8607-528 Understanding Governance of Organisations

Unit Overview

8607-528 Understanding Governance of Organisations is a unit within the ILM Level 5 qualification in leadership and management that focuses on improving ability to lead organisations. Organisations must be governed effectively to ensure that they are successful in achieving the desired goals and objectives within the organisation. This involves understanding the range of trustees’ responsibilities within the governing body of the organisation. Corporate governance is critical in facilitating success in collaboration with stakeholders in the organisations and hence they are able to share common goals and objectives.

The area of learning is important ensuring that the leaders and stakeholders in general adhere to the set legal and regulatory frameworks that have been put in place to ensure that they achieve the desired goals and objectives within their organisations. It is also significantly important to ensure that the leaders contribute towards understanding the impact of the governing body in the performance of the organisation.

8607-528 Understanding Governance of Organisations is a unit that is designed to provide organisational stakeholders with the necessary training and information that covers areas of learning that improve understanding of governance roles. The purpose and aim of the unit is developing an understanding on how to respond effectively to challenges on governance within an enterprise such as charitable trusts, NGOs, schools, housing associations or other social enterprises with the aim of improving the strategic business performance. The unit is taught in 18 hours of guided learning and contributes 6 credit values towards the completion of the ILM Level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

Suitability of the Unit

All leaders within the organisation must contribute effectively towards accomplishing the desired levels of corporate governance within their organisations. This involves being able to effectively address issues that may arise within the workplace in relation to leadership and management. They should understand their roles and responsibilities within the organisation in ensuring that they are able to achieve the desired levels of corporate and responsibilities within the workplace. Leaders must also understand the legal and ethical frameworks that guide the activities and interactions with stakeholders in the governing body within the organisation.

This ensures that the organisation improve their compliance to legal frameworks and hence ensure that they are successful in meeting the expectations and standards within the organisation. This makes 8607-528 Understanding Governance of Organisations a suitable unit for different leaders within the organisations hence ensuring that they are able to acquire the necessary information and support in pursuing the desired goals and objectivesThis unit is designed to meet the learning needs of middle managers within the organisations. It helps them to develop an understanding of their role in ensuring that there is legal and ethical collaboration between their positions and the governing body in the organisations.

 However this unit is not limited to the middle managers within the organisation. The executive managers and members of the organisation’s governing body have a role to play in facilitating success within the organisation. This unit helps them to understand critical principles and information on leadership and management of their organisation. Other stakeholders such as employees, external consultants and junior managers can pursue this unit to ensure they are able to effectively fulfill their roles and prepare them for bigger leadership responsibilities.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the unit, the learners should be able to:

• Understand the concept of governance as it is applied in their organisation or an organisation they are familiar with

• describe the range of trustees and responsibilities within the governing body of the organisation

• Understand the organisation’s committee/ sub-committee structure for delegating identified roles and responsibilities relating to governance

• Compare the responsibilities of the governing body to those of the organisation’s management team

• Understand procedures that have been established to ensure that the organisation is compliant with legal and regulatory requirements of governance

• Understand the effectiveness of the organisation’s procedures of receiving it plans and budgets with the governing body

• Understand the process for identifying and recruiting members to the governing body

• Understand the procedures of monitoring induction, training and on-going development for newly appointed members of the governing body

• Evaluate the feedback from organisation’s staff, customers and other stakeholders and understand the impacts on the actions of the governing body

Key Learning Areas

8607-528 Understanding Governance of Organisations is a unit that focuses on understanding the role that corporate governance plays in influencing the performance of the organisation. This involves aligning the organisation's management with the corporate governing body. Some of the main areas of learning include:

Role and Responsibilities of Governance

This area of learning builds an understanding on the principles of governance within the organisations. It involves understanding the roles and responsibilities of the governing body as well as the composition of this body. This area of learning also leads the leaners to understand the legal structure that fits the aims and objectives of the organisation and develop a relationship between the management and governing body.

Legal and Financial Undertakings of the Governing Body

This area of learning is critical in understanding the processes that are required to facilitate compliance to the law within the organisation. It involves understanding the financial limits that have been established within the organisation as well as the approaches of ensuring that the organisation is compliant to the law. This area also focuses on risk management as well as developing, setting and monitoring the operational plans and budgets. The learner is also introduced to legal and regulatory frameworks that have been established to guide the activities involves with corporate governance.

Effectiveness of the Governing Body

This area of learning helps to understand the recruitment and selection policies and procedures that have been put up for members of the governing body. It involves understanding the process of training and development to prepare the governing body to fulfill its goals and objectives as well as approaches that have been established to handle complaints within the governing body. This area of learning also involves understanding approaches of managing conflicts within the organisation.

Evaluation

On completion the unit, the learners should be able to complete an evaluation. It involves conducting a written assessment, simulated exercises and supervised practice. These assessments are designed to determine the mastery of theory and practice of learning within the organisation