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Unit 3 GM504 | Organizational Excellence and Change

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Assignment 1: Focus Paper

In the last unit, you were introduced to the idea of analyzing an organization as a system.

A gap analysis is often used to identify the difference between the desired state of a system and its current state. This allows you to formulate a plan to move to the desired state.

In this Assignment, you will write a 3–5 page paper body that includes the following:

 Using research on systems theory, describe and evaluate your organization as a system. You are free to select the appropriate framework for conducting this evaluation.

 Identify an organizational problem or opportunity and evaluate solutions/recommendations based on using systems thinking.

Criteria

● Write a 3–5 page paper (plus title and reference pages) ● Use the Focus Paper Template to complete your Assignment. Save the document

using the naming convention: Username_Unit3_FocusPaper.doc ● The paper should have a minimum of three cited and referenced academically

credible sources from outside of the course materials– one of which must be a

peer reviewed (scholarly) journal article. Your sources should follow proper APA format. (Review the APA formats found in the Kaplan W riting Center. To access the Kaplan W riting Center, select this link.).

● Review the Rubric below to ensure all points have been captured in the paper.

Directions for submitting your Assignment

Submit the Assignment to the Unit 3 Assignment 1: Focus Paper Dropbox by the end of

Unit 3.

GM504 Unit 3 Assignment 1: Focus Paper

Content (50%) Possible Points

Possible Earned

Discuss your organization as a system and Identify an

organizational problem or opportunity and evaluate solutions/recommendations based on using systems thinking. 30

Analysis (30%)

Unit 3 GM504 | Organizational Excellence and Change

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Analysis and critical thinking regarding the organization as a system and the problem or opportunity and

solutions/recommendations 18

Writing (20%)

Grammar, spelling, and paragraph composition. 6

References List all of your references according to APA format and in- text citations. Includes a minimum of three cited and

referenced academically credible sources from outside of the course materials—at least one of which is a peer reviewed (scholarly) journal article. 6

LATE Paper Deduction -0

Total Points Earned 60