Assignment 1: Individual Level Analysis Instructions
Instructions
Assignment 1:
Individual Level of Analysis – Reach for the Stars (15% of course grade)
Purpose:
To recognize and better understand the effect of individual
characteristics and behavior (individual level of analysis) on organizational performance
and effectiveness.
Related to the following course objective:
Maximize individual contributions to the organization based
on an understanding of individual behavior
Deliverable:
Single-spaced paper 1200-1500 words in length, in addition
to a cover page (containing your name, the course name, the date, and the
professor’s name) and bibliography. See template provided.
Introduction to Assignment
For this assignment, you will read and analyze Case Study 1:
Reach for the Stars—Developing Salespeople, Achieving Organizational Success.
The case describes information and key observations concerning manager and
worker behavior. You will identify and analyze the critical incidents (problems,
situations, issues, and consequences) in the case influencing individual and
organizational performance and effectiveness, making appropriate
recommendations to improve problems, meet challenges, and take advantage of
opportunities. Overall, your analysis
should include:
Identification and explanation of all relevant OB concepts
and theories, using examples where appropriate
Explanation of the specific case characteristics, incidents
and/or situations that addresses the concepts or theories
Analysis of the relevance of understanding individual
characteristics
Analysis of pros and cons of key incidents or situations
(i.e., what are the drawbacks and/or positives associated with the situation as
it related to individual performance and/or organizational productivity and
effectiveness?)
Specific recommendations to address problems, challenges,
and opportunities, and a proposed follow-up or evaluation
Read and follow all the Instructions carefully. The paper must clearly demonstrate your
ability to understand how and why individual characteristics and behavior (e.g.
personality, values, attitude, perception) influence organizational performance
and effectiveness. As a 400-level
course, critical thinking should be demonstrated. For a helpful explanation of
the expectations at this level, see Level D of Bloom’s Taxonomy
https://www.uvic.ca/services/counselling/assets/docs/Blooms%20taxonomy.pdf . To
demonstrate critical thinking, we look to see how skillfully students logically
conceptualize the material through application of theories and concepts, and
analysis of it to reach an answer or conclusion. It is to read the scenario
through the lense of our course content and, with that understanding, interpret
the scenario. Strive to be original along with applying data, information, and
ideas from the required reading and outside research. Use examples and research information to
support claims. Use American
Psychological Association (APA) format for in-text citations and the reference
list. Use the comprehensive outline
format described in Instruction 9 to present your research findings, analysis,
recommendations, and significant personal learning.
Instructions
1) Review the
above assignment purpose, course objective, and introduction as well as the Assignment
Grading rubric.
2) Read the
case below, Reach for the Stars—Developing Salespeople, Achieving
Organizational Success. Your analysis
must evidence understanding of the case’s specific characters, context, and
circumstances. Avoid generalizations that might apply to similar cases
available on the Internet or in previous courses.
3) Compose a
brief abstract (no longer than a paragraph) synthesizing case highlights,
putting the characters and incidents in context, and generally setting the
scene for the detailed analysis to follow.
4) Identify
and analyze at least three critical incidents (problems, situations, issues,
and consequences) in the case that influenced individual and organizational
performance and effectiveness. Explain
how and why you think the incidents influenced individual and organizational
performance and effectiveness. Discuss
the pros and cons of key incidents or situations (i.e., what are the drawbacks
and/or positives associated with the situation as it related to individual
performance and/or organizational productivity and effectiveness?)
5) Make
appropriate recommendations to address problems, meet challenges, and take
advantage of opportunities, and propose follow-up or evaluation.
6) Draw data,
information, and ideas from at least six required resources (at least two from
each of Weeks 1, 2, and 3) listed in the weekly Schedules, plus at least two
credible, authoritative, relevant outside sources for a total of at least eight
references. Your outside references should show a mix of scholarly and
applied/practical sources, largely drawn from ’s Information Library System
(ILS), and including classic writings. Review APA citation materials and Tips
on Research Sources in Course Content.
Cite research sources within the paper’s body using APA in-text
formatting. Include in the Reference
list with complete source information at the end of the paper. See specific formatting and heading template
instructions below in Instruction 9.
Include publication date within in-text citations. You are expected to
write your own unique thoughts, 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. Don’t reword passages from your resource.
Instead, explain to your reader its meaning and importance. WRITE IN OBJECTIVE
THIRD PERSON VOICE.
In-text citation:
(Casey, 2002, p. 50). [Include publication date]
Reference citation:
Casey, C. (2002).
Critical Analysis of Organizations: Theory, practice, revitalization. London:
Sage.
7) Identify
and present in bold font at least six different OB concepts, theories, methods,
strategies, or practices in your analysis. Demonstrate through context and/or
endnotes your understanding of the terms’ definition and meaningfulness to the
meet the assignment’s purpose and course objectives. Note: to quote the
definition is not the same as demonstrating your understanding of it.
8) Determine
what significant learning and understanding you gained from your research and
analysis. Identify and evaluate at least
three valuable take-aways you learned from your organization change analysis,
and how you envision specifically applying them to your job or career.
9) Use the
outline below for headings and subheadings.
Your deliverable will use a comprehensive outline format with expository
content under each heading to present your analysis, evaluation and
recommendations in standard composition style. Feel free to add other headings,
subheadings or make modifications as your findings, ideas, and assertions
dictate. Use examples and cite support sources as presented above.
Title page (your name, the course name, assignment, the name
of the organization, the date, and instructor’s name)
Case abstract
I. Brief introduction
II. Critical incidents (occurrence, fact, change, e.g.,
product diversification and market growth as reflected by “expanded its product
line from aging-related to sports injury-related medical supplies and
equipment” in the case study)
Critical incident 1
Critical incident 2
Critical incident 3
[and so forth]
III. Recommendations
(e.g., offer workshops or individual coaching with personality tests to more
effectively identify, validate, share, and utilize personality traits,
preference strengths, job-fit methods, and interactionist perspectives—see
Saylor/OB section 3.1)
Include follow up (or evaluation—this is an area in which
outside research and resources would be a plus; e.g., how will management
determine if the intervention recommended above actually worked? Perhaps assessing personality trait-based problem
behavior during performance refers could work, or including manager reports
from the personality tests referred to, say, three and six months after the
intervention would provide useful results…?)
IV. Significant learning (see Instruction 8 for details
about take-aways)
Learning or Take-away 1
Learning or Take-away 2
Learning or Take-away 3:
…and so forth
References (required
course materials and outside research sources) listed on their own separate
page in APA style.
10) Use the outline
template provided to submit your report.
WRITE IN OBJECTIVE THIRD PERSON VOICE. The document should be
approximately 1200-1500 words in length single spaced (excluding cover page and
references), but rest assured that substance is more important than
length. Again, APA reference format is
required.
11) Submit the
papers an attachment in your Assignment Folder by the due date, as well as to
the Turnitin folder created by your instructor.
