Assessment Structure
Exercises throughout course one will be used as preparation for the final assessment paper. In effect, the exercises will form components of your final paper. A brief regarding the assessment is given below.
Assessment title: An analysis of an organisation’s preparedness for agility and sustainable competitive advantage.
Details
- Analysis of the main components that an organisation addresses or could address to maximise its capacity for high agility to support sustainable competitive advantages addressing core concepts and principles.
- In addition, explore what the nominated organisation can do to enhance its collective agility.
- Analyse the characteristics of a highly agile organisation and the implications for the Nominated Organisation.
- Analysis of the governance, risk management and ESG/CSR requirements for a highly agile organisation and the implications for the Nominated Organisation.
- For the Nominated Organisation,
- Analyse organisational structure that supports organisational agility and the implications with a view to recommending an enhanced organisational structure for 2028 or justification to retain the current structure
- Recommendations
- Appendix and References
Report Structure
The assignment is to be structured as a report as follows.
- Introduction. (150 words)
- Body of the paper
- Address the core concepts and principles of an agile organisation and the essentials of ESG and risk management practices. (1000 words)
- Address the three core questions above for the nominated assessment organisation. (1000 words)
- For the specific organisation
- The agility of the organisation to adjust to future workforce requirements and the expansion of AI.
- The Governance structures and practices of the organisation including its capacity to manage risk, and any areas for enhancement.
- The extent the organisation engages in ESG / CSR and where the modification could be made for enhancement
- The effectiveness of the underpinning structure of the organisation as it operates today
- What might the workforce and structural requirements be for 2028?
- For the specific organisation
Conclusion
- Recommendations (250 words)
- What recommendations do you offer to enhance the sustainable competitiveness of the nominated organisation from your analysis?
- Recommendations should be clear and concise. For example, it is recommended that:
- The Nominated Organisation develop a talent attraction and retention program by the next financial year, or
- The Nominated Organisation review the organisational code of code to seek stronger levels of workforce engagement.
- Reference list
- It is anticipated that 20 plus references will be used for the paper.
- Please use Deakin referencing guide.
- Appendix
Unit MBG775 High Performing Organisations
Overview
- Founded: 2005 by the Government of Dubai
- Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Mandate: Plan and execute transport and traffic projects in Dubai; develop integrated road and public transport networks including Metro, Tram, buses, marine transport, and taxis
- Vision: “The world leader in seamless & sustainable mobility”
Key Strategies
- Smart Mobility & Digital Transformation: RTA is a global pioneer in using AI and IoT for transport optimization, with smart traffic systems, autonomous vehicle trials, and the Dubai Smart Self-Driving Transport Strategy aiming for 25% of all trips to be autonomous by 2030.
- Customer Happiness Focus: Through its Happiness Centers and digitized services, RTA places the customer experience at the center of its operations. Over 95% of its services are available digitally, resulting in higher satisfaction scores across commuter segments.
- Sustainability & Green Transport: Committed to the UAE Green Agenda, RTA has introduced electric buses, hybrid taxis, and clean energy marine transport options, and is reducing its carbon footprint through smarter infrastructure.
- Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Successful collaborations with international operators (e.g., Keolis, Serco) have helped manage Dubai Metro and Tram with world-class service levels.
- Project Excellence & Innovation: RTA won the 2023 EFQM Global Award for its integrated excellence model, applying innovation, performance management, and stakeholder engagement principles systematically across its operations.
Achievements
- EFQM Global Award Winner (2023): Recognized for embedding excellence, innovation, and sustainability into all aspects of operations and governance.
- Transport Infrastructure Leadership: Dubai Metro is the world’s longest driverless metro network. The city’s public transport usage grew significantly, with millions of trips recorded annually across all modes.
- Smart City Integration: RTA is a core enabler of Dubai’s Smart City vision, integrating transport systems with data analytics, AI-powered monitoring, and real-time customer engagement platforms.
Challenges
- Rapid Urban Growth: Keeping up with the city’s population and tourism-driven expansion while ensuring infrastructure scalability and service efficiency.
- Technology Integration at Scale: Ensuring smooth rollout of cutting-edge systems like autonomous vehicles, smart payment systems, and AI analytics across all services.
- Sustainability Goals: Achieving ambitious emissions targets in line with UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 initiative requires continuous innovation and resource alignment.
Organisational structure
- Organisational Type: Government Authority with specialized agencies under central leadership
- Main Functional Units: Public Transport Agency, Traffic and Roads Agency, Rail Agency, Licensing Agency, and Corporate Technical Support Services
Main Features
- Functional Structure: Divided by key functions (e.g., transport modes, licensing, infrastructure).
- Centralized Decision-Making with Agile Units: Strategic control rests with the Director General and board, while operational agility is enabled through agency-specific teams.
- Innovation Hubs: Dedicated departments for future mobility and AI research collaborate with global firms and academia to drive innovation.
- Customer Service Excellence: RTA runs dedicated Happiness Centers and uses real-time feedback systems to enhance service quality.
- Talent Development: RTA invests in leadership development, technical training, and has launched the “RTA Innovation Lab” to foster internal innovation.
Objective:
The assessment requires a comprehensive analysis of how an organisationspecifically the RTA in Dubai demonstrates agility and supports sustainable competitive advantage. Students must explore key components of organisational agility, governance, ESG/CSR compliance, risk management, and structural effectiveness.
Key Requirements:
- Introduction (150 words) – Brief overview of the organisation, purpose of the report, and assessment scope.
- Core Analysis (1000 words) –
- Principles of a highly agile organisation.
- ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) and risk management essentials.
- Implications for the nominated organisation (RTA).
- Organisational-Specific Analysis (1000 words) –
- Agility to respond to workforce and AI expansion.
- Governance structures, risk management, and ESG/CSR practices.
- Organisational structure evaluation and recommendations for 2028.
- Conclusion & Recommendations (250 words) – Practical recommendations to enhance sustainable competitiveness.
- References – Minimum 20 references following Deakin APA 7th edition guidelines.
- Appendices – Supporting data, charts, or frameworks.
Learning Outcomes:
- LO1: Critically assess organisational agility and its impact on sustainable competitive advantage.
- LO2: Analyse governance, risk, and ESG/CSR implications.
- LO3: Evaluate organisational structure and propose strategic enhancements.
Approach by Academic Mentor
Step 1: Understanding the Assessment Brief
The mentor first guided the student in reviewing the assessment instructions to identify core requirements: analysing agility, ESG/CSR, governance, and structural efficiency, specifically for the RTA in Dubai.