13 Jan E. Transformational success

Mini Change Observation Paper

Instructions

Mini Change Observation Paper (20 percent)

Due Sunday, March 26, by midnight

Purpose:

To recognize and better understand significant organizational change by examining challenges, stakeholder support and participation, communication processes, and reinforcement and stabilization relevant to, and involved in, the change.

Course Outcome:

To identify and diagnose organizational problems and opportunities in order to improve performance

Deliverable:

Three to four-page paper, plus title page and bibliography.

Introduction to Assignment

For this assignment you will identify an organization that you are familiar with, and that has undergone a significant organizational change. You will describe the organization, its purpose, size, history, and other pertinent contextual information. Applying critical thinking skills, you will answer key OD questions about the change you observed, challenges associated with that change, changes in leadership, support and followership, the change in communication process, and how the change was reinforced and stabilized.

Read and follow all the Instructions carefully. The paper must clearly demonstrate your ability to apply what you have learned about organization change in this course to date. Strive to be original along with applying data, information, and ideas from the required reading and your outside research.

Instructions

1) Review the assignment purpose above and the Research and Writing Grading Rubric.

2) Identify an organization that you are familiar with that has undergone a significant organizational change.

3) Briefly describe the organization. Use an outline format (see template in Instruction 8). Include the organization’s name, industry category (e.g., financial, health, manufacturing, technology, government), location (include physical and online/website locations), purpose (e.g. mission and vision), size, history (abbreviated timeline with significant benchmarks bulleted), organizational structure (e.g., flat, hierarchical, team-oriented, virtual, formal or informal).

4) Analyze the points below demonstrating critical thinking and reasoning; for example, explain “why” and “how” as well as describe “what” and “who.”

The observed organizational change.

The challenges associated with the change.

Major organization stakeholders involved in the change as leaders, champions, and followers.

Communicating the change to the organization.

Reinforcing and stabilizing the change in the organization.

5) Identify and integrate at least five OD concepts, methods, strategies, or practices in your analysis. Use bold font to highlight the concepts, methods, strategies, or practices. Demonstrate through context and/or endnotes your understanding of the terms definitions.

6) Use data, information, and ideas from at least three of the Weeks 1 and 2 course resource materials and from at least two credible, authoritative, relevant outside sources for a total of at least five references. Your references should show a mix of scholarly and applied/practical sources. Use UMUC’s Information Library System (ILS). Cite the weekly course resources and outside research sources within the paper’s body using APA in-text formatting. Include a Reference list with complete source information at the end of the paper. You are expected to paraphrase, using quotes only when the source’s verbatim statements uniquely enhance meaning and understanding. Deductions will be taken when quotes are overused and found to be unnecessary.

See examples below and in Content/Course Resources/Using APA.

In-text citation (note inclusion of page number):

(Casey, 2002, p.50).

Reference citation:

Casey, C. (2002). Critical analysis of organizations: Theory, practice, revitalization. London: Sage.

7) Determine what significant learning and understanding you gained from your research and analysis. To do this, identify and evaluate at least three lessons learned from your organization change analysis. Describe why these lessons learned are valuable, and explain how you envision applying them to your job or career.

8) Create a title page with your name, the course name, assignment title, name of the organization, date, and instructor’s name. Use the headings and subheadings template below to organize your paper’s content. Add other headings as your findings, ideas, and assertions dictate.

A. Organization Selected: [name]

Location: [geographic and online]

Purpose:

Size:

History [bulleted timeline of significant benchmarks]

Organization structure:

B. Organization change analysis

Change observed

Challenges associated with the change

Major stakeholders involved in the change

Change communication [See resource added to Week 2 readings]

Change reinforcement and stabilization

C. Significant learning

D. References

9) Use Microsoft Word for your text documents. Use the following title: _ [your last name] _Change Observation_465. Try to be concise and keep your paper at three to four pages in length (plus cover page and references), but rest assured that substance is more important than length. Again, APA reference format is required.

10) Submit your paper in your assignment folder by the due date.

Case Study

Purpose: To examine and understand OD diagnosis and intervention, including

data collection methods

key organizational and individual change problems, challenges, opportunities

interpersonal, structural, technological, and behavioral approaches and strategies.

Course Outcomes:

Identify and diagnose organizational problems and opportunities in order to improve performance.

Research and identify appropriate interventions, strategies for implementation, and methods for evaluation to resolve organizational problems and take advantage of opportunities

Introduction to Case Study Assignments

The case method is not only the most relevant and practical way to learn managerial skills, it’s exciting and fun….Cases will help you sharpen your analytical skills, since you must produce quantitative and qualitative evidence to support your recommendations….You will learn from rigorous discussion and controversy….The rewards for these responsibilities are a series of highly exciting, practically oriented educational experiences that bring out a wide range of topics and viewpoints.

John S. Hammond, Learning by the Case Method, Harvard Business School.

Case studies present an invaluable tool to learn about and hone knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for successful organization development. Specifically, this assignment will focus on two key OD steps—first, diagnostics, and second, intervention and evaluation—requiring a theoretical and practical understanding of organization change as required in the text and outside resources.

Read and follow all the Instructions carefully. Keep in mind the paper must clearly demonstrate your ability to apply what you have learned about OD diagnostics, intervention and evaluation in this course to the date. Demonstrate critical thinking. Use American Psychological Association (APA) format for in-text citations and the bibliography.

Instructions

1) Review the assignment purpose and the Research and Writing Grading Rubric.

2) Read carefully the Case Study “Leading Change at Saint Theresa Hospital.”

3) Review the meaning and purpose of OD intervention and the evaluation process to underscore your understanding.

4) Identify three key issues/problems and challenges—including causes—facing Saint Theresa Hospital. Analyze and assess the case following the steps outlined in the diagnostic process below.

Three-step Diagnostic Process:

Identify at least two data collection tools/methods you would use to best gather information necessary to analyze the case. These can be interviews, surveys, focus groups, quantitative data, direct observation, and so forth. What are the advantages and potential disadvantages of each chosen type of information-gathering method used in this particular case?

Based on the diagnostic tools/methods you selected, what key OD findings— problems, challenges, and opportunities- were identified? You must define at least three key findings.

Next, group challenges, opportunities, and problems according to the most appropriate diagnostic model (e.g., research OD systems approach, Four Frames Model, Six-Box Diagnostic Model, differentiation-and-integration, sociotechnical-systems, and force-field analysis). Outside research on diagnostic models will be particularly important to supplement and fill in the gaps.

5) Identify specific, appropriate interventions and evaluation approaches for each category of the issues/problems you have identified in the Case Study “Leading Change at Saint Theresa Hospital”. You are expected to go beyond what is presented in the required readings by researching outside sources for information about the intervention strategies and evaluation processes you select. Be specific about the

a. target and content of the intervention (i.e., problem to be addressed);

b. challenges you will face implementing the intervention;

c. method of evaluation in each intervention, including the performance criteria you will use to do the evaluation (i.e., what you would specifically measure); for example, turnover rates, job knowledge tests, absenteeism, production standards, or customer complaints.

6) Identify and integrate at least six OD concepts, methods, strategies, or practices in your analysis. Use bold font to highlight the concepts, methods, strategies, or practices. Demonstrate through context and/or endnotes your understanding of the terms definitions.

7) Seek and draw from data, information, and ideas from at least four required course readings and at least four credible, authoritative, relevant outside for a total of at least eight references. Your references should show a mix of scholarly and applied/practical sources, largely drawn from UMUC’s Information Library System (ILS), and including classic writings. Cite the required readings and outside research sources within the paper’s body using APA in-text formatting. Include a bibliography with complete source information at the end of the paper. You are expected to paraphrase, using quotes only when the source’s verbatim statements uniquely enhance meaning and understanding. Deductions will be taken when quotes are overused and found to be unnecessary.

In-text citation (note inclusion of page number):

See examples below and in Content/Course Resources/Using APA:

(Casey, 2002, p.50).

Reference citation:

Casey, C. (2002). Critical analysis of organizations: Theory, practice, revitalization. London: Sage.

8) Determine what significant learning and understanding you gained from your research and analysis. To do this, identify and evaluate at least three lessons learned from your organization change analysis. Describe why these lessons learned are valuable, and explain how you envision applying them to your job or career.

9) Use the headings and subheadings below. Under each heading or subheading present the appropriate facts and ideas to describe, make assertions, and explain and support those assertions. This means using expository writing style with full sentences and paragraphs to create the paper’s content. Use examples and cite support sources as outlined above. Review instructions above to ensure all requirements for each section are met.

A. Title page [your name, the course name, assignment, the name of the case study, the date, and instructor’s name]

B. Brief description of OD Diagnosis and Intervention and evaluation

C. Data Collection Methods

Method 1

Advantages

Potential disadvantages

Method 2

Advantages

Potential disadvantages

Method 3 (optional but encouraged for outstanding papers)

Advantages

Potential disadvantages

D. Key OD findings (problems, challenges, opportunities, and issues)

Finding 1

Finding 2

Finding 3

Finding 4 (optional but encouraged for outstanding papers)

E. OD Diagnostic Models

Model 1: (name, brief description)

– finding/s for which strategy is appropriate and why

Model 2: (name, brief description)

– finding/s for which strategy is appropriate and why

Model 3: [name, brief description]

– finding/s for which strategy is appropriate and why

F. Appropriate Interventions

Intervention 1

– Problem/issue to be addressed

– Expected implementation challenges

– Intervention evaluation method

Intervention 2

– Problem/issue to be addressed

– Expected implementation challenges

– Intervention evaluation method

Intervention 3

– Problem/issue to be addressed

– Expected implementation challenges

– Intervention evaluation method

G. Significant learning

H. Bibliography

10) Use Microsoft Word for your text documents. Use the following title: _ [your last name] _Case Study Analysis_465. Try to be concise and keep your paper at four to five pages in length (plus cover page and bibliography), but rest assured that substance is more important than length.

11) Submit your paper in your assignment folder by the due date.

Situational Analysis

Purpose:

to recognize and better understand significant organizational change encountered by existing, real-world companies

to reinforce OD concepts, strategies, and interventions presented in the course

Course Outcome:

To apply management principles to support organizational transformation and change.

Deliverable:

Approximately six-page paper, plus title page and bibliography.

Introduction to Assignment

For this final assignment, you will draw from OD data, information, and knowledge presented and discussed throughout the term. You will examine a real-world organization that has undergone significant system wide organizational change and/or transformation. You will choose among the organizations listed below. Your research on, and subsequent analysis of, the organization change and/or transformation will lead to the identification, and clearer understanding, of significant management challenges encountered by the company.

Read and follow all the Instructions carefully. Bear in mind, the paper must clearly demonstrate your ability to apply what you have learned in this course about organization change. Demonstrate critical thinking. Strive to be original along with applying data, information, and ideas from the required readings/resources and your outside research. Use American Psychological Association (APA) format for in-text citations and references.

Instructions

1) Review the assignment purpose and the Research and Writing Grading Rubric

2) Select for analysis one of the organizations identified below that has undergone—or is undergoing—significant system wide organizational change and/or transformation.

Volkswagen

Uber

Marriott

Costco

Facebook

Homeland Security

3) Research and analyze the organizational change or transformation you identified in the company you selected. Pay particular attention to management challenges that you think the company encountered as a result of the change. Specific points that should be addressed are:

a. Why do you consider this a transformational change?

b. What data/information did or should the organization have collected to assess the need for change?

c. What interventions did or should the organization implement?

d. How did or should they measure the success of the intervention?

e. As a manager in the organization, what could you have done to enhance the success of the transformation?

f. What environmental factors did and should they consider (e.g., external laws and regulations, pool of applicants, needs of the community, and so forth)?

4) Integrate and present in bold font at least eight OD-related concepts, principles, strategies, methods, and/or practices in your analysis. Demonstrate through context and/or endnotes your understanding of the term meanings and application. You are encouraged to identify (use proper citation) and/or create graphics and illustrations (e.g., concept maps, charts, tables) to support your claims.

5) Seek and draw data, information, and ideas from at least five weekly course resources and at least three credible, authoritative, relevant outside sources relevant to the company’s change or transformation for a total of at least eight references. Your references should show a mix of scholarly and applied/practical sources, largely drawn from UMUC’s Information Library System (ILS), and including respected media sources such as the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Business Week, or New York Times. Cite the course resources and outside research sources within the paper’s body using APA in-text formatting. Include a reference list with complete source information at the end of the paper. You are expected to paraphrase, using quotes only when the source’s verbatim statements uniquely enhance meaning and understanding. Deductions will be taken when quotes are overused and found to be unnecessary.

See examples below and in Content/Course Resources/Using APA:

In-text citation (note inclusion of page number):

(Casey, 2002, p.50).

Reference citation:

Casey, C. (2002). Critical analysis of organizations: Theory, practice, revitalization. London: Sage.

6) Determine what significant learning and understanding you gained from your research and analysis. To do this, identify and evaluate at least three lessons learned from your organization change analysis. Describe why these lessons learned are valuable, and explain how you envision applying them to your job or career.

7) Use the headings and subheadings below. Under each heading or subheading present the appropriate facts and ideas to describe, make assertions, and explain and support those assertions. This means using expository writing style with full sentences and paragraphs to create the paper’s content under headings. Use examples and cite support sources as outlined above. Review instructions above to ensure all requirements for each section are met.

A. Title page [your name, the course name, the name of the organization, the date, and instructor’s name]

B. Organization selected for analysis: [name]

C. Summary of organization’s change and/or transformation

D. Change and transformation analysis findings:

– Brief description of transformational change

– Rationale for considering this a transformational change

– Evaluation of data/information collected by the organization

– Discussion of implemented or recommended interventions

Which interventions and why?

Measuring interventions’ success

E. Transformational success from a manager’s perspective

F. Environmental factors (see Instruction 3 f. above)

G. Significant learning

H. References

8) Use Microsoft Word for your text documents. Use the following title: _ [your last name] _Situational Analysis_465. Try to be concise and keep your paper at approximately six pages in length (plus cover page and bibliography), but rest assured that substance is more important than length.

9) Submit your paper in your Assignment Folder by the due date.