Starbucks: Challenges leadership has faced within the last Ten years
Order Description
This paper will be an application of the leadership practice concepts learned throughout your degree program to a real-world situation. In an eight- to ten-page paper, discuss one significant organizational challenge within your organization or an organization you have researched. How did the leadership of the organization address the challenge? Could it have been done more effectively? How would you recommend future leaders strategically plan to avoid encountering a similar challenge within their own organizations? Provide suggestions for overcoming the challenge based on your own research and concepts presented in your degree program and grounded in leadership theory. Some challenges to consider would be (but are not limited to): an ethical challenge, a challenge occurring because of changes in the economy, a globalization challenge, or a challenge of organizational culture. Request instructor approval of the challenge you would like to use as your focus before beginning your paper.
The Final Paper should, at minimum, include:
A description of the organization and its primary stakeholders. Include the vision and mission statement if they are available to the public, and the code of ethics if the company has one (if it is long, an excerpt or description is an acceptable alternative).
A detailed analysis of one challenge facing the leadership of the organization.
A strategy for overcoming the challenge based on outside research, the textbook, and concepts discussed during your degree studies.
Writing the Final Paper
The Final Paper:
Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length and formatted according to APA style, as outlined in your approved style guide.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
o Title of Paper
o Students name
o Course name and number
o Name of paper
o Instructors name
o Date submitted
Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.
Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
Must conclude with a restatement of the thesis and a conclusion paragraph.
Must use at least four scholarly sources to support your analysis and recommendations.
Must use APA style as outlined in your approved style guide to document all sources.
Must include, on the final page, a reference list that is completed according to APA style, as outlined in your approved style guide.
PAPER TEMPLATE
Paper:
First, give a title to the paper on the first content page (so not just on the cover sheet). Then you should have an introduction that identifies for the reader what the paper will be about as opposed to writing a lengthy discussion on leadership, i.e., defining it, what it means, what its impact is, etc. So focus in on what the paper will be about. It should be short and concise. For example:
Reorganization within any company can be difficult to achieve if not clearly planned for in advance. Poor planning can result in job dissatisfaction, lack of employee motivation and resistance to change (xxxx, 2012). This paper will discuss the challenge by XYZ Company in reorganizing its operation in order to be more competitive during the economic downturn. It will examine how leadership dealt with the challenge, ways in which leadership could have more effectively dealt with the challenge and finally recommendations for future leaders on how to strategically plan to avoid a similar challenge within their organization.
Note how this first paragraph identifies for the reader what the paper will be about right from the start. You dont keep the purpose of the paper (i.e., the challenge) a secret from the reader. Also note how each element of the assignment is addressed in this introductory paragraph. Youve presented a thesis statement and a roadmap to the paper for the reader.
Your work should be double spaced. I am providing content instructions single spaced but common sense will tell you that you double space the paper in APA. 🙂 It is in essay format utilizing the headings indicated.
ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION
This should include a description of the organization and its primary stakeholders. Include the vision and mission statement if they are available to the public (I will be checking to see if this is available so dont omit to check for this) and the code of ethics if the company has one (if it is long, just describe it, do not use this as filler to completing the minimum page requirement). If the mission statement is long, summarize it, i.e., The mission of the organization is to provide complete customer satisfaction. In the mission statement it elaborates by stating that it will do this by having highly qualified and trained staff; having available inventory for the customer, etc. This area would look like:
XYZ Company is a Fortune 500 company that provides ..;
Mission Statement: The mission of the organization, identified on its website is xxxxx (XYZ Company, n.d.)
Vision Statement: The vision .. (XYZ Company, n.d.)
Code of Ethics: If there is no code of ethics you will want to indicate this
Primary Stakeholders: The stakeholders include
Thats it; be thorough but be concise. It should not be more than 3/4s of a page. You do not write about what a mission statement is or what a vision statement is, etc. You merely identify the Companys mission and vision statements.
Next move to the next element of the assignment.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHALLENGE
Here you identify the challenge it faces or faced. Be specific and complete so that any reader, not just your instructor, is clear on the challenge. This is only about one challenge. You should have sent me an email getting approval of your company as it is required.
For example: In 2008 when the economy took a downturn and continued on through 2009 and 2010, XYZ Company (then identify what happened to create the challenge). This resulted in the company determining that it needed to reorganize its entire operation in order to be more competitive and survive the downturn.
You continue to expand on this until you comprehensively describe the one challenge, ensuring that you address in detail why this challenge was significant.
WAYS IN WHICH LEADERSHIP DEALT WITH THE CHALLENGE
Now you have an opportunity to identify how leadership dealt with the challenge. This should include what leadership did, even if it was in an ineffective manner. Be sure to comprehensively discuss this.
For example: Leadership notified employees via email that one or more of its sites would be shut down and some employees may be laid off. The email provided no specifics just that leadership was still determining what it would do. This lack of information created a tremendous amount of stress among employees. No one really was very productive because they were too involved with trying to get information from the grapevine as to what operations would close. There was a decrease in morale, job satisfaction and employees were already identifying how they would resist the change. When the company eventually determined the closures and layoffs again employees were notified by mail, with some employees coming into work and finding their work area boxed and being escorted out of the building.
As a subheading:
Ways Leadership Could More Effectively Handled the Challenge (Please do not write it did it perfectly as then you will have a problem responding to this element as well as the next few elements)
As stated by xxx (20xx), communication is critical to effective change management strategies. Further xxx states that employees need to feel engaged and part of the process and solutions (provide as much research to help you support your next statement). Instead of the company communicating via email that some operations would be shut down and employees laid off leadership should have planned company-wide meetings, either in focus groups, town halls, etc. This would have allowed leadership to identify, face to face with the employees, the challenge that the organization faced. As indicated by Kotter (xxxx) an important first step to change is to create a sense of urgency. Thus the company could have done xxx to create this sense of urgency. Additionally, most managers and supervisors were caught unaware and thus were unable to deal with their employee questions. As indicated by Jones & Martin (xxxx) ensuring that there is a top down communication to managers and supervisors of information and planned strategies are accomplished prior to communicating company-wide, not only to maintain morale among those individuals but also so they have the ability..
You would continue to elaborate on ways that company could have more effectively handled the challenge supporting that with your research.
Note: this is not a single paragraph stating, The company should have not sent out emails. It caused too much stress and everyone had questions. They should have met with everyone face to face. This is not a complaint paragraph about your organization it is a thoughtful approach, based upon research, leadership theory, etc. to identify ways to more effectively handle the challenge.
PLANNING STRATEGICALLY
Here you would recommend how future leaders can strategically plan to avoid encountering a similar challenge within their own organizations. Provide your suggestions for overcoming the challenge based on your own research and concepts presented in your degree program and grounded in leadership theory.
CONCLUSION
Here you restate your thesis statement and other conclusions. Be brief, do not introduce new information here.
It is important that you avoid a lot of direct quotes. I would recommend that you complete the paper early enough to submit through TurnitIn so that you can identify if you are using too much of the work of a source to write the paper. Your suggestions should be clearly your own and only supported by research.
Do not use the First Person in your work. The first person, as well as the second person (we, us, etc.) are not used in APA style papers. The paper is to be eight pages of content, so it is exclusive of your cover sheet or anything preceding the body of the paper, as well as the reference list. Avoid starting your page numbering before the content begins. This helps you identify the correct number of pages to the body of the paper.
Grading Rubrick
Total Possible Score: 25.00
Provides a Description of the Organization
Total: 3.00
Distinguished – Provides a thorough description of the organization, including its primary stakeholders, vision and mission statements, and code of ethics. Each publicly available component is clearly described and fully supported by research.
Proficient – Provides a description of the organization, including its primary stakeholders, vision and mission statements, and code of ethics. Each publicly available component is described, but some minor details may be missing, unclear, and/or not fully supported by research.
Basic – Provides a limited description of the organization, including its primary stakeholders, vision and mission statements, and code of ethics. Most publicly available components are described, but some relevant details may be missing, unclear, and/or not fully supported by research.
Below Expectations – Provides an incomplete description of the organization. Some publically available components (e.g., primary stakeholders, vision and mission statements, and code of ethics) are described, but many relevant details are missing, unclear, and/or not supported by research.
Non-Performance – The description of the organization is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Analyzes One Significant Challenge Facing the Organizations Leadership
Total: 7.00
Distinguished – Clearly and comprehensively analyzes one challenge facing the leadership of the organization, addressing in detail why this challenge is significant and how this challenge has been handled previously.
Proficient – Analyzes one challenge facing the leadership of the organization, adequately addressing why this challenge is significant and how this challenge has been handled previously.
Basic – Partially analyzes one challenge facing the leadership of the organization, but does not fully address why the challenge is significant and/or how this challenge has been handled previously.
Below Expectations – Attempts to analyze one challenge facing the leadership of the organization, but fails to address why the challenge is significant and/or how this challenge has been handled previously.
Non-Performance – The analysis of one significant challenge facing the organizations leadership is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Recommends Strategy for Overcoming the Challenge
Total: 7.00
Distinguished – Clearly recommends a strategy for overcoming the challenge. The rationale for this strategy is appropriate, research based, and grounded in leadership theory.
Proficient – Recommends a strategy for overcoming the challenge. The rationale for this strategy is mostly appropriate, research based, and grounded in leadership theory.
Basic – Partially recommends a strategy for overcoming the challenge. The rationale for this strategy is somewhat appropriate, research based, and grounded in leadership theory.
Below Expectations – Attempts to recommend a strategy for overcoming the challenge; however, the strategy is inappropriate, unsupported by research, and/or not grounded in leadership theory.
Non-Performance – The strategy for overcoming the challenge is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Organization: Introduction, Thesis Statement, and Conclusion
Total: 2.00
Distinguished – Paper is logically organized with a well-written introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion.
Proficient – Paper is logically organized with an introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion. One of these requires improvement.
Basic – Paper is organized with an introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion. One or more of the introduction, thesis statement, and/or conclusion require improvement.
Below Expectations – Paper is loosely organized with an introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion. The introduction, thesis statement, and/or conclusion require much improvement.
Non-Performance – The introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.
Critical Thinking: Explanation of Issues
Total: 1.00
Distinguished – Clearly and comprehensively explains in detail the issue to be considered, delivering all relevant information necessary for a full understanding.
Proficient – Clearly explains in detail the issue to be considered, delivering enough relevant information for an adequate understanding.
Basic – Briefly recognizes the issue to be considered, delivering minimal information for a basic understanding.
Below Expectations – Briefly recognizes the issue to be considered, but may not deliver additional information necessary for a basic understanding.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Integrative Learning: Transfer
Total: 1.00
Distinguished – Adapts and employs, independently, skills, abilities, theories, or methodologies gained in one situation to new situations. Solves difficult problems or explores complex issues in original ways.
Proficient – Utilizes skills, abilities, theories, or methodologies gained in one situation to new situations, contributing to an understanding of problems or issues.
Basic – Attempts to utilize, in a basic way, skills, abilities, theories, or methodologies gained in one situation, in a new situation.
Below Expectations – Attempts to utilize, in a basic way, skills, abilities, theories, or methodologies gained in one situation in a new situation. Such attempts may be ineffective.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: Control of Syntax and Mechanics
Total: 2.00
Distinguished – Displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains no errors, and is very easy to understand.
Proficient – Displays comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains only a few minor errors, and is mostly easy to understand.
Basic – Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few errors, which may slightly distract the reader.
Below Expectations – Fails to display basic comprehension of syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains major errors, which distract the reader.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
APA Formatting
Total: 1.00
Distinguished – Accurately uses APA formatting consistently throughout the paper, title page, and reference page.
Proficient – Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout contains a few minor errors.
Basic – Exhibits basic knowledge of APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA requirements.
Below Expectations – Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA formatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout difficult to distinguish as APA.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Page Requirement
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – The paper meets the specific page requirement stipulated in the assignment description.
Proficient – The paper closely meets the page requirement stipulated in the assignment description.
Basic – The paper meets over half of the page requirement stipulated in the assignment description.
Below Expectations – A fraction of the page requirement is completed.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Resource Requirement
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – Uses more than the required number of scholarly sources, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
Proficient – Uses required number of scholarly sources to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
Basic – Uses less than the required number of sources to support ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are used within the body of the assignment. Citations may not be formatted correctly.
Below Expectations – Uses inadequate number of sources that provide little or no support for ideas. Sources used may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are not used within the body of the assignment. Citations are not formatted correctly.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
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