Assignment: Public Service Organization
Identify a specific public service organization that has recently undergone a major change or reform; or a specific public service organization that might change as a result of pending legislative action. Another option would be to discuss a change to a nonprofit organization. Below are some examples of organizations that have undergone reforms and changes that we have mentioned or discussed in class:
1. The Department of Veteran's Affairs
2. Washington D.C. Public Schools
3. Reforms at Arizona Child Protective Service (CPS)
I encourage you to pick something aligned with your own personal interests, however, if you are having a hard time identifying one that interests you, I suggest you chose one from the list above. Ultimately, you will not be graded on which public service organization you examine; it will be graded on your ability to apply the course material to that particular case.
• Write a 2,500 word discussion paper applying key concepts from the course to your case.
• You are required to use a minimum of 10 sources (including course materials).
• Format your paper in accordance with APA style guidelines.
• The paper is to be written in Times New Roman 12pt font, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins.
• Writing should be clear, well-organized, and contain minimal grammatical errors.
Organize your paper with the following sections and be sure to answer all questions in each section:
1) Background
• What is the organization?
• What does this organization do?
• What is the reform or proposed change (please be specific)?
• What were the drivers of the change?
• Were they internal or external?
• What level (individual, group, or organizational) is the change occurring?
2) Leadership: Who is the current leader of this organization?
• Did the events driving the change occur when he/she was in charge?
• Based on your research, do they appear to be transformational or transactional? Why or why not?
3) Barriers to Change
• What are the environmental barriers to change?
• Are resources available to support the change?
• Is there consensus on what the goal of the change should be?
• How are the organization's employees likely to respond to the proposed changes? Why might employees resist change?
4) Strategies for Successful Change
• Based on the readings for this class, what advice would you give to this organization to successfully implement the proposed changes or reforms?
• Specifically, how might a leader overcome the barriers to change that you have identified?
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.