Project description
The purpose of this paper is to
1)analyze the organizations situation and what the firm has to work with,
2)suggest strategic courses of actions the firm could take in order to improve their situation, and
3)provide some ideas on how to implement these suggestions.
Keep in mind that you must consider the relevant points in your organizations internal and external environment, and the companys stated goals.
Each student will perform an organizational analysis of a firm of his/her choosing. No two students may have the same firm/case, so it would be best to make your decision as to which company you would like to report on as soon as possible. A discussion page on BB under the Organizational Analysis tab has been set up for students to post their choices for others to see. Include the name of the company in the subject heading of your discussion thread. Check the signup sheet, and if the company you wish to request is not taken, post your selection. All companies are first come, first served. The selections are time stamped by BB, so there can be no doubt as to who posted first. Be sure that your choice has not already been taken by someone else. If two or more students turn in papers examining the same company, 10% will be deducted from each paper prior to grading, unless one student had posted his/her papers company, and the other did not. This is your responsibility, I will not be checking the list for double entries.
Each section of the paper is to be completed based on the schedule at the end of this syllabus, and successive sections will be combined with previously completed (and edited) sections to complete the final paper. Do not attach previously completed versions to the succeeding sections until the final stage (draft) of your paper. Each section will be a minimum 3 pages long (not including the history/introduction, citations, header, charts or cover sheet), double spaced, 12 pt., Times New Roman font, and will be based on the chapters we have covered up to that point (50 pts each x 3 sections). DO NOT INCLUDE AN ABSTRACT. These specifications will be strictly enforced.
After being graded and returned, you will compile the graded sections into a complete paper at the end of the semester. This final paper is worth 150 points. The final product should include a maximum one page introduction/history. The rest of the paper should be composed of the edited sections you will write over the course of the semester, your suggested strategic actions and your conclusions. Your conclusions must be the result of your analysis, and your suggestions should be definite. Do not bring up multiple possible courses of action, then leave them hanging. You must make a decision as to which actions/combination of actions would make the most sense for the company. The final paper should have all citations combined into a single list and attached to the end of the paper.
Other information or analysis may be included if you think it would be helpful. Note that the emphasis should be on the proposed actions, the thought processes behind them, and the expected impacts of these actions.
While creativity is encouraged, this work is to be based on your referenced research and sound logic. Papers which seem to be made up as you go along will not be well received. Be sure to base your suggestions on what is verifiably occurring in the real world.
Remember to put your name, the date, course# and the name of the assignment on the first page. Citations must be included in text with full references at the back. Information from websites with pre-written papers is not admissible and may result in a failure for the assignment.
Use APA format for citations. Reports turned in with inappropriate citation procedures, or lacking citations completely will be graded accordingly. You may want to search online for APA standards. One such site is: http://psychology.about.com/od/apastyle/a/apageneral.htm, but you are welcome to search for your own sources as well.
completed individually, and submitted to Blackboard by the assignment due-date. Students will be provided with
the case material via Blackboard. Points will be based on the following rubric:
Completeness & Timeliness of Submission: 15%
Response includes content from the course text: 35%
Response includes content from the material provided: 35%