Social Science Internship Portfolio Assignment
SMGT 699
Internship Portfolio Assignment Instructions
Overview
The following outline is intended to provide you with the guidelines for your internship portfolio. Although the focus of each student is primarily oriented to accomplishing the tasks and responsibilities assigned by each host organization, the following guidelines represent the writing and reporting requirements, to be submitted according to published deadlines in order to receive a final grade for the experience.
The specific due date will be provided in Canvas. Students are required to create a portfolio (word documents and/or excel spreadsheet). This submission will satisfy the “culminating experience” requirement by Liberty University in order to successfully complete graduate school.
Instructions
This portfolio will be due according to published deadlines and includes the following requirements for acceptance:
A. Length and Format: This report shall be as long or short as necessary to communicate the required information, Times or Times New Roman font size 12 pt. should be used. Feel free to include charts and supporting material that may be provided in an attached appendix.
B. Place and Date of Submission: ONLY an electronic copy of the final report should be submitted via Canvas. Submissions in other formats will not be accepted.
C. Optional Revisions of Final Report: A student has the option of submitting the Final Report to the professor no later than the end of Module 7. If an internship report is deemed unsatisfactory for any reason, it will be returned to the respective intern for revisions and modifications. Presentation and factualness of data, spelling, and grammar will be reviewed carefully and may result in required revisions. This report should be treated as a business report which will be evaluated and will be available for community review by faculty, staff, and students. If no revisions are necessary, the report will be accepted as final.
INTERNSHIP PORTFOLIO CONTENT GUIDELINES:
The internship portfolio should include the following sections and subsections:
I. THE ORGANIZATION:
A. Overview of Host Organization: Briefly describe the type of organization in which you worked and where/how it fits into the sport industry (e.g., local, regional, national, or international). Please include its primary constituencies and the primary nature of its operations (i.e., goods or services). Briefly describe the major purposes of the organization including its mission, goals, and strategic objectives. Please include any relevant promotional brochures and any other pertinent information that describes the work of the host organization. The data might include any strategic documents such as an annual report and/or strategic management plans.
B. Structure and Personnel of Host Organization: Briefly describe the organizational structure and its effectiveness with regard to management philosophies, leadership and management styles, and its relationships with its principle governance structures and alliances (e.g., league, governing body, federation, professional association, granting authority/agency, etc.). Please include an organizational chart. Also, please include as part of your analysis, how and who within your organization evaluates personnel. How are people hired, fired, and promoted? What are the ranges of salaries for full-time employees within this organization (if available)? What is some typical lifestyle issues that employees and managers in this organization face (e.g., travel, commute to work, stress, extended hours, difficult physical working environment, etc.).
C. Budget and Financial Aspects of Host Organization: Identify as specifically as possible, the tax status of your organization (profit v. non-profit) including its federal tax-filing category (i.e., a 501 (c) 3 or S corporation). Briefly describe the reasons why this organization has its specific tax designations including the benefits and liabilities of such designations. What are the major sources of annual revenue for your organization and what are its corresponding major categories of expenditures? What limits or restrictions might be levied on this organization with regard to revenue development including fundraising? Please provide approximate percentages of the sources and categories of revenues and expenditures per year. Briefly describe the current and future growth projections of this organization with respect to its size and profitability/revenue.
D. Legal Issues Faced by Host Organization: Please describe the primary types of legal issues faced by your host organization including who provides the legal services for this organization and what type of insurance is necessary to limit the risks involved in the primary activities of the organization. What are some examples of legal issues that this organization (specifically) and its segment of the industry has or is currently facing. Please describe your organization’s risk management plan including any specific procedures that are designed to mitigate these legal risks/issues.
E. Ethical and Social Justice Issues Facing Host Organization: Please describe the critical, ethical, and social justice issues faced by this organization including some examples of ethical issues that this organization (specifically) and its segment of the industry has or is currently facing. Please describe what policies and procedures are in places that are designed to mitigate these ethical concerns and how effective they have been. Who is responsible for affecting these policies? Ethical concerns might include issues of discrimination, sexual harassment, environmental hazards, cheating or disregarding professional standards, and alcohol/substance abuse.
F. Use of Communication/Information Technology by Host Organization: Please describe the primary modes of communication and information technology utilized by your sponsor organization. Include in your analysis the type and nature of use of the various technologies employed by this organization and its effectiveness in linking staff, key constituents, and significant stakeholders that the organization must communicate with. For example, what types of telecommunication devices are used by staff outside the office (e.g., cell phones, pagers, laptop computers with modems, palm pilots, etc.)? What are the primary types of computer hardware and software used by your host organization? Does your organization rely heavily on e-mail? Does your organization have a Web site and are they involved in e-commerce?
G. Marketing and Promotional Strategies of Host Organization: Please describe how (i.e., staffing and operations) and to what extent your host organization markets and promotes itself? What are the organization’s target markets/key constituencies? What specific strategies and resources does your host organization utilize in its marketing and promotions efforts? How sophisticated are its approaches to key audiences (i.e., customers, members, etc.)? In what ways were you involved in this outreach? What would you recommend to improve its marketing and promotions efforts?
II. YOUR INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE:
Please detail your internship responsibilities being as specific as you can. Describe the most significant areas of knowledge and/or skills that you feel you acquired or expanded during your internship. What were the most positive features of your internship experience? Describe your relations with the staff at the host organization including other interns (if any). How would you characterize this organization’s human resource approach to its employees? What were the limitations of your internship experience? In what ways did you meet your learning objectives?
Would you recommend this organization to a future intern from Liberty University? Why or why not?
III. THE FUTURE: Please describe your career plans for future employment including a summary of the type of jobs and career outlook in your chosen industry segment. How do you feel your internship will/has assist you in obtaining employment in the sport or other industry? What suggestions to you have for future students seeking employment in a sport management position in the industry segment you are interested in? What strategies or ideas do you have for the future direction of the academic aspect of the sport management program at Liberty University (i.e., types of courses, style/type of instruction, practicums, etc.)? Finally, please email an updated resume to your professor to keep on file.
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.
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