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ASSIGNMENT PREP

COMPANY SELECTION AND SOURCES Due Week 3: 60 points

There are three written assignments in the course, in which you will use the

same organization to analyze the culture and make recommendations.

Therefore, it is essential you start to think now about your company

selection.

Consider selecting a company you work for, a company a family member or

friend works for, or a civic organization. To ensure your selection sets you

up for success in all three assignments, be sure that your company:

 is one you are familiar and can draw on internal processes the public

(outsider) is unaware

 has true issues that need to be resolved

 allows for realistic and enforceable solutions for the organization to

be successful

INSTRUCTIONS To complete this assignment, use the provided textbox in which you:

1) Identify the company that you want to research for the three written assignments in the course.

2) Describe the organizational issue in your chosen company.

3) Explain why the issue hinders organizational efficiency.

ASSIGNMENT 1

ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS Due Week 4: 240 points

Leaders address issues and propose solutions. As a leader, you’ll need to

stay on top of events that may facilitate or hinder productivity. You must

create and implement solutions to address these issues.

This assignment exposes you to complex modern organizational

challenges. The solutions you devise should reflect your learning and

research of organizational and individual influences in the workplace.

INSTRUCTIONS The new CEO has selected your consulting firm to give him/her an analysis

of the organizational efficiency.

Write a 2 to 3 page paper in which you will present to the CEO your findings

during your research steps. You must propose strategic solutions in your

paper to include the following:

1) Describe the Organization and the Issue to Resolve

 Provide a brief description of the organization you selected.

 Present the organizational issue that adversely affected

productivity and that you, the consultant, will review and

resolve.

2) Analyze Current Corporate Culture

 How has the current corporate culture facilitated the

development of the current issue? Research the organization,

dig into the culture, and analyze how it contributed to this issue.

Hint: Review the mission and vision statements as well as the

corporate website.

3) Identify Areas of Weakness

 What are the organization’s areas of weakness? Use your

research on organizational behavior approaches to corporate

culture, diversity, teamwork, and motivational strategies.

4) Propose Solutions

 What organizational practices would you modify? What

solutions would you recommend to management? As the

consultant you will identify the suggestions and solutions you

would present to the organization’s leadership with regard to

modifying current organizational practices to resolve the issue.

5) References and Citations

 Provide at least 2 quality resources such as the course

textbook, company website, business websites (CNBC,

Bloomberg, etc.), resources from the Strayer Library, and/or

outside sources. Note: Wikipedia and web-based blogs do not

qualify as credible resources.

 In-text citations are required when paraphrasing or quoting

another source.

6) Formatting and Writing Standards

 Formatting and writing standards are part of your grade. Align

your formatting to the Strayer Writing Standards.

*Grading for this assignment will be based on the following criteria and evaluation standards:

POINTS: 240 ASSIGNMENT 1: ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS

Criteria Exemplary 100% - A

Proficient 85% - B

Fair 75% - C

Unacceptable 0% - F

1. Describe the Organization and the Issue to Resolve

Weight: 20%

Fully describes the organization by providing a relevant and robust but concise overview of the company (e.g. when they were established, what service(s) or products they provide, and other relevant information). Additionally, the author fully describes the issue he/she has identified; what he/she knows about it and how it has impacted the company.

Sufficiently describes the organization and provides details about the company. The issue is identified and the author sufficiently describes what he/she knows about it and its impact on the company.

Partially describes the organization and provides some details about the company, but additional details would improve the description. The issue and its impact on the company are not clearly articulated.

Does not describe the organization or provide details about the company. The issue and its impact on the company are not provided.

2. Analyze Current Corporate Culture

Weight: 20%

Completely describes the company’s culture by detailing how the company positions itself from internal and external perspectives. Draws strong, logical connections about how the culture did or could have supported/facilitated the challenge. Makes direct connections and supports points with source material.

Satisfactorily describes the company culture by drawing on and synthesizing corporate information about the company. Makes logical and realistic connections that are supported by source material.

Partially describes the company’s culture. Lacks details and/or multiple sources are not utilized to provide a well-rounded perspective. Makes loose connections that were not supported by sources or that were not fully articulated.

The culture is not described or the company is not differentiated completely from others. Poses unsupported connections or connections are not included.

3. Identify Areas of Weakness Weight 20%

Completely identifies areas of weakness and provides strong details with logical connections and supporting source material.

Satisfactorily identifies areas of weakness and provides valid details supported by source material.

Partially identifies areas of weakness and makes loose connections between the weaknesses and supporting material.

Does not identify areas of weakness or does not provide supporting source material.

4. Propose Solutions Weight 25%

Completely describes modifications to organizational practices and provides solutions with strong connections and supporting source material. Logically details how the solutions will resolve issue.

Satisfactorily describes modifications to organizational practices. Provides solutions that make some connections with supporting source material to indicate how the solutions will resolve the issue.

Partially describes modifications to organizational practices and solutions to resolve the issues. Lacks supporting details and source material.

Does not describe modifications to organizational practices, or does not identify solutions that would resolve the issue. No source material is provided.

5. Reference minimums; Reference quality Weight 5%

Meets or exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices.

Meets number of required references; some references may be poor quality choices.

Does not meet the required number of references; some references may be poor quality choices.

No references provided or all references poor quality choices.

6. Follows writing standards; Meets page minimums Weight 10%

Followed all writing standards. Met page minimums.

Followed most writing standards. Met page minimums.

Followed few writing standards.

May not have met page minimums.

Followed few to no writing standards. Did not meet page minimums.

ASSIGNMENT 2

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PROPOSAL Due Week 6: 240 points

As you continue your consulting role, the next task is to deliver a

professional development program to the CEO of your chosen organization.

It is important that your program’s proposal be based on your research of

emotional intelligence (EI) and specifically detail how a new incentive

program, based on an EI management approach, will:

 foster teamwork,

 strengthen interpersonal relationships,

 enhance communication,

 increase overall performance, and

 benefit not only managers but the bottom-line.

INSTRUCTIONS Create a 5 to 7 page proposal that includes the following components:

1) EI and Motivation

 Which of the EI building blocks would impact management’s ability to

enhance employee performance and job satisfaction?

 Based on your research on motivational theory, describe how you

would utilize positive or negative reinforcement to influence the

members of the organization and resolve the issue. Provide examples

to support your solution.

2) EI and Social Skills and Decision Making

 Explain how the core concepts of emotional intelligence would

enhance the social skills and the decision-making efficacy of the

management team.

3) Effective Teams

 Describe the core attributes of an effective team and the strategies

you would implement to develop team dynamics that will benefit the

organization.

4) Reward Systems

 Create an effective reward system for this organization. Determine

the strategies you would incorporate to motivate employees and

influence behavior.

5) References and Citations

 Provide at least 2 quality resources.

 In-text citations are required when paraphrasing or quoting another

source.

6) Formatting and Writing Standards

 Formatting and writing standards are part of your grade. Align your

formatting to the Strayer Writing Standards.

*Grading for this assignment will be based on the following criteria and evaluation standards:

POINTS: 240 ASSIGNMENT 2: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PROPOSAL

Criteria Exemplary 100% - A

Proficient 85% - B

Fair 75% - C

Unacceptable 0% - F

1. EI and Motivation

Weight: 20%

Fully describes how motivation and reinforcement would be used to influence members of the organization to resolve the issue. Draws compelling, logical connections between theory and solution. Examples are strong and support solution.

Satisfactorily describes how motivation and reinforcement would be used to influence members of the organization to resolve the issue. Makes logical connections between theory and solution. Examples support solution.

Partially describes how motivation and reinforcement would be used to influence members of the organization to resolve the issue. Makes loose connections between theory and solution. Examples do not fully support solution.

The description does not address how motivation and reinforcement would be used to influence members of the organization to resolve the issue. Examples are not provided.

2. EI and Social Skills and Decision Making

Weight: 20%

Fully describes how motivation and reinforcement would be used to influence members of the organization to resolve the issue. Draws compelling, logical connections between theory and solution. Examples are strong and support solution.

Satisfactorily describes how motivation and reinforcement would be used to influence members of the organization to resolve the issue. Makes logical connections between theory and solution. Examples support solution.

Partially explains how core concepts of emotional intelligence would enhance the social skills and the decision-making efficacy of the management team. Loose connections are made to support the relationship between EI and management’s skills. Application of research is minimal.

The description does not explain how the core concepts of emotional intelligence would enhance the social skills and the decision-making efficacy of the management team.

3. Effective Teams Weight 25%

Completely describes the core attributes of an effective team. Strategies to develop team dynamics are strongly articulated and detailed. Benefits to the organization are logical and well supported.

Satisfactorily describes the core attributes of an effective team. Strategies to develop team dynamics are articulated. Benefits to the organization are stated. Additional details and source support would improve the description.

Partially describes the core attributes of an effective team. Strategies to develop team dynamics lack details and source support or are not fully articulated. Benefits to the organization are unclear.

Does not describe the core attributes of an effective team or strategies to develop team dynamics. Benefits to organization are not presented.

4. Reward Systems Weight 20%

Creates an effective reward system and articulates well- thoughtout strategies to motivate employees to influence behavior. The connection between strategy and influence is strong and supported by source material.

Creates an effective reward system and provides motivational strategies. Details and source material support how behavior would be influenced.

Partially creates an effective reward system and articulates some motivational strategies. Supporting details are given but could be expanded to describe how behavior would be influenced. Application of research is minimal.

Did not create an effective reward system or determine strategies to motivate employees to influence behavior.

5. Reference minimums; Reference quality Weight 5%

Meets or exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices.

Meets number of required references; some references may be poor quality choices.

Does not meet the required number of references; some references may be poor quality choices.

No references provided or all references poor quality choices.

6. Follows writing standards; Meets page minimums Weight 10%

Followed all writing standards. Met page minimums.

Followed most writing standards. Met page minimums.

Followed few writing standards.

May not have met page minimums.

Followed few to no writing standards. Did not meet page minimums.

ASSIGNMENT 3

POWER, POLITICS, AND CULTURE Due Week 9: 240 points

In business, power and politics greatly influence an organizational

culture in turn hinder organizational productivity. In your role as

consultant you observed power and politics influence on the corporate

culture.

INSTRUCTIONS Create a 5 to 7 page report that addresses the following:

1) Influence of Politics and Power

 Explain how politics and power-play may have influenced the

organization’s culture.

2) Sources of Power

 Explore the sources of power and describe how management

could use this influence to benefit your department and improve

organizational performance.

3) Leadership Behavior and Culture

 Make recommendations that support how the study of power

and politics could influence leadership behavior and improve

the organization’s culture.

4) Leadership Influence

 Discuss the importance and complexity of leadership behavior.

How does it influence organizational structure and

performance?

5) References and Citations

 Provide at least 2 quality resources.

 In-text citations are required when paraphrasing or quoting

another source.

6) Formatting and Writing Standards

 Formatting and writing standards are part of your grade. Align

your formatting to the Strayer Writing Standards.

*Grading for this assignment will be based on the following criteria and evaluation standards:

POINTS: 240 ASSIGNMENT 3: POWER, POLITICS, AND CULTURE

Criteria Exemplary 100% - A

Proficient 85% - B

Fair 75% - C

Unacceptable 0% - F

1. Influence of Politics and Power

Weight: 20%

Completely explains how politics and power-play may have influenced the organization’s culture. Accurately identifies the core issues and strongly connects them to the impact on culture. The explanation is well-supported by research.

Satisfactorily explains how politics and power-play may have influenced the organization’s culture. Identifies some core issues and connects them to the impact on the culture. The explanation uses research support.

Partially explains how politics and power-play may have influenced the organization’s culture. Identifies some issues but does not fully explore them or make a strong connection to their impact. Uses little research support.

Does not explain how politics and power-play may have influenced the organization’s culture.

2. Sources of Power

Weight: 20%

Completely identifies the sources of power and describes how management could use this influence to enhance organizational performance. Uses relevant key concepts and makes valid connections to enhanced performance that are well-supported by research.

Satisfactorily identifies the sources of power and describes how management could use this influence to enhance organizational performance. Most key concepts are accurately identified and there is a connection to enhanced performance with research support.

Partially identifies the sources of power and describes how management could use this influence to enhance organizational performance. Not all key concepts are identified and there is a loose connection to performance. There is little research support.

Does not identify the sources of power or describe how management could use this influence to enhance organizational performance. There is no reference to research.

3. Leadership Behavior and Culture Weight 25%

Provides excellent recommendations as to how the study of power and politics could influence leadership behavior and impact the organization’s culture. Recommendations are credible and relevant with a strong connection to the impact on culture backed by well-supported research.

Satisfactorily recommends how the study of power and politics could influence leadership behavior and impact the organization’s culture. Recommenda- tions are clear and mostly realistic; there is a connection to the impact on culture. Research support is evident.

Partially recommends how the study of power and politics could influence leadership behavior and impact the organization’s culture, but the recommendations are unclear or unrealistic. There is no clear connection to the impact on culture. There is little or no research support.

Does not recommend how the study of power and politics could influence leadership behavior and impact the organization’s culture. There is no reference to research.

4. Leadership Influence Weight 20%

Thoroughly discusses how the importance and complexity of leadership behavior influences organizational structure and performance. Relevant key concepts are presented with strong research support.

Satisfactorily discusses how the importance and complexity of leadership behavior influences organizational structure and performance. Most key concepts are presented with research support.

Partially discusses how the importance and complexity of leadership behavior influences organizational structure and performance. Some key concepts are missing and there is little or no research support.

Does not discuss how the importance and complexity of leadership behavior influences organizational structure and performance. There is no reference to research.

5. Reference minimums; Reference quality Weight 5%

Meets or exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices.

Meets number of required references; some references may be poor quality choices.

Does not meet the required number of references; some references may be poor quality choices.

No references provided or all references poor quality choices.

6. Follows writing standards; Meets page minimums Weight 10%

Followed all writing standards. Met page minimums.

Followed most writing standards. Met page minimums.

Followed few writing standards.

May not have met page minimums.

Followed few to no writing standards. Did not meet page minimums.