PSC- 495 Action Research
Project Entire Course
Topic 1 DQ1
Describe the problem you are focusing on
for your action research project. Discuss your motivation for addressing this
problem in terms of why it is significant to the organization and how achieving
the proposed change would produce positive results for the business, its
employees, and customers.
Topic 1 DQ2
Share the problem you will focus on for
your action research project. Identify two or three ethical issues that could
be connected to resolving the problem and explain how you would address each
issue as your work to solve it. When replying to peers, identify additional
ethical issues and provide new suggestions and resources that could be used to
address the identified ethical issues associated with the problem.
Topic 2 DQ1
Discuss the value and use of quantitative
and qualitative research and data in business. Articulate the difference
between the two types of research and provide specific examples of when each
would be valuable in addressing problems within a business setting
Topic 2 DQ 2
Create a table that summarizes the
research you conducted in order to complete the Topic 2 assignment. In the
table, briefly describe each type of research completed and indicate whether it
was qualitative or quantitative research. In your post, discuss specific
challenges you encountered in conducting your research. When posting to peers,
provide suggestions for addressing the challenges they describe, including
relevant links to useful resources or articles.
Topic 3 DQ 1
Discuss the pros and cons of completing a
stakeholder analysis. In your discussion, explain why stakeholder analysis is
an important step in the action research process and what could happen if this
step is eliminated or completed insufficiently.
Topic 3 DQ 2
Based upon your stakeholder analysis,
identify what you think will be the greatest potential roadblock you will
encounter from stakeholders? Summarize the issue and discuss ideas you have for
addressing it in a proactive manner. In your posts to peers, provide additional
ideas about addressing stakeholder roadblocks, including personal experience
and links to relevant resources.
Topic 4 DQ1
Discuss the use of the problem solutions
matrix in helping you select the solution you believe will best address the
organizational problem you have identified. Did you select the solution based primarily
upon the solutions score, or did other factors influence which solution was
selected? Explain all factors considered in your selection and the role that
your research and stakeholder analysis played in the problem solution
selection.
Topic 4 DQ2
On the “Problem Solutions Matrix,” the
category “Customer Importance” received twice the weight of all other
categories. Using what you learned from the Topic Materials, discuss the
relative importance of this criterion. For the problem you are addressing, do
you think this weighting was appropriate? Are there additional criteria that
should have had greater weight? Would you have added other criteria specific to
your problem? If so, what are they and why are they important in selecting a
potential solution?
Topic 5 DQ1
Ensuring that data is summarized in a way
that is useful to readers is an important part of effectively communicating
your research findings. In the Main Forum, post the graphs and charts you
created in the Topic 2 assignment so your peers can provide you with feedback
about the clarity of the content being conveyed. In posts to two of your peers,
provide specific feedback about how the research findings are visually
presented. Refer back to the Chapter 10 textbook content to provide specific
feedback and suggestions for improving the visual data representations.
Topic 5 DQ2
In the Main Forum, post a rough draft of
the “Implementation Methods” section of the business proposal. In posts to two
of your peers, provide feedback about the strategies that were outlined to
implement the problem solution. Anticipate specific questions various
stakeholders might have about the implementation of the solution and provide
your peers with suggestions for addressing these questions and concerns in
writing in the “Implementation Methods” section of the business proposal.
Topic 6 DQ 1
Using what you have learned in the Topic
Materials, discuss what you believe to be the most important aspect of change
management as it relates to the implementation of your problem solution.
Provide specific examples to justify your opinion and illustrate your ideas.
Topic 6 DQ2
Why is it important to evaluate the
effectiveness of proposed solutions using both qualitative and quantitative
data? Justify your opinion with specific reasons and examples.
Topic 7 DQ1
In the textbook reading, you learn about
the importance of audience analysis when making a presentation. Think about the
presentation you have created will for the topic assignment. For your initial topic
assignment, you designed a presentation focused to convincing key stakeholders
to sponsor and support your idea so it can be implemented within your
organization. Discuss how the pitch will need to be modified for other
audiences once you have gained support from stakeholder sponsors. In what ways
will your change the presentation when giving it to those who will be directly
affected by the changes you are proposing? How will the way you approach the
audience change? Provide specific examples to illustrate your ideas.
Topic 7 DQ2
In the Main Forum, post a link to the
YouTube video recording of your Problem Solution Presentation. Provide at least
two of your peers with feedback about how effectively they were able to present
the problem, proposed solution, and plan for implementing the solution. Discuss
your peers’ success is utilizing research and presentation skills to clearly
articulate the information to these key stakeholders while also identifying
their specific call to action.
Topic 8 DQ1
The Topic Material “How to Get Your Idea
Approved” suggests five key techniques for successfully pitching your idea to
key stakeholders, including forming alliances, preparation, positioning your
message for the audience, keeping information simple, and answering questions
with confidence. Which of these five techniques will be most difficult for you
as you work toward problem solution implementation within your organization?
Discuss why a particular technique may be difficult, and provide your peers
with specific ideas for overcoming obstacles to solution approval and
implementation.
Topic 8 DQ2
Based upon your experience with
completing the action research project, what suggestions would you give to
others about implementing an action research process in order to address an
organizational problem? Provide specific suggestions along with links to
relevant resources.
PSC 495 Week 2 Assignment Internal and
External Research
Details:
The purpose of this assignment is to
conduct internal and external research to determine previously attempted
solutions and potential solutions that could be implemented to solve identified
problem.
For this assignment, you will need to
create an Excel spreadsheet that summarizes the data collection you have
completed. The spreadsheet should indicate the date on which particular data
were collected, the source of the data collected, the type of data (qualitative
or quantitative), and a one or two sentence summary of the data findings. Name
the Excel spreadsheet as follows: lastname.firstname.datacollection.xlsx
Please note that as part of the research
process, taking the initiative to speak with management and then requesting and
reviewing business metrics and operations reports will allow you to find the
data you need for the project while also showing your employer that you can be
proactive and use critical thinking to solve problems within the organization.
Part 1:
The first step in data collection is to
conduct research. You are looking for specific, measurable data (statistics and
numbers) related how the problem is affecting the organization. This
information should be recorded in the form of a chart or graph that presents
the data so key decision makers can see the “cost” of failing to address the
problem. Use the Topic Materials for assistance with creating Excel graphs and
charts that can be used to illustrate your findings.
Part 2:
Next, conduct additional research to
learn what has already been done to address this problem within the
organization. Ask questions and interview individuals who assisted with the
implementation of previous solutions used to address the problem. Prior to
meeting with individuals, develop a list of questions about previous solutions.
Consider factors such as customer importance, efficiency, quality, employee
satisfaction, and cost effectiveness. You will want to make sure you ask
questions that allow you to gather measurable data and include information
about how successful previous solution options were in addressing each of the
problems. When you have completed your research, the findings should be
summarized using at least one chart or graph that represents the data you have
collected. Use the Topic Materials for assistance with creating Excel graphs
and charts that can be used to illustrate your findings.
Part 3:
The last step in determining potential
solutions is to conduct external research. Using Internet and industry
resources, research ways that other companies have addressed this issue or one
very similar to it. Look for specific information related to the customer
response, efficiency, quality, employee satisfaction, and cost effectiveness of
solutions others have implemented. Find at least five potential solutions you
can consider for solving the problem you have identified. Your goal in
conducting this research is to find practical examples and measurable data
related to how other companies and related industries have resolved the same
problem or one very similar to it. When you have completed your research, the
findings should be summarized using at least one chart or graph that represents
the data you have collected. Use the Topic Materials for assistance with
creating Excel graphs and charts that can be used to illustrate your findings.
The data collection Excel spreadsheet and
the three data summary charts/graphs you have created from the research you
have conducted should be submitted to your instructor.
The three charts/graphs you create will
be used again in your Business Proposal Presentation in Topic 7 and the Final Business
Proposal you will submit in Topic 8.
General Requirements:
APA format is required for essays only.
Solid academic writing is always expected. For all assignment delivery options,
documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines,
which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success
Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please
review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the
expectations for successful completion.
PSC 495 Stakeholder Analysis Summary
Details:
The purpose of this assignment is to
identify key stakeholders within your organization who are affected by, have
influence over, or have an interest in solving the problem you are attempting
to address with your action research project.
Stakeholder analysis requires you to
examine a number of variables in relation to each individual or group you have
identified. Use the “Stakeholder Analysis” spreadsheet to record the results of
the stakeholder analysis.
In the analysis, list titles and groups
of stakeholders. Do not list names of specific individuals. It is important to
note the role each stakeholder has in the problem and solving it. Determine
whether or not the individual or group has a negative, indifferent, positive,
or very positive predisposition about the problem.
Within the “Stakeholder Analysis”
spreadsheet is a tab labeled “Current-State Matrix.” Study the terminology
related to influence and support and think about how each block describes the
feelings a stakeholder may have about the problem and proposed solution. For
example, there may be a group or individual that has a high degree of support
in regard to solving the problem. If you know that person or group also has a
high level of influence in how the problem is solved, it is important to think
about how you will approach this person or group in terms of seeking
information and presenting potential solutions. Taking time to rank the level
of influence and support for each stakeholder is critical as you proceed
because it may have a large role in determining whether or not specific problem
solutions can be and are implemented.
Take the time necessary to conduct
research that will help you determine possible stakeholder reactions and issues
related to potential solutions. Think about the motivation, drivers, and
expectations of exchange for each stakeholder, the problem, and the proposed
solutions. Finally, consider the role of the stakeholder, including when the
stakeholder needs to be involved in the change effort, any stakeholder
management activities, and stakeholder deliverables and timelines. If a
stakeholder will ultimately end up having a designated role in implementing the
solution, the ability to articulate the role, scope, and timeframe will be of
utmost importance.
Complete the “Stakeholder Analysis”
spreadsheet and submit it to your instructor along with a 500-word summary of
your findings. In the summary, discuss the following.
Summarize stakeholder attitudes about the
identified problem and support your summary with specific data from your
collection tool.
Summarize stakeholder attitudes or
experiences related to previously implemented problem solutions and support
your summary with specific data from your collection tool.
Summarize stakeholder ideas for potential
solutions and support your summary with specific data from your collection
tool.
Who are the stakeholders you will seek to
act as sponsors to support you in the implementation of a problem solution?
Provide specific reasons why these stakeholders are key to implementing a
solution.
Who are the stakeholders that will likely
be directly affected by solving the problem? Provide specific ways these
stakeholders could be directly affected by solving the problem.
Who are the stakeholders who could pose
potential roadblocks to solving the problem? Provide specific reasons why these
stakeholders could pose potential roadblocks and what those roadblocks could
be.
This summary will be used as part of the
Business Proposal Presentation in Topic 7 and the Final Business Proposal you
submit in Topic 8.
APA format is not required, but solid
academic writing is expected.
PSC 495 Problem Solutions Matrix
Details:
The purpose of this assignment is to
review the root causes of the problem and all of the previously tried and new
solutions you researched to address the problem. From that information,
potential solutions should be ranked based upon how well they meet the needs of
the business and address the identified problem. Once this process is
completed, the best solution for solving the problem within your organization
can be selected.
Complete the “Problem Solutions Matrix”
spreadsheet using data and information you collected through research and
completion of the Stakeholder Analysis in Topics 2 and 3. Select the top three
solutions for addressing the problem within your organization. Be sure to
consider the “Solutions Score” column number when selecting the top three
solutions. Additionally, you must also consider the timeline for
implementation, costs and benefits to key stakeholders and the greater good,
potential roadblocks to implementation, and how you will measure and validate
whether or not a solution is successful in addressing the problem. All of this
must be considered prior to selecting your final solution.
This summary will be used as part of the
Business Proposal Presentation in Topic 7 and the Final Business Proposal you
submit in Topic 8.
Complete the “Problem Solutions Matrix”
spreadsheet according to the directions and submit it to your instructor.
APA format is not required, but solid
academic writing is expected
PSC 495 Managing Organization Change
Details:
The purpose of this assignment is to
clearly articulate the specific strategies and methods that will be utilized to
manage the organizational changes associated with implementing the problem
solution you have selected.
Write 250-500 words that explain how you
will address the following organizational issues prior to implementing the
problem solution you have selected.
Creating employee buy-in (What’s in it
for me?) to address the problem using your solution.
Resources (systems, technology, training,
etc.) needed to implement the solution.
Methods for addressing employee
resistance to change.
This summary will be used as part of the
Business Proposal Presentation in Topic 7 and the Final Business Proposal you
submit in Topic 8.
APA format is required for essays only.
Solid academic writing is always expected. For all assignment delivery options,
documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines,
which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success
Center.
You are required to submit this
assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success
Center.
PSC 495 Internal Business Proposal
Details:
The purpose of this assignment is to
draft an internal business proposal presentation to share with organization
personnel you would like to have sponsor or support you in the implementation
of the problem solution you have suggested. You will do this by creating a
PowerPoint presentation and filming yourself giving the presentation. You
will post the filmed presentation to the YouTube website and provide the link
to it the Main Forum so you can receive feedback about your presentation from
your peers and instructor.
Review the stakeholder analysis you
completed in Topic 3 to determine the key stakeholders that will make up the
audience for this presentation. Focus on identifying decision makers that will
have the power and resources to approve the implementation of the solution.
These are typically your supervisors and key organization personnel.
Construct a 5-10 slide PowerPoint
presentation that addresses the following. Include speaker notes for each
slide.
Problem and related research
Proposed solution and related research
Details for implementing the solution
Details for evaluating the effectiveness
of the solution
As part of the presentation, you must
include slides that provide text along with visual representations of the data
you have collected. The visuals should include the three graphs or charts that
you created from the data collected in your research during Topic 2.
Once the presentation is complete, you
will film yourself pitching the idea to the stakeholder audience. It is
important that you dress for success and practice your presentation prior to
filming it. Assume you will be talking to organization leadership not as a
student, but as a change maker within the organization. In the presentation,
your job is to use the PowerPoint as a tool and visual reference while you
present the problem, your proposed solution, and your plan for implementing the
solution. The key to success is utilizing your research and presentation skills
to clearly articulate the information to these key stakeholders while also
identifying their specific call to action.
After you have practiced your
presentation, record it, and post it to the YouTube website. You will post a
link to the video in the Main Forum to receive feedback from your peers. You
will submit the completed PowerPoint presentation and YouTube video link to
your instructor for review and feedback.
Refer to the resource “Creating Effective
PowerPoint Presentations,” located in the Student Success Center, for additional
guidance on completing this assignment in the appropriate style.
APA format is required for essays only.
Solid academic writing is always expected. For all assignment delivery options,
documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines,
which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success
Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please
review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the
expectations for successful completion.
PSC 495 Business Proposal Project Summary
Details:
The purpose of this assignment is to
begin drafting an internal business proposal that outlines how you will
implement the solution to the problem you have identified in your organization.
There are several parts to this
assignment, and each part has been explained and briefly outlined in the
“Business Proposal Project Summary” document in the Course Materials. That
document should be used as a guide to assist you with constructing key elements
of the proposal. Word count guidelines are provided for each section of the
business proposal. For this assignment, you will complete the Purpose
Statement, Problem Statement, Data and Research Findings, Proposed Solution,
Stakeholder Analysis and Benefits, and Implementation Methods sections of the
Business Proposal. Much of this content has been generated in the Topic 1-4
assignments, as noted below.
Purpose Statement (100-250 words) provides clear statement
of why the business proposal is being made.
Problem Statement (revised as needed from Topic 1
assignment feedback) including specific data (statistics and numbers) related
to how the problem impacts the business. This part of the proposal should
include the graph/chart/data you collected in Part 1 of the Topic 2 assignment.
Data and Research Findings (250-500 words) should include a summary
of what you learned from conducting research related to what has already been
done to address the organizational problem. This part of the proposal should
include the graph/chart/data you collected in Part 2 of the Topic 2 assignment.
Proposed Solution (250-500 words) should include a summary
of the top three problem solutions you considered to address the problem. In
addition to including the graph/chart/data you collected in Part 3 of the Topic
2 assignment, this section should provide a succinct discussion of the pros and
cons of implementing each of the top three solutions being considered to
address the problem.
Stakeholder Analysis and Benefits (500 words, revised as needed from Topic
3 assignment feedback)
Implementation Methods (250-500 words) summarize specific
strategies that will used to implement the problem solution including time and
costs associated with implementation.
It is important to include specific data
throughout the business proposal. Include statistics that support the problem
statement; can be used to establish and track goals; relate to specifics of
implementation, timing, and cost; and illustrate stakeholder benefits. Keep in
mind that the proposal is an internal document that will be read by
stakeholders within the organization where the problem exists. Focus on this
audience as you write. Within the Word document, include subsection titles to organize content
according to the categories listed above to provide easy reference points for
the reader.
APA format is required for essays only.
Solid academic writing is always expected. For all assignment delivery options,
documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines,
which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success
Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please
review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the
expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this
assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success
Center.
PSC 495 Business Problem and Proposed Solution
Details:
The purpose of this assignment is to
explain how you will evaluate and measure the success of the problem solution
you intend to implement in the organization.
Write 250 words that explain how you will
measure whether or not the solution is successful in addressing the problem and
meeting the needs of the business, employees, and customers. Success can be
measured using both qualitative and quantitative methods.
This summary will be used as part of the
Business Proposal Presentation in Topic 7 and the Final Business Proposal you
submit in Topic 8.
APA format is not required, but solid
academic writing is expected.
You are not required to submit this
assignment to Turnitin.
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