MGT 603 – Organizational Diagnosis Team Project – Instructions
Each team will identify an organization, or a unit within an organization, to perform an organizational diagnosis using a combination of data collection methods [e.g., secondary, qualitative, observational, quantitative methods (survey / questionnaire), etc.]. You will identify issues pertinent to the unit and try to improve the organizational performance on those dimensions by offering recommendations (and interventions) based upon your diagnosis. The objective of this is to
(1) show a comprehensive understanding of how all the different data collection methods complement each other (triangulation),
(2)
how the original research objectives and study design impact the potential analysis (and hence your ability to make recommendations), and
(3)
how to properly analyze the qualitative and survey data to make recommendations. (Even if the resulting sample size is small, it will be good practice). You should draw from a variety of the course materials for this project (e.g., sampling design, qualitative interviewing and theming techniques, quantitative techniques, graphs, statistical analysis, etc.) and cite these from the course books (and other sources as needed). Although there is no page limit, it will be difficult to accomplish these objectives without 20 pages of text and written analysis (double spaced), with some tables and graphs woven throughout. (Appendixes of detailed analysis will add to this total.)
In order to improve your paper and presentation, you will present a DRAFT of your ideas after spring break. To get feedback and improve the paper, you will present a preliminary PowerPoint to the class. (This presentation should include draft survey questions / ideas for survey questions, discussion guide questions, ideas about how you will analyze the data, etc.) After making revisions to your project based on the feedback from the class, you will submit the final team project at the end of the semester. The paper will be due two days after you present – to allow for minor revisions based on your learning in the presentation.
The following is just one potential format for the structure of your final paper. Other formats can be used, such as a separate recommendation section, tables and graphs imbedded rather than appended, etc. Use your judgment based on the study that you conduct. (Also see the instructions for the individual research project for details regarding content for each section.) The final paper should be professional in design and be presentable to a client. It will be primarily a practitioner style report (with a bit of academic tone for purposes of the class – e.g., you likely wouldn’t put hypotheses or research questions in a practitioner paper.) On the final day you present (end of semester), please bring a copy of the PowerPoint (printed 3 slides per page) for me to make notes and follow along.
1) One page executive summary
2) Body of the paper: Background
i) Overview of Company (brief but relevant to the paper and objectives)
3) Introduction
i) Research Question(s) / hypotheses and how you operationalize them.
4) Research
i) Approach (broader description and explanation of exploratory phase, initial interviews, hypothesis development, and specific phases, steps, triangulation, etc.)
ii) Method (including sampling methods, sample size, types of data collection, topics covered in your research, etc.) This will be an important section for mapping the material from the books.
iii) Analysis
(a) Secondary Data (if applicable) – how it may have led to hypotheses
(b) Qualitative Data (steps in analysis, themes that emerged, how it lead to quantitative)
(c) Quantitative Data (statistics used, groups analyzed, relationships, predictions, comparisons, etc.)
iv) Findings
(a) Tables and text to briefly describe what you analyzed in the tables / charts
v) Results – mapped to your original research questions
(a) Issue 1 – interpretation of the data and subsequent recommendations
(b) Issue 2 – interpretation of the data and subsequent recommendations
(c) etc.
vi) Future research needed (things you cannot answer with this study)
vii) Lessons learned from this class and the project
5) Appendices
i) Survey, discussion guides, etc.
ii) Tables and graphs that do not fit nicely into the body of the report
