Assignment:
You will complete a Final Term Project that consists of a Paper and PowerPoint Presentation.
Your paper will evaluate an organization of your choice based on the key concepts you will study in this course. The organization you select will be one that you have worked for or where you presently work. Using your evaluation of the company and the knowledge you've gained during the course you will make recommendations on how your company's systems can transform and evolve into a learning based organization. Each week you will develop a separate section of your paper and submit it as an assignment. Based on the feedback you receive for that assignment you are to make changes to your work and submit your revised sections as your final paper. In addition, your final paper will include a substantial introduction and conclusion. If you do not have experience working for an organization, please contact your instructor.
Part 1: Learning Organization
You are to write a 3 page paper, APA formatted. The paper will include an effective Introduction and Conclusion. It will also include proper headings and titles per APA guidelines.
In this section of your paper:
1. Explain what it means to be a learning organization
2. Describe why a learning organization is essential in a fast changing and complex world of business
3. Describe the first steps to building a learning organization and
4. Analyze and discuss whether your company is a learning organization. Make sure you support your claims with examples.
Part 2: Organization Learning Disabilities
You are to write a 3 page paper, APA formatted. The paper will include an effective introduction and conclusion. It will also include proper headings and titles per APA guidelines.
Section II of your paper will address the following material for learning.
Research tells us that many of the companies that exist today at least half of these businesses will fail. In most companies that fail, there is ample evidence that the business is in trouble. Many times leaders fail to face reality; they know there are problems but ignore them. For those leaders who recognize the danger the company is in they can't grasp what it means to the company. Senge believes that the reason organizations fail or operate at dismal levels of performance is due to their inability to learn and apply this learning to create a learning organizational culture. Senge (2010) argues that the, " way they are designed and managed, the way people's jobs are defined , and, most importantly, the way we have all been taught to think and interact (not only in organizations but more broadly) create fundamental learning disabilities" .
When you think about your company and the seven learning disabilities discuss at least three learning disabilities that you have noticed in your company. For each of the learning disabilities- identify and define the learning disability, discuss how it is manifested in your company's actions, how it prevents you and your fellow employees to learn and what you would do as a leader to fix the problem.
Part 3: Organization System Laws
You are to write a 3 page paper, APA formatted. The paper will include an effective Introduction and Conclusion. It will also include proper headings and titles per APA guidelines.
Section III of your paper will address the following material for learning.
Senge (2010) provides the 11 laws of the Fifth Discipline. When you think about your company what are 3 laws that you believe you have experienced. Identify each law, define it and describe how you've experienced this law at work. Finally, discuss what you've learned from this law.
Part 4: Organization Causal Loop Diagram
You are to write a 3 page paper, APA formatted. The paper will include an effective Introduction and Conclusion. It will also include proper headings and titles per APA guidelines.
Section IV of your paper will address the following material for learning.
Discuss an example of dynamic complexity that you've experienced at work (use a different example than what you described in your discussion post. Describe the situation and the solution that was implemented. Discuss the interrelationships between the major parts of this system. Describe what the unintended consequences that were produced by the solution. Given the effectiveness of the solution to solve the problem and the unintended consequences that resulted was this the best solution that could have been implemented; support your answer? Draw a causal loop diagram of this situation. Include balancing loops (make sure you discuss the role the balancing loops play in your narrative). The goal of drawing your causal loop diagram is to open your mind and think hard about all the factors that are at play in a system and how they interact and influence one another. Credit is given for the effort demonstrated in creating a diagram that is simple, at the same time, inclusive of the main components of the situation described.
Part 5: Organization System Archetypes
You are to write a 3 page paper, APA formatted. The paper will include an effective Introduction and Conclusion. It will also include proper headings and titles per APA guidelines.
Section V of your paper will address the following material for learning.
A system thinking perspective looks for certain patterns of structure that recur again and again. Senge refers to these patterns as "systems archetypes". Senge has identified eight system archetypes that occur across a broad spectrum of life, including biology, economics, political science, family therapy and management. Senge argues that mastering the system archetypes puts an organization on the path of system thinking.
When you think about your company what are 3 of the most common system archetypes that you experience. Identify each archetype, define it and describe how you've experienced it. Also, discuss what potential solutions to stop this pattern from reoccurring and what the outcome would be if this archetype no longer existed.
Part 6: Organization Shared Vision
You are to write a 2 page paper, APA formatted. The paper will include an effective Introduction and Conclusion. It will also include proper headings and titles per APA guidelines.
Section VI of your paper will address the following material for learning.
Discuss your company's vision. Describe if the actions of your company are in alignment with its vision; support your answer with examples. Discuss if your company's vision is shared with that of its employees; support your answer with examples. If you don't believe the company's vision is shared among its employees discuss what needs to happen to develop a "shared vision". If you believe your company's vision is shared among its employees discuss why you believe your claim is true; provide examples to support your answer.
Organization Recommendations & Final Paper Submission
You will write recommendations (4 pages) for your organization. You will add the recommendations section to the other sections you have already completed in Part 1-6. Be sure to use the feedback provided by your instructor to improve upon what you submitted in Part 1-6 before submitting your final term project paper. Your final paper should include an effective introduction and conclusion, proper headings, and titles per APA guidelines.
Section VII of your paper will address the following material for learning.
Using the past six weeks assignments analyze your company as a leaning organization and discuss your assessment. Discuss the challenges that your company would face moving to a learning organization. And, discuss the application of eight strategies that would help your business transform into a learning organization.