Action Research Activity

Action Research Activity

MGT 450

Assignment Expectations

Assignment #1 – “My Workplace and Organizational Culture

  • Deliverable: a 3-5 page written paper

The paper should include the 3 Parts described below:

Part 1

  • Write a personal description of a workplace you have experienced. It can be where you work now, or you may write about a place where you once worked. If by chance, you have not worked in an organization, you may interview someone else for this paper. As you write this, consider and reflect on what it is like there on a day to day basis. What is management like? What are the employees like? What’s it like to work there? After reading this part I should be able to describe your workplace to you.

Part 2

  • Conduct on-line research of at least 3 sources / sites on Organizational Culture. On one page recap the key points and elements of Org Culture. Be sure to accurately source this work.

Part 3

  • Relate what you have learned from your research to the workplace you described.

Written Assignment due at end of class

  • Deliverable: a 7-10 page written paper

In keeping with the CSUN practice of asking seniors to deliver a multi-page writing assignment; each student will be required to submit a research / analysis paper on an approved topic. This paper is due at the end of the semester and will be graded on:

  • Writing skills,
  • Quality of research,
  • Level of analysis,
  • A demonstrated understanding of the topic and how it relates to Organization Development and Change,
  • This paper should be an example of a well researched and written senior level paper.

Students are to select a topic of interest from the list below. In each case a required resource is identified. In order to very well on this paper the student should include additional research on the topic.

Topics and Required Resources

  1. The Appreciative Inquiry approach to Action Research
  1. Any of the resources listed here are acceptable.
  • Cooperrider, David L. & Srivastva, Suresh (1987). "Appreciative Inquiry in Organizational Life” in Pasmore,W. & Woodman, R. (Eds.), Research in Organizational Change and Development, Vol. 1, p. 129-169. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press
  • Cooperrider, David L. & Whitney, Diana (1999). Appreciative Inquiry. In Holman, P.& Devane, T. (Eds.), Collaborating for Change. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
  • Hammond, Sue Annis (1998, 2nd edition). The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry.Plano, TX: The Thin Book Publishing Co.
  1. Chaos theory in organizational development –
  2. Wheatley, Margaret J. (2006). Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World. (3rd Ed.) Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc
  3. (Optional) “What the Bleep” Movie / Video
  1. The Leader’s role in initiating and managing change
  2. Kotter, John;Leading Change, Harvard business School Press1996
  1. Coaching for Individual Development
  2. Hargrove, Robert; Masterful Coaching, Extraordinary
    Results by impacting People and the Way They Think and WorkTogether, Jossey-Bass, 1995

Management 450 – Topics for Required Writing Assignment Jeanne Hartley p. 1 of 2 8/23/07

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