh at its current stage of transformation. |
| D1 | Justify and evaluate a comprehensive change management strategy for NovaMesh | To achieve D1, you produce a cohesive, justified strategy that integrates drivers, impacts, leadership approach and change model into a single coherent plan. Conclusions are original, well-reasoned and supported by credible academic sources. |
Marking Rubric
| Criterion | Pass | Merit | Distinction |
| Understanding of Change Drivers | Identifies and explains internal and external drivers with reference to theory. | Critically analyses how drivers interact and create competing strategic pressures. | Evaluates the relative significance of each driver with nuanced, evidence-based argument. |
| Impact on Strategy and Operations | Explains key impacts on NovaMesh’s strategy and operations with examples. | Critically evaluates short- and long-term strategic implications using relevant models. | Produces an integrated, justified analysis linking drivers, impacts and outcomes coherently. |
| Change Management Model Application | Applies a recognised change model to propose a structured change plan. | Critically compares two change models and justifies the most appropriate choice. | Develops a comprehensive, original change strategy that synthesises multiple frameworks. |
| Leadership and Change | Describes leadership styles relevant to managing change in organisations. | Critically evaluates the suitability of different leadership approaches for NovaMesh. | Justifies a specific leadership strategy with reference to theory, evidence and organisational context. |
| Academic Writing and Referencing | Report is clearly structured, uses appropriate business language and includes Harvard references. | Report demonstrates critical engagement with sources; argument is coherent and well-evidenced. | Report is professionally presented, analytically rigorous and demonstrates originality of thought. |
Submission Checklist
| Submission Requirement | Required | Student Tick |
| Written business report (3,000–4,000 words, excluding references and appendices) | Yes | |
| Word-processed in Arial 11pt with 1.5 line spacing | Yes | |
| Pages numbered throughout | Yes | |
| Harvard referencing used consistently (minimum 8 sources) | Yes | |
| Assignment front sheet completed and attached | Yes | |
| Turnitin submission confirmation (where required by your centre) | Yes | |
| Word count stated on cover page | Yes |
Guidance Notes for Students
Report Structure
Your submission should be presented as a formal business report addressed to the NovaMesh Board of Directors. A professional report structure is expected, including:
- Cover page (including word count, student ID and submission date)
- Executive Summary (approximately 200 words — not included in the word count)
- Table of Contents
- Numbered sections addressing Tasks 1, 2 and 3 in sequence
- Conclusions and Recommendations
- Reference List (Harvard format)
- Appendices (if applicable — not included in the word count)
Use of Theory and Models
You are expected to engage critically with academic theory rather than simply describe models. A common mistake at Level 5 is to spend significant word count explaining what a model is, rather than applying it analytically to the scenario. Your assessor is looking for evidence that you can use theory as a lens through which to interpret and evaluate a real business situation. Keep model descriptions concise and focus the majority of your word count on analysis and evaluation.
Academic Integrity
All sources must be correctly cited in the body of your report and listed in full in your reference list using Harvard format. Unacknowledged use of another person’s work, including AI-generated content presented as your own analysis, constitutes academic misconduct and will be referred under your centre’s academic integrity policy. Your assessor will be looking for evidence of original thinking, personal engagement with the scenario and the ability to construct and defend an argument.
Word Count
The 3,000–4,000 word limit applies to the main body of the report only. Executive summary, reference list, appendices, tables and figures are excluded from the count. You must state your word count clearly on the cover page. Reports submitted below 3,000 words are unlikely to demonstrate sufficient depth of analysis to achieve a Pass grade.
Sample Answer Content
The following paragraphs illustrate the standard of analytical engagement expected at Pass and Merit levels. This content is provided for guidance only and must not be reproduced in submissions.
NovaMesh Retail Group’s strategic transformation reflects a convergence of external pressures that many UK retailers have faced since the post-pandemic acceleration of e-commerce adoption. The 23% decline in in-store foot traffic is consistent with broader sectoral trends reported by the British Retail Consortium, which recorded a 4.3% fall in overall high street footfall across England and Scotland in 2023 alone. Applying a PESTLE framework to NovaMesh’s operating environment reveals that technological and economic drivers are the most acute, with consumer preference for digital convenience intersecting with the sustained cost-of-living pressures that have shifted purchasing behaviour toward price-competitive online alternatives. Kotter and Schlesinger (2023) argue that organisations underestimating the political and emotional dimensions of change tend to focus narrowly on structural adjustments while neglecting the human dynamics that ultimately determine whether transformation succeeds. For NovaMesh, this warning is particularly relevant given the staff anxiety evidenced by early survey findings and the departure of two senior managers in the early stages of the programme.
Lewin’s force field analysis could offer NovaMesh’s leadership a productive diagnostic tool in this context, helping the board to map the driving forces behind the STP — cost reduction imperatives, digital revenue growth targets and competitive positioning — against the restraining forces of cultural resistance, workforce anxiety and operational disruption. Hayes (2022) notes that change programmes in retail organisations frequently stall not because the strategic logic is flawed, but because restraining forces are underestimated at the planning stage. NovaMesh’s decision to invest in staff retraining rather than wholesale redundancy appears to acknowledge this risk, though the success of that approach will depend substantially on the quality and pace of implementation. A transformational leadership approach, characterised by a compelling shared vision, genuine two-way communication and visible senior commitment, is likely to prove more effective than directive management in this environment, particularly given the long average tenure of NovaMesh’s workforce and the trust that relationships built over time can either support or complicate organisational change.
Recommended Learning Resources
The following sources are recommended to support your research and should be used alongside your centre’s library resources, Pearson’s recommended reading list and any additional sources you identify through independent research. All references in your submitted report must be cited in Harvard format.
- Burnes, B. (2020) ‘The origins of Lewin’s three-step model of change,’ Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 56(1), pp. 32–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886319892685
- Kotter, J.P. and Schlesinger, L.A. (2023) ‘Choosing strategies for change,’ Harvard Business Review, 101(2), pp. 130–139. Available at: https://hbr.org/2008/07/choosing-strategies-for-change
- McKinsey & Company (2023) The State of Organisations 2023. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-state-of-organizations-2023
- Hayes, J. (2022) The Theory and Practice of Change Management. 6th edn. London: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN: 9781352012736.
- Northouse, P.G. (2021) Leadership: Theory and Practice. 9th edn. London: SAGE Publications. ISBN: 9781544397566.
- Dawson, P. and Andriopoulos, C. (2021) Managing Change, Creativity and Innovation. 4th edn. London: SAGE. ISBN: 9781529717501.
- Balogun, J. and Hope Hailey, V. (2022) Exploring Strategic Change. 5th edn. Harlow: Pearson Education. ISBN: 9781292409191.
Assessment: Assignment 2 Preview
Unit 17: Understanding and Leading Change — Assignment 2
Suggested Title: Leading Change from Within — Reflective Practice and Stakeholder Engagement at NovaMesh
Building on the strategic analysis produced in Assignment 1, Assignment 2 will require learners to produce a reflective leadership portfolio that documents how they would personally apply the principles of change leadership within the NovaMesh scenario. The portfolio will consist of three components: a stakeholder mapping and engagement plan; a reflective account of leadership challenges encountered during the change process, drawing on Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle or Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model; and a short presentation script (approximately 800 words) summarising the change strategy for delivery to NovaMesh’s Senior Leadership Team. The combined submission will be assessed against LO3 and LO4 criteria, with Distinction-level work expected to demonstrate sustained critical self-reflection, original application of leadership theory and evidence of learning from both academic sources and the Assignment 1 feedback. Word count: 2,500–3,000 words for the written components, excluding the presentation script and references.