Overview
The final project for this course will be a detailed consulting case study and action plan report for a real-world organization. You will choose an organization, identify and define at least one organizational problem, create a strategy to address the problem(s), and develop a prediction of possible outcomes. You will engage in the three major components of consulting: measurement, assessment, and application. You will present this information and analyses initially in presentation format (e.g., PowerPoint) as formative milestones supporting the development of the final product. The final product will be a 20- to 30-page written report and will include the three presentations as an appendix. The final product represents an authentic demonstration of competency because it entails application of organizational consulting concepts and tools that a professional organizational consultant would use in a real-world situation. The processes and activities include the organization analysis, problem diagnosis, development of a strategy to address the problem, and a final report prepared in a professional style suitable for presentation to a client organization. The project is supported by four milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules One, Three, Six, and Nine. The final submission is in Module Ten.
Outcomes
This assessment will assess your mastery with respect to the following course outcomes:
- Diagnose the various causes that can prevent an organization from meeting employee needs and achieving organizational goals
- Develop strategies to address organizational problems that integrate psychological theories and proven consulting methods
- Predict the possible effects of implementing a consulting strategy on the psychological well-being of others
- Design performance and training initiatives that apply best practices for successful organizational consultation
Prompt
For your final project, you will develop a thoroughly researched report that closely mirrors authentic consultation work. In the report, you will apply the theories and concepts from the course.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
1) Diagnosis
a) Organization selection: Provide a concise overview of a selected organization.
b) Measurements: Identify appropriate organizational consulting measurements. What organizational consulting methods might you use to assess possible organizational problems?
c) Assessments: Interpret the potential results of each consulting measurement with specific examples of data and information.
d) Tactics: What is your rationale for your suggested tactics for the organizational consulting diagnosis?
e) Problem causes: Detail how to identify internal and/or external causes of the problem based on the data.
2) Strategy Development
a) Selection: Develop and detail multiple strategies, as appropriate, to fully address the problem(s) using organizational psychology concepts.
b) Theoretical rationale: Support your strategy development or rationale with psychological theory and proven consulting methods.
c) Research-based rationale: Support your strategy development approach with organizational psychology research results.
3) Strategy Implications
a) Impact: Predict the possible effects of implementing the consulting strategies on the psychological well-being of others.
b) Research-based rationale: Integrate organizational psychology research to provide a rationale for the possible implications.
c) Modifications: Identify strategy options to positively address the possible implications for the psychological well-being of others.
4) Performance and Training Initiatives
a) Performance initiatives: Describe suggested performance initiatives based on best practices for successful organizational consultation.
b) Training initiatives: Describe suggested logical training initiatives based on best practices for successful organizational consultation.
Milestones
Milestone One: Organization Selection
In task 1-3, you will submit a one-page paper. The paper will outline sufficient background information on an organization to establish a context for organizational analysis and the development of an action plan. The format should be a Word document, written in APA style.
Milestone Two: Problem
In task 3-2, you will submit a presentation describing your diagnosis of at least one problem within the selected organization. The format should be a three- to four-slide presentation (PowerPoint, Google Presentation, Prezi, or another presentation format). Note that you will also post your presentation by the end of Module Three to Peer Commentary Discussion 4-2.
Milestone Three: Strategy
In task 6-2, you will submit a presentation describing your strategy (or strategies) to address the problem(s) discussed for your selected organization in Milestone Two. Imagine that your audience is your client, the leader of the organization. The format should be a three- to four-slide presentation (PowerPoint, Google Presentation, Prezi, or another presentation format). Note that you will also post your presentation by the end of Module Six to Peer Commentary Discussion 7-2.
Milestone Four: Outcomes and Report Outline
In task 9-2, you will submit a presentation predicting the effects of implementing the consulting strategy or strategies that were developed in Milestone Three. This must be supported by research, and you must include a response to these effects. The format should be a three- to four-slide presentation (PowerPoint, Google Presentation, Prezi, or another presentation format).