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Fall 2024 Mid-Term Assignment
Below are your guidelines for your Mid-term assignment.
This assignment will require devoted inquiry, reflection, and refinement in order to achieve the highest
possible score. This is only one of your two major grades and the quality of your work needs to reflect
the importance of the assignment. Essentially, this paper will take a tremendous amount of time and
effort. I recommend you get started as soon as possible!
You will have the opportunity to choose from the following topics. HOWEVER, you ONLY PICK and
WRITE about ONE.
If you are retaking this class, you cannot re-use your previous paper. You will exceed the similarity
score and this is also considered a violation of the MBA Honor code. These re-used materials will
NOT be accepted. Also, the paper has to be your OWN UNIQUE contribution. The use of third
party platforms and/or technologies is not allowed. We have AI detectors in Turnitin.
This paper will be your own unique, scholarly contribution. With each option, I am just giving you a
broad topic. It is up to you to address the major topic through the exploration of theory (that you select
yourself). You can write about one of the theories that we have covered in this class or you can find
another theory that fits your topic that we have not explored. If you have questions, feel free to run it by
your Academic Coach and myself.
Additionally, beyond identifying and writing about a particular theory, you will need to incorporate
appropriate and supplemental information about your topic. This means you may have to find
information regarding the current state of affairs; include relevant stats; other data; additional
supplemental facts, etc. to make your paper persuasive and detailed enough for a Master's level program.
Remember that this paper is a THEORETICAL PAPER. This class is all about theory. If you FAIL TO
GROUND YOUR PAPER IN A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK -you have not met the goals of this
paper. This paper is supposed to answer one of the questions below-THROUGH THE USE OF
THEORY. I cannot say this enough; it is not enough to address one of the options below. It has to be
substantiated through theory and peer-reviewed resources. Your opinions do not constitute a research
paper.
Now, you may ask yourself-what does this mean? Think of this assignment as if you are writing a
professional, persuasive, concise, white paper about a particular issue for your organization. In this
example, you are trying to address a problem/issue. Now, you are not a subject matter expert. As such,
you have to support your position by finding a theory and established literature to support your argument.
Think of the existing literature and theory as your back-up to support you and your position.
For example, say I wanted to make the argument why we should increase diversity in our top
management team at my organization. If I went up to my CEO and said that we should increase diversity
because it is the right thing to do .... that may not be a persuasive argument. What evidence do you have
to support this? However, if I stated that according to the Cognitive Diversity Hypothesis, multiple
perspectives stemming from different cultural backgrounds may result in creative problem solving and
innovation (Miller, Burke, & Glick, 1998). This may provide help support my position. I am using
existing theory which suggests that increased diversity in top-management teams may lead to more
creative problem solving. This in turn may help the organization tackle the large, complex challenges.
You are using existing theory and established researchers/experts to support your position. That is what
you are doing in this paper.
Fall 2024 Mid-Term Assignment
Now, with this assignment you have to select and fully explore a particular theory; the pros and cons; the
evolution of the theory, and what the theory actually says. You need to put the theory and other literature
in your own words; however, you must properly cite other's work (otherwise it is plagiarism). Citing
material simply gives credit to those individuals whose ideas you are using. You have to emphasize the
theory that you chose and make that the center of your paper because in this class you are trying to
demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in this particular area (to myself and your Academic Coach).
Additionally, this class is all about theory so, I want to make sure that you know how to use it properly.
The use of a theory helps support your position and gives you credibility in what you write.
Remember, this paper needs to be professional. Please make sure you check it for grammar, punctuation,
and spelling. Your paper must tell a story. You are writing about a particular issue .... utilizing a theory
to explore it deeper .... and drawing conclusions from the literature and your selected theory.
Remember that you are writing it for others (Academic Coaches and myself), so you need to write in third
person, so NO "I think ... " or "my experience .... "
Use the issue that you are writing about as a springboard to dive into a particular theory. So, if you are
writing about diversity, you may provide some current stats about the issue to show why this is an issue
or important to address. Then use that to introduce your theory- as this will be the crux of your paper.
Address the issue in full, being absolutely certain to do so not as a layperson, but as a healthcare
organizational behavior expert. Make sure to reference a particular theory and findings in scholarly peer
reviewed articles, etc. to justify your positions. Merely providing personal opinions which are
unsupported is insufficient for this assignment.
Option#l
The field of Organizational Behavior (OB) is the study of individual and group dynamics within an
organization setting. A significant development in the field of came in 1957 when Douglas McGregor
proposed two theories of how managers view employees: Theory X (negative/pessimistic) and Theory Y
(positive/optimistic). These two contrasting theories help explain how manager's view individuals,
motivations, and behaviors. Theory X states that employees are unintelligent and inherently lazy, which
means that managers should closely monitor employee' behavior and have structures in place to
maximize output. Theory Y views employees as creative and competent and that individuals thrive when
they have meaningful work and are allowed opportunities to be involved in leadership and decision
making activities.
The workplace is more nuanced than these two extreme viewpoints. However, we must be able to
successfully manage our employees. Healthcare is a highly complex and regulated industry. Scope-of
practice, mandatory staffing levels, and life and death decisions are par for the course. Utilizing existing
theory(s), propose and justify a management model in which to successfully manage employees in a
healthcare context. Keep proposals in the bounds ofrationality. Make sure that you fully explore your
theory to substantiate your position. Feel free to cite studies that support your position.
Possible deliverables - you do not have to address these, but these are just ideas in case you are stuck.
Describe how the healthcare industry is unique ( or similar) to other industries. Think about the deliverables, processes, and regulations that may support/hinder your proposed theoretical management structure.
Fall 2024 Mid-Term Assignment
Explore how your selected management approach/philosophy may vary per different employment levels (i.e. admin, physicians, RNs, LPNs, CNAs). Utilizing literature regarding your selected theory identify the pros and cons of this approach. Identify some of the barriers/facilitators to implementing this approach in the real-world.
Option#2
Diversity is described as the full range of human similarities and the differences in group affiliation
including gender, race/ethnicity, social class, role within an organization, religion, sexual orientation,
physical ability, and other group identities. The demographics of the United States have changed
dramatically in the past three decades and will continue to change. These changes are reflective in the
patients we serve and our healthcare workforce. These changes are affecting the delivery of health
services from both the patients and the employee's perspective.
We may have an unconscious bias that affects the way we interact with others. Identify a theory that may
explain why we treat people of certain genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities,
and/or ages differently. Pick one dimension to explore in depth (i.e. race, ethnicity, country-of-origin,
religion, sexual orientation, sexual identity, age). Explore if this is an issue in healthcare as it relates to
quality-of-care, access-to-care, workforce, and leadership. Using theory and existing literature make a
case as to why this is important for healthcare organizations to address and how we can address this issue
in a diverse workforce. It is recommended that you address the issue of "diversity," "equity," and
"inclusion" in your exploration of this issue.
Possible deliverables - you do not have to address these, but these are just ideas in case you are stuck.
Using current literature, describe the current environment as it relates to diversity in healthcare
How can we address unconscious biases and why is this important to the delivery of care? What are the ramifications of unconscious biases if these issues are not addressed? Can organizations be diverse but not inclusive? How can we address that? What are the barriers/facilitators to addressing these issues? Using established literature how can we effectively address these issues? How can organizations build open and supporting environments?
Option#3
Attitudes and perceptions can be derived from a multitude of inputs, interactions, experiences, beliefs, and
other factors. Our attitudes/perceptions can influence our decisions, behaviors, and relationships with
others. Attitudes/perceptions can be altered and/or changed over time by addressing the cognitive and
emotional aspects. Some attitudes/perceptions are not rooted in reality, and we may equate certain
qualities to individuals based on preconceived notions. Identify a theory that explains how
attitudes/perceptions are formed and what are some of the consequences of attitudes/perceptions. Citing
the literature how can our attitudes/perceptions led us to make biased decisions (i.e. think about social
perception, halo effect, contrast effects, projection, stereotyping, Pygmalion effect, etc.) How can these
negatively impact our workforce relationships, delivery-of-care, governance, promotion, and employee
selection decisions? Utilizing the literature, provide suggestions on how attitudes/perceptions may be
minimized in management.
Possible deliverables - you do not have to address these, but these are just ideas in case you are stuck.
Using current literature, describe how attitudes/perceptions are formed
Fall 2024 Mid-Term Assignment
Why is understanding the significance of attitudes/perceptions important for management decisions (i.e. how female leaders are perceived as compared to male leaders). What are the ramifications of allowing our attitudes/perceptions to make all the decisions? How can we overcome our attitudes/perceptions in making appropriate decisions? Using established literature how can we effectively address these issues? How can organizations build open and supporting environments?
Option#4
"Communication is perhaps one of the greatest challenges facing managers and leaders today" (Hicks,
2011). In healthcare, this is perhaps even a greater challenge because miscommunication can lead to
ineffective management, misunderstandings, and contribute to poor patient outcomes. Communication in
healthcare, goes beyond managers and employees but includes, patients, caregivers, families, and
everyone involved in the continuum of care. Utilizing theory or a conceptual framework, explore the
communication process, including but not limited to feedback loops, types of communication models, and
communication channels. Be sure to include barriers to communication between the sender and receiver,
such as, the environmental and personal factors. To narrow the scope of this paper, make sure you
identify the parties involved in the communication process and utilizing the literature cite specific
challenges in these communication feedback loops. Examining the literature for best practices, identify
opportunities to facilitate effective communication between multiple parties. These parties that have been
studied and validated.
Possible deliverables - you do not have to address these, but these are just ideas in case you are stuck.
What issues lead to communication failures? How can parties overcome barriers to effective communication? How does communication differ in a healthcare setting (i.e. differing levels of authority, such as, top-down communication, or team based)? What are the different forms and levels of feedback How is the selected communication framework utilized in effective communication If discussing communication between providers and patients, how does the lack of health literacy play a role? What has the literature identified as best practices to overcome ineffective communication
Option#5
Motivating individuals can often be one of the most difficult tasks of a manager/HR. Everyone is unique
and we are all motivated by different factors (i.e. money, autonomy, time-off, recognition). Within
organizations, often resources can be constrained, which may hamper efforts to motivate individuals.
Motivating employees comes from establishing an organizational structure, culture, and environment that
provides opportunities to satisfy the employees intrinsic and extrinsic needs. There are several theories of
motivation - in this paper, you need to pick a theory and fully explore how and why it would be
appropriate to motivate employees. Feel free to write about a specific process, content, or attribution
theory. Make sure that you identify the pros and cons of the specific theory. There are some theories of
motivation that the organization may not be able to satisfy, so be able to substantiate your position with
studies and peer-reviewed literature. If there are barriers to a specific theory, make sure that you identify
these and using the literature, explore opportunities to reduce or mitigate these factors. For some theories,
there may be multiple steps or processes, if you want to focus on a particular element for an in-depth
exploration that is acceptable.
Fall 2024 Mid-Term Assignment
Possible deliverables - you do not have to address these, but these are just ideas in case you are stuck.
Why is motivation in healthcare organizations important? What are some of the issues that arise from demotivation? Explore your theory of motivation and state why it is the most effective or comprehensive approach as compared to other motivational strategies?
What is the most common model of motivation and is it effect or not (base your position on the literature and not personal opinion). In healthcare, per the literature, what are models that are the most effective? Does context or the parties involved matter? What are the elements of effective motivation strategies? What are the components of your motivational plan
Option#6
Politics .. .it is almost a "dirty" word nowadays. Within all organizations, there are examples of
organizational politics. You may try to avoid it like the plague or you may be in the center of it.
Regardless, in this topic selection, you will explore the issue of organizational politics. Identify a
theory/framework in which to explore the issue of organizational politics. Identify the various types of
political behaviors. Using peer-reviewed literature extrapolate on whether the behaviors are good or bad
for the organization. Feel free to explore the issue of influence tactics as it relates to organizational
politics. Be able to explore and explain the tactics that individuals utilize to influence the behavior of
those in higher positions. Explore how different political behaviors may be viewed in different healthcare
organizational cultures. For some theories/frameworks, there may be multiple steps or processes, if you
want to focus on a particular element for an in-depth exploration that is acceptable.
Possible deliverables - you do not have to address these, but these are just ideas in case you are stuck.
Explore the issue of organizational politics in healthcare organizations.
What are some of the issues that arise from organizational politics? Is politics inherently good or bad? Before you respond, think about upward influence. Utilizing the literature provide an example of organizational politics and/or behaviors. Identify whether it is positive or negative. Use peer-reviewed literature to substantiate your position.
Explore your theory/framework of organizational politics and state why it is the most effective or comprehensive approach as compared to other political strategies/frameworks? What is the most common model of organizational politics and is it effect or not (base your position on the literature and not personal opinion). In healthcare, per the literature, how can organizational politics be good or bad? Are there any behaviors that are the most effective? Does context or the parties involved matter? What are the implications of identified behaviors?
What are the components of your selected organizational politics theory/framework?
END OF CHOICES
Fall 2024 Mid-Term Assignment
In order to successfully complete this assignment, you will have had to take the ONE of the scenarios
listed above and address it in full, and submit your work in accordance with the instructions contained
herein.
Importantly, this is an independent assignment to be completed by you and you alone. Sharing work with
fellow students, supplying advice to your student peers, gaining assistance from outside parties, and
similar actions will constitute violations of the academic code of conduct and will carry significant
penalties in accordance with University policy. Also, we will be using Turnitin. If you work is the same
as someone else's -you will not get a passing grade.
The Submission Requirement
The BODY of your paper must be between 2500-3,000 words -this EXCLUDES the references, title, and
abstract. The 2,500 to 3,000 words is only the body of the work.
It is to be typed ( or pasted) directly into Turn-It In. Given the length of the submission, it is advised that
students prepare it in a word processing program, and when finalized, copy and paste the text into the
Turnitin.
When you submit your work -you need to name your paper as your name (last name, first name) and the
title. For example, my submission would be "Lord, Justin-Sample Paper."
Your submission will be assessed for originality. This paper has to be your own unique
contribution. Your paper cannot exceed the 20% similarity score and/or the 20% for AI threshold
as determined by Turnitin. You are citing scholarly work but even with quotes -your work will not be
accepted if it is above the Turnitin threshold. If your work does exceed that threshold, I highly
recommend that you retract your paper and refine it before the resubmission date.
However, if your paper does not exceed the 20% limit, I highly recommend that you only submit in your
assignment ONCE. Once you submit your paper it will be added to the database that Turnitin reviews. If
you resubmit your paper, if it is not necessary -your original paper will already be included in the
database -your similarity score will increase dramatically.
If you resubmit your paper -you need to take a screen shot of your first submission and your second
submission and send that along with a copy of the original and revised paper to your academic coach.
If your paper is over 20%, you can check the areas of similarity by using the "Feedback Studio" within
Turnitin. When you see your similarity score in the green box, click the "pencil" right by your score, it will take you to the "Feedback Studio" where you can see the areas of similarity that is causing your score to go up.
Go there and if you have areas oflarge similarity, I recommend that you take an opportunity to fix. This can be areas that need to be paraphrased or re-worded. I would recommend you stay away from quoting directly from other authors. This is YOUR paper and I want to hear your voice.
Fall 2024 Mid-Term Assignment
Even though you can revise and resubmit in your paper - please be aware that the third time you submit
your paper into Turnitin, your score will take 24 hours to be calculated. This is an automatic de
prioritization that occurs within the system, that I do not have control of. Please make note.
Also, if you use another similarity score program, realize that the algorithms are different for each
platform, so just because you receive a score in a program like Grammarly does not mean this will be the
same for Turnitin.
If you have problems with formatting your submission, consider using Windows Notepad, as it is very
effective for transferring distortion-free text into the Moodie posting window, after which you can add
formatting directly in Moodie.
You are writing a research paper in the context of your case. As such, it should be a scholarly work.
Your work should demonstrate a competency of the material that you are writing about. This work
should also demonstrate the fact that you are in a Master's program. Typos, poor grammar, punctuation,
failure to follow direction, and obvious errors will be penalized. You have plenty of time to work on this
paper so it should reflect your level of effort. Unlike a proctored exam - YOU HA VE FULL CONTROL
OVER YOUR GRADE for this assignment.
Your submission must be supported by 10 (minimum) scholarly references. The max number of
references is 40 (maximum). What is a scholarly reference - it is a resource that has undergone the peer
review process. Newspapers, websites, personal experiences ARE NOT SCHOLARLY REFERENCES.
Scholarly references come from academic peer-reviewed journals. If you cannot ascertain whether a
journal does or does not qualify as scholarly academic, please contact the Noel Library and request
assistance.
Citations are to be prepared in accordance with the standards set forth in the Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association (AP A). Be sure to consult the style guide itself, as database listings
often contain formatting errors which are not compliant and can hurt your grade.
If you are writing about the current healthcare environment (i.e. competition, market structure, patient demographics), I would find the most recent literature. However, for some of the theories or the theoretical based literature - often we will have to cite "seminal" research that can be decades old. It is not recommended best practice to have all older literature as the field is constantly growing and changing. However, if there are some works that you believe are the cornerstones of your theory(s) than I would use them regardless of the age. I would not include more than five articles that are older than 15 years.
Keep in mind that this is a formal research paper. As such, it needs to be written in third person.
AP A -Citation of References
If you do not know how to cite your references correctly, I highly recommend that you utilize the
resources at your disposal:
https://owl. purdue.edu/owl/research _and_ citation/apa _ style/apa _ formatting_ and_ style _guide/general_ for
mat.html
http://www.citationmachine.net/apa/cite-a-book
Fall 2024 Mid-Term Assignment
http://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/apa-format/
These are auto-citation websites/ resources
EndNote
http://www.citethisforme.com/
If you do not know how to find scholarly articles than please look at LibGuides, entitled "Distance
Learners/Dual Enrolled Students: Getting Started." This LibGuide will illustrated how to search for
books, journals, Interlibrary Loan requests.
The LibGuides List is on the right-hand side of the page under Library Quick Quick Links. See the link
below.
http://libguides.lsus.edu/distance _learners_ dual_ enrolled/online _and_ dual_ enrolled_ students
If you are struggling to find appropriate journal articles, I may suggest checking the back of each Chapter
in the Organizational Behavior in Health Care (if you have a copy of the book). Dr. Borkowski lists out
the articles that she referenced when discussing each theory.
Do not cite my lectures. That is not a peer reviewed source.
Another suggestion is that you take one of the seminal journal articles about a particular theory and you
put it into Google Scholar and see all the other journal articles that reference it. You can then search for
healthcare related articles from that one resource.
APA Format
Couple of little tidbits of info regarding AP A if you're interested . . ..
AP A doesn't require a heading for the Introduction. A paper would generally begin with the title, unbolded, centered at the top of the page. Then your "main headings" will be centered and bolded, each main word being capitalized, and then subheadings within these main headings will be left aligned, bold and each main word capitalized.
EX.:
This is the Title of My Fake Paper
This would be where I would write out my introduction, being sure to summarize the rest of
my paper and explaining the purpose of my paper.
(BOLD) Main Heading
This may be where I discuss a certain topic, maybe theoretical assumptions, but if I am going to
break down these theoretical assumptions, it is helpful to divide even further with second level headings
as below.
(BOLD) Heading for Second Level
Here I would get even more in depth and subheadings can be broken down further and further. I
use Purdue Owl as a reference to remember how to break these down when needed.
Fall 2024 Mid-Term Assignment
Link: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/apa_h
eadings _and_ seriation.html
Other Paper Important Info
In presenting your work, identify the title, your name, student ID number, and submission date in the title
slide of your work. It is recommended that you include the following sections in your paper:
Title (Name, Id Number, Date, Title) Abstract (200 word synopsis/summary of your paper ... think of it as a paper movie trailer) Keyword: List your Option Selection Introduction ( one-two paragraphs)
Body of Paper (use sub-sections as you deem necessary) o Review and Application of Theory (This should be substantial portion of your paper; use
sub-sections as you deem necessary)
o You need to demonstrate a significant degree of knowledge regarding the theory and topic that you choose.
o Recommend you review the existing literature to further explore that theory and how it has been applied
Discussion (Tie the theory back to the case problem) Conclusion (one-three paragraphs) References (APA style)
Assessment Criteria
Your submission will be assessed based on the following:
Compliance Quality: The degree to which your submission complies with noted guidelines, including
word count (2,500 to 3,000), reference/citation specifications (minimum 10 scholarly references), and
adherence to AP A style.
Use of Theory: Your paper has to incorporate theory in a manner that helps you address your topic area.
We expect a robust write-up of the theory(s) that could help others understand the theoretical grounding.
Communication Quality: The degree to which your work meets standards expected in business
communications, including matters concerning the use of proper grammar and punctuation,
Content Quality: The quality of the content presented in your work.
Take care to note the deadline for this assignment. Late entries will not be accepted. It does not matter
if your internet went down-you had three weeks to prepare this paper. SA VE YOUR WORK. Invest in
a flash drive if you do not save your work to the cloud.
Please remember that this is a Master's level course. We want to prepare you to be independent
researchers and practitioners. As such, I will not hold your hand in this process. The ONUS IS ON YOU
to make this paper work. My advice is to start early. This constitutes 30% of your grade. Start early and
Fall 2024 Mid-Term Assignment
work hard. Be finished in time to make sure that you can PROOF, PROOF, PROOF your paper and that
you do not exceed the Turnitin threshold for non-original work.
Good Luck!