MGMT1101 – Research and Analysis Paper
Assignment Overview
Learners will use the results of assignment – Research & Analysis Paper – Part I for the Final Project -Research & Analysis Paper – Part II to apply the concepts learned in the course (modules 1-9), and involves the application of:
- Planning and strategic management (SWOT Analysis & formulate strategies) Stakeholders
- Organizational Structure and Design (key elements of org structure and design, types of structures – mechanistic versus organic design).
- Foundations of Control. Employee motivation.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify key functions of managers within organizations.
- Identify control systems used in management.
- Research environmental influences that managers encounter.
- Analyze elements in the strategic planning process.
- Analyze elements of organizational structure and design.
- Examine motivational strategies used by managers within organizational settings.
Academic Honesty
Ensure you are aware of the College policies on Academic Honesty and also
Plagiarism. Academic dishonesty and plagiarism are taken very seriously at the College even if the dishonesty or plagiarism is unintentional. Please also know that taking credit for work you did not contribute to as it is also considered Academic Dishonesty and will be reported.
Turnitin
This assignment will be submitted to Turnitin. Turnitin is a web-based service that checks the assignment against its database of materials that contain other learner’s work as well as electronic academic materials.
Learners find the Turnitin report useful for editing papers. The report will include incorrect use of referencing, too many quotes, and paraphrases. If the Turnitin report, for your first draft, shows a high percentage of matching text, this will give you an opportunity to review and edit your assignment for proper citations and more original analysis. Once you make your edits, it is possible to submit your work to Turnitin again. Turnitin will know not to match the text in your second draft with text in your first draft, and so on. It is advisable to wait at least 24 hours before you submit the second draft.
Turnitin results must be LESS than 20%.
Faculty finds Turnitin useful as a tool to teach learners proper citation practices and highlight the need for more learner originality. Faculty can also use Turnitin as a tool to detect possible instances of plagiarism and academic dishonesty.
Academic dishonesty can lead to a zero for this. Ensure you have read the Chiu School of Business Learner Handbook for more information about the Academic Honesty Policy. If you have any questions, contact your instructor.
Directions
Learners will use the research and analyze of an organization they used in Research
& Analysis Paper – Part I. Ensure the feedback you received in Research & Analysis Paper – Part I, have been address in your Final Project: Research & Analysis Paper – Part II.
Summary (2 marks)
The summary should not exceed 250 words (1 page).
- In the summary, briefly describe the overview of the organization you have chosen (you will use some of the information from Research & Analysis Paper – Part I as this will serve as an introduction to Final Project – Research & Analysis Paper – Part II).
- The summary should include the major themes which you’ll be addressing in your paper.
- Your personal insights/ideas/perspectives is evident throughout.
- Research must be evident throughout.
SWOT Analysis (16 marks)
- The SWOT Analysis will address the entire organization as well as the specific product or service you chose. Note: Use your PESTEL from part I to help fill in and inform your SWOT Analysis.
- Full/complete sentences are required.
- Your personal insights/ideas/perspectives are evident throughout. Research must be evident throughout.
- Strengths (internal): Identify strengths of the organization and of the product/ service you chose. Strengths are factors which will help the organization achieve its marketing goals and become more competitive (e.g. employee training, employee experience/ knowledge, financial resources, products/ services, etc.).
- Weaknesses (internal): Identify weaknesses of the organization and of the product/ service you chose. Weaknesses are factors which will keep the organization from achieving its marketing goals and becoming more competitive (e.g. lack of employee training, lack of employee experience/ knowledge, lack of financial resources, poor quality products, etc.).
- Opportunities (external): Identify opportunities for the organization and for the product/ service you chose. Opportunities are external factors which will help the organization achieve its marketing goals and become more competitive (e.g. technology, economy, competitors, social trends, legal issues, emerging target markets etc.).
- Threats (external): Identify threats to the organization and to the product/ service you chose. Threats are external factors which will keep the organization from achieving its marketing goals and becoming more competitive (e.g. technology, economy, competitors, social trends, legal issues, emerging target markets etc.)
SWOT Strategies (12 marks)
- Strengths: Identify several strengths from your previous SWOT analysis and explain HOW you would take advantage of these.
- Weaknesses: Identify several weaknesses from your previous SWOT analysis and explain HOW you would try to fix these within your organization.
- Opportunities: Identify several opportunities from your previous SWOT analysis and explain HOW you would take advantage of these.
- Threats: Identify several threats from your previous SWOT analysis and explain HOW you would protect the organization against these.
Although research is required, your personal insights/ideas/perspectives must also be is evident throughout.
Stakeholders (8 marks)
- Identify key stakeholders within the organization’s specific and general environment. Do not simply provide a list; describe the importance of each stakeholder and the impact each of them might have on the organization’s activities.
- Once you have identified the key stakeholders for your organization, identify which stakeholders you feel the organization should manage and give the highest priority to. Be sure to justify your responses.
Organizational Structure and Design (10 marks)
- Create an organizational chart (e.g. divisions, departments, who reports to who, etc.). Please note that DO NOT simply provide an organizational chart you find on the internet or on your company website. Simply copying and pasting a chart you find will result in a ZERO grade.
o This section should be written in essay/full sentence format where you explain the structure/design of the organization based on your research and understanding of the company in order to illustrate your understanding of these important concepts and how your company applies them. If you do provide a chart, then be sure to also provide a thorough description and your own analysis/ interpretation thus illustrating your understanding of their organizational structure.
- Describe the organizational structure and design. Do you feel they use more of a mechanistic or an organic structure? Explain. Be sure to justify your response by explaining how your organization addresses relevant elements or organizational structure and design such as:
work specialization; departmentalization; chain of command; span of control; centralized/ decentralized decision making; formalization.
- Your personal insights/ideas/perspectives must be evident as will you need to make some of your own inferences and assumptions in this section.
- Research must be evident throughout.
Motivating Employees (5 marks)
- Which motivation theories from our course module would you consider using for employees within the organization? Choose from the list of motivational theories and strategies in the textbook. Be specific in your responses by explaining a specific action plan (identify motivation theories and/ or strategies you would use along with “how” you would apply them. Be specific and provide examples).
Controls and Recommendations (10 marks)
- What process are you going to use to monitor the progress of your businesses plans and activities?
- How will you correct or deal with any changes from your plans?
- Will you recommend feedforward, concurrent, or feedback controls in order to monitor activities (you may choose one, two, or all three of these)? Justify your response.
- Once you have identified whether you will use feedforward, concurrent, or feedback controls, identify at least two specific controls you would implement that you feel would be most effective in measuring the effectiveness and progress of your recommendations. For example, if you choose to use concurrent and feedback controls, you must identify “specific” feedback and concurrent controls you would implement (e.g. employee training, employee involvement, management by walking around, management information systems, balanced scorecard, tracking employee performance, market control, bureaucratic control, clan control, etc.). Describe why you have chosen these methods/ why you feel they will be effective.
- How would you know if your goal is being accomplished? Be sure to explain each control method you chose and why you feel they would be effective in measuring your recommendation.
Do not simply define these concepts. Your personal insights/ ideas/ perspectives must be is evident throughout as this is where you apply what you have learned thus far in the course.
Organized and Structured (2 marks)
- Assignment illustrates Times Roman font, 12-point font size, is consistent throughout (e.g. headings, font, tabs, paragraphs margins etc.), heading, and title page (student’s first and last name, instructor first and last name, course name, due date, title).
- Assignment is well organized, looks professional, and illustrates evidence of pride taken.
- The paper is the required length of 1250 – 1750 words in length (5-7 pages double spaced).
- Title page is provided (contains student’s first and last name, instructor first and last name, course name, due date, title), assignment looks professional, and illustrates evidence of pride taken.