management in action 3
You will write a short report connecting course material to current news articles (current event, not an article about the concept itself). After reviewing topics from our text, review various news articles in publications on the Internet. Good sites include Washington Post, Bloomberg Business Week, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Verge, Reuters, BBC, The Economist, or any credible news source.
Why of the assignment: Learning the concept is one thing. Identifying it in a real-life situation is another. This assignment requires you to think deeply about the concept and then be able to identify it in a business or even non-business setting. You will likely be able to apply the concepts to a sports setting or an organizational setting such as an event or a governmental situation. You might see it in a police response to a situation or the way a sports team manages itself or a situation. “Management” and the concepts we study are a part of life and you will see it manifested in many situations.
Please focus on news articles and not editorial articles. A news article is about a recent event that has occurred. It could be about employees, profit, production challenges, an ethical issue, for example. It does not have to be about business. Management and the concepts we study are found in all types of situations so don’t limit yourself by looking at business news only. Editorial articles discuss things like the best techniques or ways for accomplish something, whether it be motivation, leadership, organizing a company or team or many other areas. They don’t require you to identify a concept – they spell it out for you. Using one of these articles will cost you 15 points. If you are unsure – ask me. I am happy to help you.
The more topics that can be successfully tied to the article, the greater the point value of the assignment. Less than three topics will result in a deduction in points. Please see “Additional Directions” below as well as the rubric so you are aware of the grading. More than three topics may result in bonus points if the instructions below are followed.
1. Connections to the concepts in the text must be made. These must be explicit using citations (e.g. Chapter 15, Section 3a Hierarchical versus Decentrailized Approaches.) Do not just included the chapter and section: include the title of the section as shown above.
2. The concept MUST be explained in your own words. The explanation must be detailed with examples. Think of this as informing someone who has no clue what the concept is. One or two sentences will NOT work. Similar to a CPA, this should show your understanding of the concept.
3. The connection must be made as well. You will need to use a portion of the article and show how it is an example of the concept. Be explicit when making the connection: “In the article, the author discusses… This directly relates to the concept because …”
I have posted an example of an “A” paper for your reference. Please review so you understand what I expect.
Use the attached Assignment Form and complete the form following these directions:
Article Summary: 1-2 paragraphs summarizing the MAIN IDEA of the article. Be sure that you focus on the portion of the article that you will be discussing in the next section. Remember this is to be a news article – not a management article or advice article. This should paint a complete picture for the reader. Points that you will be connecting to later should be mentioned here. That will make your connections more clear as the summary will have details to help the reader.
For each connection, complete the following sections:
A. Chapter number and section number and description of text you are referencing (e.g. Chapter 1 Section 2 The Basic Function of Management.)
B. Indicate the concept and define it in your own words (not copied from any source or paraphrased.). Provide examples and details as if you are explaining the concept to someone who has never heard of the idea before.
C. Make the connection between the article and the concept identified in B above. This should be no more than 150 words. Shorter is not better – use the word limit to provide information. If it is vague or lacks detail, it will not receive a good grade.
Additional Directions:
1. Submit either a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file. If I am not able to open the file, I will ask that you email me the assignment and will tentatively give you a zero for the assignment. As soon as I get a file I can open, I will grade it using the rubric.
2. Please use proper capitalization. Check the Purdue Owl website. The site has great grammar and punctuation tips. I use it all the time. Also, think about Grammarly. It is handy too.
