13 Jan Major Assignment Components

Week 1 Learning Activity

Given today’s global and domestic business environment and economic conditions, what two organization development (OD) goals, objectives, or characteristics do you consider most important and worthwhile to understand? Why?

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

Important OD Goals, Objectives or Characteristics

1. [goal, objective or characteristic]

Explanation of importance

2. [goal, objective or characteristic]

Explanation of importance

Analyze data, information, and ideas from the Week 1 readings and other resources listed in the Course Schedule. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least three required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule. Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at least three organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question. Refer to the Week 1 Overview to reinforce the course learning outcome(s) and key concepts addressed in this week’s conference.

Learning Activity #2–Workplace Application Activity

What’s your role in organization development? Would you make a effective OD practitioner? Why or why not? How might your work style, behavior preferences, skills, and abilities contribute as a manager/change agent or employee participating in organization development? (Another way to think about this question is would an OD practitioner find you an easy or difficult employee to work with in a changing organizational environment? Why or why not?) Last, in a few sentences, synthesize your key self-learning (i.e., take-away, ah-ha moment, self-enlightenment) from this exercise.

You may find useful supplemental resources by searching the web for .

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

My role as an effective OD practitioner

My work style vis-à-vis OD practitioner goals

Key Self-learning

Review data, information, and ideas from the Week 1 readings and resources. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least two required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule. Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at least two organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices (at least one per factor/aspect). Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question.

Week 2 Learning Activity

Learning Activity #1–Critical Thinking Activity

Bruce Tharp claims that “organizational culture is a slippery concept to concretely define (Tharp, n.d., p. 2).” Let’s characterize it instead. Culture can be viewed as content (e.g., values, norms, morals, customs, beliefs, language, knowledge, experience, ideas, patterns) and process (e.g., ways in which the content is passed along, learned, changes, and adapts). Organizational culture can be characterized by attributes reflecting its content and its processes. For example, UMUC’s mission states that students come first (content), offering open admissions and convenient online degree programs (process). Pick an organization with which you are familiar. Describe and explain two content attributes and two process attributes (total of four).

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

Name of organization

Content attributes characterizing [name of organization]

Process attributes characterizing [name of organization]

Analyze data, information, and ideas from the Week 2 readings and other resources listed in the Course Schedule. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least three required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule. Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at least three organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question. Refer to the Week 2 Overview to reinforce the course learning outcome(s) and key concepts addressed in this week’s conference.

Learning Activity #2–Workplace Application Activity

Discuss three factors related to change resistance and overcoming change resistance you have experienced in organizational work environments. What two take-aways did you gain from the readings this week that you could apply in the future to organizational change challenges? Explain.

Use the following headings to organize and format your Respons

Change resistance factors experienced in organizational work environments

1.

2.

3.

Take-aways

1.

2.

Review data, information, and ideas from the Week 2 readings and resources. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least two required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule. Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at least two organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices (at least one per factor/aspect). Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question.

Week 3 Learning Activity

Learning Activity #1–Critical Thinking Activity

Compare and contrast at least two organization development diagnostic models focusing on the name of the model, a brief description, key elements in its approach, and your opinion of the models’ strengths and weaknesses. What type of organization would benefit from each diagnostic model examined in Question 1? Why?

Use the following matrix and headings to organize and format your Response (use bullets as appropriate):

OD Diagnostic Models

Diagnostic Model

Brief Description

Key Aspects of Approach

Strengths

Weaknesses

Organizations benefiting from models

Organization 1

Organization 2

Analyze data, information, and ideas from the Week 3 readings and other resources listed in the Course Schedule. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least three required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule. Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at least three organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question. Refer to the Week 3 Overview to reinforce the course learning outcome(s) and key concepts addressed in this week’s conference.

Learning Activity #2–Workplace Application Activity

Discuss your workplace experiences related to two of the three OD intervention strategies: structural, technological, and behavioral. Indicate that you understand the definition and meaning of the strategies in your explanation.

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

OD intervention strategy 1

OD intervention strategy 2

Review data, information, and ideas from the Week 3 readings and resources. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least two required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule. Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at two organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices (at least one per factor/aspect). Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question.

Week 4 Learning Activity

Learning Activity 1–Critical Thinking Activity

Organizational excellence during and following planned change depends in no small way on capable, committed leadership and followership. Critique OCC Dimensions 1-4. Identify at least two strengths and two weaknesses from the four Dimensions. You may identify your own critique criteria. To get you started consider the dimensions in terms of situational differences and challenges (e.g., noncrises vs crises situations, change due to mergers vs acquisitions and takeovers, alignment with organization mission and vision statements); applicability in global work environments (e.g., diverse work culture, virtual and team structures); and suitability for today’s complex business world (e.g., mindboggling connectivity, sophisticated technology, influence of social media and networking, importance of speed in decision making).

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

OCC Dimensions Critique

Strengths

1.

2.

Weaknesses

1.

2.

Analyze data, information, and ideas from the Week 4 readings and other resources listed in the Course Schedule. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least three required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule. Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at least three organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question. Refer to the Week 4 Overview to reinforce the course learning outcome(s) and key concepts addressed in this week’s conference.

Learning Activity #2–Workplace Application Activity

Identify and discuss at least three take-aways (aka significant learnings) from the readings on empowerment, managing change and transition, and managing through change. How do these take-aways apply directly to your experience from dealing with organizational change (as a manager or employee), and your desire to increase your understanding and implementable resources in this area?

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

Take-aways

1.

2.

3.

Review data, information, and ideas from the Week 4 readings and resources. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least two required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule. Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at two organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices (at least one per factor/aspect). Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question.

Week 5 Learning Activity

Learning Activity #1–Critical Thinking Activity

Case Example:

Based on your impressive accomplishments on new initiatives, positive attitude, flexibility, problem solving strengths, and support of your organization’s rapid growth and nearly overnight success, your VP has selected you as an internal change consultant-in-training and member of the Transition Management Team (TMT). The timing is great since you are well into BMGT 465, and reasonably knowledgeable about OD intervention strategies, and have material at your finger tips on methods and tools designed to evaluate how well the interventions are working. To further help you prepare for your TMT role of internal consultant you will attend an OD practitioners conference where you will have one-on-one access to several OD evaluation experts. To optimize the expert coaching sessions you have decided to create two informed, penetrating, meaningful questions, annotated with additional details about your organization as you see fit to imagine and add, that will better educate you to evaluate the effectiveness of the change interventions to date.

An example question follows:

I have several questions about the practical guidelines for evaluating OD interventions proposed by Alzahmi, Rothwell, and Woocheol in their March 2013 article. I work for a software company that custom designs e-appraisal systems for HR departments. Our business has tripled in the last two years. The number of stakeholders involved in new product design, training, help and maintenance, and business development, not to mention customers, is well over 250 now. For example, we’ve hired five training contractors, on the road most of the time, working with clients in their offices. So, here’s my specific concern: As I think about Step 2, identifying key stakeholders and decision makers, how can I find out who wants the evaluation information, why they want it, what they will do with it, and when they will need it? If my reading of William Bridges’ ideas on successful change and transition management is accurate, I need to make sure that stakeholders understand what will be different—or changed—and what they need to do, or not do, to make the changes work. What should I know or keep in mind to accomplish the latter?

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

Question 1

Question 2

Analyze data, information, and ideas from the Week 5 readings and other resources listed in the Course Schedule. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least three required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule (note that sources may be identified creatively in place of standard in-text citations). Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at least three organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question. Refer to the Week 5 Overview to reinforce the course learning outcome(s) and key concepts addressed in this week’s conference.

Learning Activity #2–Workplace Application Activity

Identify and discuss at least three take-aways (aka significant learnings) from the readings this week on OD evaluation methods and tools, and OD interventions. Focus your take-aways on potential challenges, problems or issues—based on your work experience—that you believe you might encounter if, as described above, you were to assist evaluating OD interventions. Include specific applications to your career goals.

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

Take-aways related to potential challenges, problems, or issues

1.

2.

3.

Review data, information, and ideas from the Week 5 readings and resources. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least two required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule. Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at two organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices (at least one per factor/aspect). Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question.

Week 6 Learning Activity

Learning Activity #1–Critical Thinking Activity

Grifo Graficos, a web design and internet marketing company located in Miami, Florida, got hammered during the Recession and during the last few years by increased competition. As the company sought ways to cut costs, Grifo Graficos layed off about half of its staff, mostly designers and programmers, each averaging 8 to 10 years of experience. By replacing and hiring workers located in Chennai, India, millions of dollars could be saved and the company would survive. While saving money was a prime motivator, Grifo Graficos remained committed to keeping its small self-managed work teams made up of highly qualified designers and programmers working closely together. Deep familiarity with products and customers allowed the pre-outsourced teams to cut corners on specifications and task project management.

After six months in out-sourced mode, the 11 time zones separating the team members, lack of experience of the new college grads hired as replacement (experienced designers and programmers are hard to find in India), no on-site manager in Chennai, and the Miami-based teams’ preference for working with teammates a cubicle or two away (not 12,000 miles!), and constant communication problems (the Miami team use English and Spanish), have become a formula for failure. Chennai team members are starting to quit.

What are the work team development challenges Grifo Graficos is facing by outsourcing work to India?

What work team development strategies and tools would help the Indian and U.S. teams work more efficiently and effectively together?

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

Work team development challenges in outsourcing work to India

Recommended work team development strategies and tools to maximize efficient and effective remote teamwork

Analyze data, information, and ideas from the Week 6 readings and other resources listed in the Course Schedule. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least three required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule (note that sources may be identified creatively in place of standard in-text citations). Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source relevant to outsourced work team development. Integrate and use bold font for at least three organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question. Refer to the Week 6 Overview to reinforce the course learning outcome(s) and key concepts addressed in this week’s conference.

Learning Activity #2–Workplace Application Activity

Create a goal-setting tool tailored for your team, unit, office, or department based on components illustrated graphically—for example, as a concept map or flow chart. Each component should be customized to represent specific elements you consider germane to your work target. When completed, examine the tool for at least two challenges you anticipate in the tool’s successful implementation.

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

Take-aways related to potential challenges, problems, or issues

1.

2.

3.

Review data, information, and ideas from the Week 6 readings and resources. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least two required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule. Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at two organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices (at least one per factor/aspect). Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question.

Week 7 Learning Activity

Learning Activity #1–Critical Thinking Activity

Identify a learning organization (LO). In your Response, name the organization, summarize why you think your topic qualifies as a learning organization, and examine and explain how the organization’s LO-relevant core values and behaviors reflect and support your determination that your topic is an effective learning organization. Along with Week 7 readings on LOs, seek information from your topic’s mission and vision statements, code of ethics, employee expectations and company career benefits (hint: LOs often include this information in job postings and descriptions), announcements and articles about, or interviews of, senior leaders, product or service goals or marketing, and/or press releases. To jump start your LO selection, see http://www.astd.org/Publications/Magazines/TD/TD-Archive/2013/10/BEST-Intro.

Postscript: becoming familiar with several candidates in the BEST category could be very helpful preparation for this week’s Question 2.

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

Learning organization: [name]

Why [name of LO] is a learning organization

LO-relevant core values and behaviors, activities, and other cultural aspects

Analyze data, information, and ideas from the Week 7 readings and other resources listed in the Course Schedule. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least three required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule. Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at least three organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question. Refer to the Week 7 Overview to reinforce the course learning outcome(s) and key concepts addressed in this week’s conference.

Learning Activity #2–Workplace Application Activity

Suppose you receive a new job offer from an organization experiencing planned OD-inspired change. What three (or more) key questions reflecting the topics covered in Week 7 readings would you need answered to your satisfaction to make your decision about taking the job? Explain why the questions are important to you and your career goals.

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

Question 1

Why important to you and your career goals?

Question 2

Why important to you and your career goals?

Question 3

Why important to you and your career goals?

Review data, information, and ideas from the Week 7 readings and resources. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least two required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule. Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at two organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices (at least one per factor/aspect). Use examples to support your claims. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question.

Week 8 Learning Activity

Learning Activity #1–Critical Thinking Activity

Due Sunday, May 7, by midnight

This Learning Activity requires that you create and post 1) a progress report of your BMGT 465 Assignment 3 (satisfying the Response 1 requirement for this week), and 2) “thumbnail” formative—or in-process—suggestions and evaluations of at least one fellow students’ progress report. This week’s LA 1, Question 1, then, has two Parts.

Part 1:

Reflect on your choice of, and research accomplished thus far for, your Situation Analysis, or Assignment 3. While Assignment 3 is not due until midnight Sunday, you should be well along with the research needed, a short-list of credible, germane annotated references, at least roughly organized notes pulling together data and information, and with a rough idea about how organizational change and transformation concepts, methods, strategies, and practices apply to an actual, real world organization. Perhaps you even have a rough draft ready for peer and instructor review. Feel free to attached roughly organized notes or draft.

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

Part 1

Three reasons why I chose [name of organization studying] for Assignment 3

Reason 1

Reason 2

Reason 3

Five or more useful references to date

Reference 1

How useful?

Reference 2

How useful?

Reference 3

How useful?

Reference 4

How useful?

Reference 5

How useful?

Part 2

Constructively critique at least one other Situational Analysis paper (Assignment 3), plus submit the standard minimum two replies. To encourage meeting grading criteria in the final draft, I recommend that you use the Assignment 3 detailed instructions and Grading Rubric to organize and format your critique.

Reply separately per Guidelines to at least two fellow students’ commentaries.

Analyze data, information, and ideas from the Week 8 readings and other resources listed in the Course Schedule. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least three required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule (included in your Reference list above). Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source (also included in your reference list above). Integrate and use bold font for at least three organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices (integrate in reasons for topic selection and/or reference annotations). Use examples as appropriate. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question. Refer to the Week 8 Overview to reinforce the course learning outcome(s) and key concepts addressed in this week’s conference.

Learning Activity #2–Workplace Application Activity

What kind of OD assignment (e.g., Learning Activity, research-writing assignment, manageable field-based project, Prezi presentation) would effectively increase your understanding of the challenges confronting the future of organization in the twenty-first century? Based on Week 8 readings and resources, outline your “dream” assignment focused on a variation of this week’s topic—e.g., how OD can effectively serve organizations in view of twenty-first century challenges….? Include your rationale for why your assignment would successfully increase your understanding and apply directly to your career goals.

Use the following headings to organize and format your Response:

Assignment Title:

Assignment Purpose:

Brief Overview:

Major Assignment Components and Rationale for Including:

Component

Component

Component, etc.

Review data, information, and ideas from the Week 8 readings and resources. Create a Response evidencing and citing at least two required readings/resources, primarily from this week’s schedule. Also, identify, analyze, and integrate at least one well founded, credible outside source. Integrate and use bold font for at two organizational change concepts, methods, theories, strategies, principles, or practices (at least one per factor/aspect). Use examples as appropriate. Cite all reference sources using APA format. Use in-text parenthetical citations, for example, (Cummings & Worley, 2005, p. 17)—please include page number(s), or other location such as chapter and section heading, or URL—within your Response content, and full citations at end (see Content/Using APA). Review the Discussion Guidelines to clarify expectations for successfully completing this question.